English Basics Flashcards
Adding “ ‘s “ to make plural
The only time when adding apostrophe s to make something plural is when you are working with numbers written as numbers or with words, letters, numbers, or symbols as themselves. An example of working with numbers written as numbers would be if you were referring to the 1990’s. In most standard writing this would be written out in words: the nineteen nineties. You use the apostrophe to separate the number from the letter to show the letter is not part of the number.
Commas
Used to separate elements in a series, conjunctions (both need to be independent, FANBOYS), separate a subordinate clause (the first part of the sentence can be a dependent clause), and appositives (My cat, a purebred persian, is …) and (This crazy fuck, my brother…)
Commas don’t separate two independent clauses!
, which
, that
, who
Always before which, never before that, and sometimes before who
would of, could of
never correct!
who’s vs. whose
who's = who is whose = ownership
Who vs. whom
he = who
him = whom
Examples:
Who/Whom wrote the letter?
He wrote the letter. Therefore, who is correct.
Who/Whom should I vote for?
Should I vote for him? Therefore, whom is correct.
Dash vs. hyphen
A dash is not the same thing as a hyphen (creates a compund noun (low-budget))
Dash is a longer line
Dash: a comma with a more dramatic pause
Dashes can act as parentheses. Just don’t mis match punctuations (, and -)
The only way to separate two independent clauses
Period + start new sentence
Comma + a cute little conjunction (FANBOYS)
Semicolon by itself (need to be closely related)
Semicolon + big ugly conjunction or other transitional expression followed by a comma
ex. My grandmother has stayed up late four nights in a row; as a result, she cannot seem to get well.
FANBOYS
for and nor but or yet so
Semicolon
Joins two closely related independent clauses
Can also be used to separate lists with lots of commas
Can you start an independent clause with FANBOYS
No
Colon
Used to introduce a list, introduce a single example
What comes before must be an independent clause, after doesn’t matter
Always strive for SVO
Subject + verb + object
The woman [s] built [v] a sandcastle [o] really fast [other stuff]
Grouping
Grouping can be achieved with many types of punctuation. (,, – ())
Rule is the sentence has to stand alone if the grouped section was removed
You and me or you and I
Between you and me/I, I like pussy:
right: Between you and me, I like pussy
