ENGLISH
Grammar, Punctuation,
MLA Format, Essay Rules,
and more.
You are responsible for
knowing all the material in
this packet…
Parenthetical Citation
MLA = Modern Language Association
MLA citation is the standard rule for academic
writing.
Any time you quote or reference a text or piece of
information that is NOT YOUR OWN, you must
provide proper parenthetical documentation.
You must follow distinct citation formulas for your
work to be academically honest.
If proper format isn’t used and/or if sources aren’t
properly cited, your work will be considered
plagiarized and action will be taken.
Proper MLA Format Heading:
Student’s name
Teacher’s name
Course (Ex: English 101)
Date
Title
Norbeck 2
Put your last name and page
number in the upper right
hand corner of every page
A proper essay consists of at least five to eight
paragraphs or more
A full paragraph must have at least five to eight
sentences or more
Use ‘Times New Roman” and 12 font
Indent each paragraph with one “tab” button
Double space the entire essay from heading all the
way through the works cited page
Commas:
Coordinating Conjunctions (7)
F or
A nd
N or
B ut
Or
Y et
So
When using one of these conjunctions, use a
comma before the conjunction only when you
have two complete sentences.
Example:
John hit a homerun, and
he drove in two runs.
(Use a comma before “and” because
this sentence can be separated into
two sentences = each part of the
sentence can stand alone)
Example:
John hit a homerun and drove in
two runs. (No comma before “and” because
the sentence cannot be separated into two separate
sentences = “drove in two runs” is not a complete
sentence)
John hit a homerun; he drove in
two runs. (Semi-colon basically works like a
period. A semicolon can be used here because both
sentences can stand alone)
Commas in a list:
A person’s will - $400,000…
1. Jack, Kasey, Christy, and Janelle
2. Jack, Kasey, Christy and Janelle
In #1, the $ would be split four ways, each
getting $100,000.
In #2, the $ would be split three ways
because there’s no comma. By not using the
last comma, it groups Christy and Janelle
together as one.
Commas after a phrase (for a pause):
- Although I would like to go out tonight, I
must study these comma rules.
- I would like to go out tonight because I
am tired of studying these comma rules.
(no comma needed before “because”)
Commas after a year, after an introductory word, or
in a list:
- In 1946, the microwave oven was
invented.
- Yes, I would like to go to the baseball
game.
- On my way home from work, I need to
buy balloons, flowers, and cake.
Use commas to set off
extra information in a sentence:
The general rule:
extra information = extra commas
necessary information = no commas
Examples:
- Her dog, Sam, loves cat food.
(‘extra’ commas - implies she has only one
dog; we know Sam is extra information)
- Her dog Sam loves cat food.
(no commas - implies that she has more than
one dog; we know Sam is necessary
information to distinguish which dog loves
cat food)
Read this sentence, and depending on
the way you think, you’ll comprehend it
a certain way:
(the sentence is figurative language)
A woman without
her man is nothing.
Add commas:
here’s one way to look at it:
A woman,
without her man,
is nothing.
…and here’s another:
A woman,
without her,
man is nothing.
Just by placing the comma one word
over, it completely changes the whole
meaning of the sentence.
The point is to make sure you put the
comma in the correct place.
You want to be sure the message you are
trying to convey comes across clearly
and correctly.
It is important to use commas in a list because it
may change the meaning of your sentence:
Ex: For the party this weekend, we will invite the
strippers, Jarrett, and Wil.
(In this sentence, we are inviting Jarrett, Wil, and some
strippers who are all different people)
Ex: For the party this weekend, we will invite the
strippers, Jarrett and Wil.
(In this sentence, we are inviting Jarrett and Wil who are
the strippers. By not placing the last comma, it tells us that
Jarrett and Wil are the name of the strippers)
A Fragment is an incomplete thought…not a
complete sentence.
Fragment: Because the dog didn’t want to get wet.
Correction: Because the dog didn’t want to get wet,
he waited until the kids exited the pool before he
came outside.
Fragment: Trying to avoid getting sick.
Correction: Trying to avoid getting sick, I eat well
and take vitamins.
Fragment: Helped grandmom out of the car.
Correction: The young boy helped grandmom out of
the car.
A Run-on has at least two parts, and either one can stand by itself
(in other words, two independent clauses), but there is no
conjunction joining the two parts.
A Comma splice is using a comma to join two independent clauses
but without a coordinating word.
Examples:
Run-on: Paul went to practice it lasted two hours.
Correction: Paul went to practice, and it lasted two hours.
Correction: Paul went to practice; it lasted two hours.
Correction: Even though it lasted two hours, Paul went to practice.
Comma Splice: Paul went to practice, it lasted two hours.
Correction: Paul went to practice, and it lasted two hours.
Correction: Paul went to practice; it lasted two hours.
Correction: Paul went to practice; additionally, it lasted two hours.
Examples:
Run-on: The dog’s bone is lost I bought him a new one.
Correction: The dog’s bone is lost, so I bought him a new
one.
Correction: The dog’s bone is lost; I bought him a new one.
Comma Splice: The dog’s bone is lost, I bought him a new
one.
Correction: The dog’s bone is lost, so I bought him a new
one.
Correction: The dog’s bone is lost; consequently, I bought
him a new one.
Correction: The dog’s bone is lost; I bought him a new one.
Faulty Parallelism is a similarity of form in words, phrases,
or clauses that have similar functions in a sentence. Faulty
parallelism is the lack of parallel structure.
Examples:
Before she leaves for work, Shelby makes her lunch, does
10 minutes of yoga, and her two cats have to be fed.
Correction: Before she leaves for work, Shelby makes her
lunch, does 10 minutes of yoga, and feeds her two cats.
Before I go out, I have to clean my room, wash my clothes,
and the tub has to be scrubbed.
Correction: Before I go out, I have to clean my room, wash
my clothes, and the scrub the tub.
Pronoun Types:
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
John and I went to practice.
Me and John went to practice.
John and me went to practice.
John and I went
to practice.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Jack went to the
game with John and I.
Jack went to the
game with John and me.
Jack went to the
game with John and
me.
Take away the proper noun
and the word “and” to see if it
makes sense – that’s how you know
which is grammatically correct
Quotations:
A comma or period at the end of a direct quotation
is tucked inside the ending quotation marks.
Semicolons and colons are place outside ending
quotations marks.
If the quotation itself ends with a question mark,
the question mark appears inside the quotation
marks…
if the entire sentence is a question, then the
question mark appears outside.
Quotation examples:
- The student said, “I must study these comma
rules.”
- “I must study these comma rules,” the student
said.
- “Do we have to know all of these rules?” the
student asked.
- Did the students say, “We enjoy studying
punctuation”?
When writing numbers:
From one to ten, write out the whole
numeral.
Example: I have four cats and one dog.
From 11 on, write the actual number.
Example: There are 650 people who
live in the building.
However, do not begin
a sentence with a numeral:
Incorrect:
650 people live in the apartment
building.
Correct:
Six hundred fifty people live in the
apartment building.
- than/then
“Than” is used for comparisons
Ex: English is easier than Math.
“Then” is a time reference
Ex: I will walk the dog, then I will feed the cats.
- It’s/its
“It’s” is the contraction of it is or it has
Ex: It’s (it is) unfair to accuse someone without
proof.
It’s (it has) been there for years.
“Its” is a possessive pronoun
The cat licked its paw. (can’t say “…cat licked it is
paw,” or …”licked it has paw,” so there is no
apostrophe)
- except/accept
The prefix “ex” means “out”
Ex: Except for broccoli (outside of broccoli), he
likes all vegetables.
Ex: She did not want to accept his marriage
proposal.
- affect/effect
“Affect” means to change or influence
Ex: The victim was affected by the assault.
“Effect” means a result
Ex: Sleepiness is an effect of the medication.
- real/really
The “ly” ending indicates an adverb form
Ex: The haunted house was really scary.
“Real” is an adjective
Ex: There was a real emergency last night.
or The emergency was not real; it was
simulated.
- whose/who’s
“Who’s” is a contraction of “who is” or “who
has”
Ex: Who’s throwing the party?
Ex: Whose paper is this without a name?
- there/they’re/their
“They’re” is the contraction of they are
“Their” is used for possession
Ex: They’re (they are) meant to be together.
Ex: Their coats were left behind.
Ex: Place the coats over there.
- your/you’re
“You’re” is the contraction of you are
Ex: You’re (you are) the only person on
the list.
Ex: Your name is on the list.
- too/two/to
Too = excessively or very
Ex: I like apples, too.
Ex: You are too kind.
Two = the number 2
Ex: She has two part-time jobs.
Ex: The boy has off two days a week.
To = just t & o
Ex: I want to go to the beach.
Ex: Are you coming to my party?
Do not use “you” in an essay. Replace “you” with
another word, such as “one,” etc…:
Incorrect: When you buy a car, you should shop around.
Correct: When one buys a car, one should shop around.
Correct: When a person buys a car, he/she should shop
around.
Correct: When people buy cars, they should shop around.
Don’t end a sentence with a preposition:
Incorrect:
- Where are you from?
- Lorenzo was nice to help Mia out.
- When we went to the mall, we bought it.
Correct:
- Lorenzo was nice to help out Mia.
- Lorenzo was nice to help Mia with her homework.
- When we went to the mall, we bought the gift.
Pick a tense
(past, present, or future)
and stick with that tense
throughout the whole essay
Past or present
tend to work best
Determining whether to use
“who” or “whom”:
Way to remember:
- associate “whom”
with “him” or “her”
- associate “who”
with “he” or “she”
Examples:
(Who, Whom) is to blame?
Because you can say “He/she is to blame,” the
choice is “who”
You spoke with (who, whom) on the phone?
Because you can say “You spoke with him/her
on the phone,” the choice is “whom”
Works Cited Page:
- Double space
- List citations in alphabetical order
- Indent all lines of the citation except the
first line (hanging indent)
- All citations that are listed on the works
cited page must also be referenced in the
essay
- Use the handbook, MLA packet, and
textbook for MLA info, citations, and
much more…
Works Cited Page:
Author’s or Editor’s Name. Book
Title. Publication Information.
Date.
Faigley, Lester. The Little Penguin
Handbook. Pearson Education,
Inc., 2009.
Works Cited Page:
Documentary
Waiting for “Superman.” Director Davis
Guggenheim. Electric Kinney Films. 2010. DVD.
Book Title
Pollan, Michael. In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto.
New York: Penguin. 2008.
“Article Title”
Pilgrim, Sarah, David Smith, and Jules Pretty
“A Cross-Regional Assessment of the Factors Affecting
Ecoliteracy: Implications for Policy and Practice”
Ecological Applications 17.6 (2007): 1742-51. Print.