Capitalization

1. Capitalization Capitalize the first word in every sentence. Capitalize “I” Capitalize Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives Proper Nouns – namea specific person, place or thing – organizations, teams, business firms, institutions, buildings, government sections (i.e. Joshua, Brazil, New York State United Teachers [NYSUT]) Proper Adjectives – use Proper Nouns to describe something. (i.e. Brazilian) Do not capitalize every letter.

2. Title Punctuation Long works are italicized or underlined. Novels, memoirs, plays (i.e. The Scarlet Letter or A Streetcar Named Desire) Short works are in quotation marks. Poems, short stories (i.e. “The Monkey’s Paw” or “The Road Less Travelled”)

3. Copy Correctly If the information is given directly to you (written on the test or handout) or easily accessible (the title of a work you are analyzing), then you must spell the information correctly.

4. No Texting or Iming Lingo/Abbreviations Text and IM lingo and abbreviations are not to be used in formal writing. You may not use a letter to stand for a whole word. (i.e. “u r,” “cuz,” “idk,” “wat,” “lol”)

5. No 1st or 2nd Person Personal Pronouns Do not use personal pronouns unless you are writing a personal narrative, instructions or a piece of fiction. 1st Person – I, me, my, we, mine, us, our and ours 2nd Person – You, your, yours

6. Contractions Contractions should be avoided in formal writing. (i.e. I’m, let’s, he’d, etc.)

7. No Run-ons or Comma Splices Run-on Sentence – when two sentences are run together as if they were a single thought. Fused – no punctuation between the two thoughts. The children ran to the store they had to get milk. Comma Splice – just a comma between the two thoughts. The children ran to the store, they had to get milk.

8. No Run-ons or Comma Splices Independent Clause – expresses a complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence. The boy ran down the street. Subordinate/Dependent Clause – doesn’t express a complete thought and can’t stand alone as a sentence. It is a sentence fragment. Getting home quickly.

9. No Run-ons or Comma Splices When an independent clause is joined with another independent clause punctuation is needed and sometimes the addition of a word is needed. The boy ran down the street; he got home quickly. The boy ran down the street, and he got home quickly. NOTE: The punctuation goes after the last word of the first clause.

10. No Run-ons or Comma Splices One independent clause can be made into a subordinate clause using a joining word or punctuation. The boy loved running down the street and getting home quickly. The boy enjoyed running down the street, getting home quickly. In order to get home quickly, the boy enjoyed running down the street.

11. Maintain Tense Whatever tense you are using should be consistent. WRONG: Susan went (past) to the store yesterday, so that she can (present) buy some milk. RIGHT: Susan went (past) to the store, so that she could (past) buy some milk.

12. Commonly Misused Words Their = It is their right to know the crime they are being charged with. There = You need to go there right after school. They’re = They’re all going to the concert on Friday night.

13. Commonly Misused Words Its (Possessive)= The computer stores information in its memory. It’s = It’s time to go to sleep now.

14. Commonly Misused Words Where = Where are you going in such a hurry? We’re = We’re going to the gym right after work. Were = Were you planning on going to the store right now? Wear = He will wear that shirt tomorrow.

15. Commonly Misused Words Your = Your zipper is down on your pants. You’re = You’re a superstar!!!

16. Commonly Misused Words Whether = Whether or not you are right or wrong is irrelevant. Weather = People seem to enjoy complaining about the weather.

17. Commonly Misused Words Belief = My beliefs are based on Christian values. Believes = Rochelle still believes in the tooth fairy.

18. Commonly Misused Words Rite = As the leader of the program, she needs to study the rite of the ceremony to be performed. Right = Make a right at the corner. Write = Please write your name on the document please.

19. Commonly Misused Words Through = She drove through the tunnel on the way to NYC. Threw = John threw the ball and hit the car window.

20. Commonly Misused Words Lose = If you lose my diamond earrings, we are going to have a problem. Loose = Your pants are too loose, so pull them up.

21. Commonly Misused Words Two = I have two cars. To = Mario went to the store to buy beef. Too = A woman can never have too many shoes. John walked around the park too.

22. Commonly Misused Words By – The table is by the chair. Buy – I am going to buy some milk. Bye – He said, “Good bye.”

23. Commonly Misused Words Choose = I choose to have high expectations for my students. Chose = I chose to become a teacher because I wanted to make a difference in my student’s lives.

24. Commonly Misused Words Because = Sara didn’t go to the movie because she did not feel well. Cause = The heaviness of the snow was the cause of the roof collapsing.

25. Commonly Misused Words Affect = Strong-willed people do not allow others to affect their decisions. Effect = The effect of 9/11 was that airports increased security measures.

26. Agreement: Subject-Verb A singular subject takes singular verbs Her grandfather trains dogs. The Senator is in favor of the bill. She owns and operates a video store. Plural subjects take plural verbs. Her grandparents train dogs. The senators are in favor of the bill. Theyown and operate a video store.

27. Agreement: Subject-Verb A compound subject is two or more subjects that have the same verb. Singular and plural subjects joined by “and” usually take a plural verb. Her grandfather and grandmother train dogs. The Senator and his brother are in favor of the bill. Sara and Johnny own and operate a video store.

28. Agreement: Subject-Verb Singular subjects joined by “or” or “nor” take a singular verb. Neither her grandfather nor her grandmother trains dogs. Either the Senator or his brother is in favor of the bill.

29. Agreement: Subject-Verb When a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by “or” or “nor” the verb agrees with the subject nearer the verb. Neither her grandfather nor her friends train dogs. Either the Senator or his brothers are in favor of the bill. Neither the girls or the boy goes to the park each day.

30. Agreement: Pronoun-Antecedent Pronoun – Usually refers to a noun or another pronoun. Antecedent – The word to which a pronoun refers. Johnny went to his house. Pronoun – “his” Antecedent – “Johnny” A pronoun agrees with its antecedent in number and in gender.

31. Agreement: Pronoun-Antecedent Singular pronouns refer to singular antecedents. Jane’s brother went to his game. Plural pronouns refer to plural antecedents. Jane’s brothers went to their game.

32. Agreement: Pronoun-Antecedent Masculine pronouns (he, him, his, etc,) refer to masculine antecedents (brother, father, Joseph, etc.). Feminine pronouns (she, her, hers, etc.) refer to feminine antecedents (sister, mother, Mary, etc.) Neuter – unspecific gender – pronouns (it, its, itself) refer to neuter antecedents (book, dog, lawn, etc.)

33. Agreement: Pronoun-Antecedent Singular pronouns are used to refer to the following antecedents: anybody, anyone, each, either, everybody, everyone, neither, nobody, no one, one, somebody and someone. Everyoneis going to do well on his or her mid-term. A plural pronoun is used to refer to two or more singular antecedents joined by “and”. Ms. Anderson and Mrs. Singleton are going to celebrate their birthdays together in March.

34. Agreement: Pronoun-Antecedent A singular pronoun is used to refer to two or more singular antecedents joined by “or” or “nor”. Neither Mary nor Margaret is going to start her car. Either John or Bob is going to win his race.