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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.