Grammar Time!

Grammar Time!Keeping your writing grammatically correct.

You can’t touchthis.

You can’t touchthis.A brief reminder about punctuation marks.

Periods.

Periods.Periods are used to separate two complete sentences. A complete sentence includes a subject and a verb.

Periods.Periods are used to separate two complete sentences. A complete sentence includes a subject and a verb.

Example:

My, my, my music hits me so hard. Thank you for blessing me with a mind to rhyme and two hype feet.

Commas,Commas have four main uses:

Commas,Commas have four main uses:

• Used before coordinating conjunctions (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)

Example: I am known as such, and this is a beat you just can’t touch.

Commas,Commas have four main uses:

• Used before coordinating conjunctions (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)

Example: I am known as such, and this is a beat you just can’t touch.

• More than two items in a series

Example: So wave your hands in the air, bust a few moves, and run your fingers through your hair.

Commas,Commas have four main uses:

• Used before coordinating conjunctions (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)

Example: I am known as such, and this is a beat you just can’t touch.

• More than two items in a series

Example: So wave your hands in the air, bust a few moves, and run your fingers through your hair.

• Introductory elements before the subject

Example: Yo, let me bust the funky lyrics.

Commas,Commas have four main uses:

• Used before coordinating conjunctions (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)

Example: I am known as such, and this is a beat you just can’t touch.

• More than two items in a series

Example: So wave your hands in the air, bust a few moves, and run your fingers through your hair.

• Introductory elements before the subject

Example: Yo, let me bust the funky lyrics.

• Parenthetical information

Example: This is a beat, uh, you can’t touch.

Semicolons;There are three main uses for a semicolon:

Semicolons;There are three main uses for a semicolon:

• As a weak period to join two related sentences

Example: Every time you see me, the Hammer’s just so hype; I’m dope on the floor, and I’m magic on the mic.

Semicolons;There are three main uses for a semicolon:

• As a weak period to join two related sentences

Example: Every time you see me, the Hammer’s just so hype; I’m dope on the floor, and I’m magic on the mic.

• With conjunctive adverbs (however, more over, for example, hence, consequently, therefore)

Example: You know you want to dance; therefore, move out of your seat and get a fly girl and catch this beat.

Semicolons;There are three main uses for a semicolon:

• As a weak period to join two related sentences

Example: Every time you see me, the Hammer’s just so hype; I’m dope on the floor, and I’m magic on the mic.

• With conjunctive adverbs (however, more over, for example, hence, consequently, therefore)

Example: You know you want to dance; therefore, move out of your seat and get a fly girl and catch this beat.

• Items in a series already containing a comma

Example: Singers are sweating so pass them a soft, white towel to wipe their perspiration; a tape to learn what it’s going to take in the 90’s to burn the charts; and legitimacy.

Colons:There are three main uses for a colon:

Colons:There are three main uses for a colon:

• To introduce a list

Example: There are three things you can’t touch: my beat, my rhymes, and this.

Colons:There are three main uses for a colon:

• To introduce a list

Example: There are three things you can’t touch: my beat, my rhymes, and this.

• To introduce a definition

Example: This: The thing you cannot touch.

Colons:There are three main uses for a colon:

• To introduce a list

Example: There are three things you can’t touch: my beat, my rhymes, and this.

• To introduce a definition

Example: This: The thing you cannot touch.

• To introduce a long quote

Example: According to MC Hammer: “I really had genuinely brotherly love for Pac (Tupac Shakur). When I became a part of the Death Row family, he

immediately ran into the studio and woke up the next morning. I had told him about a sang I wanted to do. It was off the Ohio players skin tight I

wanted to called it too tight. Before I could get to the studio Tupac had gotten up early that morning went to the studio, called in the

background singers, laid down the background, wrote a rap he wanted me to rap and it was done. He immediately embraced his partner from the town.”

Apostrophes’

Apostrophes’Apostrophes have two functions:

Apostrophes’Apostrophes have two functions:

• Contractions

Example: I’ve toured around the world, from London to the Bay.

Apostrophes’Apostrophes have two functions:

• Contractions

Example: I’ve toured around the world, from London to the Bay.

• Show possession

Example: MC Hammer’s parachute pants are the best.

Example: His peers’ pants aren’t nearly as cool.

Stop! Hammer Time!How you will commonly use this information.

Quotes and Punctuation

Quotes and PunctuationIntegrating a quote

Quotes and PunctuationIntegrating a quote

⚫Complete sentence: “Quote”⚫ Example: In “You Can’t Touch This,” MC Hammer gives sound and inspirational

advice: “Either work hard or you might as well quit.”

Quotes and PunctuationIntegrating a quote

⚫Complete sentence: “Quote”⚫ Example: In “You Can’t Touch This,” MC Hammer gives sound and inspirational

advice: “Either work hard or you might as well quit.”

⚫Incomplete sentence, “Quote”⚫ Example: Hammer often interjects, “You can’t touch this.”

Quotes and PunctuationIntegrating a quote

⚫Complete sentence: “Quote”⚫ Example: In “You Can’t Touch This,” MC Hammer gives sound and inspirational

advice: “Either work hard or you might as well quit.”

⚫Incomplete sentence, “Quote”⚫ Example: Hammer often interjects, “You can’t touch this.”

⚫Integrated into sentence⚫ Example: MC Hammer describes himself as “a super-dope homeboy from

Oaktown” in his song.

Quotes and PunctuationIntegrating a quote

⚫Complete sentence: “Quote”⚫ Example: In “You Can’t Touch This,” MC Hammer gives sound and inspirational

advice: “Either work hard or you might as well quit.”

⚫Incomplete sentence, “Quote”⚫ Example: Hammer often interjects, “You can’t touch this.”

⚫Integrated into sentence⚫ Example: MC Hammer describes himself as “a super-dope homeboy from

Oaktown” in his song.

⚫Short quotes as part of the sentence⚫ Example: He believes when you have “fresh new kicks” that “you know you want

to dance.”

Splices, Run-ons, and Fragments

Splices, Run-ons, and FragmentsComma Splice

⚫A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are fused into one sentence using a comma. That’s not what commas are used for. ⚫ Example: That’s how we’re living, you know you can’t touch this.

Splices, Run-ons, and FragmentsComma Splice

⚫A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are fused into one sentence using a comma. That’s not what commas are used for. ⚫ Example: That’s how we’re living, you know you can’t touch this.

Run-on sentence⚫A run-on sentence happens when two independent clauses are fused together

without using appropriate punctuation. ⚫ Example: MC Hammer is the greatest artist of all time I am his biggest fan.

Splices, Run-ons, and FragmentsComma Splice

⚫A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are fused into one sentence using a comma. That’s not what commas are used for. ⚫ Example: That’s how we’re living, you know you can’t touch this.

Run-on sentence⚫A run-on sentence happens when two independent clauses are fused together

without using appropriate punctuation. ⚫ Example: MC Hammer is the greatest artist of all time I am his biggest fan.

Fragment⚫A fragment is an incomplete sentence—one that doesn’t contain both a

subject and verb.⚫ Example: Can’t touch!

How do we avoid grammar problems?

How do we avoid grammar problems?

Proofread!

Fin