Sentence Style Flashcards
Serial comma
Separates items in a list
Oxford comma
The comma between the final items in a list. It usually comes before the word “and” or “or”
Parallel structures
When you write a list of actions, each verb should be in the same tense.
Colons
Used to introduce lists
Used to emphasize to the reader that something important will follow
Used in essay titles
Must have full sentence on one side of colon
Never put colon right after a verb or “that”
Adjectives out of order
Normal: the red eyes, angry moose charged the intruder
Fancy: the moose, red eyed and angry, charged the intruder
Capitalization
Important words in titles Days of week, months, holidays Languages, nationalities, religion Brand names Buildings Official titles Sections of the country
Fewer
Used with countable nouns
Less
Used with uncountable, typically abstract nouns, and volumes
Affect
A verb meaning to influence
Effect
Noun meaning the result of a cause
Then
Tells when
Than
Used in comparison
Your
Something that belongs to you
You’re
Contraction of you are
Semi colon
Separates two complete sentences that are related
