Name: _________________________________________________ Hour: __________________

Weeks 1-5 MISTAKES

WEEK 1 Focus ed Hints
□ COMMAS are used:
□ to set apart dependent from independent clauses. A clause is a group of words that contains a
subject doing a verb. An independent clause is the same as sentence.
A dependent clause, which begins with a word like "if," "although," or "because," is not a sentence because it
can't stand by itself as a complete thought without leaving the audience with questions.
EX. When the alarm goes off, it is time to wake up. EX. Like a bull seeing red, Barney charged at the opposing
players. EX. Although we never made it to the party, we had a great prom anyway.

□ to separate an independent clause from another independent clause as long as the comma

is combined with a conjunction ( , and/, but I, or I, so). Comma + conjunction is as strong

as a period! (COMMA FANBOYS)
EX. It was a crisp September night, yet no wind blew.
EX. The enormous barking dog in my backyard terrified me, and I ran.
□ to separate items in a list of at least three items or adjectives .
EX.We cleaned out the dusty, rickety, straw-filled barn in order to hold a dance.
□ Lists of only two items only need a conjunction between the words (and) no comma.
EX. The red panda is not only furry and adorable, but also endangered.
WORD USAGE
□ it's vs. its: it's = "it is" ("it has"); its = ownership: EX. The cat licked its paw.
EX. The rambunctious puppy left its toys scattered all over the yard.
□
you're vs. your: you're = "you are"; your = ownership: Wipe your shoes on the mat.
CAPTIALIZE TITLES and PROPER NOUNS

□ TITLES: Capitalize first word and important words only: nouns, pronouns,
adjectives, and verbs. (Don't capitalize prepositions or articles: with, in, for, by, the,
a, an)
□ major work titles are underlined or italicized: books, shows, plays, magazines,
newspapers
□ minor work titles are put in quotation marks: articles, poems, episodes of a show,
skits
□ PROPER NOUNS: a name used for an individual person, place, or organization,
spelled with initial capital letters EX. Google, Mary, Detroit
PUNCTUATION
□ If you're asking a question, use a question mark! EX. Did you know that I like
cats?
 WEEK 2 Focused Hints
COMMAS are used:
□ to set apart dependent and independent clauses
*A clause is a group of words that has a subject doing a verb.
independent clause = stands alone as a sentence; a complete thought
dependent clause = starts with a word like "because" or "if"; not a complete thought; leaves
reader with questions. EX. When the alarm goes off, it is time to wake up.

□ to lift -out an appositive clause (renames the subject) which is set off with a pair of
commas
EX. My friends, Laura and Amy, are visiting today.
EX. Andrew, the best player at our school has ever seen, eventually turned pro.
□ OPTIONAL! You do not need to use a comma to set off an introductory phrase** from the
main sentence if that phrase is only two words long. EX. In 1984 the Detroit Tigers won the
World Series.
**A phrase is a group of words that adds more detail to a sentence, but is different from a clause*
because it does not contain a subject doing a verb. EX. The dog with the waggly tail smiled at me from
the window. EX. Einstein, a famous mathematician, was German.
RUN-ON SENTENCE

□ A run-on sentence is just two independent thoughts (sentences) that are written
without proper punctuation between them. EX. I wear fuzzy socks they are the best
kind (is incorrect because it is a run-on sentence)
□ There are three ways to correctly p unctuate indep endent thoughts:
1. a period: EX. I wear fuzzy socks. They are the best kind.
2. comma with a conjunction ( , and I, but I, or I, so) (COMMA FANBOYS)
EX. I wear fuzzy socks, and they are the best kind.
3. a semi-colon: ; (use a semi colon if the second thought seems to build on
the first and are closely related.
EX. I wear fuzzy socks; they are the best kind.

APOSTROHES are used to show that a noun owns the thin that follows it.

EX. We liked to hang out at Jason's dad's house, because there was a pool.
EX. My father was always jealous of the Jones's well-manicured lawn.
NOTE! Do not use apostrophes to show a pronoun owns the thing that follows it!
EX. The cat is hers; its team; Whose shoes are these?
D do not use an apostrophe if word is plural but not possessive.
EX. Even though Liz likes to read love stories, non of her favorite movies are romances.
EX. Both of my friends have cars with vanity license plates.