Grammar for Life

Rules and Examples

Definition: A modifier is a word or group of words that modifies, or describes, another word or group of words in a sentence. A modifier should always appear next to the word or words it modifies.

Incorrect Example: Smothered in gravy, Derek ate his turkey.

Correct Example:

Option 1: Derek ate his turkey, which was smothered in gravy.

Option 2: Derek ate his smothered in gravy turkey.

Master Your Modifiers

Vary Your Sentences • Concept: Varying Sentences - Varying sentences

spices up your writing and keeps things interesting without ever boring your reader. To do so, follow the instructions below.

• Rule: To vary a sentence, put an adverb in the beginning of the sentence, rather than anywhere else.

• Example of Incorrect Usage: I tiptoed quietly down the stairs to quench my thirst at three in the morning.

• Example of Correct Usage: Quietly, I tiptoed down the stairs to quench my thirst at three in the morning.

Concept: Vary Your Sentences

Rule: Move a prepositional phrase to the beginning of a sentence so the sentence does not sound awkward.

Incorrect: Sally takes a ballet class at the end of each week.

Correct: At the end of each week, Sally takes a ballet class.

Vary Your Sentences

You can form a compound sentence by linking two regular sentences together.

You can use the following words to join sentences:FANBOY – for, and, nor, but, or, your -also, however, although, therefore, and.

Ex: Incorrect: My brownie was delicious, I ate it all.Correct: My brownie was delicious, therefore, I ate it all.

Vary Your Sentences- Rule # 4

• Rule # 4: Combine two or more sentences by placing the clause in the middle of one of the sentences:

Incorrect Example: Jasmineloves to eat chicken. She is fat and lazy.Correct Example: Jasmine, my fat lazy cat, loves to eat chicken.

By: Emily Del Villar and Charlotte Atkinson

Redundancy • Rule: Do not use unnecasary repitition in your

writing to keep it clear and effective.

• Definition: The use of words or data that could be omitted without loss of meaning or function; repetition or overlapping, especially of words.

• Incorrect: We have to go to soccer at 2:55 P.M., after school, after our classes are over.

• Correct: We have to go to soccer at 2:55 P.M., after school.

Com

ma S

ense

Use a pair of commas in the

middle of a sentence to set off

words or phrases that are not essential elements to the

sentence.

Incorrect: Suzy my friend went to the mall to buy a new

outfit for the first day of school.

Correct: Suzy, my friend, went to the mall to buy a new outfit

for the first day of school.

Comma Sense

Rule: Use commas to separate items in a series of three or more things. Incorrect: When I make an ice cream Sunday I make sure to put on sprinkles cherry’s chocolate syrup and whip cream. Correct: When I make an ice cream Sunday I make sure to put on, sprinkles, cherry’s ,chocolate syrup, and whip cream.