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Grammar Rules

Rules for correct sentences, with examples.

62 cardsGrades 6–8, Grades 9–12#grammar#rules

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62 cards
  • Subject-verb agreementRule
    A singular subject takes a singular verb: The dog barks
  • Plural subjectRule
    A plural subject takes a plural verb: The dogs bark
  • Compound subjects with andRule
    Take a plural verb: Tom and Sara are here
  • Compound subjects with orRule
    The verb matches the nearer subject: Neither Tom nor the girls are here
  • Collective nounRule
    Usually takes a singular verb: The team is ready
  • Everyone, somebody, eachRule
    Indefinite pronouns that take singular verbs: Everyone is here
  • Both, few, manyRule
    Take plural verbs: Both are ready
  • I vs. meRule
    Use I as a subject, me as an object: Sam and I went; she gave Sam and me a gift
  • Who vs. whomRule
    Who is the subject; whom is the object: Who called? To whom did you speak?
  • Fewer vs. lessRule
    Fewer for things you count, less for amounts: fewer cookies, less milk
  • Between vs. amongRule
    Between for two, among for three or more
  • Good vs. wellRule
    Good is an adjective, well is an adverb: She sings well
  • Lie vs. layRule
    Lie means to rest; lay means to place something down
  • Sit vs. setRule
    Sit means to be seated; set means to put something
  • Bring vs. takeRule
    Bring toward the speaker; take away from the speaker
  • Its vs. it'sRule
    Its shows ownership; it's means it is
  • Your vs. you'reRule
    Your shows ownership; you're means you are
  • Their, there, they'reRule
    Their shows ownership, there is a place, they're means they are
  • Whose vs. who'sRule
    Whose shows ownership; who's means who is
  • Then vs. thanRule
    Then is time; than compares
  • Double negativesRule
    Avoid two negatives: I have no apples, not I don't have no apples
  • Pronoun agreementRule
    Pronouns match their antecedents in number
  • Parallel structureRule
    Use the same form in a list: running, jumping and swimming
  • Dangling modifierRule
    A modifier that does not clearly attach to what it describes
  • Misplaced modifierRule
    A modifier placed too far from the word it describes
  • Sentence fragmentsRule
    Every sentence needs a subject and a verb and a complete thought
  • Run-on sentencesRule
    Fix with a period, semicolon, or a comma plus conjunction
  • Verb tense consistencyRule
    Keep the same tense unless time changes
  • Active voiceRule
    Prefer subject doing the action: Maria wrote the letter
  • Adjectives before nounsRule
    Opinion, size, age, shape, color, origin, material, purpose
  • Comparatives with -erRule
    Short adjectives: taller, faster
  • Comparatives with moreRule
    Longer adjectives: more beautiful
  • Superlatives with -estRule
    Short adjectives: tallest, fastest
  • Irregular comparisonsRule
    good, better, best; bad, worse, worst
  • A vs. anRule
    Use an before a vowel sound: an hour, a university
  • Adverbs end in -lyRule
    Often, but not always: quickly, but fast
  • Possessive pronouns have no apostropheRule
    his, hers, its, ours, yours, theirs
  • Singular possessiveRule
    Add 's: the girl's bike
  • Plural possessiveRule
    Add ' after plural s: the girls' bikes
  • Irregular plural possessiveRule
    Add 's: the children's toys
  • Prepositions at the endRule
    It is acceptable in plain speech: What are you looking at?
  • Split infinitiveRule
    Putting a word between to and the verb: to boldly go; usually fine
  • Capitalizing the first wordRule
    Every sentence starts with a capital letter
  • Ending punctuationRule
    Statements end with a period, questions with a question mark
  • Gerund as subjectRule
    Takes a singular verb: Swimming is fun
  • Conditional sentencesRule
    If it rains, we will stay home
  • Reflexive pronounsRule
    Use only when the subject also receives the action: I hurt myself
  • RedundancyRule
    Avoid saying the same thing twice: not "very unique"
  • Absolute adjectivesRule
    Words like unique, perfect, complete cannot be compared
  • Past participleRule
    Used with have: have gone, not have went
  • Irregular verbsRule
    go, went, gone; see, saw, seen; eat, ate, eaten
  • SubjunctiveRule
    Use were for wishes: I wish I were taller
  • Apostrophe in contractionsRule
    Shows missing letters: don't = do not
  • Nonrestrictive clauseRule
    Extra information set off with commas
  • Restrictive clauseRule
    Needed information with no commas
  • Passive voiceRule
    Subject receives the action; use when the doer is unknown
  • Pronoun caseRule
    Use the case that fits the pronoun's job in the sentence
  • Comparative with thanRule
    Use than after comparisons: taller than me
  • Quantity wordsRule
    Many for count nouns, much for mass nouns: many books, much water
  • Amount vs. numberRule
    Amount for things you cannot count, number for things you can
  • Farther vs. furtherRule
    Farther for distance, further for degree
  • Should have, not should ofRule
    Write should have, would have, could have

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