Grade XII Grammar

Problem #1

Definition: A comma splice is a comma that joins (splices) two independent clauses. A clause is a group of words that has a subject and a verb.

How Do You Fix a Comma Splice?

Make two sentences instead of one: Robert ate worms. Mary dislikes Robert.

Use a semicolon (;). Robert ate worms; Mary dislikes Robert.

Use a subordinating conjunction (because, when, since, although,...). Because Robert ate worms, Mary dislikes Robert.

Use a semicolon plus a conjunctive adverb (therefore, then, however,...). Robert ate worms; therefore, Mary dislikes Robert.

Use a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) after the comma. Robert ate worms, so Mary dislikes Robert.

Exercises 1.1: Each sentence below is wrong; it has a comma splice. Please correct it.

1. Each sentence below is wrong, it has a comma splice.

2. Eliza ran to the store, then she bought some candy.

3. The stock market has moved in one direction lately, it has gone down.

4. Elvis Presley was a great singer, he was never really accepted by the country music's mainstream.

5. Computer programs help us live saner lives, obviously the people who write them should make lots of money.

6. Dubai has built magnificent office towers with luxuries and conveniences, it is considered a great location in which to conduct international business.

7. Brazil has won several world cups championships in soccer, they are always considered a good team.

8. The Quaid-i-Azam campus of Punjab University is considered excellent, it attracts many students.

Exercises 1.2: Each sentence below is wrong; it has a comma splice. Please correct it.

1. The legislature had enacted laws enabling debtors to discharge their obligations more easily, the courts put an end to such practices by stipulating that no state could enact such laws.

2. Every wall was smashed to rubble, the only thing left of those houses was the land and the rocks from the rubble.

3. My heart broke, the owners had no insurance.

4. The town looked deserted, the streets were so dark and empty that the only thing we could hear was the wind blowing.

5. We worked from dusk to dawn, never had so many contracts been written in such a short time.

6. Money continued to flow in, we started to live the life of the rich, on weekends we ate at expensive restaurants.

7. The river extended beyond the mountains, we saw the clouds merge with the water in the horizon.

8. Men and women drink coffee because it adds to their sense of well-being, it smells good and tastes good to all mankind, all respond to its wonderful stimulating properties.

9. Caffeine supplies the principal stimulant, it increases the capacity for muscular and mental work without harmful reaction.

10. Like all good things in life, the drinking of coffee may be abused, those having an idiosyncratic susceptibility to alkaloids should be temperate in the use of tea, coffee, or cocoa.

11. In every high-tensioned country there is likely to be a small number of people who, because of certain individual characteristics, cannot drink coffee at all, these people belong to the abnormal minority of the human family.

12. Some people cannot eat strawberries, that would not be a valid reason for a general condemnation of strawberries.

13. Some writers claim for Persia the discovery of the coffee drink, there is no evidence to support the claim.

14. The Persians appear to have used considerable intelligence in handling the political phase of the coffee-house question, it never became necessary to order them suppressed in Persia.

15. Residue from a super-saturated solution produces ideal seed crystals for growth in a lab, these crystals may contain impurities.

16. The need for occupational therapists has grown substantially, therefore more colleges are offering programs in this high-demand field.

Problem #2

A fused sentence (http://www.grammar-worksheets.com/Lesson.Fused.Sentences.pdf), on the other hand, occurs when two independent clauses (complete ideas) are joined without any punctuation. It is better to avoid the term run-on sentence altogether and use only the terms comma splice and fused sentence. They are more specific and more descriptive.

Fixing a Fused Sentence

To fix a fused sentence, determine where one MAIN IDEA ends and another one begins. In the sentence above, for example, there seems to be a logical division between the words itself and although. Although there are other ways to correct a fused sentence, the two most obvious are

1. Placing a period between the two main ideas.

Revision: Fashion shows in the clothes we wear, and it is constantly changing and repeating itself. Although fashion in the form of haute couture is everywhere, it isn’t for everyone.

2. Placing a semicolon between the two main ideas.

Revision: Fashion shows in the clothes we wear, and it is constantly changing and repeating itself; although fashion in the form of haute couture is everywhere, it isn’t for everyone.

Exercises 2.1: Please rewrite the following to eliminate any fused sentences.

1. Janine’s uncle never graduated from high school he started his own landscaping company at sixteen.

2. I have had a Mac computer for a year already I have no regrets about buying it.

3. People make their way across the desert they arrive in trucks with little ventilation, and they are often beaten by the men who smuggle them.

4. These political victories add up It’s not just money, but dignity at home and on the job.

5. Immigrants can be sentenced to prison most are sent back to their native homelands.

6. Jammal’s supervisor installed a new fingerprint reader when employees arrive they must enter an employee number and place their index finger on a small sensor.

7. The teacher distributed several worksheets some of them were taken directly from the textbook.

8. Amar Chang has a goal in fourteen consecutive matches he is three shy of the record.

9. The dog jumped and barked near the lake he noticed an alligator swimming toward shore.

Exercises 2.2

1. Trees lay on the side of the road they looked as if they had been pulled out of the ground by huge machines.

2. Every wall was smashed to rubble the only thing left of those houses was the land and the rocks from the rubble.

3. My heart broke the owners had no insurance.

4. The town looked deserted the streets were so dark and empty that the only thing we could hear was the wind blowing.

5. We worked from dusk to dawn never had so many contracts been written in such a short time.

6. Money continued to flow in we started to live the life of the rich on weekends we ate at expensive restaurants.

7. The river extended beyond the mountains we saw the clouds merge with the water in the horizon.

8. Men and women drink coffee because it adds to their sense of well-being it not only smells good and tastes good to all mankind, heathen or civilized all respond to its wonderful stimulating properties.

9. Caffeine supplies the principal stimulant it increases the capacity for muscular and mental work without harmful reaction.

10. Like all good things in life, the drinking of coffee may be abused those having an idiosyncratic susceptibility to alkaloids should be temperate in the use of tea, coffee, or cocoa.

11. Some people cannot eat strawberries that would not be a valid reason for a general condemnation of strawberries.

13. The Persians appear to have used considerable intelligence in handling the political phase of the coffee-house question it never became necessary to order them suppressed in Persia.

Problem #3

Agreement of Pronoun with Antecedent http://www.grammar-worksheets.com

An antecedent is a word that comes before something. The root ante, meaning “before,” gives a clue.

Agreement and number: The word agreement is interesting. In English grammar we have a term called number, and, unlike number in math, number in grammar means one of two things: singular (only one) or plural (more than one). So when an English teacher says, “A pronoun must agree in number with its antecedent,” you know what she’s saying: If you use a singular

noun or pronoun, you have to use a singular pronoun to refer to the original. You can’t (you’re not supposed to!) use a plural one.

Correct: Students lost their privileges.

The original noun is Students, which is plural; the possessive pronoun, their, refers (or points back) to Students. The word Students is the antecedent, and both Students and their are plural in number.

Wrong: Everyone who went on the field trip was supposed to bring their permission form.

How do We Fix the Problem?

We could (but don’t!) simply use the pronoun his or her, as in

Poor: Everyone who went on the field trip was supposed to bring his permission form.

But unless you’re talking about all boys, you should not use his. Could you use his or her? Yes, but that sounds too clunky, too heavy and awkward.

Your best solution is to rewrite the sentence and turn singular nouns into plurals. That way you are grammatically correct and you do not use sexist or clunky language.

Better (1): Students who went on the field trip were supposed to bring their permission form.

We can also rewrite the sentence omitting the pronoun.

Better (2): Everyone who went on the field trip was supposed to bring a permission form.

Each method works. If you have enough creativity, sentences can be written in many different ways. Some ways work better than others.

Exercises 3.1: Rewrite. Make each pronoun agree in number with its antecedent.

1. Would everyone please bring their computer to the writing workshop?

2. The principal indicated that every staff member had to submit their self evaluation by Wednesday.

3. The operations officer noted that every soldier should have their own blanket.

4. School psychologists note the importance for every student to express their emotions.

5. Is every candidate for the position going to be given their application materials at the interview?

6. If any investor has a question about the quarterly reports, they should contact their broker directly.

7. If every customer complains that an item is missing in their order, something is wrong with our procedure.

8. Would everyone who attended the meeting, please bring their tee shirt to the rally?

Exercises 3.2 :Rewrite each sentence so that each pronoun agrees with the antecedent.

1. Mrs. Carrasco told the secretary that yet another candidate for the job had forgotten their resume.

2. When even one student forgets their assignment, the entire class suffers the consequences.

3. Please congratulate anyone who remembers their employee number.

4. Franklin remembered that the other runner had forgotten their registration fee.

5. Would someone please remind the class that nobody is to leave their patrol area without notifying an officer?

6. If anybody sells six hundred boxes, they will qualify for a free trip to Athens.

7. Is each representative going to deliver their speech in front of the camera?

8. Anyone who does not have the correct change should give their money to the line monitor.

9. Nobody is willing to give up their parking space for the guest speaker.

10. Unless another contestant forgets the lyrics to their song, last place in the talent show will go to Carl.

11. Each girl should bring their scout handbook and merit badge guide on the field trip.

12. Every gardener must fertilize their palm trees with nitrogen or the fronds may turn yellow.

13. Mrs. Gomez told her class that anyone who attends the music recital will receive extra credit.

14. Every player on the team must play to the best of their ability.

15. The principal told the PTA that anyone who wants their children to take art classes may enroll them for free at the community center.

16. When you give someone your trust, you believe that they will not betray it.

17. If nobody wants their complimentary plastic cup, they should place it in the recycling bin.

18. Each manager must make sure that their employees’ performance reviews are signed and dated.

Problem #4

Apostrophes

Errors in using the apostrophe abound in written English. Some writers use an apostrophe where none is warranted, while others omit an apostrophe where one is required.

its, it's, OR its'

By far the most common errors in the use of the apostrophe involve the letters i-t-s. Some writers believe, wrongly, that the apostrophe always implies possession; it does not. Therefore, we have constructions like the one below.

1. The cat lost it's collar. 2. The cat lost its' collar. 3.

In the first sentence, the writer uses an apostrophe incorrectly to denote possession. The correct form to indicate possession using i-t-s is its, always.

Correct: The cat lost its collar.

The form it's means "it is" or "it has," as in "It's a great day for roller skating" or "It's been a long time since Karen came to class." This is called a contraction and should be used sparingly, if at all, in formal writing.

In the second sentence, the writer uses a form that does not exist. The form its' does not exist in standard English; it is wrong, always. To summarize,

its = possession it's = it is OR it has its' = does not exist

who's OR whose

Another common error is confusing whose with who's.

Error: The post office manager, who's mother is in the hospital, retired.

Again, these are two words that sound the same but are spelled differently and mean different things, homophones (or homonyms). The word whose indicates possession; who's is a contraction for who is.

Correct Form: The post office manager, whose mother is in the hospital, retired.

you're OR yourSome students confuse your with you're.

Use the word your to indicate that something belongs to the person you're speaking to (hmmm).

Use you're when you are saying something about the person you are speaking to.

Error: The brown dog ran away with you're raincoat.

Think about this. Would you rewrite the sentence "The brown dog ran away with you are raincoat"? So the correct form is

Correct Form: The brown dog ran away with your raincoat.

The word your shows possession. You're means "you are."

they're, their, OR there

Here we have another error that confounds some student writers.

Error: Their not going to the movies until tonight.

Correct: They're not going to the movies until tonight.

The intended meaning is "Those people" (they) are not going to the movies until tonight.

The word their shows possession (their parking lot); they're means "they are"; there indicates location or a state of being, as in "There are three letters in the word cat."

Exercises 4.1 : Correct the faulty usage.

1. If you think your going to the movies, your mistaken!

2. The boy who's dog was sent to the pound cried uncontrollably.

3. A good dog always cleans its’ food bowl.

4. The Sisters of Saint Joseph support they're convent with outside employment.

5. Its never as good a deal as the salesperson makes it out to be.

6. The rugby players promise that their not going to stop playing after August.

7. Their not going to the carnival, and your not either.

8. Its never too late to apply, even when the registrar's office closes it's doors.

9. Its’ important to realize whose actually using the computers in the lab.

Exercises 4.2 : Correct the faulty usage.

1. The orange tree wilted because it’s trunk was damaged severely.

2. At its’ peak, the river crested at sixteen feet.

3. The couple who’s son won the award swelled with pride as they walked out of the auditorium.

4. Margaret asked, “Whose going to attend the ceremony?”

5. If your going to the game, you should take a glove in case you catch a foul ball.

6. You showed good manners when you gave up you’re seat to the elderly person.

7. When they’re train arrived, the students quickly loaded the luggage.

8. When Janice and Karen tell there parents that their going to the same college, their parents may buy them a car.

9. Its never a good idea to spend more money than we earn.

10. The old dog broke it’s paw when it fell from the sofa.

11. Did Graham tell you whose been selected to the all-star team?

12. After you have finish you’re lunch, please return to the classroom.

13. The Johnsons are not going to cancel there vacation just because of bad weather.

14. HLN promised it’s viewers complete coverage of the Casey Anthony trial.

15. Its been eight years since we met, and I love you more than ever.

16. Papa Bear growled, “Whose been sleeping in my bed?”

17. As long as your going to the grocery story, could you please bring back a carton of eggs?

18. The Mallory twins lost there tickets on the way to the Justin Bieber concert.

Problem #5

Pronoun Shifts

When we write quickly, we sometimes change the point of view of a

sentence or a paragraph by switching from one pronoun perspective

to another. This switch in perspective is called a switch in point of

view or a pronoun shift. It is important to maintain the point of view.

For example, the first sentence in this paragraph could easily have

been written: "When we write quickly, you sometimes change the point

of view of a sentence or paragraph."

In this sentence, we started with the pronoun we, which is 1st person

plural, and we switched to you, which is second person (singular or

plural). This switch detracts from our writing style. Once we

establish a point of view through the use of a pronoun, we should

maintain that perspective, unless we have good reason to switch it.

Examples of Pronoun Shifts

As we rode into town, you could hear the silence of the frightened residents.

When I listened to Bach, you could almost feel a mathematical rhythm taking over your thoughts.

If we did not text while we drove, you would not have as many accidents as there are.

These three sentences exhibit a shift in perspective. The point of view changes because the use of pronouns changes. In the first sentence, we start with the pronoun we (first person) and shift to the pronoun you (second person). This shift hurts our writing style.

The Solution (Correcting Pronoun Shifts)

We can maintain a consistent point of view and avoid shifts in pronouns in two ways.

1. Use the same pronoun in our sentences.

2. A better solution is to use a noun in the first part of the sentence. In this manner, the pronoun use in the second part becomes almost obvious.

Correct Examples

Good: As we rode into town, we could hear the silence of the frightened residents.

Better: As the soldiers rode into town, they could hear the silence of the frightened residents.

Good (and Better): When I listened to Bach, I could almost feel a mathematical rhythm taking over my thoughts.

When we use the pronoun I (first person) we really cannot use a noun. Referring to ourselves in the third person sounds odd.

Good: If we did not text while we drove, we would not have as many accidents as we have.

Better: If drivers did not text while they drove, fewer accidents would occur.

Sometimes we must revise the sentence to avoid a shift in pronoun. Sometimes this revision makes the sentence shorter, better, and clearer.

Exercises 5.1: Rewrite each sentence to eliminate any mixed point of view.

1. The author suggests that the truth is sometimes painful, but telling the truth is better than living a life being someone you are not.

2. When Margo married a widower her life became complicated because you can’t help but feel jealous about a deceased wife.

3. Although it may be painful for a parent not to be your child’s role model, Patrice Grant doesn’t have the right to be angry with her son’s choice.

4. As the soldiers marched away from the battleground, you felt as if the war may finally be over.

5. A softball player who wants to develop her pitching form knows you will develop more skills at a sleep away camp.

6. Students underestimate the amount of time required to study nursing because you simply cannot pass your tests without extensive study and practical experience.

7. Regardless of how much teachers try, you cannot make sure that students attend every class.

8. When I ran, you would get cramps.

Exercises 5.2: Rewrite each sentence to eliminate any mixed point of view.

1. When children play violent video games, they start acting like the characters, and you sometimes cross the line and disrespect your parents.

2. As thousands of riotous youth looted stores in London, you sensed that the conservative government would respond vigorously.

3. Although I enjoy fishing from a pier, you sometimes wonder what fishing from a boat in the ocean would be like.

4. When a customer is treated courteously, they are more likely to return.

5. I like competing in triathlons because you have the opportunity to train in three different sports.

6. As more and more employees were rehired, you felt that management had really tried to address the company's problems.

7. Marginalized groups often form close-knit communities, so you tend to socialize and shop among members of your group.

8. Registered users must log in using their password, and you will be charged on a per-use basis.

9. Henry's group practiced life-saving methods in the open ocean; you were expected to swim one hundred yards and return to the boat.

10. In Cancun, tourists experience sandy beaches and luxurious resorts, but you also see people living in shacks with dirt floors and no running water.

11. Visitors to the Magic Kingdom can arrive by ferry or monorail, and you can see Cinderella's castle in the distance.

12. After the football team completes two-a-day summer practices, school begins, and you will have only one practice session after daily study hall.

13. Myrna remembered that patrons could reenter the museum if you still had the ticket stub.

14. When fans arrive late to a concert, you must wait for a pause in the performance to be seated.

Italics and Underlining Practice Exercises

Problem #6

Italics and Quotation Marks

Identify words or phrases that need underlining or italicizing in the following sentences. You may check your answers with the key.

Exercises 6.1:

1.  "Au revoir mes étudiants," my French professor said to his students.

2. The bee went bzzz as it flew past my ear.

3. The shelf to your left has the Chicago Times, the New York Times, USA Today, and the

L.A. Times; the one on the right has the news magazines TIME, Newsweek, and U.S.

News and World Report.

4. Number the Stars, written by Lowis Lowry, is an engaging novel set in Denmark.

5. How do you know it's what she wants?

6. The flyer says that in Act I of the play Wicked the chorus sings "No One Mourns the

Wicked."

7. The Book of Revelations is in both the Holy Bible and the Jewish Tanakh.

8. The box kite took to the wind and ZOOM flew over the trees and disappeared into the sky.

9. I heard the sizzle of the steak on the grill as Dad barbequed. Mmmm, I couldn't wait until

dinner. Buon appetito!

Exercises 6.2:

In the following sentences put in quotation marks wherever they are needed, and underline words where italics are needed.

1. Mary is trying hard in school this semester, her father said.

2. No, the taxi driver said curtly, I cannot get you to the airport in fifteen minutes.

3. I believe, Jack remarked, that the best time of year to visit Europe is in the spring. At least that's what I read in a book entitled Guide to Europe.

4. My French professor told me that my accent is abominable.

5. She asked, Is Time a magazine you read regularly?

6. Flannery O'Connor probably got the title of one of her stories from the words of the old popular song, A Good Man Is Hard to Find.

7. When did Roosevelt say, We have nothing to fear but fear itself?

8. It seems to me that hip and cool are words that are going out of style.

9. Yesterday, John said, This afternoon I'll bring back your book Conflict in the Middle East; however, he did not return it.

10. Can you believe, Dot asked me, that it has been almost five years since we've seen each other?

11. A Perfect Day for Bananafish is, I believe, J. D. Salinger's best short story.

12. Certainly, Mr. Martin said, I shall explain the whole situation to him. I know that he will understand.

Exercises 6.3: Put in semicolons, colons, dashes, quotation marks, italics (use an underline), and parentheses where ever they are needed in the following sentences.

1. The men in question Harold Keene, Jim Peterson, and Gerald Greene deserve awards.

2. Several countries participated in the airlift Italy, Belgium, France, and Luxembourg.

3. Only one course was open to us surrender, said the ex-major, and we did.

4. Judge Carswell later to be nominated for the Supreme Court had ruled against civil rights.

5. In last week's New Yorker, one of my favorite magazines, I enjoyed reading Leland's article How Not to Go Camping.

6. Yes, Jim said, I'll be home by ten.

7. There was only one thing to do study till dawn.

8. Montaigne wrote the following A wise man never loses anything, if he has himself.

9. The following are the primary colors red, blue, and yellow.

10. Arriving on the 8 10 plane were Liz Brooks, my old roommate her husband and Tim, their son.

11. When the teacher commented that her spelling was poor, Lynn replied All the members of my family are poor spellers. Why not me?

12. He used the phrase you know so often that I finally said No, I don't know.

13. The automobile dealer handled three makes of cars Volkswagens, Porsches, and Mercedes Benz.

14. Though Phil said he would arrive on the 9 19 flight, he came instead on the 10 36 flight.

15. Whoever thought said Helen that Jack would be elected class president?

16. In baseball, a show boat is a man who shows off.

17. The minister quoted Isaiah 5 21 in last Sunday's sermon.

18. There was a very interesting article entitled The New Rage for Folk Singing in last Sunday's New York Times newspaper.

19. Whoever is elected secretary of the club Ashley, or Chandra, or Aisha must be prepared to do a great deal of work, said Jumita, the previous secretary.

20. Darwin's On the Origin of Species 1859 caused a great controversy when it appeared.

 Problem #7

Using the Comma Correctly Practice Exercises

Exercises 7.2:Using Commas Correctly

Insert commas in the appropriate places in the following sentences.

1. A long river the Mississippi can be said to divide the United States into two parts west and east.

2. When you are traveling west from Philadelphia you arrive in Chicago long before you arrive in Salt Lake City.

3. "Seeing the country by car" said my tour guide "is really the best way to learn what being an American is all about."

4. Getting to a scheduled airline flight these days can be very difficult due to the requirement that you take off your shoes and jacket throw away your water bottle and show your ticket before you enter the gate area.

5. On the other hand there is no mode of travel that is faster easier simpler and more modern than air flight.

6. Trekking however is actually my favourite way to see the countryside.

7. My family favors camping vacations which include sleeping eating and even showering out in nature.

8. The hazards of camping can include mosquitoes ants and sometimes bears.

9. After being awakened by our first bear we drove to town the very next day and bought a big tent.

10. My mother has always told me that the best education is earned in the following ways: traveling to new places reading good books and conscientiously practicing all the hard grammar rules.

Exercise 7.3

Place commas wherever they are needed in the following sentences.

1. There was no question that John's painting a huge colourful and ugly mural was the worst entry in the art exhibit.

2. Werner von Braun Willy Ley and Edward Teller noted authorities in the field of rocket development have done much to guide the missile program of the United States.

3. Mr. Cready's ability to say the wrong thing at the wrong time is I believe amazing.

4. Running around the house the dog was abruptly stopped by a fence.

5. If the opposition should win our candidate would never have any political future.

6. Gracefully lightly and daintily the ballerina moved across the stage.

7. Glamour the woman's fashion magazine recently incorporated with Charm another fashion journal.

8. Joe was born on May 7 1955 and his best friend was born exactly two months later on July 7 1955.

9. Mr. and Mrs. Kwon my parents' best friends sat in front of us at the football game.

10. November 11 1918 the armistice ending World War I was signed.

Exercise 7.4

Place commas wherever they are needed in the following sentences.

1. The problems involved in this operation are I think numerous.

2. Celene who does not usually tell anyone what she feels said she didn't want to go to the dance.

3. To get tickets for some Broadway musicals one has to order three months in advance.

4. Listening to the radio Jun heard an announcement that Spangler his own dog was lost.

5. I used to live at 16689 Sutton Avenue Milpitas California but we have since moved to 1895 Holland Way Dubuque Iowa.

6. The Valley of the Moon the name of a section in Napa County California is the heart of the state's wine producing area.

7. Chris did not see how he could organize write and proofread this paper in only two hours.

8. By the pilings of the old pier I found four starfish a clam and a sea anemone.

9. Yes Helen did mention that all three of you were coming for lunch.

10. I believe therefore that fraternities are good influences on a college campus.

Exercise 7.5

Place commas wherever they are needed in the following sentences.

1. The girl with the bright friendly smile wore a bright green scarf to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

2. As he read the Chekhov story he became aware of the Russian's genius.

3. Dauphin Island located off the coast of Alabama is a favorite spot for fishing.

4. She was as a matter of fact mainly interested in showing off her vocabulary.

5. I often go to the seashore and collect rocks there.

6. Before reaching the summit the climbers were forced by a storm to turn back.

7. Did you know that James Agee the novelist and poet was also a film critic?

8. Lady Jane Grey was the queen of England from July 10 1553 to July 19 1553.

9. Joseph registered for English 101 History 204 and Biology 106.

10. After discussing "Rain" we agreed that Somerset Maugham could really tell a good story.

11. Squaw Valley California the scene of the winter Olympics in 1960 is a ski resort.

12. Tomorrow I believe is the last day to register to vote in the November general election.

13. To perform well on Saturday afternoon the athlete must train every day of the week.

14. Understanding history increases your understanding of today's world.

15 Meg Fischer my cousin hopes to graduate from law school in two years.

16. He reads everything: road maps want ads and cereal boxes.

17. Having cut the roses she decided to bring them to her friend in the hospital.

18. "When" Jaime asked "will you return my book?"

Exercise 7.6 : Commas vs. Semicolons - Compound Sentences

Each of the following sentences needs either a comma or a semicolon. Put in the necessary punctuation.

1. The hill was covered with wildflowers it was a beautiful sight.

2. The artist preferred to paint in oils he did not like watercolors.

3. The house was clean, the table set, and the porch light on everything was ready for the guests' arrival.

4. He looked carefully in the underbrush but he failed to notice the pair of green eyes staring at him.

5. The computer could perform millions of operations in a split second however, it could not think spontaneously.

6. I thought registration day would be tiring but I didn't know I'd have to stand in so many lines.

7. The snowstorm dumped twelve inches of snow on the interstate subsequently, the state police closed the road.

8. Professors are supposed to be absent-minded and I've seen plenty of evidence to support that claim since I've been in college.

9. The suspect said that he had never met the victim however, the detective knew that he was lying.

10. In the first place, it was snowing too hard to see the road in the second place, we had no chains.

11. Ron and Mike were both in English class this morning they gave an interesting presentation on their research.

12. I am not interested in a trip to Asia this year however, I would like to go to Europe.

13. Katherine has given up smoking about five times but she cannot seem to break the habit.

14. The passengers on the plane were initially alarmed by the loss of altitude but the pilot and the crew kept them calm.

Problem #8

Exercise 8.1 : Writing Numbers Exercise (See the last few pages for rules)

Write the correct answer for each sentence, using either words to spell out the numbers (thirty-one) or numerals where appropriate (31). Write a C if the sentence is correct as is.

1. 351 people attended the performance.

2. There were one hundred and thirty-five pieces in the puzzle.

3. Class started at eight-thirty A.M. in Room Twenty.

4. In the sixties there were sit-ins at 100's of colleges.

5. Every afternoon at two o'clock the chimes rang.

6. The stock deal, which involved $4.5 billion, paid a twelve and a half percent dividend.

7. The Lafayette television station is Channel Eighteen.

8. They needed eight ten-foot poles for the construction.

9. The vote was 126 in favour of the action and only sixteen opposed.

10. Only fifty percent of high school students go on to college.

11. We were assigned a report of about 10 pages in length.

Problem #9

Exercise 9.1 : Appositive Exercise

Underline and punctuate the appositives in the following sentences. Not all require punctuation.

1. My son the policeman will be visiting us next week.

2. The captain ordered the ship's carpenters to assemble the shallop, a large rowboat.

3. Walter the playboy and writer is very attached to his mother, Mrs. Hammon.

4. The famous American actor Paul Newman directed five motion pictures.

5. Elizabeth Teague a sweet and lovable girl grew up to be a mentally troubled woman.

6. Sweetbriar a company known throughout the South is considering a nationwide advertising campaign.

7. An above-average student and talented musician John made his family proud.

8. Titanic the extremely popular American film was widely criticized for its mediocre script.

9. Citizen Kane the greatest American film ever made won only one Academy Award.

10. The TV news magazine 60 Minutes program featured a story on the popular singer Whitney Houston.

Exercise9.2 : Eliminating Wordiness

Revise these sentences to state their meaning in fewer words. Avoid passive voice, needless repetition, and wordy phrases and clauses. The first sentence has been done as an example.

1. Barkerville was one of the towns which was established because gold was found nearby.

2. The town was founded by Billy Barker, the first miner to find quantities of gold in large amounts in the area.

3.In the 1870’s, Barkerville was the biggest city north of San Francisco and east of Chicago.

4. Barkerville was good with lots of facilities such as a church, a library and a theatre.

5. Several years after the town was founded, it was abandoned. The reason why the town was abandoned was that the gold ran out.

6. When deciding what kind of computer to buy, you need to take your uses for the computer into account. You also need to consider your budget. A good way to begin computer shopping is to list your uses for the computer.

7. There are some people who only use computers to do word processing. Some other people have a wide variety of uses for a computer. Computer games use a lot of memory, so if you want to play games on the computer, you should buy one which has a lot of RAM.

Exercise 9.3 : Eliminating Wordiness

1. Our neighbor who lives in the house next door has been the recipient of an invitation to the governor’s ball.

2. The pies were baked by the parents of the second graders.

3. The sarcastic remarks that Linda delivered had the effect of causing everyone to become very angry.

4. Aluminium is a metal that is very light in weight.

5. The office manager wanted all the memos to be typed. She wanted all the memos to be typed so that they would be easy to read. 6. He found his neighbor who lived next door and was thirty years old to be attractive in appearance.

7. One time when I went to the park, my friend, whose name is Jake, went with me and we had fun.

8. The dog was walked by the girls who were sisters.

General Rules for Writing Numbers

Rule 1. Spell out all numbers beginning a sentence.

Examples:Twenty-three hundred sixty-one victims were hospitalized.Nineteen fifty-six was quite a year.

Rule 2a. Hyphenate all compound numbers from twenty-one through ninety-nine.

Examples:Forty-three people were injured in the train wreck.Twenty-seven of them were hospitalized.

Rule 2b. Hyphenate all written-out fractions.

Examples:We recovered about two-thirds of the stolen cash.One-half is slightly less than five-eighths.

Rule 3a. With figures of four or more digits, use commas. Count three spaces to the left to place the first comma. Continue placing commas after every three digits. Important: do not include decimal points when doing the counting.

Examples:1,054 people$2,417,592.21

Rule 3b. It is not necessary to use a decimal point or a dollar sign when writing out sums of less than a dollar.

Not Advised: He had only $0.60.

Better:He had only sixty cents.ORHe had only 60 cents.

Rule 4a. For clarity, use noon and midnight rather than 12:00 PM and 12:00 AM.

NOTE

AM and PM are also written A.M. and P.M., a.m. and p.m., and am and pm. Some put a space between the time and AM or PM.

Examples:8 AM3:09 P.M.11:20 p.m.

Others write times using no space before AM or PM.

Example:8AM3:09P.M.11:20p.m.

For the top of the hour, some write 9:00 PM, whereas others drop the :00 and write 9 PM (or 9 p.m., 9pm, etc.).

Rule 4b. Using numerals for the time of day has become widely accepted.Examples:The flight leaves at 6:22 a.m.Please arrive by 12:30 sharp.

However, some writers prefer to spell out the time, particularly when using o'clock.

Examples:She takes the four thirty-five train.The baby wakes up at five o'clock in the morning.

Rule 5. Mixed fractions are often expressed in figures unless they begin a sentence.

Examples:We expect a 5 1/2 percent wage increase.Five and one-half percent was the expected wage increase.

Rule 6. The simplest way to express large numbers is usually best.

Example: twenty-three hundred (simpler than two thousand three hundred)

Large round numbers are often spelled out, but be consistent within a sentence.

Consistent: You can earn from one million to five million dollars.

Inconsistent: You can earn from one million dollars to 5 million dollars.

Inconsistent: You can earn from $1 million to five million dollars.

Rule 7. Write decimals using figures. As a courtesy to readers, many writers put a zero in front of the decimal point.

Examples:The plant grew 0.79 inches last year.The plant grew only 0.07 inches this year.

Rule 8. When writing out a number of three or more digits, the word and is not necessary. However, use the word and to express any decimal points that may accompany these numbers.

Examples:one thousand one hundred fifty-four dollarsone thousand one hundred fifty-four dollars and sixty-one cents

Simpler: eleven hundred fifty-four dollars and sixty-one cents

Rule 9. The following examples are typical when using figures to express dates.

Examples:the 30th of June, 1934June 30, 1934 (no -th necessary)Rule 10. When spelling out decades, do not capitalize them.

Example: During the eighties and nineties, the U.S. economy grew.

Rule 11. When expressing decades using figures, it is simpler to put an apostrophe before the incomplete numeral and no apostrophe between the number and the s.

Example: During the '80s and '90s, the U.S. economy grew.

Some writers place an apostrophe after the number:

Example: During the 80's and 90's, the U.S. economy grew.

Awkward: During the '80's and '90's, the U.S. economy grew.

Rule 12. You may also express decades in complete numerals. Again, it is cleaner to avoid an apostrophe between the year and the s.

Example: During the 1980s and 1990s, the U.S. economy grew.

Additional Number Rules

Use words if the number can be written in two words of fewer. Remember that some words require a hyphen (twenty-six, thirty-nine). Some guides recommend that numbers up to nine should be written in words, and those over nine written using numerals.

You should use numerals if the number modifies a unit of measurement, time or proportion (5 minutes, 8 kilograms, 54 mph). Abbreviations of units of measure should always be in the singular. (8 kg, 17cm, 12,900 km)

I live at number forty-eight.

I thought there were nine biscuits left in the tin?

My new car does 0-60 mph in just over 12 minutes.

She broke the long jump record by 17 centimetres.

The prize marrow weighed over 67 kg.

Numerals should be used for all larger numbers although the context might determine the precise usage. In technical writing such numbers should always be written using numerals. If the number is less precise, it may be possible to write the number in words.

The rock sample measured 17.74 grams when dried.

The lower attaining maths group's mean score was 88.6, with a standard deviation of 14.3.

There are over thirty million people living in Mexico City.

Florida contains several thousand disenfranchised voters.

Numerals should always be used for decimals and fractions (7.625, 1/4 in, 1/2 a pint, 0.75) unless the figures are vague (...half the voters in the country..., ...two thirds of the population cannot use a colon correctly.)

Following the drying process, 1/2 a gram of copper sulphate was added.

Students spend more than half their disposable income on baked beans.

She beat the world pole-vault record by 1/4 cm.

Nearly a quarter of the world's population survives on less than a pound a day.

Place a hyphen after a unit of measure when the unit modifies a noun: 10-foot pole, 6-inch rule, 3-year-old horse.

He tried to retrieve the lost bottle with a 5-foot stick.

I teach a class of angelic 7-year-old children.

The thief was unable to scale the 12-metre fence.

He was delighted with his 78-kg prize marrow.

There are occasions where combining written numbers and numerals will clear up possible confusion. Where you have two numbers running together, write the shorter one out in words and use numerals for the longer one.

I have a lovely class of 32seven-year-old children.

We need another 12five-litre bottles.

The thief made off with twenty1000-dollar bills.

He counted out 200 fifty-pence pieces.

You should avoid beginning a sentence with a number that is not written out. If a sentence begins with a year, write 'The year' before writing out the year in numbers.

One hundred and seventeen protests were lodged with the ombudsman.

Six hundred and thirty-five nuggets were discovered in the first day of the gold rush.

The year 1849 saw the great gold rush in California.

You should always use numerals in the following situations:

With dates. Monday 20 April, 1968.

I will arrive on Tuesday 17 May, 2004.

They are due back from their holiday on Monday 23 June.

With fractions, decimals and percentages. The word 'percent' should be written out in words unless it is part of a technical report, in which case it is fine to use the mathematical symbol (%).

You will need to add 1/2 a teaspoon of treacle.

More than 20 percent of students admit to spending more on pot noodles than on books.

The IQ scores of the children in the control group increased by 25.75 points.

With money. The only exception to this is when the amounts are vague. In such cases it is fine to write the numbers out in words.

The concert tickets cost £ 27.50 each.

Consumers spend over £ 6 million a year on cous-cous.

Global ice-cream sales exceeded $ 1.2 million last month.

With times. Again, if timings are vague it is fine to write them out in words.

The plane from Bombay will arrive at 16:45.

I'll see you at around half past seven.

The early morning bus arrived at 05:10 on the dot.

We left the pub at around eight o'clock and got home at around nine