b. stevenson sept. ‘07 gruesome grammar it’s not just for halloween!

B. Stevenson Sept. ‘07

Gruesome Grammar

It’s not just for Halloween!


Flee from Freaky,

Frightening Fragments

A fragment is a group of words that is punctuated like a sentence but does not express a complete thought.


Frightening FragmentsBought a new book at

Border’s.Corrected: My mom bought a new book at Border’s.While you were in English

class.Corrected: While you were in English class, the fire erupted.

Running down the street in the pouring rain.Corrected: Running down the street in the

pouring rain, Jimmy slipped and broke his arm.


Frightening Fragments

For additional information on fragments, see

Garnet Valley Style Manual p. 14


Run from Revolting, Repulsive Run-ons

Two or more complete thoughts cannot be merged

into a single sentence without the proper punctuation.


Repulsive Run-ons I closed the coffin I hurt my hand.

Ways to correct this sentence:

I closed the coffin. I hurt my hand.

I closed the coffin; I hurt my hand.

I closed the coffin, and I hurt my hand.

I closed the coffin and hurt my hand.

Because I closed the coffin, I hurt my hand.


Repulsive Run-ons

For additional information on run-ons, see

Garnet Valley Style Manual p. 15.


Beware of deadly, devilish disagreement

Subjects and verbs must agree. Pronouns and antecedents must agree.


Devilish Disagreement Singular noun + singular verb

Example: The cat on the fence scream.

Plural noun + plural verb

Example: The boys teases their sister.

A singular noun must be replaced by a singular pronoun; a plural noun must be replaced by a plural pronoun.

Example: Each of the cats brought their best voice.


Devilish Disagreement

For additional information on subject-verb agreement, see Garnet Valley Style Manual p. 13.

For additional information on pronoun agreement, see

Garnet Valley Style Manual p.14.


Beware of terrifying, tangled tenses

Don’t go from past tense to present tense! Don’t go

from present tense to past tense!


Tangled TensesThe ocean contains (present

tense) rich minerals that washed down (past tense)from rivers and streams.Corrected: The ocean contains (present tense)rich minerals that wash down (present tense) from rivers and streams.


Tangled Tenses

For additional information on tenses, see Garnet Valley Style

Manual p. 14


Be careful with creepy, crawly, crafty commas Use commas to separate items in a

series (and before the conjunction). Example:

Alice got Milky Ways, Snickers, and Three Musketeers for Halloween. An introductory phrase should be set off from the main part of the sentence with a comma. Example: By the end of the night, she couldn’t carry her bag.


Creepy Commas Use commas to distinguish items in an

address and items in a date. Example: On October 31, 2009, I will visit my aunt at 23 Scary Drive, Newport, Rhode Island.

Use commas to set off words that explain or define other words. Example: Barack Obama, our president, made a speech last night.

Use a comma to separate clauses of a compound sentence. Example: Jimmy collected three bags of goodies, and he ate everything.


Creepy Commas

For additional information on commas, see Garnet Valley Style Manual p. 24.


Watch out for weird and wacky

misplaced modifiers

A descriptive or explanatory phrase should go as near as

possible to the thing it is describing.


Jerry got new sneakers at the store with three stripes.

Misplaced Modifiers

The little kindergartener asked her teacher to explain the days of the week in her quiet voice.

Correction: Jerry got new sneakers with three stripes at the store.

Correction: In her quiet voice, the little kindergartener asked her teacher to explain the days of the week.


For additional information on misplaced modifiers, see Garnet Valley Style Manual p. 16

Misplaced Modifiers


Paralyzing Parallel Structure Items in a series should follow the same

general pattern.I spend my spare time reading, hiking, or at a movie.

At camp, I learned to cook over an open fire, pitch a tent that wouldn’t blow down in the wind, and the proper way to pack a backpack.

Corrected: I spend my spare time reading, hiking, or watching a movie.

Corrected: At camp, I learned to cook over an open fire, to pitch a tent that wouldn’t blow down in the wind, and to pack a backpack properly.


For additional information on parallel structure, see Garnet Valley Style Manual p. 14

Paralyzing Parallel Structure


Do not let awful, atrocious

apostrophes drive you batty!

An apostrophe is used to show possession (ownership).

the bat’s wings the girls’ coats the mice’s tails

Apostrophes are also used in

contractions. I’m, he’s,

they’re, it’s, we’d, you’ve…


Atrocious Apostrophes

For additional information on apostrophes, see Garnet Valley Style Manual p. 29


Pronoun Perils

Pronouns as objects: Me, you, him, her, us, them, and whomPronouns that show possession: my (mine), your (yours), his, her (hers), it (its), our (ours), their (theirs), and whose

Pronouns as subjects: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, and who


Pronoun Perils

She gave her broom to Jane and I.Corrected: She gave her broom to Jane and me.

She is taller than me.Corrected: She is taller than I.

Us boys like the witch’s hat.Corrected: We boys like witch’s hat.

The witch and me travel a good deal.Corrected: The witch and I travel a good deal.


Pronoun Perils

For additional information on pronouns, see Mr.

Stevenson


Gruesome GrammarCome Again…

If You Dare!!!

b. stevenson sept. ‘07 gruesome grammar it’s not just for halloween!

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