Write RIGHT!
A Guide to Righting the Wrongs of Your Writing
Capital Capitalization
Capitalize words at the beginning of a sentence, names of people, places and titles, and certain other proper nouns.
Names of people:
In 2008, Barak Obama became the first black president.
Billie Holliday was a jazz singer whose sultry croon won her universal acclaim.
Names of places (countries, states, cities, counties, businesses):
Portland, Oregon is rainy during the winter, but full of quirky people year round.
Fulton County is a large county in Atlanta, a city in the United States.
Apple is a major manufacturer of fun-to-use computers.
Titles:
Director of Operations Alice Rose told us to call her with any questions.
For more capitalization help:
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/when-should-you-capitalize-words?page=all
Common Comma Conundrums: Comma Splices and Semi-Colons
A comma splice occurs when the information that follows the comma is a sentence (clause) unto itself – that is, it has a subject and verb, and should be preceded by a period or a semi-colon instead of a comma, or followed by a coordinating conjunction like and or but. Let’s see some examples of comma splices, and then two possible ways to correct them:
Example #1:
The cat decided not to use the litter box, instead she used the floor.
Correction #1:
The cat decided not to use the litter box, and instead she used the floor. (A coordinating conjunction like and is needed in order to logically connect the two parts of the sentence)
Correction #2:
The cat decided not to use the litter box; instead she used the floor. (This correction example employs the use of a semi-colon, which can be used in the place of a period so that the sentence retains its flow and yet joins the two complete sentences in a logically correct fashion).
Example #2:
The owner gets annoyed with the cat when she uses the floor, she cleans up the mess and curses the cat.
Correction #1:
The owner gets annoyed with the cat when she uses the floor; she cleans up the mess and curses the cat. (A semi-colon is the most logical correction in this case because the two sentiments are closely connected.)
Correction #2:
The owner gets annoyed with the cat when she uses the floor, so she cleans up the mess and curses the cat. (The coordinating conjunction so is used to connect the two sentences and show a logical progression between the two parts of the sentence)
For more comma splice help: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/comma-splice
Subject-Verb Agreement: Agreeing to Agree
Do your subjects and verbs agree with each other? In order to maintain harmony in the sentence, it is imperative that they do! Let’s see some examples of faulty subject-verb agreement (subject-verb disagreement), and a quick correction:
Example #1:
The prevention of ailments are difficult to manage as you age.
Correction:
The prevention of ailments is difficult to manage as you age. (The verb is needs to agree with the subject, which contains a preposition: prevention of ailments. Note that prevention is singular, so the verb needs to agree with the singular of prevention rather than the plural of ailments.)
Example #2:
The little children talk incessantly, which bother the teachers.
Correction:
The little children talk incessantly, which bothers the teachers. (The fact that the children talk is the subject; therefore, the sentences calls for an agreement with a singular subject. If the sentence reads: The little children bother the teacher, then obviously the subject, children, is plural, and calls for a plural agreement.)
For more subject-verb agreement help: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/subject-verb-agreement
Possessive Spouses: Apostrophes
Apostrophes are those possessive spouses who want to own everything you do. But we just have to put up with them. Let’s see some examples of neglected apostrophes, and misused apostrophes.
Neglected apostrophe example:
If dogs are mans best friend, then cats must be a womans best friend.
Correction:
If dogs are man’s best friend, then cats must be woman’s best friend. (The apostrophe shows ownership – man has a best friend, and so does woman)
Misused apostrophe example #1:
The dog fainted from chasing it’s tail all day long.
Correction:
The dog fainted from chasing its tail all day long. (It’s is ONLY EVER used as a contraction for it is, as in the sentence: It’s so cold my lips froze shut. It’s is NEVER used to show possession EVER.)
Misused apostrophe example #2:
The womens’ shelter has great resources for females looking for jobs.
Correction:
The women’s shelter has great resources for females looking for jobs. (Apostrophes for the plural versions of nouns such man and woman still go before the s, not after. But you must consult style guides and internet writing sites for more clarification, because there are always exceptions)
Misused apostrophe example #3:
With all the money I earn from teaching, I am going to buy five condo’s and two mansion’s this year.
Correction:
With all the money I earn from teaching, I am going to buy five condos and two mansions this year. (Hopefully the reason for no apostrophes is obvious, but in case it’s not: condos and mansions are not possessive in any way in this example, and therefore, they shun the use of the apostrophe!)
Misused apostrophe example #4:
The 1960’s were a time of great turbulence and political unrest.
Correction:
The 1960s were a time of great turbulence and political unrest. (When employing the use of numbers in this fashion – in this case to indicate a particular decade in time – apostrophes are not needed. Only if the decade were in some way indicating possession, as in The 1960’s turbulence was troubling to me, would one use an apostrophe.)
For more apostrophe help: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/apostrophe-catastrophe-part-one
Much Versus Many
Many refers to countable items: There are many kittens in that basket and I am going to buy them all.
Much refers to units : The kittens in the basket cost too much money for my budget, so I am going to borrow funds from the bank to buy them.
Their Versus There Versus They’re
Wrong:
Their are so many snakes at they’re house and there crawling all over the place.
Right:
There are so many snakes at their house and they’re crawling all over the place.
(There refers to location or existence of something; their refers to possession; they’re is a contraction of they are)
More on there/their/they’re: http://www.grammar-monster.com/easily_confused/there_their_theyre.htm
Gonna Wanna: Colloquialisms
Words like gonna and wanna are colloquialisms – that is, slang language. They are fine for e-mails between friends, texts, spoken language, and so on. But in a formal academic essay, they are verboten – DO NOT USE THEM. Instead, use their formal counterparts: Going to, want to.
A Lot, NOT A lot!
Wrong:
I loved the movie, “Snakes on a Plane,” alot.
Right:
I loved the movie, “Snakes on a Plane,” a lot.
Your Versus You’re
Wrong:
Your so pretty that you’re face is glowing.
Correct:
You’re so pretty that your face is glowing. (Even though people claim to know the difference between the two, the misuse of you’re and your is very common. You’re is ALWAYS a contraction for you are, and your is always possessive.)
Run-ons: The Forever Sentence
Run on sentences go on forever and ever and ever they are really hard to read and comprehend they have no punctuation they don’t know when to end usually people get exhausted and stop reading them. (One great way of punctuating and enhancing that tedious run-on sentence, and even breaking it into two clauses: Run on sentences go on forever; they are hard to read and comprehend, as they have no punctuation, and don’t know when to end. Usually people get exhausted and stop reading them.)
Fragments: The Anti-Run-on
Fragments do the opposite of run-ons: They express an incomplete thought, as they are lacking a verb, or need a comma and coordinating conjunction like and or but or so (etc.) to join the thoughts.
Fragment example #1 (stand-alone fragment):
A gorgeous bird. (Um, okay. A gorgeous bird WHAT? A gorgeous bird perched on my porch? A gorgeous bird crashed into my window? A gorgeous bird has to DO something!)
Fragment example #2 (a fragment within context):
Ally and I were playing basketball in my driveway. A Martian saying hello to us.
Correction:
Ally and I were playing basketball in my driveway, while a Martian was saying hello to us.
OR
Ally and I were playing basketball in my driveway, when a Martian said hello to us.
For more fragment help:
http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/fragment.htm