Grammar can be fun too! Read this page to help review. It may seem tedious. It may seem hard. But I promise you this, it will help you seem smart! In just 15 simple examples lets not forget, there is always time to help your mind stay fit. So relax and review, grammar can be fun too!
Semicolons
- Semi-colons are what brought my estranged family together for my dads going away party; alone, with two separate parties, it would have been a good time, but together it was a good fit and we all realized my dad is what held us together. He was the semi-colon for two independent clauses.
Website Example
- Three years ago her whole world was turned upside down when she fell into a fire-pit full of red-hot coals; She received third degree burns on her left hand and second degree burns on her left knee and right hand. (About page)
Colons
- Colons are what take your breath away when looking at a beautiful scenery, it stops your breath just long enough to really let you take it all in without any distractions. You see it, you gasp (the colon), you learn to breath again.
Website Example
- When it was my turn and my little brothers neither of us could handle it: we both lost it when we looked at her. (Profile/Memoir)
Em Dashes
- Em dashes can be viewed as a valley girl, always making everything dramatic and very attention grabbing.
Website Example
- Rylee — the second oldest— suggested that they do fingers too. (Home page)
Parentheses
- Parentheses are like dinner. The independent clause is the main course, the side dishes are the extra (not needed but loved) parts of a meal.
Website Example
- I calmed the two down for the simple fact that I didn’t want Madi (she had just had surgery two weeks prior) to feel left out since she couldn’t paint hers. (Home page)
Commas
with Additional Clauses
- Commas are the guy that breaks up an argument. With an independent or a dependent clause on each side the comma breaks up the two before they cause problems.
Website Example
- This was Madi, my Madi. (Profile/Memoir)
with a Series
- These commas remind me of that friend that brags about everything. They list everything while adding little comments in between.
Website Example
- She turned six this past March, she loves Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, playing soccer, and having sleepover at my house. (About page)
with Quotation Marks
- Commas with quotations can either deliver important information or they can be completely sarcastic all at once. They add a pause to make something important and tell everyone that someone else is talking
Website Example
- She looks at her daughter, smiles, and says, “She’s a tough kid, she won’t let it hold her down”. (Report page)
Quotation Marks
- Quotation marks are the punctuation that lets you know all of the important details from who’s talking to what the title of a story, song, short story, etc is.
Website Example
- “The fire is hot. Look at my big arms.” (Profile/Memoir page)
Ellipses
- Ellipses can be thought of as a moment when you hear bad news and only hear main points. “You have cancer. . . Its treatable but not curable. . . Survival rate is about 40%. . . “
Website Example
- “Hey Bee…. What—wait— slow down, what happened?. . . Oh my god what?” She started crying. “What happened?” More sobs. “Where is she going?…. Ok we will meet you there. . .” (Profile/Memoir page)
Capital Letters
- Capitalizing is how we show what is important enough to get recognition. It can show a title, someones name, or the start of a new sentence
Website Example
- This is Madi, she is my oldest niece out of five. (About page)
Italics and Underlining
- I have always thought of italics as a personal thought in a story or a ghost creepily whispering to you. It can be as simple as just a couple words or a full blow title.
Website Example
- She turned six this past March, she loves Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, playing soccer, and having sleepover at my house. (About page)
Fragments
- Fragments show emphasis in short tasteful sentences.
Website Example
- DO NOT submerge in water. It could cause hypothermia and/or shock. (Instructions page)
Comma Splices
- Comma splices are tricky if not used right your sentence will sound off and wont flow correctly. They always make me feel like something is left out
Website Example
- Here are a few steps to help you treat burns, at any level. (Instructions page)
Hyphens
- One type of hyphen can be said very snottily and connects the words. The other can be used to spell out a word.
Website Example
- DO NOT use ointments, butter, or egg-whites, they can lead to infection. (Instructions page)
Numbers
- Numbers are used to help interpret data, time, money etc. Knowing how to use numbers correctly depends on what you are trying to do.
Website Example
- One study shows that nearly 73% of pediatric burn patients will show re-experiencing while 64% showed avoidance and emotional numbing. (Report page)
Kaitlin Weyland 