English grammar explained in plain language simple enough to be understood.
A clause is a group of words that includes a verb. A subordinate clause begins with a subordinating conjunction. Here are some subordinating conjunctions: if, when, since, because, while When you begin a sentence with one of these words, your… Read more398. Use a Comma with a Subordinate Clause
A compound sentence combines two simple sentences. We need a comma after the first simple sentence in the compound sentence. Look at this example: The rain is falling, and the wind is blowing.Notice that there are two separate sentences in… Read more397. Compound Sentence with a Comma – or Not?
A compound sentence is two simple sentences joined together. A simple sentence looks like this:Bob rode his bike. This sentence is a simple sentence because it is about one person doing one thing. Here is another simple sentence: Mary rode… Read more396. Use a Comma in a Compound Sentence
Section A: Put a comma after the interjection in each sentence.1. Yikes the water is cold.2. Ooh that mosquito bite itches.3. Well it’s time to close up shop.4. My the time has flown. Section B: Each sentence has an introductory… Read more395. Comma Practice
When you include a quoted statement inside a sentence, you put quotation marks around the quoted words. Be sure to place a comma before the quotation marks. Here are some examples of what I mean:My teacher always says, “Once begun… Read more389. Use a Comma Before Beginning a Quote
When you describe a noun with multiple adjectives, you need a comma between the adjectives. Look at these sentence examples:The Amazon driver delivered a big, heavy box to our front door. The word box is described with two adjectives: big… Read more387. Use a Comma Between Two Adjectives
Whenever you write a city’s name and then a state’s name, you need a comma between them.I was born in Chicago, Illinois.We visited Dallas, Texas.The Grand Ole Opry is in Nashville, Tennessee. When a city’s name and a state’s name… Read more386. Use a Comma Between City and State
An indefinite pronoun has no antecedent. We don’t know which noun is being replaced by the pronoun. That’s what makes them indefinite pronouns. Here are three more indefinite pronouns: everyone, no one, someoneThese indefinite pronouns are singular. They each take… Read more377. More Indefinite Pronouns: Everyone, No one, Someone
The possessive pronoun their shows ownership for two or more people.The house belongs to my parents. The house is their house. This dog belongs to my cousins. The dog is their dog. The boat belongs to Sam and Sue. It… Read more373. Possessive Pronouns – Their/Theirs
The word it’s is a contraction. When we push together the words it is, an apostrophe replaces the letter i; it is becomes it’s. I can see it is getting cloudy. I can see it’s getting cloudy.Billy has a kite,… Read more369. It’s vs. Its