With the dawn of the Internet, the birth of Internet slang, and the growing use of SMS, many of us are starting to forget the fundamental aspects of English.Do you want to submit a proposal to your boss or write a paper for one of your classes?Proper spelling is a must.Consider this article a crash course in English.
Step 1: Start a sentence with a capital letter.
Unless you're an avant-garde poet or you have a brand name like "iPod", you will need to use the first letter of every sentence.He invited her friend over after school.
Step 2: Proper nouns and titles can be started with capital letters.
Capital letters should be at the start of proper nouns and titles.The names of specific people, places, and things are proper nouns.The names of works of art are called titles.There are institutions, geographical areas, and much more.Titles can also be honorifics.Every word should be capitalized except for small words and articles.The first word of a title should always be capitalized.Here are a few examples of capital letters being used for proper nouns and titles.In her opinion, the greatest museum in the world is the Mithsonian, which she visited last year.
Step 3: Capital letters are used for abbreviations.
An acronym is a word formed from the first letter of every word in a long proper title.Acronyms can be used to shorten long proper nouns that would be hard to reprint in their entirety.The letters of an acronym can be separated by periods.An example of an acronym made from capital letters is The and are just two of the many intelligence agencies.
Step 4: A period is used to end statements and sentences.
Also after initials, as in Alfred D. Smith.The one at the end of the sentence is the punctuation mark.The period is the most common of these marks.Also called a full stop.A dot is used to mark the end of a sentence.There are a lot of sentences.Any sentence that explains an idea is conjugate.The accessibility of the computer has increased tremendously over the past several years.
Step 5: A question mark is used to end questions.
There is a question mark.Interrogative sentences are used at the end of a sentence.At the end of any question, query, or inquiry, use the punctuation mark.An example of a question mark being used correctly is at the end of the sentence, "What has humanity done about the growing concern regarding global warming?"
Step 6: End exclamatory sentences with an exclamation point.
There is an exclamation point.", also called an "exclamation mark" or "shout mark," suggests excitement or strong emphasis.The exclamation point is used to end exclamations, short expressions of intense emotion that are often only one word long.Here are two examples of an exclamation point being used correctly at the end of a sentence.Eek!You scared me!
Step 7: There is a break or pause within a sentence.
The exclamation point is a very versatile mark.There are a lot of situations that need the use of a comma.The appositive is a break within a sentence that adds information to the subject.Bill Gates, CEO of Microsoft, is the developer of the operating system known as Windows.
Step 8: There are three or more items in a series.
The use of commas is to separate items from each other.The second-to-last item and a subsequent conjunction are where the commas are written.A conjunction like "and" will signal the end of the list even without the final comma.The fruit basket contained apples, bananas, and oranges.There were video games, computer hardware and other electronic items in the store.
Step 9: A separator is needed to separate two or more words.
It is possible to describe a single subject with multiple qualities.The use of commas is similar to using them to separate items in a series, with one exception.Here are examples of correct and incorrect usage when it comes to the separation of adjectives.The sound caught our attention.
Step 10: There is a larger geographical area and a smaller one within it.
The smallest location's name is usually the first one to be followed by the larger area.You can refer to a specific city by naming it, followed by the state or province it is in, and then the surrounding country.The geographic name is followed by a letter.If the sentence continues, the last geographical area is used.Here are two examples of correct usage when naming geographical areas.Los Angeles is a large city in the United States.
Step 11: The introductory phrase should be separate from the rest of the sentence.
An introductory phrase gives context but is not part of the sentence's subject or predicate.It should be separated from the main clause.There are two examples of sentences with introductory phrases separated from the rest of the sentence.My cat has been carving a large hole on the back of my couch.
Step 12: There are two independent clauses.
You could split the sentence into two shorter sentences if you had two independent clauses in it.If your sentence contains two independent clauses that are separated by a conjunction, place a comma before the conjunction.Ryan went to the beach yesterday, but he forgot his sunscreen.Water bills go up during the summer when people are thirsty.
Step 13: There is a way to make a direct address.
The person's name should be separated from the rest of the sentence with a commas.This is something normally done while speaking, so it is rare in writing.It is more common for a writer to use other methods to indicate who is talking to whom.An example of a direct address isAmber, could you come here for a moment?
Step 14: There is a direct quotation from the sentence.
After the word immediately preceding a quotation that is being introduced with context or a description, there should be a comma.If you are quoting someone's words without actually quoting them, you need to use a comma.If you are only quoting a few words from the statement, you don't need a comma.While I was at his house, John asked, "Do you want anything to eat?"While I was at his house, John asked me if I wanted anything to eat.The client stated that the lawyer was "lazy and incompetent." Due to its brevity and its use within the sentence, a partial direct quotation does not need a comma.
Step 15: If you want to separate two related but independent clauses, use a semicolon.
The proper use of a semicolon is not the same as the one used in a comma.The end of one independent clause and the start of another within a single sentence is marked by the semicolon.If the two clauses are wordy or complex, it is better to use a () and form two sentences.People continue to worry about the future and our failure to conserve resources has put the world at risk.
Step 16: A semicolon is used to separate items.
Normally, the items in a series are separated by commas, but for cases in which one or more items require comment or explanation, semicolons can be used in conjunction with commas to keep the reader from becoming confused.Use parentheses to separate items and explanations.If you want to separate an item from its own explanation, use a comma.I went to the show with Jake, my close friend; his friend, Jane; and her best friend.
Step 17: A colon is used to introduce a list.
When stating an idea that requires naming, be careful not to use a colon.The two are not the same.When the words "the following" or "as follows" are followed by new, explanatory information, the colon should be used.An example of a colon being used correctly in this way is provided by the professor.The Easter basket contained Easter eggs, chocolate rabbits, and other candy.The colon would be omitted in this case.
Step 18: A colon can be used to introduce a new idea.
Colons can be used to mean that the next piece of information will be what is being described or explained.It could be that this is a list containing only one item.There's only one person old enough to remember that wedding, and that person is grandma.
Step 19: A colon is used to separate parts of a title.
Books and movies can have long titles.A subtitle is what follows the main title.Use colons to separate them.The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was Fred's favorite movie, though he preferred the first one.
Step 20: You can use a.
The purpose of the hyphen is to make it easier to read.The double "e" could be confusing if you left the hyphen out of the word re-examine.Many words do not need a hyphen to be separate from the word.When to use the hyphen after a prefix is best left to a dictionary.Cara is his ex-girlfriend.
Step 21: When creating compound words from smaller words, use hyphens.
If you have ever written about anything that's gold-plated, radar-equipped, or one-size-fits-all, you've used a hyphen.To build a long, descriptive word out of two or more component words, use hyphens to separate the "pieces" from each other.The up-to-date newspaper reporters were quick to jump on the latest scandal.
Step 22: When writing numbers out, use a hyphen.
There are two words for any number under one hundred.If the number is used as an adjective, it is completely hyphenated, so be careful with spelling out numbers above one hundred.This is the hundredth episode.He lived to be one hundred twenty-one if a number is embedded within a larger number.The amount is one hundred and eighty, so don't use "and" when writing numbers.The "and" is usually omitted in the US and Canada.Outside of the English-speaking world, the "and" can be included.There are fifty-two playing cards in a deck.There were two hundred twenty-four fireworks in the packaging, but only one thousand were advertised.
Step 23: When making a brief interruption, use a dash.
The dash is slightly longer than the hyphen and is used to convey a sudden change of thought, an additional comment, or a dramatic qualification within a sentence.It is possible to add a parenthetical statement for further clarification, but this should still be relevant to the sentence.If not, use parentheses.If the dashed material were not there, the rest of the sentence should flow naturally.The words between the dashes should not be used to judge whether a dash is appropriate.If the sentence doesn't make sense, you may need to revise it.In British English there should be spaces before and after a dash.An introductory clause is a brief phrase that comes at the beginning of a sentence.We thought this was the end of our sentence.
Step 24: To split a word between two lines, use a hyphen.
When a long word had to be split between two lines, the hyphen was once a common punctuation mark on typewriters.The justification capacity of computer word processing programs has made this rare.No matter what he tried, he just couldn't get the novel's elec-trifying surprise ending out of his head.
Step 25: The letter s is used to indicate possession.
There are a variety of uses for the apostrophe.There is a difference in using an apostrophe with singular or plural nouns.There is a singular and a plural version of the same thing.This use has several conditions discussed below.Children and people are always considered to be a singular word.Even though the nouns are not singular, you should use it.If you are aware of pronouns that are already possessive, such as hers and its, you won't have to use apostrophes.It's either it is or it hasn't.Their is possessive with no s or apostrophes.An example of an apostrophe used to show possession is "The hamsters water tube needs to be refilled."In the pet store, the hamsters bedding needed to be changed.These childrens test scores are the highest in the nation, and this is an example of an apostrophe used for showing possession.
Step 26: If you combine two words with the apostrophe, you can make a contraction.
Contractions are combinations of two words.It is, you are, and they have become they'.The letters that are omitted from one or both words are replaced by the apostrophe.The possessive pronoun and contraction are appropriate.It's a mistake to interchange them.Friends of hers explained that her idea, not theirs, to refill the hamsters water tube and change was her.
Step 27: A quotation mark is used to indicate a quotation within a regular quotation.
Single quotation marks, which look almost identical to apostrophes, are used to separate quotations from other quotations.Make sure that every quotation mark used to start a quote is followed by a corresponding one at the end of the quote.Ali said, "Anna told me, I wasn't sure if you wanted to come!"
Step 28: Don't use an s to make a singular singular.
This is a common mistake.The simple pluralization of a noun is not shown by the use of apostrophes.There are examples of correct and incorrect apostrophe usage.
Step 29: When appropriate, use the slash to separate and from.
Slashes suggest that the options are not mutually exclusive.To register, you will need your driver's license and your birth certificate.
Step 30: The slash is used to indicate a line break.
Slashes are useful when it is impractical to recreate the original format of a poem or song.When using slashes, be sure to include spaces before and after them.This is an example of a slash used to mark a line break in a song.Life is not a dream.
Step 31: When joining two nouns, use the slash to replace the word.
You suggest that there is equal importance in both options if you replace and slash them.To avoid confusing the reader, place greater emphasis on where and may not do so, and use these replacements in moderation.You can do the same for him or her.You should use the slash to separate the independent clauses.The student and part-time employee has very little free time.The studentpart-time employee has very little free time.Would you rather go to the mall or the grocery store?Would you rather go to the mall or the grocery store?
Step 32: The double quotation mark is used to enclose a direct quotation from either a spoken or written source.
The marks are used to indicate that the information is a quote.You'll use quotation marks whether you're recreating someone's verbal speech or simply re-writing something that they wrote elsewhere.I can't wait to see him perform!John exclaimed.The aesthetic value of the dollar is more important than the face value in developing nations.
Step 33: If you want to clarify, use parentheses.
Parentheses can be used to explain something that can't be deduced from the rest of the sentence.If an entire sentence is within parentheses, be sure to include the sentence's period after the closing parenthesis.Sometimes parentheses and commas can be used in the same sentence.Steve Case resigned from the Time-Warner board of directors in 2005.
Step 34: You can use parentheses to indicate an omission.
Parentheses can be used to add information to the sentence.There is a line between using parentheses and starting a new sentence.A general rule is to use parentheses for short additions.There is an example of parentheses used.The last parenthesis precede the full stop.You will need a flashlight for the camping trip if you replace the parentheses with a period or a semicolon.).
Step 35: Personal comments can be made using parentheses.
The writer's direct comments to the reader are contained in parentheses.The preceding sentence is usually referred to by the comments contained in parentheses.The shorter and simpler is better.It's a good idea to start a new sentence if you have to expound at great length.There is an example of parentheses used for a personal comment that I don't agree with.
Step 36: There is an editor's note in a piece of writing.
You can use brackets to clarify or revise a quote.There is an error in the original version of the word "sic" if brackets are used to encompass it.The brackets are used for clarity in the quote.The original quote was, "It was absolutely devastating!"The blast was devastating.Susan Smith was at the scene of the incident.
Step 37: There is a set of numbers in mathematics.
In regular writing, braces can be used to indicate a set of equal, independent choices.There are two examples of brace usage.The set of numbers in this problem is 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and you have to choose your favorite utensil and bring it to me.