Strunk & White Rules 1-5 Packet Review

1. Strunk & White Rules 1-5 Packet Review Mr. Haskey CA9 November 4, 2010

2. Strunk & White Rule 1 • Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding ‘s. • Possessive: giving an object ownership over something • Singular: only one of an object • Noun: person, place, thing, idea

3. Strunk & White Rule 1 • Its vs. It’s • Its is giving the object “it” ownership over something. • It’s is a shortened version of the words “it is.” • Basically, if you can replace “it’s” with it is, you should use the apostrophe. If you can’t, you should use “its.” • Its’ IS NOT A WORD!

4. Examples • My cousin got in trouble for stealing a childs bicycle. • No change • Childs’ bicycle • Child bicycle • Child’s bicycle • Questions to ask: • Does an object in this sentence own something? • Yes, the child owns the bicycle. • Is this object singular? • Yes, it is just one child.

5. Strunk & White Rule #1 • The correct answer is D. • Like the rule says, add ‘s to a possessive singular noun.

6. Strunk & White Rule 1 • The dog dug in the yard for it’s bone. • No change • Its bone • Its’ bone • It bone • Does an object own something in this sentence? • Yes, the dog owns the bone. • Is the object singular? • Yes, it is just one dog.

7. Strunk & White Rule 1 • The correct answer is B. • This relates to the aforementioned it’s vs. its rule. • Its’ will never be correct- it is not a grammatically correct word. • You cannot change the its to it is and have the sentence make sense. • Only logical answer is B.

8. Strunk & White Rule 1 • The teacher found the student’s backpack in her classroom. • No chance • Student backpack • Students backpack • Students’ backpack • Does an object own something in this sentence? • Yes, the student owns the backpack. • Is the object singular? • Yes, it is one student.

9. Strunk & White Rule 1 • The correct answer is A. • No change needed to be made here- the singular noun already had ‘s to show possession.

10. Strunk & White Rule 1 • My mother thinks its okay for me to skip my homework tonight. • No change • Its’ okay • It’s okay • It okay • Does an object have ownership in this sentence? • Technically yes, the student owns the homework, but possession is already shown through the use of the word “my.” And there is not a singular noun in this sentence which owns something.

11. Strunk & White Rule 1 • The correct answer is C. • Another its vs. it’s rule. In this case, you can replace it’s with it is, and the sentence still makes sense.

12. Strunk & White Rule 1 • The companys employees were unhappy with their small holiday bonuses. • No change • Companies • Company’s • companies’ • Does an object have ownership? • Yes, the company owns the employees. • Is the object singular? • Yes, it is one company. It is not plural because then it would be spelled “companies.”

13. Strunk & White Rule 1 • The correct answer is C.

14. Strunk & White Rule 2 • In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last. • Series: items in a row (a list) • Terms: the actual things listed • Single: one • Conjunction: Connecting word- for, and nor, but, or, yet, so • Comma: ,

15. Strunk & White Rule 2 • 1. Beautiful homes attractive city squares and a mild climate are characteristics of Savannah, Georgia. • Is a series of items present? • Yes, the beginning of the sentence is a list • Are there three or more items in the list? • Yes, 1- homes, 2- city squares, and 3- climate • Is a single conjunction present? • Yes- and

16. Strunk & White Rule 2 • Correct: • Beautiful homes, attractive city squares, and a mild climate are characteristics of Savannah, Georgia. • Because all of the questions were “yes” on the previous slide, you put a comma after each item in the list except the last one.

17. Strunk & White Rule 2 • Shops and restaurants have transformed the old warehouse area. • Is a series of items present? • Yes. • Are there three or more items in the list? • No- only two.

18. Strunk & White Rule 2 • Correct as is because the list only has two items. No comma(s) needed!

19. Strunk & White Rule 2 • Tourists enjoy shopping visiting historic homes and sampling Southern cuisine. • Is a list present? • Yes • Are there three or more items in the list? • Yes- 1-shopping, 2-homes, 3- cuisine • Is a single conjunction present? • Yes- and

20. Strunk & White Rule 2 • Correct: • Tourists enjoy shopping, visiting historic homes, and sampling Southern cuisine.

21. Strunk & White Rule 2 • My favorite foods include macaroni and cheese peanut butter and jelly and bread and butter. • This one is tricky- it fits the rule except there are a ton of conjunctions. However, the rule still applies because the items are ultimately one thing • Macaroni and cheese go together • Peanut butter and jelly go together • Bread and butter go together • Because of this, the rule will still apply…

22. Strunk & White Rule 2 • My favorite foods are macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, and bread and butter.

23. Strunk & White Rule 2 • This morning I woke up got dressed brushed my teeth and ate breakfast. • A list? • Yes • Three or more items? • Yes • Conjunction? • Yes- and

24. Strunk & White Rule 2 • This morning I woke up, got dressed, brushed my teeth, and ate breakfast.

25. Strunk & White Rule 2 • The street was filled with angry protesters shouting spectators and police. • List? • Yep. • Three or more? • Yep. • Conjunction? • One- and

26. Strunk & White Rule 2 • The street was filled with angry protesters, shouting spectators, and police.

27. Strunk & White Rule 3 • Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas. • Enclose- surround • Parenthetic Expressions- a group of related yet non essential words to the meaning of a sentence. • Commas- , • Example: My bulletin board, which is my favorite color, displays student work.

28. Strunk & White Rule 3 • Anthony who won the race became the first one in our class to receive a trophy. • “who won the race” is a parenthetic expression here because the sentence still makes sense without that information • Correct: • Anthony, who won the race, became the first one in our class to win a trophy.

29. Strunk & White Rule 3 • The teacher was annoyed when Hillary who lives right across the street from school was late. • “who lives right across the street” is a parenthetic expression here • Correct: • The teacher was annoyed when Hillary, who lives right across the street from school, was late.

30. Strunk & White Rule 3 • Children who get everything they want often appreciate nothing. • It might feel like “who get everything they want” is unnecessary, but it is necessary here it adds essential meaning to the sentence. • Correct as is.

31. Strunk & White Rule 3 • Few people who claim to be able to predict the future can actually do so. • Again, “who claim to be able to predict the future” is a necessary part of this sentence. • Correct as is.

32. Strunk & White Rule 3 • Anita who has no sense of humor couldn’t see what made the joke so funny. • “who has no sense of humor” is unnecessary here. • Correct: • Anita, who has no sense of humor, couldn’t see what made the joke so funny.

33. Strunk & White Rule 4 • Place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent clause. • Comma- , • Conjunction- joining word- for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so • Introducing- coming before • Independent Clause- a group of words that could stand on its own as a complete sentence.

34. Strunk & White Rule 4 • Arctic icebergs are rough but Antarctic icebergs are rather flat and smooth. • Is there a conjunction? • Yes- but • Does an independent clause come after the conjunction? • Yes- that could be a complete sentence • Correct: • Arctic icebergs are rough, but Antarctic icebergs are rather flat and smooth.

35. Strunk & White Rule 4 • The Swedish pioneers built a town and named it after their leader. • Conjunction? • Yes- and • Independent clause after it? • No • Correct as is.

36. Strunk & White Rule 4 • Did Rita make this cabinet herself or did her teacher help her? • Conjunction? • Yes- or • Complete sentence after? • Yes- could be a complete sentence • Correct: • Did Rita make this cabinet herself, or did her teacher help her?

37. Strunk & White Rule 4 • I respect your opinion yet I cannot agree with it. • Conjunction? • Yes- yet • Complete sentence after? • Yes- could be a complete sentence • Correct: • I respect your opinion, yet I cannot agree with it.

38. Strunk & White Rule 4 • The train we were on had started to move and we couldn’t find Sophia anywhere. • Conjunction? • Yes- and • Complete sentence after? • Yes- could be a complete sentence • Correct: • The train we were on had started to move, and we couldn’t find Sophia anywhere.

39. Strunk & White Rule 5 • Do not join independent clauses with a comma. • Independent clauses- group of words that can be a complete sentence • Comma- ,

40. Strunk & White Rule 5 • Gloria is a talented painter she won a blue ribbon in the district art contest. • Correction one: • Gloria is a talented painter; she won a blue ribbon in the district art contest. • Correction two: • Gloria is a talented painter. She won a blue ribbon in the district art contest. • Correction three: • Gloria is a talented painter, and she won a blue ribbon in the district art contest.

41. Strunk & White Rule 5 • John’s worst fear had come true he slumped down in his seat. • Correction one: • John’s worst fear had come true; he slumped down in his seat. • Correction two: • John’s worst fear had come true. He slumped down in his seat. • Correction three: • John’s worst fear had come true, so he slumped down in his seat.

42. Strunk & White Rule 5 • Helen passed the ball Jamie rushed down the field. • Correction one: • Helen passed the ball; Jamie rushed down the field. • Correction two: • Helen passed the ball. Jamie rushed down the field. • Correction three: • Helen passed the ball, and Jamie rushed down the field.

43. Putting Them All Together • Today at the restaurant I noticed the overworked employees the dirty tables and the exorbitant prices. • Rule one? Not needed • Rule two- needed! • Three- nope. Four- nope. Five- nope. • Correct: • Today at the restaurant I noticed the overworked employees, the dirty tables, and the exorbitant prices.

44. Putting Them All Together • While visiting the citys famous monuments Shelly noticed the amazing architecture of the city. • Rule one? Yes! • Rule two- no. Three? No. Four? No. Five? No. • Correct: • While visiting the city’s famous monuments Shelly noticed the amazing architecture.

45. Putting Them All Together • The baby had just begun to suck it’s thumb cry for its mom and roll over in its’ crib. • Rule one? Yes! • Rule two? Yes! • Rule three? No. Rule four? No. Five? No. • Correct: • The baby had just begun to suck its thumb, cry for its mom, and roll over in its crib.

46. Putting Them All Together • Katie my best friend lives next door to me. • Rule one? No. Two? No. Four? No. Five? No. • Three? Yes! • Correct: • Katie, my best friend, lives next door to me.

47. Putting Them All Together • My cat Buster loves to nap on warm appliances when he sleeps on top of the television, his tail swipes the screen like a windshield wiper. • One? No. Two? No. Four? No. • Three? Yes! Five? Yes! • Correct: • My cat, Buster, loves to nap on warm appliances when he sleeps on top of the television, and his tail swipes the screen like a windshield wiper.

48. Putting Them All Together • At the back of the classroom, Nina sat crossing her arms, rolling her eyes, and glaring at Mr. Beane; her body language indicated that English was not her favorite subject. • Correct as is!

49. Putting Them All Together • Freddie wanted fried chicken for lunch but the cafeteria’s soggy grey lukewarm meat was not what he had in mind. • One? Yes- already correct • Two? Yes. Four? Yes. • Three? No. Five? No. • Correct: • Freddie wanted fried chicken for lunch, but the cafeteria’s soggy, grey, and lukewarm meat was not what he had in mind.

50. Putting Them All Together • My cell phone the one I got for my birthday is already broken. • One? No. Two? No. Four? No. Five? No. • Three? Yes! • Correct: • My cell phone, the one I got for my birthday, is already broken.