Lesson 1

Capitalization

Lesson Summary

Today you'll learn about the fine points of capitalization. The chapter divides capitalization rules into two kinds: general rules governing capitalization and specific rules regarding proper nouns and adjectives.

Start by seeing just how much you already know about the proper use of capital letters. On the next page you see the same passagewritten twice. The first column, called Problem, contains no capitalization at all-definitely a problem in writing! Circle those letters you think should be capitalized in the Problem column, and then check yourself against the Solution column.

General Capitalization Rules

The table below summarizes general capitalization rules. Rules having to do with specific categories of proper nouns are dealt with in the next section.

CAPITALIZATION RULES

Rule

Example

Capitalize the first word of a sentence. If the first word is a number, write it as a word.

This is the first word of the sentence.

Three of us worked the early shift.

Capitalize the pronoun I or the contraction I'm, and the abbreviations B.C. or A.D.

The group left when I asked them to go.

The manuscript was dated 501 A.D.

Capitalize the first word of a quotation.

Do not capitalize the first word of a partial quotation.

I said, "What's the name of your dog?"

He called me "the worst excuse for a student" he had ever seen.

Below is an example of a dialogue that illustrates the above rules. (A note about paragraphing in dialogue: Each time a speaker finishes, begin a new paragraph.)

"Good morning," said the new supervisor as I entered the door.

"Good morning!" I answered, somewhat surprised. "You must be Ms. Barnes. I'm Joshua Haines. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Tell me what you do, Joshua. I'm anxious to learn all about this operation."

"I smiled and said, "That doesn't surprise me. I heard you were a 'sieve for information.'"

Practice

Check your ability to apply the rules above in the practice questions below. Choose the correctly capitalized option from each of the sets below. Answers to each set of questions can be found at the end of the lesson.

1. a. the memo confused me at first. after a few readings i was able to understand it.

b. The memo confused me at first. after a few readings I was able to understand it.

c.The memo confused me at first. After a few readings I was able to understand it.

2. a. "where are you going?" my coworker asked.

"to a meeting i'm not very excited about," i answered.

b. "Where are you going?" my coworker asked.

"To a meeting I'm not very excited about," I answered.

c. "Where are you going?" My coworker asked.

"To a meeting I'm not very excited about," I answered.

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3. a. we read the poem written in 1493 A.D.

b. We read the poem written in 1493 a.d.

c. We read the poem written in 1493 A.D.

4. a. When you return from your trip, I want a full report of your activities.

b. when you return from your trip, I want a full report of your activities.

c. When you return from your trip, i want a full report of your activities.

Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives

All proper nouns and proper adjectives-ones that name a specific person, place or thing-must be capitalized, but remembering which nouns and adjectives are proper can be difficult. The tables below lay out the most common categories of proper nouns and adjectives. Each section begins with a table that illustrates 5-7 related rules, followed by several practice exercises.

PROPER NOUNS, PART ONE

Category of Proper Nouns

Examples

days of the week

Friday, Saturday

months

January, February

holidays

Christmas, Halloween

historical events, periods, documents

Civil War (historical event), Dark Ages (historical period), Declaration of Independence (document)

special events, calendar events

Pebble Beach Fall Classic, Renaissance Festival, Green River Days (special events); Labor Day, Father's Day (calendar events)

names of people and places

John Doe, Lincoln Center, Sears Tower

Practice

Using the rules above, choose the correctly capitalized version of each of the following pairs.

5. a. Chaucer was one of the foremost poets from the Middle ages.

b. Chaucer was one of the foremost poets from the Middle Ages.

6. a. The Olsons spend Labor Day and four weeks of each summer at their lakeside cottage.

b. The Olsons spend Labor day and four weeks of each Summer at their Lakeside cottage.

Category of Proper Nouns

Examples

days of the week

Friday, Saturday

months

January, February

holidays

Christmas, Halloween

historical events, periods, documents

Civil War (historical event), Dark Ages (historical period), Declaration of Independence (document)

special events, calendar events

Pebble Beach Fall Classic, Renaissance Festival, Green River Days (special events); Labor Day, Father's Day (calendar events)

names of people and places

John Doe, Lincoln Center, Sears Tower

Practice

Using the rules above, choose the correctly capitalized version of each of the following pairs.

5. a. Chaucer was one of the foremost poets from the Middle ages.

b. Chaucer was one of the foremost poets from the Middle Ages.

6. a. The Olsons spend Labor Day and four weeks of each summer at their lakeside cottage.

b. The Olsons spend Labor day and four weeks of each Summer at their Lakeside cottage.

Practice

Choose the correctly capitalized version of each of the following pairs.

9. a. I enjoyed spoon river anthology by Edgar Lee Masters.

b. I enjoyed Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters.

10. a. We caught a Vanguard Airlines flight to Orlando.

b. We caught a Vanguard airlines flight to Orlando.

11. a. The Talmud is a guide to the teachings of judaism.

b. The Talmud is a guide to the teachings of Judaism.

12. a. Paul has an editing job with Meredith publishing.

b. Paul has an Editing job with Meredith Publishing.

13. a. The university of iowa has an outstanding Law School.

b. The University of Iowa has an outstanding law school.

14. a. Dr. Gallagher researched her book at the Library of Congress.

b. Dr. Gallagher researched her book at the Library of congress.

Choose the correctly capitalized version of each of the following pairs.

15. a. In Switzerland, some citizens speak French, and others speak German.

b. In switzerland, some citizens speak french, and others speak german.

16. a. Near a body of water called firth and forth, you can see Edinburgh, Scotland.

b. Near a body of water called Firth and Forth, you can see Edinburgh, Scotland.

17. a. We drove along the Mississippi river to New Orleans.

b. We drove along the Mississippi River to New Orleans.

18. a. Mount Everest, which is in the middle of the Himalayan Range, is the highest mountain in the world.

b. Mount Everest, which is in the middle of the Himalayan Range, is the highest mountain in the World.

19. a. I have traveled on the Garden state Parkway, a main highway in New Jersey.

b. I have traveled on the Garden State Parkway, a main highway in New Jersey.

Proper Adjectives

Proper adjectives are adjectives-that is, words that modify nouns-formed from a proper noun, often the name of a place. For instance, the proper noun Canada becomes the proper adjective Canadian when it modifies another noun, as in Canadian bacon. Note that the noun is not capitalized unless it is a proper noun in its own right.

Examples:

English muffin, Polish sausage, Japanese yen

Practice

Choose the correctly capitalized version of each of the following pairs.

20. a. Some residents of ireland still speak the Gaelic Language.

b. Some residents of Ireland still speak the Gaelic language.

When NOT to Capitalize

Putting in capital letters where they don't belong is as bad as leaving them out where they do belong. Watch for these capitalization traps.

•Avoid unnecessarily capitalizing compass directions; however, direction words that refer to a specific area of the country should be capitalized.

Examples:

We headed west after the Depression.

The future of the country was cultivated in the West.

•Avoid unnecessarily capitalizing the words referring to family members. Capitalize them only when they are used as names. If a possessive pronoun (my, our, your, his, her, their) comes before the word referring to a family member, the family word is not capitalized.

Examples:

When Uncle Harry visited last winter, none of my other uncles came to see him.

After my mother called me for lunch, Father served the entree.

• Avoid unnecessarily capitalizing the seasons of the year or parts of the academic year.

Example:

If the university offers History of Education 405 in the spring semester, Horace will be able to graduate in May.

•Avoid unnecessarily capitalizing school subjects. They should be capitalized only if they are part of the name of a specific course.

Examples:

I try to avoid math courses because I'm not very good at them.

Betsy is taking Algebra II and Trigonometry I next semester.

1. c.

2. b.

3. c.

4. a.

5. b.

6. a.

7. b.

8. b.

9. b.

10. a.

11. b.

12. a.

13. b.

14. a.

15. a.

16. b.

17. b.

18. a.

19. b.

20. b.

21. a.

22. a.

23. b.

24. b.

25. b.

26. b.

27. a.

28. a.

Lesson 2-

Periods, Question Marks, and Exclamation Points

Lesson Summary

This lesson shows you which punctuation marks to use to end sentences. These are sometimes referred to as "end marks." It also shows you other ways in which periods are used.

The exercise that follows reviews Lesson 1, Capitalization, and gives you an opportunity to see what you already know about periods and endmarks. Correct the capitalization in the Problem column on the next page, adding periods, question marks, and exclamation points where you think they should go. Check yourself with the Solution column as you go.

Rules for Using Periods

• Use a period after an initial and after every part of an abbreviation, unless the abbreviation has become anacronym-an abbreviation that is pronounced as a word, such as AIDS-or a widely recognized name (TV, FBI, NATO, NASA). Titles-Mr., Ms., Dr., and so on-are also abbreviations that take periods. If the abbreviation comes at the end of a sentence, only one period is needed.

Examples:

The tour leaves on Mon., Jan. 1, at 3 P.M.

The book was written by C. S. Lewis.

A. J. Mandelli researched brain function for the FBI.

•Use a period before a decimal and between dollars and cents.

Examples:

A gallon equals 3.875 liters.

The new textbook costs $54.75.

Only 5.6 percent of our consumers spend over $100.00 per month on our products.

•Use a period at the end of a sentence that makes a statement.

Examples:

Henry Kissinger served under two U. S. presidents.

Wilson will lecture in the forum after school today.

Many consider P. T. Barnum the best salesman ever to have walked the earth.

• Use a period at the end of a sentence that makes a request, gives an instruction, or states a command.

Examples:

Empty the kitchen trash before you take the garbage out.

Turn right at the first stop light, and then go to the second house on the left.

• Use a period at the end of a sentence that asks an indirect question.

Lesson 3-

Avoiding Faulty Sentences

Lesson Summary

This lesson will help you distinguish between complete sentences and faulty sentences so that you can avoid writing sentence fragments, run-on sentences and comma splices.

Begin your study of complete sentences by looking at the Problem paragraph that appears on the next page. Underline the groups of words that form complete sentences. See if you can distinguish them from the fragments, run-ons, and comma splices included in the paragraph. Then check your work against the Solution paragraph, also on the next page, where the complete sentences are underlined.

Problem

Solution

Just the other day I came home from work as excited as I had ever been. The night before someone from Publisher's Clearinghouse had called. To tell me that I would be receiving a prize package worth potentially millions of dollars. I was so excited because, unlike other offers, this really sounded legitimate, it sounded to me as though I might really win something this time. I hastily opened the mailbox. Hoping to find the promised envelope. There it was. Between the Life magazine and the Fingerhut catalog. The promised letter. When I finally finished reading the entire mailing. I realized my chances were really no better with this contest than they had been for any other contest I had entered in the past and I was disappointed that I had spent so much time reading all of the material then I threw it all in the recycling basket and went to bed. Dejected.

sua

Just the other day I came home from work as excited as I had ever been. The night before someone from Publisher's Clearinghouse had called. To tell me that I would be receiving a prize package worth potentially millions of dollars. I was so excited because, unlike other offers, this really sounded legitimate, it sounded to me as though I might really win something this time. I hastily opened the mailbox. Hoping to find the promised envelope. There it was. Between the Life magazine and the Fingerhut catalog. The promised letter. When I finally finished reading the entire mailing. I realized my chances were really no better with this contest than they had been for any other contest I had entered in the past and I was disappointed that I had spent so much time reading all of the material then I threw it all in the recycling basket and went to bed. Dejected.

Complete Sentences

1. It has a verb (a word or phrase that explains an action such as want, run, take, give, or a state of being, such as am, is, are, was, were, be). Many sentences have more than one verb. The verbs in the sentences below are highlighted for you.

Examples:

Bob and Alexandra both want a promotion. (action verb)

Yurika drafted a memo and sent it to the sales department. (action verbs)

Herbert and Tan are the chief operators in this department. (state of being verb)

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Lesson 4-

Commas and Sentence Parts

Lesson Summary

This lesson and the next one deal with commas. Today's lesson is about how commas relate to the parts of sentences, such as clauses and phrases.

During this lesson you will learn how to use commas in relationship to sentence parts. As you progress through this lesson, remember what you have learned about sentences and sentence faults in Lesson 3. Before you begin this lesson, see how much you already know about commas and sentence parts. Insert commas where you think they should be in the Problem version of the sentences that appear on the next page. Check yourself against the corrected version of the sentences in the Solution section that follows.

Lesson 13-

Using Pronouns

Lesson Summary

Pronouns are so often misused in speech that many people don't really know how to avoid pronoun errors in writing. This lesson shows you how to avoid the most common pronoun errors.

A pronoun is a word that is used in place of a noun. Pronouns that are misused call attention to themselves and detract from the message of a piece of writing. This lesson explains the basic principles of pronoun use and highlights the most common pronoun problems: agreement, case, noun-pronoun pairs, incomplete constructions, ambiguous pronoun references, and reflexive pronouns.

Pronouns and Antecedents

The noun represented by a pronoun is called its antecedent. The prefix ante means to come before. Usually, the antecedent comes before the pronoun in a sentence. In the following example sentences, the pronouns are italicized and the antecedents (the words they represent) are underlined.

The government workers received their paychecks.

Jane thought she saw the missing boy and reported him to the police.

The shift supervisor hates these accidents because he thinks they can be easily avoided.

Lesson 16-

Easily Confused Word Pairs

Lesson Summary

Threw or through? To, two, or too? Brake or break? This lesson and the next one review a host of words that are often confused with other words and show you when to use them.

This lesson covers some of the most commonly confused word pairs, those you are likely to use in your writing. If you learn to distinguish these words, you can avoid errors in your writing. These words are divided into three separate sections with practice exercises at the end of each section. The italicized words following some of the entries are synonyms, words that can be substituted in a sentence for the easily confused words.

Three-Way Confusion

Lead/Led/Lead

• Lead as a verb means guide, direct. As a noun, it means front position. It rhymes with seed.

• Led is a verb, the past tense of lead, meaning guided, directed. It rhymes with red.

• Lead is a noun that is the name of a metal. It rhymes with red.

Examples:

Geronimo led (guided) the small band to safety.

We hope the next elected officials will lead (guide) us to economic recovery.

Quite/Quit/Quiet

• Quite is an adverb meaning completely, very, entirely. It rhymes with fight.

• Quit is a verb meaning stop, cease or stopped, ceased. It rhymes with sit.

• Quiet as an adjective means calm, silent, noiseless. As a verb, it means soothe, calm. As a noun, it means tranquility, peacefulness. It almost rhymes with riot.

Example:

The firm was quite (very) surprised when its most productive investment specialist quit (stopped) work and opted for the quiet (calm) life of a monk.

Right/Write/Rite

• Right is an adjective meaning correct, proper, opposite of left.

• Write is a verb meaning record, inscribe.

• Rite is a noun meaning ceremony, ritual.

Example:

I will write (record) the exact procedures so you will be able to perform the rite (ceremony) in the right (proper) way.

Sent/Cent/Scent

• Sent is a verb, the past tense of send. It means dispatched, transmitted.

• Cent is a noun meaning one penny, a coin worth .01 of a dollar.

• Scent is a noun meaning odor, smell.

Example:

For a mere cent (penny) I bought an envelope perfumed with the scent (odor) of jasmine. I sent (dispatched) it to my grandmother.

Sight/Site/Cite

• Sight as a noun means ability to see. As a verb, it means see, spot.

• Site is a noun meaning location, position.

• Cite is a verb meaning quote, make reference to.

Example:

At ninety-five my grandmother's sight (ability to see) was acute enough to sight (spot) even the smallest error in a crocheted doily.

This is the proposed site (location) for the new building.

You must cite (make reference to) the source of your information.

Right/Write/Rite

• Right is an adjective meaning correct, proper, opposite of left.

• Write is a verb meaning record, inscribe.

• Rite is a noun meaning ceremony, ritual.

Example:

I will write (record) the exact procedures so you will be able to perform the rite (ceremony) in the right (proper) way.

Sent/Cent/Scent

• Sent is a verb, the past tense of send. It means dispatched, transmitted.

• Cent is a noun meaning one penny, a coin worth .01 of a dollar.

• Scent is a noun meaning odor, smell.

Example:

For a mere cent (penny) I bought an envelope perfumed with the scent (odor) of jasmine. I sent (dispatched) it to my grandmother.

Sight/Site/Cite

• Sight as a noun means ability to see. As a verb, it means see, spot.

• Site is a noun meaning location, position.

• Cite is a verb meaning quote, make reference to.

Example:

At ninety-five my grandmother's sight (ability to see) was acute enough to sight (spot) even the smallest error in a crocheted doily.

This is the proposed site (location) for the new building.

You must cite (make reference to) the source of your information.

Right/Write/Rite

• Right is an adjective meaning correct, proper, opposite of left.

• Write is a verb meaning record, inscribe.

• Rite is a noun meaning ceremony, ritual.

Example:

I will write (record) the exact procedures so you will be able to perform the rite (ceremony) in the right (proper) way.

Sent/Cent/Scent

• Sent is a verb, the past tense of send. It means dispatched, transmitted.

• Cent is a noun meaning one penny, a coin worth .01 of a dollar.

• Scent is a noun meaning odor, smell.

Example:

For a mere cent (penny) I bought an envelope perfumed with the scent (odor) of jasmine. I sent (dispatched) it to my grandmother.

Sight/Site/Cite

• Sight as a noun means ability to see. As a verb, it means see, spot.

• Site is a noun meaning location, position.

• Cite is a verb meaning quote, make reference to.

Example:

At ninety-five my grandmother's sight (ability to see) was acute enough to sight (spot) even the smallest error in a crocheted doily.

This is the proposed site (location) for the new building.

You must cite (make reference to) the source of your information.

Wordiness

Excess words in communication waste space and time. Not only that, but they may also distort the message or make it difficult for the reader to understand. Get in the habit of streamlining your writing, making the sentences as concise as possible. If you use five words where three would do, delete the extra words or structure your sentences to avoid them. See if you can rewrite the sentences in the first column to make them less wordy. Check yourself agains the version in the second column.

Wordy

Revised

It was a three-hour period after the accident when the rescue squad that we knew was going to help us arrived. [21 words]

The rescue squad arrived three hours after the accident. [9 words]

It was decided that the church would organize a committee for the purpose of conducting a search for a new pastor. [21 words]

The church organized a committee to search for a new pastor. [11 words]

The additional words in the first column add no information. All they do is take up space.

Buzzwords and Fluffy Modifiers

Buzzwords such as aspect, element, factor, scope, situation, type, kind, forms, and so on sound important, but add no meaning to a sentence. They often signal a writer who has little or nothing to say, yet wishes to sound important. Likewise, modifiers such as absolutely, definitely, really, very, important, significant, current, major, and quite may add length to a sentence, but they seldom add meaning.

Word

The nature of the scheduling system is a very important matter that can definitely have a really significant impact on the morale aspect of an employee's attitude. Aspects of our current scheduling policy make it absolutely necessary that we undergo a significant change.

Revised

The scheduling system can affect employee morale. Our policy needs to be changed.

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Appendix A-

How To Prepare for a Test

A standardized test is nothing to fear. Many people clutch and worry about a testing situation, but you're much better off taking that nervous energy and turning it into something positive that will help you do well on your test rather than inhibit your testing ability. The following pages include valuable tips for combating test anxiety, that sinking or blank feeling some people get as they begin a test or encounter a difficult question. Next, you will find valuable tips for using your time wisely and for avoiding errors in a testing situation. Finally, you will find a plan for preparing for the test, a plan for the test day, and a great suggestion for an after-test activity.

Combating Test Anxiety

Knowing what to expect and being prepared for it is the best defense against test anxiety, that worrisome feeling that keeps you from doing your best. Practice and preparation keeps you from succumbing to that feeling.

Nevertheless, even the brightest, most well-prepared test takers may suffer from occasional bouts of test anxiety. But don't worry; you can overcome it.

Take the Test One Question at a Time

Focus all of your attention on the one question you're answering. Block out any thoughts about questions you've already read or concerns about what's coming next. Concentrate your thinking where it will do the most good-on the question you're answering.