grammer homework

Grammar Assignment 5: Commas with Adjective Clauses, Commas with Interrupting Words, Commas with Dates and Addresses, and Quotation Marks

 

Introduction to Assignment: This assignment contains a number of sections. Each section contains a reading followed by a practice exercise. To complete the assignment, you need to respond to all the practice exercises in the assignment.

Directions: Type out the answers to all the practice exercises on a separate sheet of paper. This sheet of paper or document will be known as the “Answer Sheet for Grammar Assignment 5” Be sure to number your answer sheet in the same way the practice exercises are numbered. For this assignment, your answer sheet should be numbered from 1 through 25. Also, be aware that for this grammar assignment, you will need to rewrite the sentences in all the practice exercises.

 

Where and How to Submit Assignment: When you complete the assignment, you will submit it either by uploading it as an attachment or by cutting and pasting the assignment from your word processing program into the textbox. Both of these options appear at the bottom of the assignment page. If you cut and paste your assignment into the textbox, be sure to do so by choosing the option to “Paste from Word.” Using this option will maintain your original formatting. To access the “Paste from Word” option, click on the three dots that appear in the box in the far right hand corner of the textbox. After you do this, several more buttons should appear. Once these buttons appear, click on the arrow beside the picture of the clipboard in order to see the option “Paste from Word.” Click on this option and follow the directions provided.

If you send the assignment as an attachment, name the attachment in the following way: GA5LastName. For example, if I were submitting the assignment as an attachment, I would name the attachment GA5Tolbert.

If you submit the exercise as an attachment, be sure to save it and attach it as a Rich Text Format (RTF) since the majority of computers can open an RTF attachment. If you submit an assignment as an attachment that my computer will not open, I will return the assignment to you ungraded. The assignment will remain ungraded until you submit it in a form my computer will open.

 

When to Submit Your Assignment: Grammar Assignment 5 is due by 11:59 Eastern Standard Time on Sunday, November 23, 2014.

 

How to Format Assignment:

Title: Center the following information at the top of the completed exercise:

Answer Sheet for Grammar Assignment 5

Font: 12pt Times New Roman

Spacing: Double Spacing

 

Section 1: Commas with adjective clauses

An adjective clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb that describes a noun or pronoun right before it in a sentence.

Even though the adjective clause has a subject and a verb, it does not express a complete thought and does not “make sense” by itself.

Example: The Nile, which is a river in Egypt, empties into the Mediterranean Sea.

            Adjective Clause: which is a river in Egypt

                                                Describes the noun Nile

                                                Has a subject and a verb—which is the subject and is is the verb— 

                                                But the clause does not express a complete thought and does not

                                                “make sense” by itself.

 

Words that are commonly used to begin adjective clauses are the following: who, which, or that

 

Deciding whether an adjective clause needs a comma

 

Example 1: The Pyramids, which are located in Egypt, were built by the pharaohs.

            In Example 1, you need a comma before which and a comma after Egypt because the

            adjective clause which are located in Egypt is not essential to the meaning of the

            sentence. That is, you can leave out which are located in Egypt without significantly

            changing the meaning of the sentence.

 

Example 2: The house that has the broken windows needs to be repaired.

            In Example 2, you do not need a comma before that and a comma after windows because

            the adjective clause that has the broken windows is essential to the meaning of the

            sentence. That is, if you take out that has the broken windows, all you have left is The

house needs to be repaired. Without the adjective clause that has the broken windows the reader does not know which house needs to be repaired.

 

To decide if an adjective clause needs commas do this:

• Ask yourself if the adjective clause is essential to the meaning of the sentence

• In other words, can you leave out the adjective clause without significantly changing the meaning of the sentence?

 

Deciding how many commas an adjective clause needs

 

If an adjective clause comes in the middle of a sentence and is not essential to the meaning of the sentence, then you need a comma before the adjective clause and a comma after the adjective clause.

• Example: To Kill a Mockingbird, which was written by Harper Lee, is on my summer reading list.

 

If an adjective clause comes at the end of a sentence and is not essential to the meaning of the sentence, then you need a comma before the adjective clause.

• Example: My summer reading list includes To Kill a Mockingbird, which was written by Harper Lee.

 

 

 

Section 2: Commas with interrupting words [The following information is taken from p. 109 of Writing for Success.]

In conversations, you might interrupt your train of thought by giving more details about what you are talking about. In a sentence, you might interrupt your train of thought with a word or phrase called interrupting words.

Example 1: We can, I suppose, postpone the exam until Thursday.

Example 2: The man the police are arresting, unfortunately, is my uncle.

The interrupting word can be a yes or no in response to a request or question. When yes or no appears in a sentence as a response to a request or question, use commas to separate the yes or no from the rest of the sentence.

Example: Luckily, yes, I am able to reschedule my appointment.

• [Yes is used as response to request, so you need comma around it.]

The interrupting word can also be someone’s name. When someone’s name appears in a sentence and the sentence is “speaking” to or directed toward this person, then use commas to separate the name from the rest of the sentence.

Example: Yesterday, Maria, was the last day to submit the assignment.

• [Sentence is “speaking” to Maria—or is directed to Maria—so you need commas around Maria.]

 

Section 3: Commas with dates and addresses  [The following information is taken from pp. 110-111 of Writing for Success.]

 

You also use commas when you write the date, such as in cover letters and e-mails. Commas are used when you write the date, when you include an address, and when you greet someone.

If you are writing out the full date, add a comma after the day and before the year. You do not need to add a comma when you write the month and day or when you write the month and the year. If you need to continue the sentence after you add a date that includes the day and year, add a comma after the end of the date.

 

Examples:

The letter is postmarked May 4, 2001.

Her birthday is May 5.

He visited the country in July 2009.

I registered for the conference on March 7, 2010, so we should get our tickets soon.

 

You also use commas when you include addresses and locations. When you include an address in a sentence, be sure to place a comma after the street and after the city. Do not place a comma between the state and the zip code. Like a date, if you need to continue the sentence after adding the address, simply add a comma after the address.

 

Examples:

We moved to 4542 Boxcutter Lane, Hope, Missouri 70832.

After moving to Boston, Massachusetts, Eric used public transportation to get to work.

 

 

Section 4: Quotation Marks [The following information is taken from pp. 117-119 of Writing for Success. For additional information about quotes, view Lecture 3 in Module 4: Accuracy in Punctuation and Mechanics located under the Modules tab in the Course Resources area of the course site.]

 

Quotation marks (“ ”) set off a group of words from the rest of the text. Use quotation marks to indicate direct quotations of another person’s words or to indicate a title. Quotation marks always appear in pairs.

Direct Quotations vs Indirect Quotations

A direct quotation is an exact account of what someone said or wrote. To include a direct quotation in your writing, enclose the words in quotation marks. An indirect quotation is a restatement of what someone said or wrote. An indirect quotation does not use the person’s exact words. You do not need to use quotation marks for indirect quotations.

Direct quotation: Carly said, “I’m not ever going back there again.”

Indirect quotation: Carly said that she would never go back there.

Most word processing software is designed to catch errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. While this can be a useful tool, it is better to be well acquainted with the rules of punctuation than to leave the thinking to the computer. Properly punctuated writing will convey your meaning clearly. Consider the subtle shifts in meaning in the following sentences:

• The client said he thought our manuscript was garbage.

• The client said, “He thought our manuscript was garbage.”

 

The first sentence reads as an indirect quote in which the client does not like the manuscript. But did he actually use the word “garbage”? (This would be alarming!) Or has the speaker paraphrased (and exaggerated) the client’s words?

The second sentence reads as a direct quote from the client. But who is “he” in this sentence? Is it a third party?

Word processing software would not catch this because the sentences are not grammatically incorrect. However, the meanings of the sentences are not the same. Understanding punctuation will help you write what you mean, and in this case, could save a lot of confusion around the office!

 

Punctuating Direct Quotations

Quotation marks show readers another person’s exact words. Often, you will want to identify who is speaking. You can do this at the beginning, middle, or end of the quote. Notice the use of commas and capitalized words.

 

Beginning: Madison said, “Let’s stop at the farmers market to buy some fresh vegetables for dinner.”

Middle: “Let’s stop at the farmers market,” Madison said, “to buy some fresh vegetables for dinner.”

• “Let’s stop at the farmers market to buy some fresh vegetables for dinner,” said Madison. “I feel like something different tonight.”

  • Notice that this example contains two complete sentences. Quotation marks are put around the second sentence because it is part of what Madison said.

End: “Let’s stop at the farmers market to buy some fresh vegetables for dinner,” Madison said.

 

 

Always capitalize the first letter of a quote even if it is not the beginning of the sentence. When using identifying words in the middle of the quote, the beginning of the second part of the quote does not need to be capitalized.

 

Use commas between identifying words and quotes. Quotation marks must be placed after commas and periods. Place quotation marks after question marks and exclamation points only if the question or exclamation is part of the quoted text.

 

Question is part of quoted text: The new employee asked, “When is lunch?”

• “When is lunch?” asked the new employee.

• Notice in the above example that a comma is not placed after the question mark.

• In this sentence, the question mark acts as the break between the quote and the rest of the sentence.

  • Question with identifying tag in the middle: “When,” asked John, “do you think Mr. Johnson will schedule the final exam?”

  • Question with identifying tag in the middle: “What will be on the test?” asked Joan. “Will it include the material from Chapters 10 and 11?”

Question is not part of quoted text: Did you hear her say you were “the next Picasso”?

 

 

Exclamation is part of quoted text: My supervisor beamed, “Thanks for all of your hard work!”

• “Thanks for all your hard work!” beamed my supervisor

• Notice in the above example that a comma is not placed after the exclamation point.

• In this sentence, the exclamation point acts as the break between the quote and the rest of the sentence.

  • Exclamation with identifying tag in the middle: “Hurrah,” shouted John, “we won!”

  • Exclamation with identifying tag in the middle: “Great job!” exclaimed the supervisor. “I wish all reports were this good!”

     

Exclamation is not part of quoted text: He said I “single-handedly saved the company thousands of dollars”!