Yes, Grammar and Punctuation Count: Polishing your own skills and marking for grammar

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Yes, Grammar and Punctuation Count Polishing
your own skills and marking for grammar

• Emmy Misser
• Manager, Writing Centre
• Wilfrid Laurier University
• 2006

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A focus on grammar

• A five-minute grammar quiz or self-evaluation
• What TAs should know about grammar
• Major punctuation errors Punctuation patterns
  and sentence types
• Basic grammar problems The component parts of
  the simple sentence and answers to the quiz
• Sentence-writing strategies of professional
  writers
• Resources

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What should you know about grammar?

• According to Valwoord and Johnson, authors of
  Effective Grading, you should be able to identify
  the following error types
• 1. End-of sentence punctuation
• run-on sentence, comma splice, sentence fragment,
  or misused semi-colon

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Error types continued

• 2. Verb form problems, confusing tense shifts
• 3. Subject-verb agreement errors
• 4. Pronoun form ( I/me, who/whom etc.)
• 5. Pronoun agreement problems
• (a student they)
• 6. Apostrophe use
• 7. I would add dangling and misplaced modifiers

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Why should you know about these grammar problems?

• They are basic and fundamental to academic
  literacy
• Your students therefore need to have these errors
  corrected to develop as writers
• You need to be able to correct these errors in
  you own writing to develop as future academics
• The possibility of making mistakes in identifying
  these errors has serious consequences
• For your credibility in the eyes of your
  instructors and your students
• Tinas story

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1. We will start with end-of sentence
punctuation, punctuation patterns, and sentence
types
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• Punctuation Patterns
• 1. Independent clause.
• Birds fly.
• 2. Independent clause independent clause.
• Birds fly fish swim.
• 3. Independent clause therefore, independent
  clause.
• however,
• nevertheless,
• consequently,
• furthermore,
• moreover, etc.
• Birds fly however, fish swim.
• 4. Independent clause, and independent clause.
• but
• for
• nor
• so
• yet
• Birds fly, and fish swim.

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• 5. Clause/phrase/word , nonessential clause ,
  clause/phrase/word.
• 6. Clause/phrase/word essential clause
  clause/phrase/word.
• 7. Dependent clause, independent clause.
• Because birds fly, they have hollow bones.
• If , .
• Since , .
• When , .
• While , .
• Although , .
• After , .
• 8. Independent clause if independent clause.
• Birds fly if they have hollow bones.
• No comma required here

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Connecting Words Punctuation
Coordinating Conjunction Conjunctive Adverb Subordinating Conjunction
and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet however, thus, consequently.. because, if, when, while
Use a comma Use a semi-colon or a period Use a comma
Birds fly, but fish swim. Birds fly however, fish swim. Because birds fly, they have hollow bones
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Names of sentence types

• Simple sentence
• Birds fly.
• Compound sentence
• Birds fly fish swim.
• Birds fly, and fish swim.
• Complex sentence
• Because birds fly, they have hollow bones.
• The Cro-Magnons developed a spear-throwing device
  that improved the range of their weapons by fifty
  yards.
• Compound-complex sentence
• When banks lower the interest rates on loans,
  owners of small businesses can acquire capital
  for renovations of plants and equipment, or they
  can invest in new ventures that may prove highly
  profitable.

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Names of main punctuation errors

• Run-on
• Birds fly fish swim.
• Comma splice (cs)
• Birds fly, fish swim.
• Missing comma between two main clauses (cf)
• Birds fly and fish swim.
• Missing comma after an introductory phrase or
  clause (p)
• Because birds fly they have hollow bones.
• Comma between main sentence parts (bp)
• Birds, fly.

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Commas around nonessential and essential
word/phrase/clause

• Amelia Earhart, who disappeared in 1937 during a
  round-the-world trip, set new speed records for
  long-distance flying in the 1930s.
• The finger/elimination test
• Amelia Earhart set new speed records for
  long-distance flying in the 1930s. v
• A mind that is stretched never returns to its
  original dimensions. -
• A mind never returns to its original dimensions.
  ?????

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Semi-colon use

• The semi-colon is used between two main clauses
  (Birds fly fish swim.)
• When you connect thoughts of equal importance,
  the strategy you use is called co-ordination.
• When you single out one thought as more
  important, the strategy you are using is called
  subordination.
• There are four co-ordination strategies

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There are 4 Co-ordination Strategies

• 1. Simple co-ordination
• 2. Formal co-ordination
• 3. Paired co-ordination
• 4. Serial co-ordination

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1. Simple Co-ordination of words and phrases (no
punctuation required)

• students and teachers
• happy with her achievement but tired from her
  struggle
• when the Clintons travel to Washington or when
  they return to Little Rock

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1. Simple Co-ordination of main clauses

• There are over 3,000 baseball players in the
  minor leagues.
• Only about 700 of them will ever reach the
  majors.
• There are over 3,000 baseball players in the
  minor leagues, and only about 700 of them will
  ever reach the majors. (addition)

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2. Formal Co-ordination Put a semicolon in
place of comma and co-ordinating conjunction

• There are over 3,000 baseball players in the
  minor leagues only about 700 of them will ever
  reach the majors.
• The bench on the path explanation

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3. Paired Co-ordination

• Paired coordinators have greater connecting power
  than single coordinators
• 1. both and (both weather and diet have have an
  impact...)2. either or (Either we go now, or
  we will never make it.)
• 3. neither nor (neither the rain nor the
  sleet)4. whether or (whether to study for the
  exam or to party)5. not only but (also)
• Not only is Mexican food growing in
  popularity in the U.S. , butamazing as it may
  seemAmericans now buy more salsa than ketchup.

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4. Serial Co-ordination and Parallel Grammatical
Form

• The technician calibrated the instruments.The
  technician weighed the anhydrous Hcl.The
  technician prepared 10 percent Hcl solution.
• The technician calibrated the instruments,
  weighed the anhydrous Hcl, and prepared the 10
  percent Hcl solution.
• The technician had to calibrate the instruments,
  weigh the compounds, and prepare the solution.
• The technician had the responsibility for
  calibrating the instruments, weighing the
  compounds, and preparing the solution.

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Coordination Strategy and Subject-Verb Agreement

• Stress on the pipe segments is constant.
• Strain on the pipe segments is constant.
• Forces on the joints or nodes of the pipe are
  variable.
• Stress and strain on the pipe segment are
  constant, but forces on the joints or nodes of
  the pipe are variable.
• Subjects combined with a coordinate strategy
  require a plural verb, in this case, are.

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2. We will now look at the component
parts of the simple sentence to understand the
basic grammar problems in detail
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Subject Verb Words to complete the verb Optional RB Addition
Sonar can be used by military ships.
Sonar detects sound waves under water making it a useful tool in underwater salvage operations.
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Short LB addition Subject Verb Completer words
Most frequently, sonar is used for navigational purposes.
Long LB addition Subject Verb Completer words
With the advent of Amtrak in 1971 and growing interest in rail transportation, the railway express building was converted and expanded into an Amtrak passenger station.
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Transition Subject Verb Completer words RB ing-connection
Since 1974, the company has participated in more than 700 wells in the basin ranging in depth from 6000 to 26,300 feet.
Transition Subject Verb Completer words RB addition
Therefore, the technician must periodically standardize the solutions by titration with standard hydrochloric acid.
Open slot Subject Verb Completer words Open slot
Occasional short medial additions
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The Medial Addition

• Not even the Pentagon, nerve centre of the most
  fearsome military ever created, could protect
  itself.
• Not even (LB) the Pentagon (S),
• nerve centre of the most fearsome military ever
  created,
• could protect (V) itself (C).
• Notice the commas around the nonessential phrase
• Paul Koring, Globe and Mail, Sept. 6, 2002

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Inexperienced writers

• Often do not use the sentence slots effectively
• Is this bad writing or bad grammar?
• Traditionally, love, marriage and wooing in
  Shakespeares time in England was common in the
  area of marriage but when it came to love and
  wooing, these actions were severely depleted.
• Can you find the sentence core? (s v c)

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LB Addition Subject Verb Completer Words RB Addition
Traditionally, love, marriage and wooing in Shakespeares time in England was common in the area of marriage, but when it came to love and wooing, these actions were severely depleted.
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3. Now we will go through the grammar errors on
the Quiz

• Run-on/Comma splice
• Sentence fragments
• Subject-verb agreement
• Pronoun reference or pronoun agreement
• Pronoun case error
• Verb tense error verb form
• Dangling modifiers and misplaced modifiers
• Use of the apostrophe

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Run-on Sentence 2

• A competent reader will understand a clear
  sentence on first reading various readers will
  understand what it means.
• A competent reader will understand a clear
  sentence on first reading various readers will
  understand what it means. v
• A competent reader will understand a clear
  sentence on first reading, and various readers
  will understand what it means. v

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Comma Splice 4

• In 1952 Japan's gross national product was one
  third that of France, by the late 1970s it was
  larger than the GNPs of France and Britain
  combined.
• In 1952 Japan's gross national product was one
  third that of France. By the late 1970s it was
  larger than the GNPs of France and Britain
  combined. v

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Sentence fragments 16

• Tests of the Shroud of Turin have produced some
  curious findings. For example, the pollen of
  forty-eight plants native to Europe and the
  Middle East.
• Tests of the Shroud of Turin have produced some
  curious findings. For example, the cloth contains
  the pollen of forty-eight plants native to Europe
  and the Middle East. v

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Sentence fragment

• I constantly use the spell check function on my
  computer. Because I am a bad speller.
• I constantly use the spell check function on my
  computer because I am a bad speller. v
• Because I am a bad speller, I constantly use the
  spell check function on my computer. v

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Subject-verb agreement 3

• Writing well-researched, documented term papers
  are every students nightmare.
• Writing well-researched, documented term papers
  is every students nightmare. v

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Pronoun reference 5

• Because Senator Martin is less interested in the
  environment than in economic development, he
  sometimes neglects it.
• Because of his interest in economic development,
  Senator Martin sometimes neglects the
  environment. v

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Pronoun Agreement 6

• Similarly, the social benefits of a new cancer
  drug will never be fully captured by a firm who
  produces it. They have no incentive to increase
  the amount of research and development they
  conduct.
• Similarly, the social benefits of a new cancer
  drug will never be fully captured by a firm that
  produces it. The firm has no incentive to
  increase the amount of research and development
  it conducts. v

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Pronoun case 1

• Castro's communist principles inevitably led to
  an ideological conflict between he and President
  Kennedy.
• Castro's communist principles inevitably led to
  an ideological conflict between him and President
  Kennedy. v

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Correct verb tense 7

• After I have finished my draft, I revised it
  until I found it satisfying and felt it was
  positive and concise.
• After I had finished my draft, I revised it until
  I found it satisfying and felt it was positive
  and concise. v

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Correct and consistent verb tense 12

• In her essay On Going Home, written in 1966,
  Joan Didion showed how she is paralyzed by her
  home and her past.
• In her essay On Going Home, written in 1966,
  Joan Didion shows how she is paralyzed by her
  home and her past. v

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Correct verb form 9

• I should not have swam across the bay on such a
  windy day.
• I should not have swum across the bay on such a
  windy day. v
• Check irregular verb forms in a dictionary or a
  writing handbook.

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Comma between parts 14

• Clarity, is very important in all academic
  writing.
• Clarity is very important in all academic
  writing. v
• Dont automatically put a comma where you would
  draw a breath or pause when reading out loud.

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Dangling modifiers 13

• Fermenting in copper barrels, the technician ran
  a check on the ethanol content of the mash. (Who
  is fermenting?)
• Fermenting in copper barrels, the mash v
• The technician ran a check on the ethanol content
  of the mash fermenting in copper barrels. v

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Placement changes meaning

• Filed for later reference, the papers were added
  to the case records.
• What was filed for later reference?
• The papers were added to the records filed for
  later references.
• And now?

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Correct use of the apostrophe 11

• The sociology students room was messy. (1)
• The sociology students lounge was full. (1)
• Charles books were in the bag.
• The womens studies group met last night.

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Professional writers

• Use the sentence five slots to communicate
  effectively
• The following five examples are by Paul Koring,
  the Globe and Mail, Sept. 6, 2002

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Professional Writer

• As the Taliban leader prepared to leave
  Kandahar, the Predator caught him on a grainy,
  green nightscope video image that it bounced off
  a satellite to a truckmounted container sitting
  on the edge of a Pakistani airfield hundreds of
  miles away.
• Paul Koring, Globe and Mail, Sept. 6, 2002

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LB Subject Verb C RB
As the Taliban leader prepared to leave Kandahar, the Predator caught him on a grainy, green nightscope video image that bounced off a satellite to a truckmounted container sitting on the edge of a Pakistani airfield hundreds of miles away. Paul Koring, Globe and Mail, Sept. 6, 2002
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LB Addition Subject Verb Completer Words RB Addition
The container looked as if it should be sitting aboard a cargo ship.
But inside, it OLD was crammed NEW with sophisticated computers and communications links and two pilots NEW staring at 50-centimetre television monitors. NEW
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LB Addition Subject Verb Completer Words RB Addition
For the Predator pilots, there is little glamour and none of the Top Gun swagger that the U.S. air force enjoyed through the Second World War, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf war.
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LB Addition Subject Verb Completer Words RB Addition
At a cost of 3-million (U.S.) each, the roboplanes are redefining how America wages war.
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• Text seen as a paragraph
• As the Taliban leader prepared to leave
  Kandahar, the Predator caught him on a grainy,
  green nightscope video image that it bounced off
  a satellite to a truckmounted container sitting
  on the edge of a Pakistani airfield hundreds of
  miles away. The container looked as if it should
  be sitting aboard a cargo ship. But inside, it
  was crammed with sophisticated computers and
  communications links and two pilots staring at
  50-centimetre television monitors. For the
  Predator pilots, there is little glamour and none
  of the Top Gun swagger that the U.S. air force
  enjoyed through the Second World War, Vietnam and
  the Persian Gulf war. At a cost of 3-million
  (U.S.) each, the roboplanes are redefining how
  America wages war.
• Paul Koring, Globe and Mail, Sept. 6, 2002

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Sentence-writing strategies

• Keep sentence and verb close together
• Use the emphatic sentence slots at the beginning
  (OLD) and end (NEW) to create coherence that
  reaches forward and back in the text
• Vary the length of your sentences
• Vary the way you start your sentences

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Take punctuation seriously

• The 2-million comma
• Rogers Communications thought it had a deal with
  Aliant that was rock solid. But then Aliant
  changed its mind, and a comma in the contract let
  them do it.
• The Globe and Mail, Section B, 07.08.06 Report on
  Business, p 1

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The disputed sentence

• This agreement shall be effective from the date
  it is made and shall continue in force for a
  period of five (5) years from the date it is
  made, and hereafter for successive five (5) year
  terms, unless and until terminated by one year
  prior notice in writing by either party.

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How to read it?

• Rogers The contract is good for five years and
  is automatically renewed for successive five-year
  terms. The deal cannot be terminated within the
  first five-year term.
• Aliant The contract can be cancelled at any time
  provided one-year notice is given.

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Aliant knows how to punctuate inserts

• This agreement shall be effective from the date
  it is made and shall continue in force for a
  period of five (5) years from the date it is
  made, and hereafter for successive five (5) year
  terms, unless and until terminated by one year
  prior notice by either party.

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Resources

• Walvoord, Barbara E. and Virginia Johnson
  Andersen. Effective Grading A Tool for Learning
  and Assessment. San Fransico Jossey-Bass
  Publishers, 1998.
• Writing Centre Website www.wlu.ca/writing
• Links
• Recommended resources for faculty
• Writing Support for graduate students

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Grammar Links from the Writing Centre Website

• The Parts of Speechhttp//www.wlu.ca/writing/han
  douts/speech.pdf
• Verbs and Verb Look-Alikes http//www.wlu.ca/writ
  ing/handouts/verbs.pdf
• Hit Parade of Errors in Style, Grammar,
  Punctuation http//www.utoronto.ca/hswriting/hitp
  arade.htm (The University of Toronto)
• NASA's handbook for Technical Writers Grammar,
  Punctuation, and Capitalizationhttp//stipo.larc.
  nasa.gov/sp7084/sp7084cont.html (NASA)
• Guide to grammar and stylehttp//andromeda.rutger
  s.edu/jlynch/Writing/ (Jack Lynch)
• Word Playhttp//www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/Sci
  ence Report.html
• ESLhttp//owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/ind
  ex.html (Purdue University)

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Visit the Writing Centre

• Location The Library, Room 213 NEW
• Appointments Ext. 2220
• Book in advance
• Website www.wlu.ca/writing
• Hours 9 4 Monday to Thursday
• 9 12 Friday
• Workshops Details posted on the website