Conventions 11: Commas (specifically, between adjectives); spelling: Accidentally Commas... go after introductory phrases. --No, you can t drive. --Sue, when will you listen? --She said, Well, now I m going to be late. (In this case, we have two introductory phrases one after the other.) separate three or more items in a list. --She said, Well, you can t drive, walk, or run. --You should study, sleep, and eat right. go before coordinating conjunctions ( SOBA s: So, Or, But, And) when those coordinating conjunctions are used to bring together two full sentences. --She said, Well, you can t drive, walk, or run, but you can crawl. --I went to school, and I learned a lot. (As opposed to, I went to school and learned a lot, which doesn t need a comma because then you just have a list of two items.) --You should go to sleep, so be sure to go to bed early. go before AND AFTER interrupting elements (like parentheses). --She said, Well, you can t drive, walk, or run, unless you do it slowly, but you can crawl. --You went to class, your favorite, but you didn t listen. --I told you, Sam, you have to come with me. go between adjectives (descriptive words) when those adjectives CAN be switched around and the sentence still makes sense. --He had long, frizzy hair. --I ate a big, yummy cupcake. (NOT I ate a dark, chocolate cupcake because you can t switch chocolate and dark and still have the sentence make sense.)
Conventions 11 Study Guide Already (Before now. I already read that book. ) All ready (Everyone or everything is ready. Are the students all ready to leave? ) Alright (not a word; do not use it in academic writing) All right (Everything is correct OR okay. My answers are all right and Are you feeling all right? ) Affect (The action, the verb. This quiz will affect your grade. Effect (The thing, the noun. What s the effect of studying too much? ) You in academic writing (don t use it) Nowadays and all in all (also to be avoided) Spelling: grammar, beginning, address, necessary, license, commitment, separate, embarrassed, innocence, and the new spelling word: accidentally Commas, commas, and more commas Conventions quizzes are still worth ten points, but there are fewer questions, and the questions are harder. Study. Come to the writing lab if you need help.
Name Comma Worksheet 3 Insert any missing commas in the following sentences. (Some sentences don t need any!) 1. That singer whoever he is really knows how to sing. 2. The woman sitting at the back table is a well-known restaurant reviewer. 3. When conditions are right that horse can run just like its father. 4. His four favorite artists are Monet Renoir Degas and Manet. 5. Let Warren and Andrea our most skillful speakers present our proposal. 6. Long regarded as a leading newspaper the Washington Post boasts an outstanding staff of reporters. 7. Slowly slyly and cautiously Eric slid the wallet across the table. 8. What we need is creative leadership leadership that will encourage experimentation. 9. During high school he read Romeo and Juliet Julius Caesar and Hamlet. 10. Song of Solomon I believe is the professor s favorite. 11. I believe that should the eggs break we will have a mess. 12. Sometimes I think that people are extremely foolish. 13. I believe that a computer breakdown is a common excuse for late papers. 14. The elephant which is a hard worker and a talented performer is found in most zoos and circuses.
Comma Worksheet 3 Key 1. That singer, whoever he is, really knows how to sing the blues. 2. The woman sitting at the back table is a well-known restaurant reviewer. 3. When conditions are right, that horse can run just like its father. 4. His four favorite artists are Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Manet. 5. Let Warren and Andrea, our most skillful speakers, present our proposal. 6. Long regarded as a leading newspaper, the Washington Post boasts an outstanding staff of reporters. 7. Slowly, slyly, and cautiously, Eric slid the wallet across the table. 8. What we need is creative leadership, leadership that will encourage experimentation. 9. During high school, he read Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, and Hamlet. 10. Song of Solomon, I believe, is the professor s favorite. 11. I believe that should the eggs break, we will have a mess. 12. Sometimes I think that people are extremely foolish. 13. I believe that a computer breakdown is a common excuse for late papers. 14. The elephant, which is a hard worker and a talented performer, is found in most zoos and circuses.
Comma practice Write your name on these sentences, then work by yourself or with a partner to punctuate them. Use your handout on commas to help you! 1. Sue said Well I don t know about you but I like three kinds of fresh chewy jellybeans Tom and they are pear cherry and nectarine. 2. Tom replied In fact Sue I already knew that and I had planned to get you some no matter how much they cost on Friday Saturday and Sunday. 3. Sue smiled and said Nonetheless Tom you sometimes need to be reminded so here I am however impatient to nicely calmly remind you. 4. Tom sighed and said Okay Sue I will walk run or crawl to the store even if I am exhausted to get you your fresh chewy jellybeans but I refuse to buy grape flavored licorice flavored or popcorn flavored. Comma practice Write your name on these sentences, then work by yourself or with a partner to punctuate them. Use your handout on commas to help you! 1. Sue said Well I don t know about you but I like three kinds of fresh chewy jellybeans Tom and they are pear cherry and nectarine. 2. Tom replied In fact Sue I already knew that and I had planned to get you some no matter how much they cost on Friday Saturday and Sunday. 3. Sue smiled and said Nonetheless Tom you sometimes need to be reminded so here I am however impatient to nicely calmly remind you. 4. Tom sighed and said Okay Sue I will walk run or crawl to the store even if I am exhausted to get you your fresh chewy jellybeans but I refuse to buy grape flavored licorice flavored or popcorn flavored.
Name (first and last names) Conventions Quiz 11 Directions: Fill in the blanks with the correct word or punctuation. 1. Yesterday, I was feeling sick, but today I feel. all right / alright 2. How will this quiz my grade if we passed the final exam? effect / affect all ready / already 3. Your homework responses are. all right / alright 4. Being tired is the of not eating enough, but we are to run anyway. effect / affect all ready / already 5. You in academic writing Good Bad (circle one) 6. Nowadays in academic writing Good Bad (circle one) 7. All in all in academic writing Good Bad (circle one) 8. Circle the correct spelling: A. Gramar B. Gramer C. Grammar D. Grammer 9. Circle the correct spelling: A. Address B. Adress C. Addres D. Adres 10. Circle the correct spelling: A. Lisense B. Lisence C. License D. Licence 11. Circle the correct spelling: A. Committment B. Commitment C. Comittment D. Comitment 12. Circle the correct spelling: A. Embarased B. Embarrased C. Embarrassed D. Embarassed 13. Circle the correct spelling: A. Innocence B. Innosence C. Inocence D. Innosense 14. Circle the correct spelling: A. Seprate B. Seperate C. Separut D. Separate 15. Circle the correct spelling: A. Neseccery B. Nececcery C. Necessary D. Neccesary 16. Circle the correct spelling: A. Begginning B. Beggining C. Begining D. Beginning 17. Circle the correct spelling: A. Accidentally B. Accidently C. Accidentaly D. Accidentely
Insert commas where they belong. Make your punctuation OBVIOUS. 18. Adam said First of all I ll tell this snake to go away Eve and I m not going to tell you what to do but you might want to look listen and run away. 19. Eve replied You might be right whatever your name is and I am fully prepared to ignore that ugly snake and not eat that apple. 20. Adam was irritated so he snapped in a loud frustrated voice Are you ever even for a second going to listen to my good advice? 21. Eve said calmly In fact I will not listen no matter how much you yell so stop yelling at me or speaking to me at all. Write a paragraph about the best or worst job you ve ever had, whether you were paid for that job or not. Include a strong topic sentence. Your paragraph should be at least eight sentences long. PROOFREAD YOUR OWN PARAGRAPH, THEN MAKE ANY CHANGES YOU NEED TO (COMMAS, PERHAPS..?), THEN BRING ME YOUR QUIZ.