The engineers were draining the swamp.
     The scholarship ball has raised thousands of dollars.

             Fragment:  She carrying the baby in her arms.
             Complete:  She was carrying the baby in her arms.
      Agreement error:  The band practice on Thursday. 
              Correct:  The band will practice on Thursday.

     Stephanie can drive a tractor.
     He must return by midnight or face the consequences.
     Andrea should win the award for best actress.
     If you will cook the snails, I will eat them.

     Subject:  Hiking is my favorite sport.
      Object:  The French have perfected wine making.

           Noun:  To cry over a friend's death is not a sign of weakness.  
      Adjective:  When I go shopping, I make a list of things to buy.
         Adverb:  She stopped to buy some groceries.

         Gerund:  I love watching old science fiction movies.
     Infinitive:  I love to watch old science fiction movies.

         Gerund:  Ali forgot writing a check to the landlord.
     Infinitive:  Ali forgot to write a check to the landlord.

1.18   Keeping Verb Tenses Consistent

NOTE:

     I study Spanish two hours a day, but 
        I still have trouble passing tests
        that are given in that class.

     When I was in high school, I barely studied Spanish 
        two hours a week, yet I got good grades.

     However, learning Spanish will help me with the career
         I will pursue after graduation.

     I study Spanish two hours a day, but I still have trouble passing
     tests that are given in that class.  When I was in high school, 
     I barely studied Spanish two hours a week, yet I got good grades.  
     However, learning Spanish will help me with the career I
     will pursue after graduation.

CAUTION:

     I study Spanish two hours a day, but I stil

     Friends who spoke to Jake yesterday say now that he will arrive tomorrow.

     Not:  He is interested in stamp collecting ever since he was seventeen.
     But:  He has been interested in stamp collecting ever since he was seventeen.

      Not:  Before Columbus came to America, the Mayans built a remarkable
            civilization.
      But:  Before Columbus came to America, the Mayans had built a remarkable
            civilization.

Learning The Indicative, Imperative, Subjunctive And Conditional Verb Tense Moods

     How many people in this country have hay fever?
     Twenty-two million Americans suffer from this allergy.

         Command:  Close the door!
         Request:  Please pass the gravy.
      Directions:  Turn right at the traffic light.

      1. To express a wish or desire.
      2. To explain a demand, a request, or a suggestion.
      3. To make a statement that is contrary to fact.


                  Wish:  I wish I owned [not own] a Corvette.
                Demand:  The police demanded that the thief drop [not drops] the gun.
      Contrary to fact:  If Sam were [not was] patient, he would master the computer easily.

     If she had gone [not went], she would have enjoyed herself.
     If he had left [not left] earlier, he would have avoided traffic.

     If you work hard, you will succeed.
     If we do well this term, we will keep our scholarships.
     When a parolee commits a crime, he is returned to jail immediately.

     Conditional: If he exercises, he will lose weight.
     Subjunctive: If he were exercising, he would lose weight.

Learning The Active And Passive Verb Tense Voices

      Active:  Ramon wrote the letter.
     Passive:  The letter was written by Ramon.

     1.  It can make a sentence wordy.
     2.  It takes emphasis away from the subject and can 
         make a sentence awkward and hard to read.
     3.  It sometimes causes the writer to leave the real subject out.
     4.  It can cause sentence structure problems.

      Active: The small audience applauded the violinist.
     Passive: The violinist was applauded by the small audience.

      Active:  The small children ran into the house.
     Passive:  The house was run into by the small children.

      Active:  Governor Santiago approved funds for a new superhighway.
     Passive:  The funds for a new superhighway were approved.

     Problem:  Going down in the elevator, the verdict was discussed by the lawyers.
     Correct:  Going down in the elevator, the lawyers discussed the verdict.

NOTE:

     1. The action is more important than the doer of the action. 
     2. The doer of the action is unknown.

     Ann was elected to the Monroe City Council.

     The citizens of Monroe elected Ann to the City Council.

     Doors and windows had been left open; 
     books, clothing, and small items of furniture had been scattered
     across the room; and curtains, sheets, and blankets had been torn
     to shreds.

1.21   Learning Five Pronoun Types

     The students are from Korea. They came here in 1992.
     Africa is a large continent; it contains over 50 countries.

       Subjects       Objects
       I enrolled in Spanish I.
       Jacky praised me.
       You missed dinner.
       My mother likes you.
       He came late.

     My check came.
     The check is mine.  
     Your new car is here.
     The new car is yours.

     That and which refer to animals, objects, or ideas.
     Who, whoever, whom, and whomever refer to people.
     Whose can be used in all cases.

     The family enjoyed the pizza that Rinaldo cooked.
     She studied Buddhism, which is a major world religion.
     Andy spoke with students who had majored in history.
     The company whose employees were honored is Apex Lamp.

     any         everybody     nobody     some
     anybody     everyone      no one     somebody
     anyone      everything    no one     someone
     each        few

     Anybody can join the club.
     Angela told no one about the problem.
     Somebody turned off the light.

     that, this, those, these

     This is a time for reconciliation.
     That is a terrible reason to quit school.
     These are very trying times.

     I want to enjoy myself.
     The cat scared itself when it looked in the mirror.
     They give themselves no credit.

     I saw him take the money myself.
     Alice herself has competed in the Olympics.

CAUTION:

1.22   Using Correct Pronoun Case

     The students are from Korea. They came here in 1992.
     Africa is a large continent; it contains more than 50 countries. 

     personal, relative, indefinite, demonstrative, and reflexive.

          Personal:  She wanted to join the club.
                     They just don't get the point.

        Indefinite:  Everyone is here.
                     Anyone can join our team.

     Demonstrative:  That is my coat.
                     Those are Jeanine's parents.

     Not: Us students gave blood at Community Hospital.
     But: We students gave blood at Community Hospital.

     Angelo and me play basketball on Tuesdays.
     Marjorie and her went swimming.

     Angelo and I play basketball on Tuesdays.
     Marjorie and she went swimming.

     "It is I [not me]," Fino said as he rang the bell.
     It was they [not them] who taught us to love dogs.
     The winners were Dana and he [not him].

          Personal:  Mayor Rodriguez called me last night.
                     The Arangos invited us to dinner.

        Indefinite:  Peter saw no one on the lake.
                     Fran knows somebody who can speak Creole.

     Demonstrative:  "I know that," claimed Jamie.
                     Pointing to roses, he said: "I want these."

      Freddie challenged Angelo and I to a game.
      Evelyn called Sonia and she.

     Freddie challenged Angelo and me to a game.
     Evelyn called Sonia and her.

     My sister called to me [not I] across the field.
     Senator Mendoza spoke with them [not they] yesterday.

CAUTION:

     Not: Community Hospital asked we students to give blood.
     But: Community Hospital asked us students to give blood.

     My mother is a police officer.
     Our home has just been painted.
     Elaine and Bob loved their mother.
     The bill is hers.
     The fault is theirs.

     Everyone's right to vote is sacred.
     No one's children should go hungry.
     I hear somebody's dog barking every night.

     His [not him] snoring disturbed us.

CAUTION:

     Not: The dog lost it's leash.
     But: The dog lost its leash.

CAUTION:

        Not: There house was small.
        Not: They're house was small.

        But: Their house was small.

CAUTION:

     I am the person whose car you hit!
     Who's that knocking at my door?

1.23   Mastering Special Pronoun Problems

      She is a woman who has won many academic honors.
      The boy, whose bicycle had been stolen, ran home.
      China is a country that I have read much about.

     1. Who is a subject:       Who are you?
     2. Whom is an object:      Whom do you trust?
     3. Whose is possessive:    Whose socks are these?
     4. Whoever is a subject:   Whoever comes late doesn't eat.
     5. Whomever is an object:  Please invite whomever you want.

     Not: I met a man who's hair was blue.
     But: I met a man whose hair was blue.

     I met the woman who spoke to the class. 

                   BUT

      I met the woman whom Professor Jenkins invited to class.

     Not: I enjoy meeting students that were born in other countries.
     But: I enjoy meeting students who were born in other countries.

     Not: Joan is taller than me.
     But: Joan is taller than I.

     Not: The professors are as concerned as them.
     But: The professors are as concerned as they.

     He is taller than me [am?].
     My family is as concerned as them [are?].

     He is stronger than I [am].
     My family is as concerned as they [are].

     Not: The dogs barked louder at her than I.
     But: The dogs barked louder at her than me.

1.24   Making Pronouns Refer To Nouns

     Vague:  Americans are the most productive workers in the world,
             which is often forgotten.

     Clear:  Americans are the most productive workers in the world,
             a fact which is often forgotten.

      Unclear:  Jane was speaking with Flora when she learned
                she had been promoted.

        Clear:  Jane learned she had been promoted when she
                was speaking to Flora.

       Hidden:  Mexico's economy is expanding; their standard
                of living is rising.

        Clear: Mexico's economy is expanding; 
               the Mexicans' standard of living is rising.

     Vague:  As Jerry approached the car,
             it could be seen that his luggage had been stolen.

     Clear:  As Jerry approached the car,
             he could see that his luggage had been stolen.

     Vague:  They predict Stetson will win the election,
             but they are not always reliable.

     Clear:  The polls predict Stetson will win the election,
             but they are not always reliable.

1.25   Learning To Identify Adjective Types

     The bright yellow lights on the large suspension bridge 
     shone through a thick mist hanging over the tired city.

      Before a noun: The old man loved Spanish rice.
                     Many guests came late.


         Complement: The clouds were dark and threatening.
                     The novels they read were Russian.

     The science book lay on the library table
     as the chemistry major looked over her notes.

CAUTION:

     Not: She has worked in toys factories.
     But: She has worked in toy factories.

     jump  + eed   =  jumped
     lose  + t    =  lost
     break + en   =  broken
     roll  + ing  =  rolling

1.26   Learning To Place Adjectives In Sentences

     The bright yellow lights on the large suspension bridge 
     shone through a thick mist hanging over the tired city.

       Not: She wore a dress red.
       But: She wore a red dress.

       He got a standing ovation at his recital.
       They heard water dripping from the faucet.

      
     Not:  They passed a wooden red barn.
     But:  They passed a red wooden barn.


     Not:  She wore tennis white shoes.
     But:  She wore white tennis shoes.

      
     Not: They passed a red old barn.
     But: They passed an old red barn.

     Not: The green ancient vase broke when it fell.
     But: The ancient green vase broke when it fell.

      
     Not: They passed an old large barn.
     But: They passed a large old barn.

     Not: The new sleek convertible was wrecked.
     But: The sleek new convertible was wrecked.

      
     Not: They passed a little charming cottage.
     But: They passed a charming little cottage.

     Not: The sleek beautiful convertible was wrecked.
     But: The beautiful sleek convertible was wrecked.

      
     Not:  The Italian old painting has been sold.
     But:  The old Italian painting has been sold.

     Not:  We admired the church ancient steeple.
     But:  We admired the ancient church steeple.

      
      Not:  The old six Italian paintings have been sold.
      But:  The six old Italian paintings have been sold.

      Not:  The company used telephone 1-inch cable.
      But:  The company used 1-inch telephone cable.

1.27   Learning To Compare Adjectives In Sentences

     The bright yellow lights on the large suspension bridge
     shone through a thick mist hanging over the tired city.

     1. Add -er or -est to the basic form of the adjective.
     2. Use more/most, less/least.
     3. Change the spelling of the adjective.

      Basic form:  My sister is young.
     Comparative:  My sister is younger than I.
     Superlative:  My sister is the youngest of three children.

CAUTION:

     Basic      Comparative      Superlative 
     tall       taller           tallest
     cold       colder           coldest
     loud       louder           loudest
     funny      funnier          funniest
     heavy      heavier          heaviest

     Basic        Comparative       Superlative
     powerful     more powerful     most powerful
     difficult    more difficult    most difficult
     expensive    less expensive    least expensive

         Not:  She was the brighter woman on campus.
               She was the brightest of the two women.

         But:  She was the brighter of the two women.
               She was the brightest woman on campus.

         Not:  He was the most talented of the two actors.
               He was the more talented actor in the company.

         But:  He was the more talented of the two actors.
               He was the most talented actor in the company.

         Not:  more brighter/most brightest

         But:  brighter/brightest

          Or:  more bright/most bright.

         Not: I do more better at math than she.

         But: I do better at math than she.

         Not:  dangerous, dangerouser, dangerousest

         But:  dangerous, more dangerous, most dangerous

1.28   Learning To Use Participles In Sentences

        Present      Past      Present Participle   Past  Participle
        bring        brought   bringing             brought
        catch        caught    catching             caught
        cling        clung     clinging             clung
        come         came      coming               come
        dig          dug       digging              dug
        do           did       doing                done
        feel         felt      feeling              felt
        fly          flew      flying               flown
        get          got       getting              got, gotten
        go           went      going                gone
        hold         held      holding              held
        hurt         hurt      hurting              hurt
        keep         kept      keeping              kept
        lead         led       leading              led
        make         made      making               made
        meet         met       meeting              met
        ride         rode      riding               ridden
        run          ran       running              run
        see          saw       seeing               seen
        send         sent      sending              sent
        sit          sat       sitting              sat
        speak        spoke     speaking             spoken
        steal        stole     stealing             stolen
        sting        stung     stinging             stung
        teach        taught    teaching             taught
        tear         tore      tearing              torn
        throw        threw     throwing             thrown
        win          won       winning              won
        write        wrote     writing              written

     The boy found his parents in a forgiving mood.
     The driving rain entered the house.

     Forgiven, the boy ran to his parents.
     The rain, driven by strong winds, entered the house.

CAUTION:

     Not: She bought a use car.

     But: She bought a used car.

CAUTION:

     Not: They ordered ice tea.

     But:  They ordered iced tea.

1.29   Learning To Use Adverbs In Sentences

     Not: She spoke soft and tender.
     But: She spoke softly and tenderly.

     Not: I don't feel good, for my stomach hurts bad.
     But: I don't feel well, for my stomach hurts badly.

          Adverb:  Sam works quickly.
     Comparative:  Sam works more quickly than I.
     Superlative:  Of everyone in our class, Sam works most quickly.

     Adverb           Comparative              Superlative
     quickly          more quickly             most quickly
     lively           less lively              least lively

      Adverb        Comparative             Superlative
      fast          faster                  fastest
      often         less often              least often

1.30   Avoiding Sexist Language In Sentences

      
      Sexist: Everyone should cast his vote on election day.
     Revised: Everyone should cast his or her vote on election day.
     Revised: Everyone should vote on election day.

NOTE:

      
      Sexist: Each employee reports to his supervisor.
     Revised: Each employee reports to a supervisor.

     
      Sexist: A student should communicate with his professor.
     Revised: Students should communicate with their professors.

CAUTION:

      
      Sexist: A student must show his identification card at the library.
     Revised: A student must show his or her identification card at the library.
     Revised: A student must show an identification card at the library.
     Revised: Students must show their identification cards at the library.

CAUTION:

     
      Sexist: A nurse must regularly update her skills.
     Revised: Nurses must regularly update their skills.

1.31   Including Necessary Words

     Incomplete: Soon after I eaten at that restaurant, 
                 I began to throw bits of spoiled meat.
      
       Complete: Soon after I had eaten at that restaurant,
                 I began to throw up bits of spoiled meat.

     Incomplete: Mozart has and always will be considered a musical genius.
       Complete: Mozart has been and always will be considered a musical genius.

     Not:  The psychologist told the audience children need both love and discipline.
     But:  The psychologist told the audience that children need both love and discipline.

    Not: The mountains of Switzerland are older than Colorado.
    But: The mountains of Switzerland are older than those of Colorado.

     Not: A Ferrari is more expensive than most cars.
     But: A Ferrari is more expensive than most other cars.

     Not: Juan's hometown is not large as Mexico City.
     But: Juan's hometown is not as large as Mexico City.

     Not: This winter hasn't been that cold, but it has been snowy.
     But: This winter hasn't been very cold, but it has been snowy.

1.32   Using Appropriate Tone

     
      Slang: When the dude split, he left the chick with a kid and no bread.
     Formal: When the man left, he abandoned the woman with a child and no money.

       Jargon: After booting up the computer and activating the printer, 
               Arnie made hard copies of his business correspondence.

     Familiar:  After turning on the computer and the printer, 
                Arnie printed his business letters.

     Colloquial: I found the puppy sleeping back of the couch.
         Formal: I found the puppy sleeping behind the couch.

     Not: We are angry at our landlord.
     But: We are angry with our landlord.

   NOT                                      BUT
   afraid on                                afraid of
   Agree to (an opinion)                    agree with (an opinion)
   angry on                                 angry at (a situation)
                                            angry with (a person)
   arrive to (a place)                      arrive at/in (a place)
   at peace in (oneself)                    at peace with (oneself)
   comply to                                comply with
   conform on (a rule)                      conform to (a rule)
   contend against                          contend with
   get on (a car)                           get in (a car)

   get in (a plane, boat, bus, train)       get on (a plane, boat, bus, train)
   depend in                                depend on
   die with (a disease)                     die of/from (a disease)
   different than                           different from
   equal with                               equal to
   frightened of                            frightened by

   impatient at (a person)                  impatient with (a person)
   inferior than                            inferior to
   listen on/at                             listen to
   live in (a street)                       live on (a street)
   live in (an address)                     live at (an address)
   live at (a city)                         live in (a city)
   look to (a picture)                      look at (a picture)
   married with (someone)                   married to (someone)
   park on (a driveway)                     park in (a driveway)
   park in (the street)                     park on (the street)
   partake in                               partake of
   participate on                           participate in
   prior than                               prior to
   report in                                report on
   superior than                            superior to
   tired with                               tired of
   wait for (a customer)                    wait on (a customer)
   wait on (a letter)                       wait for (a letter)

1.33   Avoiding Clichés

     She baked a cake that was as light as a ______.
     Jason's remark was right on ______.
     Janice, you have hit the nail_____ ____ _____.
     After being crushed, the can lay flat as a __________.

      She baked a cake that was as light as a feather.
      Jason's remark was right on target.
      Janice, you have hit the nail on the head.
      After being crushed, the can lay flat as a pancake.

1.34   Using The Correct Word

     Incorrect: We don't live their anymore. Another words, we moved.
       Correct: We don't live there anymore. In other words, we moved.

           accept
           The community college will accept any applicant who has a high school diploma.


           except
           My nephew likes all vegetables except broccoli.

           advice
           The value of good advice is not immediately recognized.

           advise
           The faculty member advised the student to drop the course.


           affect
           Automobile emissions affect the earth's atmosphere.

           effect
           The effects of global warming are difficult to measure.

           all right
           The children were all right.

           alright
           This word does not exist.

           alot
           This word does not exist.

           a lot
           A lot of fans began shouting when the concert was delayed.

           allot
           The manager allotted the parking spaces according to seniority.

           altogether
           The dancer was altogether brilliant in her performance.

           all together
           The campaign workers were all together at the rally.

           among
           Among the candidates, he was the most popular.

           another words
           This form does not exist. (See in other words.)

           between
           Dan's choice was between dropping out of college and finishing the semester.

           anymore
           Barry does not work at that restaurant anymore.

           any more
           Mia ate two pancakes and didn't want any more.

           are
           Before you leave this evening, check to see if the our hour
           hours are posted on next week's schedule.

           axe ask
           The first is a tool; the second means "to request."
           Do not confuse them.

           axe
           The axe is missing its handle. 

          ask
           Don't ever be afraid to ask the teacher a question.


           beyond
           Giselle's beauty is beyond comparison.

          be on
           It's wise to be on time for job interviews.

          brake
          The sign warned drivers to brake.

          break
          The bartender washed the glasses carefully in order not to break them.

          breath
          After running, Jamal was out of breath.

          breathe
          The scuba instructor showed us how to breathe under water.

          choose
          If you choose to study electronics, you must take several math courses. [present tense]

          chose
          Mary Beth chose to spend last weekend at the ocean. [past tense]

          cite
          In reports, one must cite all research.

          sight
          The cabin came into sight.

          site
          A construction site is full of hazards.

          cloths
          Soft cloths work best for polishing a car.

          clothes
          Al spends Saturday mornings washing clothes.

          complement
          His flowered tie does not complement his checkered jacket.

          compliment
          He complimented us on our performance.

          could of
          This form does not exist.

          could have
          Tim could have been a manager.

          desert
          Few animals can survive in the desert as well as the camel.

          dessert
          You can have ice cream for dessert.

          genes
          Your physical characteristics are passed on to you by your parents through their genes.

          jeans
          I ripped my favorite pair of jeans.

          hang
          She wants to hang the pictures in the den.

          hung
          The sail hung loosely when the wind died.

          heros
          We always have heros for dinner on Mondays.

         heroes
         Children often think of athletes as heroes.

         in other words
         In other words, the choice is not as easy as it appears to be.

         irregardless
         This word does not exist.

        regardless
         They decided to buy a new car regardless of the cost.

        its'
         This form does not exist.

        its
        The college will hold its graduation Thursday.

        it's
        Since storm clouds are rolling in, it's likely to rain before evening.

        knew
        Ramona knew the secret password.

        new
        The new equipment will allow surgeons to perform the operation in less time.

        know
        His brother asked, "Do you know him?"   "No", he replied.


        now
        The judges will now announce the winners of the contest.

        lead
        The mayor will lead the marchers downtown.

        lead
        Many older buildings are contaminated with lead paint.

        led
        The performer led the audience in a sing-along.

        loose
        Amy prefers loose clothing when it is humid.

        lose
        I predict the team will lose on Saturday.

        maybe
        Maybe he will win the lottery.

        may be
        The tests may be inaccurate, but the doctors are still worried.

        passed
        With help from a tutor, he passed the exam.

        past
        Alexis didn't consider her husband's past before she married him.

        principal
        The principal closed the school at noon.

        principal
        Dehydration is the principal cause of heat stroke.

        principle
        Religious principles are important to many people throughout the world.

        should of
        This form does not exist.

        should have
        Sharon should have come home earlier.

        stationary
        The table is stationary; it can't be moved.

        stationery
        She wrote the letter on expensive stationery.

        than
        Jodi and Bill arrived earlier than the other ticket buyers.

        then
         Read the instructions; then assemble the bicycle.

        their
         Their house is on the corner.

        there
        Stand there if you want to see the president.

        they're
        They're too tired to stay awake.

        to
        To vote, you have to register at city hall.

        too
        Since the classroom was too cold, the professor canceled the lecture.

        two
        The two of them decided to attend the reception.

        try to
        Bob's mother should try to understand his problem.

        try and
        Avoid using this form; it is wordy.

        whose
        Whose car are we taking to the dance?

        who's
        Who's going to the dance with Brandy?

        would of
        This form does not exist.

        would have
        Walt would have canceled his appointment.

        your
        Your purse was found in the college center.

        you're
        You're lucky that your money was not stolen.

1.35   Learning End Punctuation With Four Sentence Types

     I think the mayor is doing a good job.
     The Civil War ended in 1865.

NOTE:

      
     Fred's job interview is scheduled for 10:00 a.m.

     Can anything else go wrong?
     If he wins, will he share the prize with you?

CAUTION:

     Not: I asked if they were coming?
     But: I asked if they were coming.

     Get out of my house!
     Please leave the door open.
     Turn left on Maple Street and continue for a mile.

     The victim cried, "I've been shot!"

NOTE:

     1.  Place periods inside quotation marks.
     2.  Place question marks and exclamation points inside or outside 
         quotation marks depending on the sentence's meaning.

     According to Booker T. Washington, "No race can prosper until 
     it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem."

     Inside: He asked me, "Where's my change?"

     Outside: Did he call me "a penny-pinching miser"?

     Why would he ask a stupid question like"
     Why did Marya dye her hair blue?"

      Inside: According to Gina, Elaine "is absolutely perfect!"

     Outside: Stop calling me "irritable and impatient"!

1.36   Using Commas In Compound Sentences

      subject                    verb
      English                    is a Germanic language, but  
      Irish                      comes from Celtic.

      Arabic and Hebrew          are related, for
      they                       are Semitic tongues.

      subject                    verb
      Andi                       has been to Brazil, so
      she                        knows some Portuguese.

      Jerry                      can speak ancient Greek, yet
      he                         rarely does.

     When my father was young, he listened to opera, and 
     he began to learn Italian, at least the kind used on stage.

1.37   Using Commas After Introductory Elements

     Phrase: In fact, all of my money was stolen.
       Word: Fortunately, I was carrying only two dollars at the time.

     1. Begin sentences
     2. Introduce main clauses

    
     Element:  beginning of a sentence, before a main clause.
      Phrase:  Group of words without a subject or predicate (verb).

     clause:  (verb) that does not express a complete idea.

       
      clause:  (verb) that expresses a complete idea.
               It is the heart of a sentence.

               Interjection: Heck, I hate mud-wrestling!
                 Transition: Nonetheless, I'll go with you if Jan comes too.
     Name in direct address: Jan, do you want to see a mud-wrestling match?
                     Yes/no: No, I'd rather stay home and sort my socks.

     Having been in the hot tub much too long, Bruce began to turn red.

     Before long, he resembled a boiled lobster.

     When Bruce got back into the house, he noticed that his
     family was melting lots and lots of butter.

1.38   Using Commas To Separate Items In A Series

     Not: Children feared the man who wore the red hat, and the funny suit.
     But: Children feared the man who wore the red hat and the funny suit.

          Nouns: Tibet, Japan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal are countries in Asia.
     Adjectives: A cold, rainy, windy day is no time to go camping in
                 the Andes Mountains.
        Adverbs: The pilgrims moved toward Mecca slowly, carefully, and
                 devoutly.

     Prepositional:  Lincoln wrote that "the government of the people,
                     by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth."

        Infinitive:  To be free, to care for children, and to worship God 
                     are my mother's priorities.

       Participial:  Running barefoot over rocks, climbing over barbed
                     wire, and forging a stream, the young slave finally escaped.

     Independent clauses:  For the most part, Mexicans speak Spanish, Brazilians speak Portuguese, 
                           and Haitians speak French.

       Dependent clauses:  Many problems remained between North and South 
                           after the last shot of the Civil War was fired,
                           after Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox, 
                           and after Lincoln was assassinated.

     Phyllis has lived in Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.

                             OR

     Phyllis has lived in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.

1.39   Using Commas Around Nonrestrictive Modifiers And Sentence Interrupters

     Nonrestrictive: Sally Franks, who learned to drive at thirteen,
                     is a mechanic at Ted's Garage.

        Restrictive: The woman who is a mechanic at Ted's Garage 
                     learned to drive at thirteen.

     Students, who can use campus services free of charge, 
     must show their IDs before entering the library.

     Students must show their IDs before entering the library.

     He was given all that money, we think, by his aunt.
     The basement door, claims my father, was forced open.

2.1   Using Commas Between Coordinate Adjectives

     An old, red barn sat on the hill.

     The old high school was torn down.

2.2   Using Commas In Dates, Addresses, Numbers, Names, Titles And Degrees

     July 4, 1776
     Thursday, March 31, 1939

CAUTION:

     Not: July, 1776<
     But: July 1776

     Bertrand Bong lives at 10 Willow Drive, Eugene, Idaho.

     They have lived in Seattle, Washington, and several other large American cities.

     They paid $95,000 for their house.
     Her wedding dress cost $1,000.

 
       Names:  James Jameson, Jr.
               Paul Bunyan, Sr.

      Titles:  Molly Malone, Esq.
               Sally Smart, C.P.A.

     Degrees:  Phyllis Osophie, Ph.D.
               Denise Dentum, D.D.S.

NOTE:

     Steve Smith, M.D., graduated from Duke University.

2.3   Using Commas For Special Purposes

     1.  To set off direct quotations
     2.  To take the place of some words
     3.  To help make a sentence clearer

     According to Shakespeare, "Crabbed age and youth cannot live together."
     "Praise be to Allah, the lord of creation," said Muhammad.

     "Who was president of the Confederacy?" Jo asked.
     "Don't trust him!" she screamed.
     "He's not one of us."

     The dog was frightened, tired, and hungry.

                         OR

     The dog was frightened, tired, hungry.

     He was hardworking, not brilliant.

  
     Not: Whenever he cooked the cat climbed onto the counter.
     But: Whenever he cooked, the cat climbed onto the counter.

     Not: After Minerva left her husband turned on the game.
     But: After Minerva left, her husband turned on the game.

2.4   Learning When Not To Use A Comma

     Not:  A bird with large, red wings and a bright yellow tail, 
           perched on my window.

     But:  A bird with large, red wings and a bright yellow tail 
           perched on my window.

CAUTION:

                   verb   direct object
     Not: I dearly love, artichoke hearts.
     But: I dearly love artichoke hearts.

     Not: The weather has been, cold and rainy.
     But: The weather has been cold and rainy.

    
      Not: The prisoner escaped by climbing a ten-foot, ivy-covered, wall.
      But: The prisoner escaped by climbing a ten-foot, ivy-covered wall.

    
     Not: Professor Mendez teaches both French, and Spanish.
     But: Professor Mendez teaches both French and Spanish.

     Not: On New Year's Eve, we prefer to stay home, or to visit Uncle Oswald.
     But: On New Year's Eve, we prefer to stay home or to visit Uncle Oswald.

     Not: She often goes to Rio, because she has family there.
     But: She often goes to Rio because she has family there.

NOTE:

     People lost in the cave began to shout, 
     hoping that someone on the outside would hear them.

2.5   Learning Three Uses for the Semicolon

       
     Guadeloupe is in the Leeward Islands; Guatemala is in Central America.
     Woodrow Wilson was the 28th president of the United States;
     he followed William Howard Taft.

NOTE:

       Conjunctive adverb:  It's a good thing Columbus came to America; 
                            otherwise, the Italians would never have learned about the tomato.

     Transitional phrase:  People before Columbus knew the world wasn't flat; in fact,
                           Eratosthenes accurately measured the earth's circumference 
                           in the third century B.C.

NOTE:

     Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204) was the daughter of William X, Duke of Aquitaine;
     the wife of Louis VII, King of France; and later the wife of Henry of Normandy,
     who became Henry II of England.

     (1) the daughter of . . . ; 
     (2) the wife of . . . ; 
     (3) later the wife of . . . .

2.6   Learning Four Uses For The Colon

     Stephen King has been busy: he has written over 27 novels since 1974.

     Only one president was not elected by popular vote:
     George Washington.

     Alaska is rich in several natural resources: oil, gold, copper, and uranium.

     
     The prisoner pleaded with his accusers: "I am innocent.
     Innocent, I tell you!"

CAUTION:

     Not: Pope wrote that: "to err is human."
     But: Pope wrote that "to err is human."

     1. In the salutation of a business letter:
        Dear Professor Johnson:

     2. To separate hours and minutes:
        10:55 a.m.

     3.  Before a subtitle:
         Thomas More: A Biography

     Direct Object:
               Not: She bought: a saw, a hammer, and a drill.
               But: She bought a saw, a hammer, and a drill.

        Complement:
               Not: He is: a good speller but a bad typist.
               But: He is a good speller but a bad typist.

2.7   Learning To Use Quotation Marks

     "We don't know a millionth of one percent about anything,
     "said Thomas Alva Edison.

     "Toots Shor's restaurant," claims Yogi Berra, 
     "is so crowded nobody goes there anymore."

NOTE:

     1. Commas and periods appear inside quotation marks.
     2. Colons and semicolons appear outside quotation marks.

     When I asked what he wanted, he calmly said, "Money."
     "He who hesitates is not only lost but miles away from the nearest exit
     "; now that's the kind of line stand-up comics dream about.

CAUTION:

     Not: She said that "she was going to the party."
     But: She said that she was going to the party.

     1. With quotations within quotations
     2. Around titles

     Benita said, "I told Julio, 'Don't swing on that branch,
    'but he ignored me and told me to 'get lost.'"

      B. R. Jerman's article, "Browning's Witless Duke," 
      is about Robert Browning's poem "My Last Duchess."

      The story "Guests of the Nation" is set in Ireland.

      Gershwin's "Summertime" and "I Got Rhythm"
      are classics of American song.

      "Who Shot J.R.?" was the most watched episode of Dallas.

2.8   Learning To Use A Dash And Parentheses

     1. Set off material that needs emphasis.
     2. Help clarify an idea.
     3. Separate a list from an independent clause at the beginning 
        or end of a sentence.

     George Bush became the first incumbent vice president-- since 1836--to
     win election to the presidency.

     In 1989, President Bush responded effectively to the upheaval in
     Eastern Europe--by offering economic aid to Hungary, Poland, and
     Czechoslovakia and by lending his support to the reunification 
     of Germany.

NOTE:

     The strengthening of the Western alliance, the Persian Gulf War, 
     and the signing of several arms reduction treaties with the Soviet 
     Union--these were the great successes of President Bush's foreign policy.

NOTE:

     1. Set off an explanatory sentence within a sentence.

     2. Set off words that specify.

     3. Enclose brief definitions.

     4. Enclose numbers or letters that mark items in a list.

NOTE:

     Ishmael (he is the speaker in Melville's Moby Dick) takes his name 
     from a Biblical character who was cast into the desert.
    
     Istanbul (it used to be called Constantinople) is on the Bosphorus.

     Five countries (Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti) border Ethiopia.

     Embalming (the preservation of a corpse through chemical treatment) was
     practiced by the Egyptians.

     Before becoming president, George Bush was 
     (1) a member of the House of Representatives, 
     (2) U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, 
     (3) chief liaison officer to China, 
     (4) director of the CIA, and 
     (5) vice president.

2.9   Mastering the Apostrophe

     the child's toy the film's star<
     the teacher's desk the store's prices
     the city's drug problem
     the dog's tail

     a night's sleep, two months' pay.

     The world's largest lake is the Caspian Sea.

     Monrovia, Liberia's capital, was named after U.S. President James Monroe.

     The bus's door jammed.
     Jazz's origins go back to Afro-American spirituals.

CAUTION:

     Xerxes' army fought the Greeks.

     The sisters' taste in clothes were very different.
     The council debated the citizens' petition.

     Groucho, Chico, and Harpo's films are still funny.

     Boston's and San Francisco's waterfronts are interesting, 
     but I prefer Seattle's.

     She will graduate with the class of '99.
     Because it's raining, we can't go to the park.

CAUTION:

     Not: My mother-in-laws home
     Not: My mother's-in-law home

     But: My mother-in-law's home

     Bartenders check people's ID's before serving them.
     Syed received three A's and two B's as final grades.
     Carmen hit two 777's in a row on the slot machine.

     Not: Hitler planned to conquer the nation's of Europe.
     But: Hitler planned to conquer the nations of Europe.

     Not: Under Hitler, Germany sought it's place in the sun.
     But: Under Hitler, Germany sought its place in the sun.

     (1)  Gathering information is the first and perhaps the most important step;

     (2)  Drafting the gathered information;

     (3)  Editing the information; and

     (4)  Proofreading the information.

     (1)  listing, 
     (2)  focused free writing,
     (3)  brainstorming,
     (4)  summarizing, and
     (5)  interviewing.

     (1) listing,
     (2) focused, free writing, and
     (3) brainstorming:

     My right leg had gone numb. For a moment I panicked and began to fear that I had
     lost it.

     I was disoreented, didn't remember where I was going.
     Felt like vommiting. For a minute, I had trouble keeping my balance,
     my head spining and I triped over the curb and fell
     on some wet grass Was car about to exlode? Had I broken my leg? 
     I thought about my parents, their reactions to all this.

     What happened?  The police came.  Heard their sirens screeching and 
     the ambulance arrive--remembered brother.  Was he out of the car? 
     Where was he?  How did I get here?  Where is here?  My legs and arms 
     hurt--sharp, stabbin pains--head pounds.  The Camaro was sandwiched 
     between the light pole and the car that I hit (that hit me?) I 
     became really worried about my leg.  My head hurt badly, the bruises 
     on my face and elbows burned, and my head pounded. No feeling in my leg.
     Is it there?  Gas.  Three of the wheels are off the ground and spinning.

     Glass tears through my coat an rips into my forarm. Gas stinks. There's glass across
     the street, gasoline leaking everywhere, antifreeze Will this car explode?  The crunch
     of steel and the two loud thuds still cho in my head.

     1. Prepare for your interview carefully.
        Think of questions that will draw useful information 
        from the person(s) you're interviewing.

     2. Ask questions like those used by journalists:
        Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How?

     3. Schedule interviews ahead of time, and announce your subject 
        when you make an appointment.

     4. Consider giving the person you are interviewing a written copy 
        of questions you will ask so that he or she can prepare for the 
        interview and make it more worthwhile.

               Card catalog: An alphabetical listing of books.  Most libraries have
                             computerized their card catalogs to save space and make 
                             searching for a book easier.

     Indexes to periodicals: Listings of journal, magazine, and newspaper articles. 
                             Some are general, but many refer to periodicals in specific 
                             fields of study.

            Reference books: General and specific dictionaries, encyclopedias, and
                             other reference tools in the library's reference room.

       Electronic databases: Lists of books, articles, and other literature stored on computers.

Essay and General Literature Index: Lists articles relating to the 
                                    humanities and social sciences.
                  Humanities Index: Lists articles in archaeology, classics, language, literature, 
                                    history, philosophy, religion, the performing
                                    arts, and folklore, arranged by author and subject.
          The New York Times Index: Lists stories appearing in that paper. 
                                    It includes short abstracts (summaries).
           Psychological Abstracts: Summarizes articles in psychology published in a given year.
             Social Sciences Index: Lists articles in anthropology, criminology, economics,
                                    law, political science, psychology, and
                                    sociology.

     Applied Science and Technology Index
     Art Index 
     Engineer Index                                                                                  
     Film Index
     Literature Index
     Biography Index
     Guide to Nursing and Allied Health
     Business Periodicals Index
     Education Index

     1. Incorporate summarized or paraphrased material.
     2. Introduce a direct quotation with the author's last name.
     3. Introduce a direct quotation without mentioning the author's last name
        in the text of your paper.
     4. Use a direct quotation as part of your own sentence.
     5. Use a long quotation.
     6. Use material from sources for which no author is given.