English Grammar

• Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns.
• Use into rather than in to express motion toward something.
• Passive voice is a useful option when the responsible party is not known.
• Concrete language is more effective than vague language.
• Use in to tell the location.
• The preposition of should never be used in place of the helping verb have.
• Active voice should be used whenever possible.
• Avoid overusing there is , there are , it is , it was , etc.
• It is a good practice to follow different with the preposition from.
• Parallel construction is when you use consistent grammatical form when offering several ideas.
• Most traditionalists avoid different than.
• Like most people, I try to use good grammar.
• If it is plural, use a plural verb.
• A pronoun (I, me, he, she, we, they, who, whoever, etc.) is a word that takes the place of a noun.
• If the subject is singular, use a singular verb.
• A phrase is a group of words without a subject-verb component, used as a single part of speech.
• Subject pronouns are also used if they rename the subject.
• A sentence needs an independent clause to complete a sentence.
• Examples of phrases include: Best friend (this phrase acts as a noun), Needing help (this phrase acts as an adjective), With the blue shirt (this prepositional phrase acts as an adjective), For twenty days (this prepositional phrase acts as an adverb).
• Dependent clauses often begin with such words as although, since, if, when, and because.
• Object pronouns, known more specifically as direct object, indirect object, and object of a preposition, include me, him, herself, us, them, themselves.
• There are three types of pronouns: subject (for example, he), object (him), or possessive (his).
• The pronouns who, that, and which become singular or plural depending on the subject.
• Examples of dependent clauses include: Although she is hungry, she will give him some of her food.
• Subject pronouns are used when the pronoun is the subject of the sentence.
• In the sentence Joe saw Jill, and he waved at her, the pronouns he and her take the place of Joe and Jill, respectively.
• Subject pronouns will follow to be verbs, such as is, are, was, were, am, will be, had been, etc.
• Anya is the one who rescued the bird.
• Who and sometimes that refer to people.
• We wondered who/whom the book was about.
• The book was about them.
• She belongs to a great organization, which specializes in saving endangered species.
• The clause whoever is elected is the subject of will serve.
• Essential clauses do not have commas introducing or surrounding them, whereas nonessential clauses are introduced or surrounded by commas.
• Lokua is on the team that won first place.
• That and which refer to groups or things.
• That introduces an essential clause, also known as a restrictive or defining clause, which adds information that is vital to the point of the sentence.
• We all know who/whom pulled that prank.
• Whomever you elect is the subject of will serve a four-year term.
• The product is already identified, therefore, which appeared in the Sunday newspaper is a nonessential clause containing additional, but not essential, information.