English grammar explained in plain language simple enough to be understood.
We put quotation marks around the title of a short story, a magazine article, and a poem. The quotation marks help to identify the words as part of a title. Here are some examples:“All in a Summer Day” – a… Read more418. Quotation Marks Around a Title
Use a dash to set off a series of items when the sentence might be confusing otherwise.The three boys – Sam, John, and Bill – were eager to get to the beach.My four cousins – ranging in age from 13… Read more414. Using the Dash
Section A: Insert a colon into the proper place in each sentence below. Write NO if the sentence needs no comma.1. The movie starts at 815 tonight.2. I’m going to the show with my three best friends Jan, Laura, and… Read more410. Practice with the Colon
A period is used as stop punctuation. Every time you reach the end of a statement sentence, you should put a period. Today is Thursday.I bought a new sweater yesterday.Sam’s brother is a teacher.Although it is raining, the sun is… Read more404. The Period
The little comma can sometimes cause big confusion for writers. People often throw a comma into their writing just because they think it must go in there somewhere. However, there are actual rules for when to use a comma. Your… Read more402. Highlight on Writing – 12 Places to Put a Comma
A subordinate clause is a group of words that shows action but cannot stand alone. When you begin a sentence with a subordinating conjunction, you are beginning your sentence with a subordinate clause. Here are five common subordinating conjunctions: after,… Read more399. Use a Comma After a Subordinate Clause
An appositive phrase is a group of words that gives more information about a noun. The appositive comes right after the noun that it is describing. Look at this example:Bob, my next door neighbor, loaned me his mower. The phrase… Read more394. Using the Comma with an Appositive Phrase
An interjection is an abrupt word that interrupts a thought. An interjection is usually found at the very beginning of a sentence. Here are some examples of sentences with interjections:Wow, that’s a lot of dirt on your driveway!Oops, I didn’t… Read more391. Using a Comma with an Interjection
Section A: Place a comma correctly into each sentence below. 1. We took a trip to Sedona Arizona.2. We also stopped in Amarillo, Texas to see the Cadillac Ranch. 3. While we were driving, Jon told us “This is the… Read more390. More Practice with Commas
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