Grammar and Punctuation Bank 1

Grammar and Punctuation Tips and Tricks

• Read the sentence for meaning first, not just grammar.
• The best answer must be both grammatically correct and clear.
• Watch for complete sentences. A full sentence needs:
  • a subject
  • a verb
  • a complete thought
• A comma by itself cannot correctly join two complete sentences.
• When two complete sentences are joined correctly, they usually need:
  • a period
  • a semicolon
  • or a comma + coordinating conjunction
    (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
• Use commas to separate extra information, but do not separate words that must stay connected.
• If the extra phrase can be removed and the sentence still makes full sense, commas are often needed.
• If the phrase is essential to the meaning, commas are usually not needed.
• A colon usually introduces:
  • an explanation
  • a list
  • an example
    only after a complete sentence
• A semicolon usually connects two closely related complete sentences.
• A dash can create emphasis or interruption, but it must still fit the sentence structure correctly.
• Apostrophes show:
  • possession
  • contraction
    Do not use them for simple plurals.
• Subjects and verbs must agree.
  Singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs.
• Pronouns must clearly match the noun they refer to.
• Verb tense should stay consistent unless the time frame truly changes.
• Keep sentence structure parallel when items appear in a list or comparison.
• Shorter and cleaner is often better, as long as the meaning stays complete.
• Avoid redundancy. If two choices say the same thing, the shorter one is usually better.
• Read the answer choices back into the sentence. Your ear can often catch what your eyes miss.
• The correct answer should sound smooth, clear, and precise.

Quick Test-Day Reminder

Do not just ask, “Is this grammatically possible?”
Ask, “Is this correct, clear, and clean?”
That is how you win grammar and punctuation questions.