Revision For Language

transcript

Who cares about editing? Why not just

spellcheck? Your spellchecker won’t catch any of the problems in

this poem: I have a spelling checker It came with my PC It highlights for my review Mistakes I cannot sea. I ran this poem thru it I'm sure your pleased to no Its letter perfect in it's weigh My checker told me sew.

Commas separate grammatical units in a

sentence

Grammatical units include 1.  Independent clauses 2.  Nonessential phrases that interrupt a

sentence 3.  Items in a series 4.  Introductory words/phrases 5.  Direct quotations 6.  Common, everyday uses

Commas separate independent clauses that are joined by a coordinating “FANBOYS” conjunction: For And Nor But Or Yet So

Commas: Independent Clauses

The comma appears after the first independent clause and before the coordinating conjunction: I dated Marlene, and Danny dated Sandra. Men can be afraid, but proud are those who can overcome their fear.

Commas help us understand the sentence: I dated Marlene and Danny dated Sandra. (Did I date Marlene and Danny?) Men can be afraid but proud are those who can overcome their fear. (Can men be afraid but proud?)

Not just after every coordinating conjunction!

I dated Marlene and Fran.

NOT I dated Marlene, and Fran.

Men can be afraid but can overcome their fears.

NOT Men can be afraid, but can overcome their fears.

Must have a coordinating conjunction—otherwise, it’s a comma splice:

I slipped on the ice, and I broke my leg.

NOT I slipped on the ice, I broke my leg.

Harry Potter is my favorite book, so I couldn’t stop reading

it. NOT

Harry Potter is my favorite book, I couldn’t stop reading it.

Commas: Items in a Series

Must be three or more items: He had ham, eggs, and toast for breakfast. He had ham and eggs for breakfast. Mary listens to Madonna, Yanni, and Simon and Garfunkel.

Commas: Serial Comma

Final “serial” comma isn’t required, but it’s never wrong, and can clarify the sentence. He had ham, eggs and toast for breakfast. (What are “eggs and toast”?) Mary listens to Madonna, Yanni and Simon and Garfunkel. (Is there a group called “Yanni and Simon and Garfunkel”?)

Commas: Items in a Series

Commas help us understand the sentence: He had ham eggs and toast for breakfast. (What are “ham eggs?”) Mary listens to Madonna Yanni and Simon and Garfunkel. (Who is “Madonna Yanni”?)

Commas: Series of Adjectives

Use commas to separate two or more coordinate adjectives not separated by “and” Coordinate adjectives can be swapped: Roberto is a warm, generous, loving father. Roberto is a loving, warm, generous father. Roberto is a warm and generous father.

Commas: Series of Adjectives

Do NOT use commas to separate two or more cumulative adjectives Cumulative adjectives cannot be swapped: I ordered a rich chocolate layer cake. I ordered a chocolate rich layer cake. I ordered a rich layer chocolate cake.

Commas: Introductory Material

Commas separate nonessential introductory material from the rest of the sentence:

When Irwin was ready to iron, his cat tripped on the cord. With the rain pouring, Josh ran to catch the MAX. In a puff of smoke that smelled like sulfur, Batman disappeared.

Commas: Introductory Material Commas help us understand the sentence:

When Irwin was ready to iron his cat tripped on the cord. (Irwin ironed his cat?) With the rain pouring Josh ran to catch the MAX. (The rain poured Josh?) In a puff of smoke that smelled like sulfur Batman disappeared. (What does sulfur Batman smell like?)

Commas: Introductory Material

No comma needed when phrase appears at the end of the sentence. These sentences all make

perfect sense: His cat tripped on the cord when Irwin was ready to iron. Josh ran to catch the MAX with the rain pouring. Batman disappeared in a puff of smoke that smelled like sulfur.

Commas: Nonessential phrases that

interrupt the sentence flow

Commentary

The best thing to do, nevertheless, is to apologize. My opinion, since you asked, is that he’s a jerk.

Semicolons join two independent clauses

without a coordinating conjunction

Roger had always wanted a handmade violin; he couldn’t afford one. I’ve been rich, and I’ve been poor; rich is better. Roger had always wanted a handmade violin; however, he couldn’t afford one.

Semicolons separate a series of items that

each contain commas

CONFUSING: I have lived in Huntsville, Alabama, New Haven, Connecticut, and Portland, Oregon. (This looks like six places, not three). CLEAR: I have lived in Huntsville, Alabama; New Haven, Connecticut; and Portland, Oregon. (Semicolons separate each

Semicolons separate a series of items that

each contain commas

CONFUSING: You can order rice, beans, and sausage, chicken, corn, and potatoes, or macaroni, cheese, and ham. (which items are grouped together?) CLEAR: You can order rice, beans, and sausage; chicken, corn, and potatoes; or macaroni, cheese, and ham.

Colons follow an independent clause and directs attention to what follows it

It may introduce a list clarifying the word or phrase preceding the colon. To hang a picture, you will need the following tools: drill, screwdriver, and screws. He liked to listen to lots of different kinds of music: Elvis Costello, The Cramps, and Joan Baez.

NOT before “for example,” “such as,” or “including” (these mean the same thing as a colon) To hang a picture, you will need tools, including a drill, screwdriver, and screws. NOT before any list—it must follow an independent clause! He liked to listen to Elvis Costello, The Cramps, and Joan Baez.

An appositive modifies or clarifies what precedes the colon. There is but one reason to go to school: to get an education. She had forgotten her mother’s warning: Never microwave anything in tin foil.

A quotation clarifies what precedes the colon. As Shakespeare writes, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” We are reminded of the unimportance of names when we read Shakespeare’s famous words: “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

Apostrophes indicate possession of nouns and some pronouns

Nouns Jim’s shorts football’s main audience danger’s appeal Indefinite Pronouns someone’s textbook nobody’s business

Apostrophes DO NOT indicate possession with personal pronouns

Hers, not her’s His, not him’s Yours, not your’s Its, not it’s It’s = it is Its = belonging to it

Apostrophes never form plurals

Apples for sale = we sell apples. Apple’s for sale = The company Apple is for sale.

A dash is used for a dramatic addition to a sentence

When I went to the party, she was there—with Richard. Larry’s so clueless that he asked Melanie—the girlfriend of the biggest guy in school—to go to the dance with him. Finally, Joanne managed to find her mother’s car—in the worst neighborhood in town.

A dash can also be used for mid-sentence appositives that contain commas

If we try, we can ensure that basic needs—food, shelter, and clothing—are enjoyed by all. The buttons on the machine’s front panel—start, stop, and emergency stop—have been redesigned.

A hyphen clarifies a sentence by joining adjectives into an adjective phrase

The twenty five year olds began to annoy me. (How many people and how old are they?) The twenty five-year-olds began to annoy me. (There are twenty children, aged five.) The twenty-five-year-olds began to annoy me. (There’s more than one person aged 25)

Do not use a hyphen to connect an adverb to an adjective

The swiftly moving tugboat pushed the barge. (“swiftly” is already clearly connected to “moving,” so we don’t write “swiftly-moving”) Joanie watched the poorly dressed woman shuffle towards the door. (“poorly” is already clearly connected to “dressed,” so we don’t write “poorly-dressed”)

Revision For Language

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