Avoid long or difficult words
where a short or simple one
would do equally well.
Avoid purely poetic words. Do not
call a “horse” a “steed” or a “charger.”
Avoid hackneyed or vulgarized
expressions. Some words that are
good enough in themselves have been
“soil’d by all ignoble use,” and must be
avoided, or never used in a context that
will suggest their baser use.
Do not be afraid of tautology. The
one desire of the indifferent journalist
is to avoid using the same word twice.
The true remedy for monotony is not a
variety of words but variety of ideas.
Avoid fine writing, rhetorical or
journalistic phrases, or any expression
whose meaning you have not fully
thought out.
Bear in mind this great principle:
Dignity must come from the thoughts, not
from the words. Let our words be the clear
and natural expression of our meaning, not
drapery to adorn or conceal it.
Grammar Notes for Unit 4
U sed
by
pe r mi ssi o n:
w ww . an al y ti c al gr a m m ar. co m
Comma Rules 6, 7, and 8
These comma rules have to do with things that INTERRUPT the sentence. There are three things that, because
they “interrupt” the structure of the sentence, are set off by commas.
COMMA RULE #6:
Buzzword: Appositives or Appositive Phrases
Appositives and appositive phrases are usually set off by commas. An APPOSITIVE is a noun or pronoun. An
APPOSITIVE PHRASE is a noun or pronoun plus anything that modifies it. It is located (usually) after another
noun or pronoun and helps to describe it by giving further information about it.
EXAMPLE:
NOTE:
I often play tennis, a lively game.
(The appositive phrase “a lively game” is another way of saying “tennis” and further
describes it.)
Sometimes an appositive is so closely related to the noun it restates that it should not be
set off by commas. You can usually tell when this is the case by reading the sentence “a la
network newscaster.” If there is no need to pause, there should not be commas to set it
off.
EXAMPLES:
My sister Elizabeth is left-handed.
We girls are going shopping.
The writer Mark Twain is dead.
NOTE:
Appositives:
Elizabeth
girls
Mark Twain
If the appositive phrase is a title which is already “set off” by either italics or quotation
marks, then the commas around that title should be eliminated.
EXAMPLE:
My favorite book Gone With the Wind was a national sensation.
Middle Ages: Middle School
Unit 4: Medieval/Renaissance - Page 4
Since the title of the book is underlined (or in italics), it is already “set off” from
the rest of the sentence, so no commas are necessary.
COMMA RULE #7:
Buzzword: Direct Address
Words used in direct address are set off by commas. DIRECT ADDRESS means any name you call someone
when you are DIRECTLY ADDRESSING them.
EXAMPLES:
The program, Jean, has been changed.
Miss Bates, may I leave early?
Please answer the doorbell, Honey.
COMMA RULE #8:
Direct Addresses:
Jean
Miss Bates
Honey
Buzzword: Expressions
Expressions are set off by commas. This rule applies to EXPRESSIONS that are inserted into sentences - not
really necessary information - but the kind of information you might put in parentheses. These are often
commonly used expressions like “after all,” or “on the other hand,” or “I think.”
EXAMPLES:
He didn’t, however, keep his promise.
After all, you won the contest!
Men, in general, like dark suits.
Expressions:
however
after all
expression
Middle Ages: Middle School
Unit 4: Medieval/Renaissance - Page 5