THE+RULES


 * THE RULES**

//i// before //e// except after //c// or when sounded as //ay// as in neighbor and weigh. //Relieve, sieve, niece, believe, fierce---receive, sleigh, eight, deceive, freight// Exceptions: //seize, either, weird, height, foreign, leisure//
 * Week I, a spelling rule**

Place titles of short works (newspaper and magazine articles, short poems, short stories, songs, episodes of TV programs, chapters of books) in quotation marks. Underline or //italicize// titles of books, plays, films, names of magazines and newspapers. Do not underline or place in quotation marks books of the Bible or the word Bible, the titles of legal documents, or the titles of your own papers.
 * Week 2, a punctuation rule (long works--long line; short works--short line)**

Use a comma before a coordinate conjunction (and, or, but, nor, so, for, yet) in a compound sentence. The comma tells the reader that the first complete thought has come to an end and that another is about to begin. //I like all kinds of fruit, but raspberries are my favorite.// Exception: Very short clauses require no comma. //I sang and he danced.//
 * Week 3, a comma rule for compound sentences**

//Lie// means “to recline or rest on a surface.” It cannot take an object (intransitive). //Lay// means “to put or place.” It can take an object (transitive).
 * Week 4, lie and lay**

Principal parts: //lie, lay, lain lay, laid, laid//

//I want to lie on the sofa for a while. Lay the newspaper on the coffee table.//

Use a comma after a introductory word group unless it is very short. This will apply to all of the sentence beginnings we will learn.
 * Week 8, comma rule**

Use commas to set off non-restrictive elements. Word groups describing nouns and pronouns (adjective clauses, adjective phrases, and appositives) are restrictive (essential to full understanding of the sentence) or non-restrictive (not essential). Restrictive elements are NOT set off by commas, non-restrictive elements must be. Hint: Clauses that begin with //that// are restrictive; clauses that begin with //which// are non-restrictive. //For camp the kids needed clothes that were washable.// (The kids don’t need just any clothes; they need washable ones—thus, restrictive.) //For camp the kids needed sturdy boots, which were expensive.// (The kids need sturdy boots, which are costly, but that information isn’t necessary to the meaning of the independent clause.)
 * Week 9, comma rule**

Use a comma between all items in a list. These items may be words, phrases, or clauses. //Please bring me a brush, a flea comb, dog shampoo, and plenty of towels.// //She drove through New York City, over the George Washington Bridge, and into New Jersey.//
 * Week 10, comma rule**

//**Semester II**//

Use //I, he, she, we,// and //they// as subjects, even when linked by //and// to another subject. Use //me, him, her, us, and them,// as objects, even when linked by //and// to another object. //She and I like him and her.// **NEVER** //Him and me are going to a movie with she and Dan.//
 * Week 1**

Use //amount// for things that cannot be counted, //number// with those that can. Use //less// with amounts that can be measured, but not counted. Use //fewer// with items that cannot be counted. //This recipe calls for a large amount of sugar and a large number of eggs.// //I have less flour and fewer cartons of milk than I need.//
 * Week 3**

//This recipe calls for a large amount of sugar and a large number of eggs.// //I have less flour and fewer cartons of milk than I need.//

Use a comma between multiple adjectives that can be joined by //and// or scrambled. If //and// cannot be inserted, or if the order cannot be altered, no comma is used. //Sarah is an intelligent, attractive, funny woman.// //Three large white clouds floated in the azure sky.//
 * Week 4**

Use commas with expressions such as //he said// used to set off quotations. //“I fall upon thorns of life. I bleed,” wrote Shelley.// //“When I come home,” promised Dad, “I will bring you a surprise.”//
 * Week 6**

//** Week 7 **//

//Who// must be a subject; //whom// must be an object. //Who are you? Whom did you see?//


 * Week 8**

Sound-alikes

//its –// belonging to it //their –// belonging to them //it’s –// contraction for it is //they’re –// contraction for they are //there --// adv, in that place

//It’s time for the lion to have its supper.// //There is no way that they’re going to accept their responsibility in this situation.//


 * Spelling Rules**

1//. i// before //e// except after //c// or when sounded as //ay// as in neighbor and weigh. //Relieve, sieve, niece, believe, fierce---receive, sleigh, eight, deceive, freight// Exceptions: //seize, either, weird, height, foreign, leisure//

2. When making nouns plural, words ending in //y// ordinarily change //y// to //i// and add //–es// when the //y// is preceded by a consonant. Use the same rule for adding -//s// or //–ed// to verbs

3. Generally, drop the final silent //e// when adding a suffix that begins with a vowel. Keep the //e// if the suffix begins with a consonant.

4. If a final consonant is preceded by a single vowel **AND** the consonant ends a one-syllable word or a stressed syllable, double the consonant when adding a suffix beginning with a vowel.

5. commonly misspelled words: **//beginning//** **//a lot Shakespeare//**


 * Usage Rules**

6. Sound-alikes

//its –// belonging to it //their –// belonging to them //it’s –// contraction for it is //they’re –// contraction for they are //there --// adv, in that place

//It’s time for the lion to have its supper.// //There is no way that they’re going to accept their responsibility in this situation.//

7. //accept –// to receive //loose –// adj, not securely fastened //except –// result //lose –// v, to misplace or not to win

//affect –// v, to exert an influence //effect –// n, result

//I will accept all the papers except this one.// //The dog’s collar is too loose; if you don’t tighten it, he may lose it.// //His speech affected me greatly. The effect was that I voted for him in the election.//

8. Use //amount// for things that cannot be counted, //number// with those that can. Use //less// with amounts that can be measured, but not counted. Use //fewer// with items that cannot be counted.

//This recipe calls for a large amount of sugar and a large number of eggs.// //I have less flour and fewer cartons of milk than I need.//

9. //Lie// means “to recline or rest on a surface.” It cannot take an object (intransitive). //Lay// means “to put or place.” It can take an object (transitive).

Principal parts: //lie, lay, lain lay, laid, laid//

//I want to lie on the sofa for a while. Lay the newspaper on the coffee table.//

10. //Sit// means “to be seated.” It cannot take an object (intransitive). //Set// means “to put or place.” It can take an object (transitive). //Rise// means “to go upward.” It cannot take an object (intransitive). //Raise// means “to cause to move upward.” It can take an object (transitive).

//I want to sit in that recliner. You should set the clean dishes on the counter.// //Just as the sun was rising, the soldiers raised the flag in Tiananmen Square.//

11. Use //bring// when an object is being transported toward you. Use //take// when an object is being transported away from you.

//Bring me your homework, and then please take this note to Mr. McDonald.//

12. Place titles of short works (newspaper and magazine articles, short poems, short stories, songs, episodes of TV programs, chapters of books) in quotation marks. Underline or //italicize// titles of books, plays, films, names of magazines and newspapers. Don not underline or place in quotation marks books of the Bible or the word Bible, the titles of legal documents, or the titles of your own papers.


 * Sentence Rules**

13. **AVOID COMMA SPLICES AND FUSED (RUN-ON) SENTENCES!!!!!!!!** A comma splice is two complete sentences separated only by a comma. //Joe is in the army, Phil serves in the navy.// To correct: Add a coordinate conjunction or change the comma to a period. You may also use (infrequently) a semi-colon or change the construction. //Although Joe is in the army, Phil serves in the navy.// Sometimes two sentences are joined without any punctuation at all (fused or run-on). The correction methods are the same as for comma splices.

14. **AVOID SENTENCE FRAGMENTS!!!!!!!!** A complete sentence has a subject and a main verb and communicates a complete thought. Do not use phrases, subordinate clauses, or groups of words lacking a subject or a verb as a sentence in formal writing.


 * Comma Rules**

15. Use a comma before a coordinate conjunction (and, or, but, nor, so, for, yet) joining independent clauses. The comma tells the reader that the first complete thought has come to an end and that another is about to begin. //I like all kinds of fruit, but raspberries are my favorite.// Exception: Very short clauses require no comma. //I sang and he danced.//

16. Use a comma after a introductory word group unless it is very short. This will apply to all of the sentence beginnings we will learn.

17. Use a comma between all items in a list. These items may be words, phrases, or clauses. //Please bring me a brush, a flea comb, dog shampoo, and plenty of towels.// //She drove through New York City, over the George Washington Bridge, and into New Jersey.//

18. Use a comma between multiple adjectives that can be joined by //and// or scrambled. If //and// cannot be inserted, or if the order cannot be altered, no comma is used. //Sarah is an intelligent, attractive, funny woman.// //Three large white clouds floated in the azure sky.//

19. Use commas to set off non-restrictive elements. Word groups describing nouns and pronouns (adjective clauses, adjective phrases, and appositives) are restrictive (essential to full understanding of the sentence) or non-restrictive (not essential). Restrictive elements are NOT set off by commas, non-restrictive elements must be. Hint: Clauses that begin with //that// are restrictive; clauses that begin with //which// are non-restrictive. //For camp the kids needed clothes that were washable.// (The kids don’t need just any clothes; they need washable ones—thus, restrictive.) //For camp the kids needed sturdy boots, which were expensive.// (The kids need sturdy boots, which are costly, but that information isn’t necessary to the meaning of the independent clause.)

20. Set off elements that interrupt the sentences with commas. //Thank you, Mrs. Brown, for your contribution.// //It was good to see Billy, wasn’t it?// //Yes, I am going to the park.// //The disease cannot, as far as we know, be transmitted by physical contact.//

21. Use commas with expressions such as //he said// used to set off quotations. //“I fall upon thorns of life. I bleed,” wrote Shelley.// //“When I come home,” promised Dad, “I will bring you a surprise.”//

22. Use commas to set off the years in a date and the elements of an address or place name, except a ZIP code. //John Lennon was born in Liverpool, England, in 1940.// //My mailing address is 745 Elm Street, Littleton, Colorado 78456.// //In June, 2001, my sister was married to Adam Collins. **(CHECK THIS)**//


 * Other grammar rules**

23. Treat most indefinite pronouns as singular (//everyone, someone, no one, everybody, somebody, nobody, each, one,// etc). //Everyone IS required to bring HIS/HER book.//

24. //Who// must be a subject; //whom// must be an object. //Who are you? Whom did you see?//

25. Use //I, he, she, we,// and //they// as subjects, even when linked by //and// to another subject. Use //me, him, her, us, and them,// as objects, even when linked by //and// to another object. //She and I like him and her.// **NEVER** //Him and me are going to a movie with she and Dan.//

26. When making a comparison using //than// or //as//, mentally complete the sentence to help in choosing the pronoun to follow. //He is stronger than I (am).// Not //He is stronger than me.//