Download Problem Words and Expressions

GRAMMAR GUIDE
Punctuation
Period
IP – Improper Punctuation
Question Mark
Semicolon
Colon
a. used at the end of every declarative or imperative sentence
 Grammar is easy sometimes.
b. used after most abbreviations and initials
 Mrs. Cordell
 T. S. Elliot
c. always placed inside end quotation marks
 Hector called Mrs. Cordell’s class the “best sleep I ever got.”
d. three periods (an ellipsis) indicate the omission of some text—use four if it
ends the sentence
 The language section of the rubric always kicks my….
a. used at the end of a question
 Did I use this right?
b. placed inside quotation marks only if it applies to the quotation
 He asked, “Do you hate grammar too?”
 Do you also hope to be a “Grammar Guru”?
c. used in parentheses to indicate uncertainty
 I got home at 11:00 p.m. (?) last night.
a. used between two closely related independent clauses that are not joined by a
conjunction
 Mark couldn’t handle punctuation; he could never distinguish the
differences between colons and semicolons.
b. used between two independent clauses joined by a conjunctive adverb* (a
comma follows the conjunctive adverb)
 I would have studied my grammar; however, I didn’t really want to be
taken seriously.
* consequently, for example, for instance, hence, however, instead, nevertheless,
otherwise, then, therefore, thus
c. used for clarity in a sentence that contains many commas
 My group includes Joel, the know-it-all; Abby, the flirt; and Michael, the
class clown.
d. always placed outside end quotation marks
 I call Mrs. Cordell “coach”; her writing exercises are more intense than
spring training.
a. used to introduce a series following a noun or the phrase “as follows”
 I still don’t understand the following types of punctuation: periods,
questions marks, and exclamation points.
b. used to introduce an important quotation when an independent clause
precedes the quotation
 In Act IV, when Proctor is thinking of confessing, he considers the effect
of his actions: “I have three children – how may I teach them to walk like
men in the world, and I sold my friends?” (239).
c. used after a salutation in a business letter
 Dear Sir:
d. used between the hour and the minute and between the chapter and the verse
GRAMMAR GUIDE
Comma
Quotation Marks
of the Bible
 1:45
 Matthew 2:6
a. used to separate items in a list of three or more
 The cat, the dog, and the mouse all understand commas.
b. used between two or more adjectives used to describe the same noun only
when the order of the adjectives doesn’t matter
 Eric used crisp, clean punctuation
 He wore a bright cashmere sweater. (order matters)
c. used between independent clauses in a compound sentence
 The comma is intimidating, but it is beneficial to learn it correctly.
d. used after an introductory dependent clause or prepositional phrase in a
complex sentence
 Because of demanding time constraints, most students won’t read this.
 After the ACT, most students will wish they had read this.
e. used before and after verbal phrases non-essential phrases and clauses in a
sentence (verbal phrases, appositives, parenthetical phrases, non-restrictive
clauses)
 Mrs. Cordell, reading carefully, finds each and every grammar error.
 Grammar, the second fiddle of Language, doesn’t get the credit it’s due.
 Mrs. Cordell, of course, put too much time into this.
 Students who eat apples learn grammar faster (restrictive—no commas)
f. used to set off the words of a direct address
 If you could please, Floyd, pay attention to what I am saying.
g. used after an interjection at the beginning of a sentence
 Yikes, there are a lot of comma rules.
h. used to separate items in dates and places
 The AP Test is Friday, May 9th, 2014, in Culver City, CA.
i. used to set off a quotation from the rest of the sentence
 “Please,” said Mrs. Cordell, “take the time to study this.”
j. used to indicate omitted words in a phrase.
 Julia learn the first ten rules; Jimmy, the second ten.
k. used after salutations at the beginning of a personal letter
 Dear Carl,
l. used after the complimentary closing in business or personal letters
 Sincerely,
m. used before and after degrees and titles
 Mrs. Cordell, Ph. D., is a doctor of diction.
a. used in dialogue*
 “Holy cow!” he cried.
*each change in speaker is a new paragraph
b. used at the beginning of each paragraph in a multiple-paragraph quotation
(only used at the end of the last paragraph)
c. used around the titles of short literary works
GRAMMAR GUIDE
Apostrophe
Dash
Parentheses
Exclamation
Point
Hyphen
 “The Basics of Grammar” is an article in Grammar Weekly.
d. used to emphasize a particular word or letter
 He put the “Mad” in Madagascar.
e. single quotation marks are used for a quotation within a quotation
 “I love that song ‘Conjunction Junction,’” said Troy.
REMINDER: Commas and periods are placed inside the quotation always.
a. used to indicate missing letters or numbers
 can’t (cannot)
 ’14 (2014)
b. used to create the plural form or numbers, letter, or words being discussed
 You used seven “if’s” in that paragraph.
 The gymnast got “10’s” from each of the ten judges.
c. used to indicate possessives
 Kerry’s paper
i. words that end in s or ss
ii. words that have a
iii. words that end in
use ‘s
plural form ending in s es, is, and the name
use s’
Jesus use just ’
a. used to indicate an interruption
 I was just about to—holy cow, a UFO!
b. used to separate a parenthetical expression from the rest of the sentence
 Mrs. Cordell said—and she is always right—that learning the dash will
greatly improve the style of my writing.
c. used before and after appositives that contain commas
 Kyra—a nice, charming student—includes a dash in each paper.
d. used for emphasis
 The dash is really—I mean really—helpful.
e. used for phrases that clarify the meaning.
 He studied forever—six hours on Monday, another four on Tuesday, all
day Wednesday, and a cram session on Thursday.
a. used to enclose parenthetical expressions
 Plagiarism in papers has increased (see chart) since 1995.
b. used to reference source of citations
 Six out of ten students prefer the dash to the comma (Grammar 23).
a. used to indicate strong emotion*
 Yikes! I can’t believe how big that spider is.
*An unwritten rule in writing states that writers can use five to ten exclamation
points in their lifetimes. (Life isn’t usually that exciting.) Use them sparingly
please (think Elaine from Seinfeld).
b. like a question mark, exclamation points are placed inside or outside of the
quotation mark depending on the sentence
 He cried, “I can’t feel my legs!”
 I cringe at the sound of the word “Grammar”!
a. used to combine two words into a compound adjective (as long as they
precede the noun.
 The quality of the performance indicated that they were a well-rehearsed
GRAMMAR GUIDE
Italics
band.
b. used in numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine
 thirty-seven
c. used after “half” when half is used as a prefix
 He was only half-aware or losing his half-dollar.
d. used for age-based adjectives but not for ages
 He is three years old
 He is a three-year-old phenom.
a. use for titles of long literary works, magazines, newspapers, films, and TV
shows
 The class is excited to read The Taming of the Shrew.
b. used for the names of works of art, of ships, and of planes
 He sailed to class each day in the S. S. Lang
c. used for emphasis of certain words or to indicate vocal stress
 He was really sick of writing these sentences.
Awkward
Adjective Errors
Adverb
Forms
Adjectives vs.
Adverbs
AE
AF
AA
AWK
Common Mistakes
This marking indicates something abnormal about the word choice, syntax, or overall feel of
the sentence. Consider one of the following revision suggestions:
 read through the sentence to listen for unconventional language use
 check for unusual vocabulary choices or two many “big” words
 look for ways to break up the sentence into multiple sentences
a. don’t use an adjective when you should use an adverb
 Wrong: You write good.
 Right: You write well.
 W: That essay is real long.
 R: That essay is really long.
b. don’t use an adverb when you should use an adjective (linking verbs)
 W: The cake smells really beautifully.
 R: The cake smells really beautiful.
a. use the word other or else whenever the comparative degree of an adjective is used with
than (unless the nouns compared are different—She is smarter than any boy.)
 W: She is smarter than any student in her class.
 R: She is smarter than any other student in her class.
b. use an –ed ending with animate creatures not objects
 right-handed pitcher
 long-sleeve T-shirt
be sure to use the appropriate form of each adverb in lieu of using commonly mistaken forms
 W: anyways, firstly, nowheres
 R: anyway, first, nowhere
Comma Splice
Dangling
Modifiers
Misplaced
Modifiers
occurs when the modifying phrase is placed adjacent to an object other than the one it is
supposed to be modifying
 W: The dog ran into the house covered in mud.
 R: Covered in mud, the dog ran into the house.
Pronoun/
Antecedent
Preposition
Problems
Parall
el
Struc
ture
Pronoun
Errors
OJ
PA
PP
adverbs such as only and just must be placed correctly—never before a verb--or they will
change the meaning or be unclear
 W: Dan only ran one mile.
 R: Only Dan ran one mile.
 R: Dan ran only one mile.
pronouns must agree in gender and number with the antecedent they replace
 W: Each student must hand in their homework at the beginning of class.
 R: Each student must hand in his or her homework at the beginning of class.
 R: All students must hand in their homework at the beginning of class.
Watch out for singular pronouns like someone, anybody, no one, etc.
pay close attention to the role a pronoun plays in the sentence and use the form that is
appropriate for the case
 W: Rachel is smarter than me.
 R: Rachel is smarter than I am.
 W: I would like to meet the person who you like so much.
 R: I would like to meet the person whom you like so much.
a. never end a sentence with a preposition (be careful to recognize the difference between
words acting as prepositions and adverbs)
 W: My mom wanted to know whom I was going to the movie with.
 R: My mom wanted to know with whom I was going to the movie.
b. the word “at” is never necessary with the word “where”
 W: Where are my keys at?
 R: Where are my keys?
a. parallel thoughts must be expressed in similar (or parallel) grammatical terms
 W: Zach is fluent in Chinese and has great knowledge about the culture.
 R: Zach is fluent in Chinese and knowledgeable about the culture.
PS
PE
Only/Just
CS
don’t use only a comma to separate independent clauses (type of run-on)
 W: This chart is handy, it makes grammar more approachable.
 R: This chart is handy. It makes grammar more approachable.
 R: This chart is handy; it makes grammar more approachable.*
 R: This chart is handy, for it makes grammar more approachable.
*Comma splices usually happen because the author feels that the two sentences are too
connected for a period. That is a good time to use the semicolon.
occurs when object that is supposed to be modified is missing from the sentence (frequently
happens with passive voice)
 W: Hungry as a monster, the pie was eaten.
 R: Hungry as a monster, Jimmy ate the pie.
MM
DM
GRAMMAR GUIDE
Passive
Voice
Redundancy
Issues
Sentence
Fragments
Split
Infinitive
s
avoid sentences that contain two independent clauses without the proper separation
 W: Julian heard that his group members were efficient he didn’t do any work.
 R: Julian heard that his group members were efficient. He didn’t do any work.
 R: Julian heard that his group members were efficient; he didn’t do any work.
 R: Julian heard that his group members were efficient, so he didn’t do any work.
 R: Because Julian heard that his group members were efficient, he didn’t do any work.
avoid sentences that lack subjects, verbs, or complete ideas
 W: Cramming for hours hoping to get those last few devices memorized.
 R: Josh crammed for hours, hoping to get those last few devices memorized.
 R: Cramming for hours hoping to get those last few devices memorized, Josh fell
asleep at his desk.
remember that the infinitive form of a verb (ex: to drive) is considered to be one word, so do
not place an adverb between the two parts
 W: Alyssa planned to completely finish the AP test in six minutes.
 R: Alyssa planned to finish the AP test completely in six minutes.
SF
Run-on
Sentences
PV
b. parallel phrases should include the entire prepositional phrase
 W: Dan fell asleep in chemistry and calculus.
 R: Dan fell asleep in chemistry and in calculus.
c. repeat the “that” in dependent clauses to make sentences parallel
 W: I knew that I would get a five and I would get credit.
 R: I knew that I would get a five and that I would get credit.
d. parallel phrases should include the entire infinitive
 W: Anna loves to sing and dance.
 R: Anna loves to sing and to dance.
e. parallel phrases stick to the same verb form
 W: Malcolm was running through the halls, and he tripped.
 R: Malcolm ran through the halls, and he tripped.
f. parallel phrases should follow both parts of correlatives (two-part conjunctions like
both/and, either/or, and not only/but also)
 W: You should bring neither your cell phone nor iPod to the AP test.
 R: You should bring neither your cell phone nor your iPod to the AP test.
avoid writing sentences where the action is done to the subject instead of the subject doing the
action unless this is stylistically beneficial (victims, unknown subject, etc.)
 W: The worksheet was read by very few students in the class.
 R: Very few students in the class read the worksheet.
avoid using words and phrases that are unnecessarily repetitive
 W: free gift, end result
 R: gift, result
 W: The students were excited and eager to take the AP Lang test.
 R: The students were eager to take the AP Lang test.
SI
RO
RI
GRAMMAR GUIDE
Shifts in
Pronouns
Subject/
Verb
Vague
Pronouns
don’t shift your pronoun from the one that matches the antecedent to you (only use you when
you are speaking directly to your audience)
 W: Aimee loves video games where you feel as if you are driving the car.
 R: Aimee loves video games where she feels as if she is driving the car.
 R: Aimee loves video games where people feel as if they are driving the car.
make sure that your verb conjugations match the gender and number of the subject
 W: A group of students walk down the hall.
 R: A group of students walks down the hall.
only use pronouns when you are certain that their true meaning is clear (when in doubt, use the
antecedent or a related noun)
 W: This has been a trying experience, but I have learned much from it.
 R: AP Language has been a trying experience, but I have learned much from the class.
Verb Tense
Shifts
SP
VT
VP
SV
GRAMMAR GUIDE
if actions happen at the same time, they should use the same tense
 W: We went to the store and will buy some groceries.
 R: We went to the store and bought some groceries.
if actions happen at different times, they should use different tenses
 W: After he studied for eight hours, he aced the rhetorical device test.
 R: After he had studied for eight hours, he aced the rhetorical device test.
Usage
Accept vs. Except
IU – Improper Usage
Accompanied by
vs. Accompanied
with
Adapted vs.
Adopted
Advice vs. Advise
Affect vs. Effect vs.
Effect
Aggravate vs.
Irritate
Accept – v. to take or to agree to
Except – p. but or not including
 Everyone except Cole accepted Peyton as the school’s new president.
Accompanied by – used with a person
Accompanied with – used with a thing

Accompanied by his friend Sara, Aaron ran down to the basement to
avoid of the storm of strong winds accompanied with hail.
Adapted – v. to adjust to a new situation; to change
Adopted – v. to choose and accept without change
 The team had to adapt to a tougher division, so they adopted a new
philosophy.
Advice – n. guidance about how to handle a situation
Advise – v. to give advice to
 Mrs. Cordell advised her students on how to take the test, but Joyce
didn’t listen to one piece of advice; she got a five.
Affect – v. to alter or change (hint: a = action)
Effect – n. result or cause of change
Effect – v. to bring about
 To effect change in the way teachers lecture, Mrs. Cordell is using
special effects that are affecting the level of boredom in the class.
Aggravate – to make worse (usually used with things)
Irritate – to annoy (usually used with people)
GRAMMAR GUIDE

That sock may be aggravating the blister on your foot, but your
constant whining about it is irritating me even more.
Agree to – use with a thing
Agree to vs. Agree
with
Agree with – use with a person
 Because Yasmin usually agrees with Jane, she agreed to the plan that
Jane created.
All – use with nouns
All vs. All of
All of – use with pronouns
 All of us will share in an experience that not all Payton students get to
experience.
All together – all at one time (usually in terms of physical space)
All together vs.
Altogether
Altogether – entirely, completely
 It would be altogether too crowded for all AP Lang students to have
class all together.
Allusion vs. Illusion Allusion – indirect reference
Illusion – a hallucination or false perception
 After performing a terrific illusion, the magician made an allusion to
Houdini, whom he considered the best escape artist of all time.
Almost – not quite; very nearly
Almost vs. Most
Most – greatest, as in size or extent
 W: Felicia got most every question right.
 R: Felicia got almost every question right.
A lot (et. al.) – these versions are all incorrect; use many or a variation
A lot vs. A lot vs.
Lots
 W: Lauren had lots of questions about writing.
 R: Lauren had many questions about writing.
Already – adv. expressing by or before a certain time
Already vs. All
ready
All ready – adj. phrase meaning complete readiness
 By the time Alexandria arrived, the train had already left, but she could
not have been all ready to go any earlier.
Alright vs. All right Alright – not a real word; always use all right
 W: Don’t worry, everything’s alright.
 R: Don’t worry, everything’s all right.
Among vs. Between Among – used for three or more people/items
Between – used for two people/items
 “Between you and me,” Ayanna said, “cheating is frequent among
Culver students.”
Amount – used with items you can’t count
Amount vs.
Number
Number – used with items you can count
 The number of hours Graham studied may have been taxing, but the
amount he learned made it all worthwhile.
Angle – mathematical term of degrees
Angle vs. Angel
Angel – heavenly figure
 Amelia prayed to the Angel of Math to help her understand the angles
involved in trigonometry.
GRAMMAR GUIDE
Angry – upset
Mad – crazy or insane
 Kim grew increasingly angry about the green marks on her paper;
eventually her anger made her become so mad that she pulled up all the
grass in her lawn.
Angry at vs. Angry Angry at – use with an animal
with vs. Angry
Angry with – use with a person
about
Angry about – use with a situation
 First Laura was angry at her dog for chewing the carpet, then she was
angry with herself for leaving him alone, but mostly she was angry
about her extended work schedule that forced the situation.
Anxious – to be worried about something
Anxious vs. Eager
Eager – to look forward to something
 Although Brittney is eager for the independence of college, she is
anxious about doing her own laundry.
Anyone vs. Any one Anyone – indefinite pronoun meaning any person
Any one – combination meaning any single piece of a bigger group
 Anyone who chooses to audition could be cast in any one of the many
roles in the play.
Arrived in – use with a city or town
Arrived in vs.
Arrived at
Arrive at – use with a small area
 Emmeline arrived at the door step of her dorm room shortly after
arriving in Boston.
Ascent – n. the act of rising or an upward slope
Ascent vs. Assent
Assent – v. to give permission; n. permission
 With her parents’ assent, Jennifer went on a trip to scale the ascent at
Half Dome.
Awhile – adverb (goes with verbs)
Awhile vs. A while
A while – noun phrase that follows the preposition for
 “Why don’t you stay awhile?” Danielle said sarcastically to her little
brother who had been hanging out in her room for a while already.
Because of – adverb phrase used to modify verbs, adjectives, or adverbs
Because of vs. Due
to
Due to – adjective phrase used to modify nouns
 Lynita’s absence, due to a family emergency, just happened to follow
the night that she stayed awake because of a Gauntlet Marathon.
Being that/Being as Being that/Being as are improper forms; replace with since or because
 W: Being that he had never taken a class like this, David hoped Mrs.
Cordell would be kind.
 R: Since he had never taken a class like this, David hoped Mrs. Cordell
would be kind.
Beside – p. next to or by the side of
Beside vs. Besides
Besides – p./adv. except or in addition to
 Besides Kelsey, Isabella couldn’t think of anyone else she would want
sitting beside her in class.
Born – past tense of bear meaning to give birth
Born vs. Borne
Angry vs. Mad
GRAMMAR GUIDE
Breath vs. Breathe
Bring vs. Take
Can vs. May
Cannot vs. Can not
Canvas vs. Canvass
Capital vs. Capitol
Cite vs. Sight vs.
Site
Compare to vs.
Compare with
Complement vs.
Compliment
Concur with vs.
Concur in vs.
Concur to
Borne – past tense of bear meaning to carry
 Many families have borne the challenges of adjusting to new routines
after a new baby is born.
Breath – n. an intake of air
Breathe – v. to inhale and exhale air
 Remember to breathe—one deep breath after another—when taking
tests.
Bring – indicates movement toward the speaker
Take – indicates movement away from the speaker
 Bring your completed homework up to me, and take a copy of this
worksheet for tomorrow.
Can – has the ability to
May – has permission to
 Although Brian can go to the bathroom, he may not do so during the
multiple choice section of the test.
Cannot is always one word (can not is not a true form)
 W: I can not believe what Camille wore to prom.
 R: I cannot believe what Camille wore to prom.
Canvas – n. the material
Canvass – v. to ask for orders or political support
 Dressed in canvas, the students of Culver canvassed their
neighborhoods for increased educational funding.
Capital – main; wealth; seat of government
Capitol (capitalized) – the building in which Congress meets (hint: O = dome)
 Much of America’s capital is governed by the capital which meets in
the Capitol in D.C.
Cite – v. to quote or to state
Sight – v. to see; n. something worth seeing; vision
Site – n. location
 Be sure to properly cite any graphs you sight on a web site.
Compare to – used to point out similarities between very different things
Compare with – used to point out similarities and differences between like
things
 To compare Alejandro’s personality with Marianna’s is like comparing
a lovely spring day to Tabasco sauce.
Complement – that which completes (hint: e = equal)
Compliment – positive statements or praise (hint: I like compliments
 Sam and Michael were such great friends that, when Monica said they
were perfect complements of each other, they took it as a compliment.
Concur with – used with people
Concur in – used to suggest joint action
Concur to – used with infinitives
GRAMMAR GUIDE

Elizabeth and Maddie didn’t just concur with each other to be nice;
they concurred to make a statement that we should all be willing to
concur in hopes of making the world better.
Continual – repeated but with interruptions
Continual vs.
Continuous
Continuous – constant with no interruptions
 It took continual practice for Grant to be able to play Halo for thirteen
continuous hours.
Could of vs. Could Could of (et. al.) – this is always wrong
have
Could have – this may be abbreviated as could’ve which causes the confusion
 W: Michelle felt that she should of been the grammar queen.
 R: Michelle felt that she should’ve (have) been the grammar queen.
Council vs. Counsel Council – n. a committee or governing body
Counsel – n. advice
Counsel – v. to give advice
 When asked to counsel our student council, Elena gave the following
counsel: be true to your school.
Desert (first syllable accented) – n. arid land
Desert vs. Dessert
Desert (second syllable accented) – v. to abandon
Dessert – a treat at the end of a meal (hint: ss = strawberry shortcake)
 While fighting in the desert, Ella deserted her comrades because the
enemy bribed her with dessert.
Die of vs. Die from Die of – used for diseases
vs. Die by
Die from – used for exposure to something
Die by – used for an act of violence
 It was a bad week for Cristina: her dog died of pneumonia, her fish
died from over exposure to her desk lamp, and her cat died by gunfire.
Differ from – with all differ-based words, use from not than
Differ, Different,
Differently from vs.
 W: Adler’s paper topic is different than everyone else’s.
Differ, Different,
 R: Adler’s paper topic is different from everyone else’s.
Differently than
Differ from – used to indicate differences between people and things
Differ from vs.
Differ with
Differ with – used to indicate differences of opinion
 On the electoral map , the color of some states differ from that of others
to indicate that, on average, the opinions of the people in one state
differ with those of the other.
Disinterested – not biased
Disinterested vs.
Uninterested
Uninterested – not interested at all
 Timmy and Calvin, hoping to find a disinterested third party to settle
their Magic, the Gathering dispute, found instead that most of their
peers were completely uninterested in the card game.
Each other vs. One Each other – used for groups of two
another
One another – used when more than two people are involved
 As you work with one another in class, keep your eyes open for the
person who gives you the best feedback so that you can exchange
papers with each other.
GRAMMAR GUIDE
Eligible vs. Illegible
Emigrant vs.
Immigrant
Eminent vs.
Imminent
Envelop vs.
Envelope
Everyday vs. Every
day
Everyone vs. Every
one
Farther vs. Further
Fewer vs. Less
Formally vs.
Formerly
Got
Hanged vs. Hung
Healthy vs.
Eligible – meets the requirements for participation
Illegible – too sloppy to read
 Quincy’s handwriting is so illegible that she is automatically eligible
for an after-school penmanship program.
Emigrant – one who leaves a country to live in another
Immigrant – one who enters a country with plans to live there
 As an emigrant from Somalia, he had no idea how challenging life
would be as an immigrant in the U.S.A.
Eminent – well-known, famous
Imminent – threatening in the immediate future
 As Anna became a more eminent WNBA star, she could feel the
increasingly imminent danger of the paparazzi.
Envelop – v. to surround or wrap
Envelope – n. a paper container for a letter
 The right-size envelope can envelop your letter perfectly without
folding.
Everyday – adj. meaning common or usual
Every day – combination meaning day after day
 Every day Jerome reads through my grammar rules hoping that the
concepts will become everyday ideas to him eventually.
Everyone – indefinite pronoun that always refers to a person
Every one – combination that can refer to every individual in a group of people
or things
 Everyone had a method to ensure that, as they answered the AP
questions, they had at least a guess for every one.
Farther – used for a measureable distance
Further – used for non-physical distances
 We are farther in our textbook than we should be because our learning
seems to be going no further.
Fewer – used with a countable amount
Less – used with amounts that can’t be counted
 Breanne must be less popular than last year because she has fewer
friends.
Formally – in a manner that is according to establish customs or rules
Formerly – earlier in time
 Formerly, suitors were expected to formally declare their intentions.
Got – do not use unnecessarily with forms of have
 W: Mrs. Cordell has got to lighten up on this grammar stuff.
 R: Mrs. Cordell has to lighten up on this grammar stuff.
Hanged – the past tense of the execution of a person with a rope
Hung – the past tense of suspending things
 The sheriff hung a picture in the center of town of the outlaw he had
just hanged.
Healthy – indicates good physical condition
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Healthful – indicates something that leads to good health
 Bakari eats only healthful fruits and vegetable to remain healthy.
Historic – important as a part of history
Historic vs.
Historical
Historical – based on a special period in history
 The historical society threw a gargantuan 1870s party that was truly a
historic occasion.
Hopefully – means “in a manner that is hopeful,” not it is hoped
Hopefully
 W: Hopefully you all enjoy this class.
 R: I hope that you all enjoy this class.
 R: John sat by his mailbox all summer, hopefully awaiting his results.
Imply – to hint or suggest
Imply vs. Infer
Infer – to conclude
 The AP test will ask you to infer what the authors’ imply with their
language.
In – means inside
In vs. Into
Into – indicates the act of entering (use this when you can)
 As Matt walked into the class, he noticed all his classmates already in
their seats.
Inside of – don’t use inside of when you mean within or inside
Inside of (2)
 W: We will meet inside of my house inside of the next hour.
 R: We will meet inside my house within the next hour.
Irregardless – never use (not a word)
Irregardless
 W: Irregardless of my test score, I am glad I took AP Lang.
 R: Regardless of my test score, I am glad I took AP Lang.
Is because, Is when, Is because (et. al.) – never use this adverbial clause; rephrase
Is where, Is why
 W: The reason I left is because I was tired of Mrs. Cordell’s lecture.
 R: I left because I was tired of Mrs. Cordell’s lecture.
Kind of a (et. al.) – do not use “a” in these phrases
Kind of a vs. Sort
of a vs. Type of a
 W: What kind of a student do you plan to be?
 R: What kind of student do you plan to be?
Later – comparative form of the adj. late
Later vs. Latter
Latter – relating to the second of two people or things
 If you like to wake up later in the morning, you may want to schedule
your college courses in the latter half of the day.
Lay (et. al.) – to place or put (transitive: always takes an object)
Lay, laid, (have,
has, had) laid vs.
Lie (et. al.) – to recline or stretch out (intransitive: never takes an object)
Lie, lay, (have, has,
 After school, Simon likes to lay his backpack on the floor and lie down
had) lain
for a nap.
Laying – the present participle of lay
Laying vs. Lying
Lying – the present participle of lie
 While his mom was laying a great meal on the table, Jake was lying on
the couch watching TV.
Leave – v. to go away or to abandon
Leave vs. Let
Let – v. to allow or not to disturb
Healthful
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
Lend vs. Loan vs.
Borrow
Liable vs. Likely
Like vs. As vs. As if
Loose vs. Lose
Majority vs.
Plurality
May vs. Might
May be vs. Maybe
Migrate vs.
Migrant
Moral vs. Morale
Most important vs.
Most importantly
Notorious vs.
Famous
I’m trying to study, so please let me alone, or leave if you can’t stay
quiet.
Lend – v. to let someone have something on condition that it is returned
Loan – n. the item that is lent
Borrow – v. to receive something that you plan to return
 I can’t get a loan from the bank because, whenever they lend me
money, I fail to pay back what I borrow.
Liable – an unpleasant possibility
Likely – a good possibility
 Although Karen is likely to win homecoming queen, she is liable to
hurt some feelings in the process.
Like – can be a preposition, but never a conjunction (followed by noun phrase)
As/As if – both can be conjunctions (complete sentence after)
 As Nick practiced his free throws, he imagined that he was like Mike,
as if a professional career was really a possibility for him.
Loose – adj. not tight
Lose – v. to be beaten or to misplace
 It wasn’t surprising that Marisa kept losing her dog consider the loose
watch she kept over him.
Majority – more than half
Plurality – the largest percentage but not necessarily more than half
 If the U.S. ever has a solid third party, future Presidents may win the
plurality of the votes without winning the majority.
May – expresses a possibility
Might – expresses a possibility with more doubt (not likely to happen)
 Iris may be a top-notch writer; she might even win a Pulitzer.
May be – a verb phrase
Maybe – an adverb meaning perhaps
 Maybe if everyone gets a five, Mrs. Cordell may be promoted to Lady
of Language.
Migrate – v. to travel from one place to another
Migrant – n. a farm laborer who travels from place to place to harvest crops
 The migrant would travel north as south depending on the season like a
migrating bird.
Moral – n./adj. indicating proper behavior
Morale – n. general attitude or outlook
 The moral integrity of our leader boosted the morale of our group.
Most Important – always use (short for “what is most important”)
Most Importantly – not a real form
 W: Most importantly, people need to take ownership of grammar rules.
 R: Most important, people need to take ownership of grammar rules.
Notorious – well-known for negative things
Famous – well-known for positive things
Truman Capote is famous for writing In Cold Blood about a notorious killer.
GRAMMAR GUIDE
Numbers
Pair vs. Pairs vs.
Pair
Part from vs. Part
with
Passed vs. Past
Peace vs. Piece
Personal vs.
Personnel
Pray vs. Prey vs.
Prey
Principal vs.
Principle
Prophecy vs.
Prophesy
Quiet vs. Quite
Regard vs. Regards
So vs. So that
Spell out all numbers from one to ninety-nine and any others that are one word
(thousand)
 Mrs. Cordell is excited to turn twenty-nine in this year 2014.
Pair (a single thing with two parts—pants, scissors) takes a singular verb
Pairs (more than one pair) takes a plural verb
Pair (two individuals) takes a plural verb
 The pair of students are fighting over the pair of scissors that is lying
on their desk when another four pairs are only one table over.
Part from – use with people
Part with – use with objects
 Beth acted sad to part from her sister, but she was actually sad to part
with her sister’s wardrobe.
Passed – v. went by or approved
Past – preposition, adjective, adverb, or noun related to time or direction
 In the past, I passed every test that went past my desk.
Peace – a state of quiet
Piece – a section of the whole
 Eating that piece of pie finally brought him some peace after a hectic
day.
Personal – relating to a person; private
Personnel – a body of persons employed by the same company
 The files in the personnel office contain very personal information.
Pray – v. to plead or ask (especially in religious terms)
Prey – v. to seize and devour (with on)
Prey – n. an animal that is hunted; a victim
 The little freshman prayed that the big, bad seniors wouldn’t prey on
her like the prey of some tiger.
Principal – head person or major item (pal)
Principle – rule or truth
 The principal governed the school by the principle that all students
would eventually screw up.
Prophecy – n. prediction of something to come
Prophesy – v. to predict something that is to come
 The Oracle at Delphi prophesied many prophecies that came true.
Quiet – making little noise
Quite – to a considerable extent
 The testing room is so quiet that it is quite a change from Mrs.
Cordell’s room.
In regard to – always correct
In regards to – never correct
 W: I am writing in regards to the noise from your apartment.
 R: I am writing in regard to the noise from your apartment.
So – used in compound sentences
So that – used in complex sentences (use so that when it works)
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Stationary vs.
Stationery
Sure vs. Surely
Sure and/Try and
vs. Sure to/Try to
Their vs. There vs.
They’re
Then vs. Than
To vs. Too vs. Two
Use to vs. Used to
Weather vs.
Whether
Who vs. Which
Who’s vs. Whose
Your vs. You’re
 W: Grace read each essay twice so she wouldn’t miss a device.
 R: Grace read each essay twice so that she wouldn’t miss a device.
Stationary – adj./adv. not moving
Stationery – n. fancy paper (remember e as in envelope)
 Lisa was so shocked by the awful stationery she received that she
remained stationary for a few seconds after opening the gift.
Sure – adjective
Surely – adverb
 Abby’s mom is surely happy that Abby feels so sure about her college
choice.
Sure and/Try and – never use/always incorrect
Sure to/Try to – always use/correct form
 W: Audrey studied to try and improve her scores.
 R: Audrey studied to try to improve her scores.
Their – possessive pronoun
There – adverb of location
They’re – contraction of the words “they are”
 They’re going to be sorry that their parents were sitting over there.
Then – an adverb denoting time
Than – a conjunction suggesting comparison
After the teacher walked in, then Marcus did; he was later than the teacher.
To – preposition of place
Too – adverb meaning “also”
Two – the number
 Two students walk to Chipotle, so I walked there too.
Use to – always incorrect
Used to – the correct form
 W: A student can quickly get use to the rules in room 41.
 R: A student can quickly get used to the rules in room 41.
Weather – condition of the atmosphere
Whether – usually used with “or” to express choice
 Whether you like rain or sunshine, the weather will impact your walk
to school.
Who – refers to a person
Which – refers to an animal or object
 The AP test, which takes many hours, is a tough challenge for a person
who has a small bladder.
Who’s – contraction for “who is”
Whose – a possessive pronoun
 A student who’s likely to pass the AP test is one whose study habits are
effective.
Your – possessive second-person pronoun
You’re – conjunction for “you are”
 If your alarm doesn’t work you’re liable to be late to school.
GRAMMAR GUIDE