You may have heard the term ‘grammar points’ and wondered what you missed in school. However, you needn’t worry if you paid attention in class as it’s a relatively new term. But what are grammar points, exactly?
Grammar points are practical examples of grammatical aspects of English. They are usually illustrated in an example sentence containing other grammatical rules. Therefore, grammar points help to distinguish a specific rule from others in an example sentence.
English grammar has about 3,500 rules, probably more. However, most of us only have a slight grasp of these rules to help us communicate daily. So let’s look at some grammar rules and their corresponding grammar points to better understand.
Grammar Points: What They Are And How To Use Them
As mentioned, grammar points are practical examples of aspects of grammar. A grammar point should be preceded by explaining the grammar rule in question. Here are some examples:
1. Your Sentences Should Be Complete
A complete sentence (also known as an independent clause) contains two parts: a subject and a verb.
· Subject: Rhonda folds her clothes.
· Verb: Rhonda folds her clothes.
A sentence without a subject or a verb is called a sentence fragment.
2. Use The Active Voice To Minimize Confusion
When writing a sentence in the active voice, the subject must come before the verb.
· Active voice (subject before verb): Craig drives a big truck.
When the subject of a sentence comes after a verb, the sentence is in the passive voice. It is okay to write in the passive voice, but it can cause confusion to the reader.
· Passive voice (subject after verb): A big truck is driven by Craig.
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3. Your Subjects And Verbs Must Agree
Subject-verb agreement is evident in most cases but can be deceptive at times. For example, if a verb is singular, its corresponding verb should be, too. Likewise, if the verb is plural, its corresponding verb should also be plural.
Correct and Incorrect Subject-Verb Agreement Examples
· The cow grazes in the field. (Correct: singular subject with singular verb)
· The cow graze in the field. (Incorrect: singular subject with plural verb)
· The cows graze in the field. (Correct: plural subject with plural verb)
· The cows grazes in the field. (Incorrect: plural subject with singular verb)
4. Apostrophes Are For Possessive Nouns And Contractions
Apostrophes are often misused in plural nouns, but they’re meant for possessive nouns and contractions.
Examples Of Apostrophes Showing Possession
Below are some correct and incorrect examples of using apostrophes for possession.
- Mike borrowed his dad’s leaf blower. (Correct: dad’s is a possessive noun)
- This is the assistant’s desk. (Correct: assistant’s is a possessive pronoun)
- This is the assistants’ desk. (Correct: assistants’ is a plural possessive noun indicating more than one assistant uses the desk)
- The Anderson’s have moved to a new state. (Incorrect: Andersons is plural and does not show possession)
Exception for apostrophes and plurals: You can use an apostrophe for plural lowercase letters, e.g., “Cross your t’s and dot your i’s.”
Examples Of Apostrophes Showing A Contraction
An apostrophe is used in contractions to indicate that letters are missing.
- It’s my birthday tomorrow. (it’s is a contraction for it is)
- Lucy shouldn’t lift the heavy box. (shouldn’t is a contraction of should not)
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5. Use A Conjunction Or Semicolon To Link Ideas
You can make simple sentences more interesting by combining them with a coordinating conjunction or semicolon. When you combine simple sentences, your sentence becomes a compound sentence and is more interesting to read.
Examples of coordinating conjunctions include and, but, for, nor, or, yet, and so.
Let’s look at two simple sentences and how they can be made more interesting.
- Marc’s bicycle tire was flat. He pumped it up.
Link with a comma and coordinating conjunction:
- Marc’s bicycle tire was flat, so he pumped it up.
Link with a semicolon:
- Marc’s bicycle tire was flat; he pumped it up.
6. How To Correctly Use Commas
Commas are used with coordinating conjunctions in compound sentences and when listing items in a sentence (serial commas).
Commas And Coordinating Conjunctions
A comma must be accompanied by a coordinating conjunction when linking two sentences to make a compound sentence. Without the latter, the lonely comma is known as a comma splice, a grammatical boo-boo.
- Marty went to the library, he borrowed another book. (Incorrect: comma splice)
- Marty went to the library, so he borrowed another book. (Correct: comma with coordinating conjunction)
Serial Commas And The Debatable Oxford Comma
We use serial commas to separate items listed in a sentence. An Oxford comma is the last in the series of commas, and its use is debatable.
- Susan bought cheese, bread, tomatoes, and butter for the sandwiches. (Oxford comma)
- Susan bought cheese, bread, tomatoes and butter for the sandwiches. (No Oxford comma)
While Oxford commas are a personal choice, you should use an Oxford comma to improve the clarity of a sentence.
- Trudy visited her grandparents, Alice, and Renaldo. (The Oxford comma indicates that Trudie visited her grandparents and two other people called Alice and Renaldo.)
- Trudie visited her grandparents, Alice and Renaldo. (No Oxford comma suggests Trudie’s grandparents are called Alice and Renaldo.)
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7. Capital Letters And Where To Use Them
The first letter of a sentence should be capitalized to show the start of a new sentence. Also, proper nouns (the names of people and places, for example) should also receive capital letters.
- The doctor at Greenacres prescribed medication for my daughter, Miley.
(We capitalize ‘The’ because it is the initial word of the sentence. Greenacres and Miley are capitalized because they are proper nouns.)
8. How To Wrap Up A Sentence
Each sentence needs a punctuation mark at the end to show that it is finished. The most common punctuation marks to conclude a sentence are a period (.), an exclamation mark (!), and a question mark (?).
- Andy and Michaela are getting married. (The period makes this sentence a statement.)
- Andy and Michaela are getting married! (The exclamation mark shows excitement.)
- Andy and Michaela are getting married? (The question mark suggests confusion or disbelief.)
9. You Can’t Be Too Careful With Your Homophones
While it is easy to slip up with the odd typo, make sure you use the correct spelling of homophones to convey your message.
Commonly mixed-up homophones include:
- Too, to, and two
- Your and you’re
- Very and vary
- Excited and exited
- I am vary exited too attend you’re seminar on grammar points. (Incorrect on so many levels)
- I am very excited to attend your seminar on grammar points. (Correct)
10. Definite And Indefinite Articles
When referring to a noun, we usually put ‘a’, ‘an’, or ‘the’ before it. ‘The’ is a definite article that refers to a specific common noun. ‘A’ and ‘an’ are indefinite articles that show we are not referring to a specific common noun.
- Please put the magazine on the table. (The definite articles show a specific magazine that must be placed on a particular table.)
- Please put a magazine on the table. (The indefinite article ‘a’ suggests any magazine should be placed on the table.)
- Please put the magazine on a table. (A specific magazine should be placed on an unspecified table.)
- Please put a magazine on a table. (Any magazine can be placed on any table.)
Conclusion
Grammar points are illustrative examples of grammar rules. If an aspect of grammar is explained, it is helpful to show models of the rules in a sentence. In addition, grammar points highlight the grammatical aspect of the discussion since there will always be more than one grammar rule in a sentence.
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