Category Archives: University

Sentences

A sentence is made of a subject and a predicate. Those terms aren’t on our parts of speech list, so let’s find out what they mean.

Subjects and Predicates

The subject is the thing or person that is doing the action in the sentence. Since nouns refer to things and people, the subject is a noun or pronoun, but it can also be modified by an article or adjective.

The predicate is everything else. The most important part of the predicate is the verb; you can’t have a sentence without a verb.

In the examples below, the subject is underlined, the verb is bolded, and the predicate is italicized.

Example: The dog runs.

Example: I am eating cake.

Example: The blue car drove down the dusty road.

As you can see, all you need for a sentence is a subject and a verb, but you can have a longer predicate as well.

Imperative sentences, which issue a command, are often just a verb, but they have an implied subject.

Example: Stop! = [You] stop!

Independent and Dependent Clauses

The example sentences that I’ve given so far are also independent clauses. An independent clause has a subject, a verb, and is a complete thought. In contrast, a dependent clause is not a complete thought, even though it also has a subject and a verb.

Independent Example: I studied grammar today

Dependent Example: While I studied grammar today

Independent Example: Writing is hard work

Dependent Example: Because writing is hard work

An independent clause can stand by itself and be a complete sentence, but a dependent clause needs to join with an independent clause to make a sentence.

When you join the two types of clauses together, follow these rules (the independent clause is blue and the dependent clause is red):

Dependent + Comma + Independent

Example: While it was raining, I baked cookies.

Example: Since you are funny, I want to be friends.

Independent + Dependent

Example: I’m busy studying because my exam is tomorrow.

Example: I felt sick after I ate all that chocolate.

Basically, if the dependent clause is first, you need a comma before the independent clause, but no comma is needed if the independent clause goes first. The exception is relative clauses, which are covered here.

Sentence Problems: Comma Splices and Fused Sentences

Now you know how to join a dependent clause to an independent clause, but what about joining two independent clauses together?

Some writers try to join independent clauses using the same techniques that we just learned, but they are wrong. Joining two independent clauses with a comma is called a comma splice.

Wrong: There are so many rules about sentences, I’m confused.

Another mistake is joining two independent clauses together with no punctuation. This is called a fused sentence.

Wrong: There are so many rules about sentences I’m confused.

Now, we need to find the solution to these problems. You have three options when joining independent clauses:

1. Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (those are the FANBOYS, remember)
2. Use a semicolon
3. Use a semicolon, a conjunctive adverb, and a comma

Right: There are so many rules about sentences, so I’m confused.

Right: There are so many rules about sentences; I’m confused.

Right: There are so many rules about sentences; therefore, I’m confused.

Sentence Problems: Fragments

Remember, a dependent clause needs an independent clause to be a complete sentence. If you have a dependent clause by itself, then it’s a sentence fragment.

Example: Although I love swimming.

Example: Because of the weather.

A sentence expresses a complete thought, but sentence fragments leave you wondering, “Although what? Because of what?”

Because online writing is informal and conversational, sometimes it’s okay to use sentence fragments, which are used in informal speech. Since they’re grammatically incorrect, sentence fragments stand out. If you choose to use a fragment, make sure that you have a good reason and aren’t just being lazy.

Learn more:

• What Is a Sentence?
• Independent and Dependent Clauses
• Sentence Fragments

Subject-Verb Agreement

Just like nouns and pronouns, subjects and verbs need to agree. Once, again, the basic rule is that singular subjects take singular verbs.

Wrong: The room are cold today.

Right: The room is cold today.

Wrong: Scientists makes new discoveries every day.

Right: Scientists make new discoveries every day.

Now, let’s try some trickier situations.

What Is the Subject?

Is this sentence right or wrong?

Example: The basket of teas are full.

It’s wrong! Why? Because the subject is “basket”, which is a singular noun, and “are” is a plural verb. Thinking that “tea” is the subject is a common mistake, but just remember this rule: the subject comes before a phrase that starts with “of”.

Example: The games of the child were lively. (Or: The child’s games were lively.)

Example: The bag of candies is all gone.

Adding And

When you join two nouns with the conjunction “and”, you make a plural subject.

Wrong: Alfred and Susan drinks tea copiously.

Right: Alfred and Susan drink tea copiously.

Be careful of compound nouns, like “bed and breakfast”, that refer to one thing even though they contain the word “and”.

Wrong: The bed and breakfast are quaint.

Right: The bed and breakfast is quaint.

What to Do with Or and Nor

Even though they’re also conjunctions, “or”, “either/or”, and “neither/nor” do not make  plural subjects.

Wrong: Pie or cake are on sale this week.

Right: Pie or cake is on sale this week.

If your or/nor sentence has a plural and a singular subject, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it.

Wrong: Neither the Lees nor Cassius are coming skating.

Right: Neither the Lees nor Cassius is coming skating.

Right: Neither Cassius nor the Lees are coming skating.

The last sentence sounds more colloquial than the second sentence, so it is probably best to use the singular subject, plural subject, plural verb order when you write these types of sentences.

Don’t Get Distracted by Words in the Middle

Sometimes, you might have a long string of modifiers (but hopefully not too long!) between your subject and your verb. Don’t lose track of what your subject is!

Wrong: The man that has nine cats are crazy.

Right: The man that has nine cats is crazy.

Wrong: The security guard, as well as the robbers, are having an adventurous night.

Right: The security guard, as well as the robbers, is having an adventurous night.

Indefinite Pronouns

The words anybody, anyone, each, each one, either, everybody, everyone, neither, nobody, no one, somebody, and someone are all singular.

Wrong: Nobody are cooler than you.

Right: Nobody is cooler than you.

Wrong: Each one are important to the team.

Right: Each one is important to the team.

What About None?

None can mean “not one”, in which case it is singular, or “not any”, in which case it is plural.

You have to go with your gut about which meaning is correct in your sentence, but don’t worry too much — chances are that you’ll be right either way.

Right: None of you cook as well as my grandmother does.

Right: None of you cooks as well as my grandmother does.

Nouns That Try to Fool You

A collective noun refers to a group of things, but it is singular.

Wrong: My family are coming for dinner.

Right: My family is coming for dinner.

Other nouns seem singular, but are really plural.

Wrong: The scissors slips out of my hand.

Right: The scissors slip out of my hand.

Learn More:

• Grammar Book: Subject-Verb Agreement
• Purdue Owl: Subject-Verb Agreement
• Grammar Girl: None Is or None Are

Tense Agreement

As a writer, you want your reader’s experience to be as smooth as possible. That ease is why you don’t want sentences like this one:

I am eating lunch when you called me.

If you feel confused by that sentence, you’re right. The first verb is in the present tense, and the second verb is in the past tense, but switching between tenses isn’t usually allowed. We can improve the sentence by writing:

I was eating lunch when you called me.

or

I am eating lunch when you call me.

If the actions in your sentence take place at different times, then you have to change the tense by using a subordinate clause.

Example: Since it will be dark in half an hour, we are going for a walk now.

Example: The builders are working hard after the tornado hit last week.

You need to be consistent about tense in your paragraphs and copy as well.

You can choose to write in the past, present, or future, but you need to stick with whatever you choose. Tense consistency is key for readability.

Learn More:

• Towson University: Tense Consistency

Who vs Whom

Knock, Knock.

Who’s there?

To.

To who?

Did you just grimace, thinking, “No! It should be ‘To whom’”? Or are you wondering what the joke is?

This lesson will sort out your who/whom woes.

First, let’s make something clear: online writing is mostly informal, and “whom” is becoming less common, so it often sounds pedantic. Therefore, you can probably get away with just using “who”.

However, if your client is looking for a more formal style, you might want to use “whom”.

Who Is the Subject

As you learned in the sentences lesson, every sentence has a subject, which is doing the action.

“Who” is correct when it is the subject of a sentence.

Right: Who is that?

Right: Who was at the party last night?

Whom Is the Object

The object of a sentence is the person or thing that is having the action done to it. “Whom” is the correct object form.

Right: Whom do you love?

Right: Morgan gave the gift to whom?

While these examples are correct, they are not colloquial. If you want your writing to sound conversational, you can write, “Who do you love?” and  “Who did Morgan give the gift to?”

Choose Who

Some people, wanting to sound educated, use “whom” all the time, even when “who” is actually correct.

Don’t do this!

It makes you sound ridiculous and stuffy, which isn’t want you want in your writing. If you’re ever unsure whether you should use “who” or “whom”, choose “who”.

Learn more:

• Grammar Girl: Who vs. Whom
• The Oatmeal: Who vs. Whom

Capitalization

There are five main things that you need to capitalize: the first letter in a sentence or direct quote, titles of writing and other creative works, proper nouns, the pronoun I, and abbreviations.

Sentences: Starting with a Capital

The first rule is easy. Every time you start a sentence, use an uppercase letter. So, for a word that follows a period, exclamation mark, question mark, or is the first word in your writing, press the shift key.

Wrong: the shift key on my computer is broken. that’s why everything is lowercase.

Right: The shift key on my computer is broken. That’s why everything is lowercase.

You also need to shift up when you have a direct quote (a quote that uses quotation marks) because it’s like a separate sentence, even if it’s included inside another sentence.

If you have a broken quotation (where you start the quote, have some non quoted writing, and then continue the same quoted sentence), don’t capitalize the second part of the quote.

Wrong: The lesson about capitalization begins, “there are five main things that you need to capitalize”. “making simple mistakes is embarrassing,” thinks Amy, “So I better learn those rules.”

Right: The lesson about capitalization begins, “There are five main things that you need to capitalize”. “Making simple mistakes is embarrassing,” thinks Amy, “so I better learn those rules.”

Titles: Just the Important Words

Titles of writing, music, films, and art are on the list of things to capitalize, but you need to be discerning: not every word in the title gets capitalized. So here are the three rules for titles:

1. capitalize the first and last words
2. capitalize nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, subordinate conjunctions, and interjections
3. make everything else lowercase

If you ever forget these rules, just go to this website and type in your title. Voila! Perfectly capitalized.

Wrong: seven secrets you need to use for the perfect blog post

Wrong: Seven Secrets You Need To Use For The Perfect Blog Post

Right: Seven Secrets You Need to Use for the Perfect Blog Post

Nouns: Only the Proper Ones

What is a proper noun? Well, it’s just a noun that refers to something specific. Improper nouns aren’t worse than proper nouns; they just apply to broader categories. For example, your father is a dad (improper noun), but you might call him Dad (proper noun, since that’s his name).

Here are some more examples of proper nouns:

Names: Barack Obama, Stellar, Coca-Cola
Geographic locations: New York City, Australia, Atlantic Ocean, Saturn
Ethnicities and languages: First Nations, Russian, Thai
Days and months (but not seasons): Sunday, November
Holidays: Christmas, Ramadan, Canada Day
Religions, deities, (and corresponding adjectives): Hinduism, God, Jewish
Titles that are included as part of a name: Pope Francis, Doctor Doolittle, President Lincoln
Historical periods and events: World War II, the Middle Ages

Are you getting the hang of it? If you need more help, here’s a long list of words that should be capitalized.

I Am Always a Capital

Leaving the pronoun “I” in lowercase might be fine for texting, but it’s definitely not professional when you’re writing a blog that you want thousands of people to read. Have a little self-esteem and capitalized your I’s; you deserve it!

(Some) Abbreviations Get All Caps

Usually, a word that’s in all caps SEEMS LIKE IT’S SHOUTING.

“I” is all caps, but it’s so short that you hardly notice it anyway. Another exception to the no all caps rule is abbreviations.

USA, FIFA, and EU go in all caps because they’re proper nouns. In their non-abbreviated form they’re United States of America, Fédération International de Football Association, and European Union.

When you abbreviate, you take the first letter of each word and stick the letters together, without changing the capitalization.

With abbreviations of a single word, only capitalize the first letter:

Wrong: MRS.

Right: Mrs.

Wrong: FR.

Right: Fr.

Learn More:

• Grammar Book: Capitalization
• Guide to Grammar: Capitalization