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Inspirational Authorship with Joyce Ross & Patricia Connor Grammar Lesson #2 - FEBRUARY 16th, 2016 Webinar THE 8 PARTS OF SPEECH Part Two: The Adverb and the Preposition. Taking the mystery out of the PUNCTUATION DANCE Part Two: The Interrobang, Semicolon, Colon, and Em Dash Tighten & Strengthen Your Prose VIVID ACTION VERBS & GRAPHIC ADJECTIVES Misspelled words. Incorrect punctuation. I will not eat this homework. In case we haven’t met, I’m Grammar Dog. English Grammar rules are based on on the eight parts of speech. In the previous webinar, we explored the functions of the noun, the verb, the pronoun, and the adjective. In this grammar lesson, we’ll study the adverb and the preposition. Being aware of the functions of the eight parts of speech will help you construct clearer sentences that are correctly punctuated. Let’s review the previous lesson. REVIEW A noun is a word used to name a person, animal, place, thing, or an abstract idea. A verb is a word used to convey an action, occurrence, or state of being. Verbs tell us what nouns are doing or experiencing. A pronoun can replace a noun or another pronoun. (me, you, her, him, it, us, you, them, mine, yours, hers, his, its, ours, theirs, this, these, that, those, who, whom, which, what, whoever, whomever, whichever, whatever) An adjective describes, identifies or quantifies a noun or pronoun. Let’s explore the adverb. The function of this part of speech is easy to understand. An adverb adds information (how, when, where, in what manner, or to what extent) about a verb. Examples: When: She enrolled immediately. (The adverb immediately modifies the verb enrolled.) Where: Let’s go outside. (The adverb outside modifies the verb go.) How: He walked quickly. (The adverb quickly modifies the verb walked.) In what manner: He ran barefoot. (The adverb barefoot modifies the verb ran.) To what extent: He ran far. (The adverb far modifies the verb ran.) An adverb can also modify an adjective, another adverb, or a whole sentence. Examples: Shannon has a very pretty face. (The adverb very modifies the adjective pretty.) He spoke extremely quickly. (The adverb extremely modifies the adverb quickly.) Fortunately, nobody noticed. (The adverb fortunately modifies the whole sentence.) Let’s explore the preposition. We’re going to have fun with this part of speech. Be prepared to smile. The preposition shows the relationship between a subject and an object. Grammarians would say that the preposition indicates the temporal, spatial or logical relationship of its object to the rest of the sentence. The money is on the table. The box is beneath the counter. The broom is leaning against the wall. Let’s meet before noon. Throw it into the trash. The chair is beside the fridge. She held her hand over the candle. She read the book during class. My sister is at the store. You look like your mother. The most common prepositions are: about, above, across, after, against, along, among, around, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, beyond, but, by, despite, down, during, except, for, from, in, inside, into, like, near, of, off, on, onto, out, outside, over, past, since, through, throughout, till, to, toward, under, underneath, until, up, upon, with, within, and without. You’ve likely been taught that you shouldn’t end a sentence with a preposition. For fun, I’ll introduce you to the men responsible for this somewhat ridiculous grammar rule. YOU SHOULDN’T END A SENTENCE WITH A PREPOSTION John Dryden, an eighteenth-century English poet, playwright and literary critic, criticized another writer (Ben Johnson) for ending a sentence with a preposition. The notion that a sentence should not end with a preposition was cemented among grammar purists when Robert Lowth published A Short Introduction to English Grammar (1762). Lowth was a Bishop of the Church of England and an Oxford Professor of Poetry. His grammar book was used in classrooms into the early 1900s. Apparently, both Dryden and Lowth were guided by the idea that the English language should follow the rules for Latin which does not dangle prepositions. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill took exception to this rule and is famous for penning: “This is the kind of nonsense up with which I will not put.” Churchill was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. He was also an officer in the British Army, a historian, a writer, and an artist. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature, and was the first person to be made an honorary citizen of the United States. I agree with Sir Spencer-Churchill. For instance, the sentence “What did you step on?” would seem silly written as, “On what did you step?” “I’d like to know where they’re from” would be awkward written as, “I’d like to know from where they came.” “That dress isn’t paid for” would seem strange written as, “Paid for that dress is not.” It’s also acceptable to end a sentence with a phrasal verb such as “cheer up.” If a grammar catcher tries to lock you up, tell the fusspot to take off. However, I recommend dropping superfluous prepositions; i.e., ones that don’t add meaning. For instance, the preposition “at” is not needed in the sentence, “Where are you at?” Unnecessary prepositions should also be dropped from the middle of sentences. For instance, “off the floor” says the same thing as “off of the floor.” There is no need to include the word “of.” You can also lose the “of” in the sentence, “Mom's outside of the door.” Just write, “Mom's outside the door.” Less words = less criticism from the economy-ofwords catchers. Congratulations! You survived learning six of the eight parts of speech. As a reward for not falling asleep, here’s a grammar joke. The past, present & future walked into a bar. It was tense. My silly cat thinks everything's hilarious. VIVID ACTION VERBS An action verb expresses what the subject of a clause is doing physically or mentally. Action Verb Examples: Grammar Dog posed for the cameras. Silly Cat asked to be in the picture. Grammar Dog denied her request. Silly Cat photobombed the picture. The photographer cropped Silly Cat from the pic. Silly Cat stomped her paws and meowed. Grammar Dog ignored her tantrum. Later, he prepared Silly Cat’s favorite meal—tuna and rice. VIVID ACTION VERBS An action verb expresses what the subject of a clause is doing physically or mentally. Earlier in this lesson, we learned that an adverb adds information about a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a whole sentence. TIP: Adverbs often end in ly. Examples: (Adverbs are italicized; verbs are bolded.) Grammar Dog happily posed for the cameras. Silly Cat very eagerly asked to be in the picture. Grammar Dog very quickly denied her request. Silly Cat spitefully photobombed the picture. The photographer expertly cropped Silly Cat from the pic. “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” ―Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) was the third President of the United States and principal author of the Declaration of Independence. He spoke five languages and was a skilled writer. His book, Notes on the State of Virginia, is considered the most important American book published before 1800. TIP: “Very” is an overused and often unnecessary adverb. Examples with the adverb “very”: Silly Cat very eagerly asked to be in the picture. Grammar Dog very quickly denied her request. Examples without the adverb “very”: Silly Cat eagerly asked to be in the picture. Grammar Dog quickly denied her request. VIVID ACTION VERBS An action verb expresses what the subject of a clause is doing physically or mentally. TIP: Choose vivid action verbs over adverb + verb. Examples with adverb + adverb + verb: Silly Cat very eagerly asked to be in the picture. Grammar Dog very quickly denied her request. Examples with vivid action verbs: Silly Cat begged to be in the picture. Grammar Dog refused her request. VIVID ACTION VERBS An action verb expresses what the subject of a clause is doing physically or mentally. TIP: Vivid action verbs link writer-with-reader through sensory recall (sight, sound, touch, smell and taste). Each of the following action verbs elicits a distinct sensory perception. walk, saunter, stride, strut, swagger, march, stomp flow, gush, gurgle, spurt, squirt, trickle tease, scoff, sneer, jeer, taunt shine, glitter, sparkle, dazzle think, worry, fret, debate, consider, ponder smile, laugh, grin, beam, giggle “Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader - not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon.” —E. L. Doctorow Edgar Lawrence Doctorow (1931–2015): Acclaimed American novelist, editor, and professor. E. L. Doctorow is best known for his works of historical fiction. He wrote twelve novels, three volumes of short fiction and a stage drama. His award-winning novels include Ragtime, Billy Bathgate, and The March. VIVID ACTION VERBS An action verb expresses what the subject of a clause is doing physically or mentally. TIP: Vivid action verbs add dimension to your story by evoking feelings in the reader through word-pictures. In the following examples, note how the green action verbs create more vivid word-pictures than the blue. Jump: leap, parachute, spring, vault Throw: hurl, catapult, lob, fling Cry: weep, bawl, sob, howl Run: bolt, barrel, dash, sprint, scamper Hate: despise, abhor, detest, loathe Shout: bellow, scream, bark, roar Laugh: chuckle, chortle, snicker, guffaw, giggle Think: consider, ponder, contemplate, mull Watch: observe, survey, examine, scrutinize Take: grab, seize, steal, appropriate Sit: flop, drop, perch, collapse, park Smile: beam, grin, smirk Frown: grimace, sneer, glower, scowl Annoy: aggravate, irk, provoke, irritate, peeve Irritate…peeve…I just remembered a joke I heard at the dog catcher’s convention. I don’t have pet peeves; I have whole kennels of irritation. VIVID ACTION VERBS An action verb expresses what the subject of a clause is doing physically or mentally. TIP: Action verbs that end in “ing” are weaker than their shorter verb forms. Weak: He began prowling the area. Strong: He prowled the area. Weak: Stop shouting. Strong: Don’t shout. Weak: He started crying. Strong: He cried. Weak: He began jumping and hollering. Strong: He jumped and hollered. BE CREATIVE: USE GRAPHIC ADJECTIVES An adjective describes, identifies or quantifies a noun or pronoun. TIP: Choose a graphic adjective over an adverb + an adjective. Examples with adverb + adjective: Shannon has a very pretty face. (The adverb very modifies the adjective pretty.) This is an extremely important matter. (The adverb extremely modifies the adjective important.) Examples with graphic adjective + noun: Better: Shannon has a gorgeous face. (The graphic adjective gorgeous modifies the noun face.) Best: Shannon is gorgeous. This is a vital matter. (The graphic adjective vital modifies the noun matter.) BE CREATIVE: USE GRAPHIC ADJECTIVES An adjective describes, identifies or quantifies a noun or pronoun. TIP: Experienced writers avoid humdrum phrases and adjectives. In the following examples, note how the green adjectives create more vivid word-pictures than the blue. Cute: adorable, darling Ugly: hideous, unsightly, repulsive Fascinating: charismatic, entrancing, spellbinding Pretty: alluring, captivating Scary: creepy, menacing, forbidding, chilling Mean: malicious, despicable, nasty, cruel Nice: pleasant, charming, cordial Tall: lanky, lofty, towering, looming Brave: valiant, plucky, fearless, audacious Clean: immaculate, unsoiled, sterile, shipshape Plump: curvy, pudgy, podgy, flabby, tubby, stout Slim: wiry, svelte, willowy, bony, angular Old: ancient, timeworn, antique, primitive Silly: frivolous, mindless, idiotic, inane REVIEW PUNCTUATION EXPLANATIONS & END OF SENTENCE USES A period [.] indicates a mild command or indirect question. A question mark [?] indicates a direct question. (Answer expected.) An exclamation mark [!] indicates a sense or urgency, strong emotions, or an imperative (forceful confident command). Interrobang, semicolon, colon, and em dash PUNCTUATION EXPLANATIONS & END OF SENTENCE USES An interrobang [‽] indicates that a question is being asked in a surprised manner. A semicolon [;] indicates a pause, and that two main clauses are related. A colon [:] indicates that the information following is related to the word(s) before the colon. An em dash [—] also indicates that the following information is related. However, an em dash is more dramatic. INTERROBANG [‽] An interrobang [‽] looks like an exclamation point superimposed on a question mark. This punctuation mark indicates that a question is being asked in a surprised manner. Most stylebooks recommend that an author use only one terminal punctuation mark. This presents a bit of a conundrum when a question is asked in surprise. Thankfully, an interrobang negates an author having to choose between a question mark and an exclamation point. Examples: What‽ Did I hear you correctly‽ Note: An interrobang isn’t used in formal writing. ‽ Most keyboards do not have an interrobang key. Below are the steps for inserting an interrobang into a Word document or a PowerPoint slide. 4. Click on the interrobang. 3. Look for the interrobang under “General Punctuation” in the dropdown menu. . 5. Click “Insert.” ‽ An English professor wrote the following sentence on the chalkboard: “A woman without her man is nothing” He then asked his students to correctly punctuate the sentence. Here’s how the males punctuated it. “A woman without her man, is nothing.” Here’s how the females punctuated it. “A woman: without her, man is nothing.” Seriously, does anyone think that punctuation joke is funny‽ My silly cat does. SEMICOLON [;] A semicolon [;] indicates a pause and that two main clauses are related. (As it has a subject-verb component, a main clause could stand alone as a sentence.) Examples: My silly cat thinks my jokes are hilarious; she laughs at everyone else’s too. George appeared angry; he might have found my joke offensive. TIDBIT: The past tense of “may” is “might.” Correct: My silly cat might have had too much catnip last night. Incorrect: My silly cat may have had too much catnip last night. SEMICOLON [;] A semicolon (not a comma) should precede conjunctive adverb or a transitional phrase that links two main clauses. Conjunctive adverbs are words such as however, therefore, furthermore, and meanwhile. Transitional phrases function like conjunctive adverbs and include: for example, as a result, in other words, in the meantime, etc. Conjunctive Adverb Example: My silly cat whines when she smells fish; therefore, I only cook poultry and meat. Transitional Phrase Example: My silly cat whines when she smells fish; as a result, I only cook poultry and meat. Note: The comma after the conjunctive adverb “therefore” in the first example is optional. The comma following the transitional phrase “as a result” in the second example is not optional. ; SEMICOLON [;] Part One: A semicolon can be used to separate items in a list when one or more of the elements contains a comma. Example: While in Canada, George visited North Bay, Ontario; Jasper, Alberta; and Comox, British Columbia. Note how confusing the sentence becomes without semicolons. While in Canada, George visited North Bay, Ontario, Jasper, Alberta, and Comox, British Columbia. Note: Without separating the elements with semicolons, it would be easy for a reader who’s unfamiliar with Canada to erroneously think that George visited North Bay, and Ontario, and Jasper, and Alberta, and Comox, British Columbia. SEMICOLON [;] Part Two: A semicolon can be used to separate items in a list when one or more of the elements contains a comma. Example: While in Canada, George visited North Bay, Ontario; Jasper, Alberta; and Comox, British Columbia. Example with a comma after “and.” While in Canada, George visited North Bay, Ontario; Jasper, Alberta; and, Comox, British Columbia. Note: Although it is grammatically correct to include a comma after the word “and” in the first example, as the meaning of the sentence is clear without it, the comma has been left out. Without the comma, the sentence appears cleaner (less cluttered). Now you know that semicolons are terrific for letting readers know that two main clauses are related, and for separating lists where one or more of the elements contains a comma. Let’s move on to the colon and the em dash. COLON [:] A colon [:] is used to indicate a forthcoming expansion of information or an explanation; i.e., the words following a colon explain or expand upon the word(s) before a colon. Examples: My silly cat has two annoying habits: whining and laughing hysterically. I’ve decided on a nickname for my feline friend: Silly Cat. COLONS & CAPITALIZATION • Capitalize the first word if two (or more) complete sentences follow a colon. • Capitalize the first word of a quotation that follows a colon. • Don’t capitalize the first word in a list that follows a colon. Capitalize the first word if two (or more) complete sentences follow a colon. Mary’s pet peeves are ironic: She abhors gossips. When everyone knows something that she doesn’t, she gets annoyed. Capitalize the first word of a quotation that follows a colon. Will Rogers said: “If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.” Will Rogers was an eloquent writer and an astute man. William Penn Adair “Will” Rogers (1879–1935) was an American cowboy, vaudeville performer, humorist, newspaper columnist, social commentator, and a stage and motion picture actor. He died in a plane crash at age 55. Capitalize the first word of a quotation that follows a colon. Mark Twain said: “When a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade, without further introduction.” Good gracious; why does Silly Cat thinks that quote is funny‽ Don’t capitalize the first word in a list that follows a colon. During the performance, use of the following electronic equipment is prohibited: cell phones, cameras, camcorders, and audio recording devices. You might find the following perplexing: The Associated Press Stylebook recommends always capitalizing the first word in a complete sentence following a colon. Unless it’s a direct quote, the Chicago Manual advises against capitalizing the first word when only one complete sentence follows a colon. Associated Press Example: Dating warning: Be wary of suitors who condone white lies. Chicago Manual of Style Example: Dating warning: be wary of suitors who condone white lies. My recommendation is that you let the content and intent of your complete sentence dictate whether you capitalize the first word in a single sentence following a colon. Example: Dating warning: be wary of suitors who condone white lies. Dating warning: Be wary of suitors who condone white lies. Capitalizing the word “Be” adds a wee bit of urgency to the warning. We’re about to study my favorite punctuation mark—the em dash. An em dash (—) can be used in place of a colon, semicolon or a comma. Double em dashes—placed one on either end of a word, phrase or clause—can be used to replace parentheses (brackets). Later, I’ll explain why the em dash is my favorite punctuation mark. Right now, let’s compare the hyphen, en dash, and em dash. Hyphens, En Dashes & Em Dashes Length-wise: the hyphen is the shortest of the three (-), the en dash is slightly longer a hyphen (–), and the em dash is longest (—). Hyphens, En Dashes & Em Dashes HYPHEN (-): A hyphen is used to join compound words, to separate syllables of a word, to indicate the continuation of a word separated by a line break, and to hyphenate names. Compound Word Example: She was wearing a silver-grey sweater. Separating Syllables Example: Conundrum is pronounced \kə-ˈnən-drəm. Line-break Example: Example: conundrum Hyphenated Name Example: Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill EN DASH (–): An en-dash is used to connect values in a range or that are related. As it replaces the word “to,” an en dash is commonly used to indicate inclusive dates and numbers. The Second World War lasted a few months shy of six years (1939–1945). Time: 1:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Please refer to pages 44–56. Super Bowl 2016: Denver Broncos beat Carolina Panthers 24–10. EM DASH (—): An em dash can be used in place of a colon. It can also be used in place of commas or brackets to setoff elements in a sentence. It was while shopping for eggs—bought milk—that I realized I needed a vacation. It’s time for a riddle. What do the founders of Middle Sister wine and an em dash have in common? They both love drama! As I’m a middle littermate, I find the drama queen insinuation a bit offensive. Still, I chuckled when I read this label. EM DASH [—] Similar to a colon, an em dash [—] can be used to indicate that the following information is related. However, an em dash is more dramatic. Examples: Eldest littermates share an exasperating trait—superciliousness. Youngest littermates have an obvious hindrance—they’re runts. Okay, let’s get back to being serious. You can see from my littermate examples that the information following an em dash stands out—it’s dramatic. In truth, I sometimes welcome a bit of drama; especially when I want to grab a reader’s attention mid-sentence. Similar to but more conspicuous than parentheses (brackets), a pair of em dashes can be used to add extraneous—inessential—information to a sentence. Em Dash Example: I learned about Middle Sister wines—opened the fridge, spotted the near-empty bottle, read the label, felt insulted—when visiting family. Assuming one of my three littermates was deliberately goading me, I asked who bought it. None fessed up. I started barking and running circles around them; they smirked. Parentheses Example: I learned about Middle Sister wines (opened the fridge, spotted the near-empty bottle, read the label, felt insulted) when visiting family. Assuming one of my three littermates was deliberately me, I asked who bought it. None fessed up. I started barking and running circles around them; they smirked. Em Dashes—Nuances, Usage & Creation 1. The em dash is mostly used in informal writing. When composing business correspondence or university papers, it’s best to use parentheses, commas, semicolons and colons. 2. Similar to the exclamation point, the em dash should be used sparingly—no more than once per page. 3. There should be no spaces before or after an em dash. 4. Most keyboards do not have an em-dash key. There are two ways to create an em dash using your keyboard. i) Type a word, strike the hyphen key twice (--), then hit the “enter” key once. E.g.: word-- (hit enter). ii) Type a word, strike the hyphen key twice (--) and resume typing. The double hyphens will automatically convert to an em dash. 5. You can insert an em dash into a Word document or PowerPoint slide using the “Symbol” app in the menu bar. Most keyboards do not have an em-dash key. Below are the steps for inserting an em dash into a Word document or a PowerPoint slide. 4. Click on the em dash. Note: The en dash is to the left of the highlighted em dash. 3. Look for the em dash under “General Punctuation” in the dropdown menu. . 5. Click “Insert.” You can take off your thinking cap; our grammar lesson is finished. Here’s why the em dash is my favorite punctuation mark—when used discriminately, it’s a powerful writing tool. MARK YOUR CALENDAR Webinars are every other Tuesday. Next Webinar Tuesday, March 1st MARCH 1, 2016 THE 8 PARTS OF SPEECH Part Three: The Interjection and the Conjunction. Taking the mystery out of the PUNCTUATION DANCE Part Three: The Comma. Inspirational Authorship Lesson: Write Tight(er) I’m e-mailing because I want to let you know that the date of the conference has been changed. The reason for this change is WRITE TIGHT(ER) due to the fact there hasn’t been a lot of interest and some people have other things already planned. because of disinterest and scheduling conflicts.