This slideshow reviews some common grammar errors.

1. Grammar Time!

2. Grammar Time!
Keeping your writing grammatically correct.

4. You can’t touch
this.

5. You can’t touch
this.
A brief reminder about punctuation marks.

6. Periods.

7. Periods.
Periods are used to separate two complete sentences. A complete sentence
includes a subject and a verb.

8. Periods.
Periods are used to separate two complete sentences. A complete sentence
includes a subject and a verb.
Example:
My, my, my music hits me so hard. Thank you for blessing me with a mind to
rhyme and two hype feet.

9. Commas,
Commas have four main uses:

10. Commas,
Commas have four main uses:
• Used before coordinating conjunctions (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)
Example: I am known as such, and this is a beat you just can’t touch.

11. Commas,
Commas have four main uses:
• Used before coordinating conjunctions (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)
Example: I am known as such, and this is a beat you just can’t touch.
• More than two items in a series
Example: So wave your hands in the air, bust a few moves, and run
your fingers through your hair.

12. Commas,
Commas have four main uses:
• Used before coordinating conjunctions (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)
Example: I am known as such, and this is a beat you just can’t touch.
• More than two items in a series
Example: So wave your hands in the air, bust a few moves, and run
your fingers through your hair.
• Introductory elements before the subject
Example: Yo, let me bust the funky lyrics.

13. Commas,
Commas have four main uses:
• Used before coordinating conjunctions (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)
Example: I am known as such, and this is a beat you just can’t touch.
• More than two items in a series
Example: So wave your hands in the air, bust a few moves, and run
your fingers through your hair.
• Introductory elements before the subject
Example: Yo, let me bust the funky lyrics.
• Parenthetical information
Example: This is a beat, uh, you can’t touch.

14. Semicolons;
There are three main uses for a semicolon:

15. Semicolons;
There are three main uses for a semicolon:
• As a weak period to join two related sentences
Example: Every time you see me, the Hammer’s just so hype; I’m dope on
the floor, and I’m magic on the mic.

16. Semicolons;
There are three main uses for a semicolon:
• As a weak period to join two related sentences
Example: Every time you see me, the Hammer’s just so hype; I’m dope on
the floor, and I’m magic on the mic.
• With conjunctive adverbs (however, more over, for example, hence,
consequently, therefore)
Example: You know you want to dance; therefore, move out of your seat
and get a fly girl and catch this beat.

17. Semicolons;
There are three main uses for a semicolon:
• As a weak period to join two related sentences
Example: Every time you see me, the Hammer’s just so hype; I’m dope on
the floor, and I’m magic on the mic.
• With conjunctive adverbs (however, more over, for example, hence,
consequently, therefore)
Example: You know you want to dance; therefore, move out of your seat
and get a fly girl and catch this beat.
• Items in a series already containing a comma
Example: Singers are sweating so pass them a soft, white towel to wipe
their perspiration; a tape to learn what it’s going to take in the
90’s to burn the charts; and legitimacy.

18. Colons:
There are three main uses for a colon:

19. Colons:
There are three main uses for a colon:
• To introduce a list
Example: There are three things you can’t touch: my beat, my rhymes, and
this.

20. Colons:
There are three main uses for a colon:
• To introduce a list
Example: There are three things you can’t touch: my beat, my rhymes, and
this.
• To introduce a definition
Example: This: The thing you cannot touch.

21. Colons:
There are three main uses for a colon:
• To introduce a list
Example: There are three things you can’t touch: my beat, my rhymes, and
this.
• To introduce a definition
Example: This: The thing you cannot touch.
• To introduce a long quote
Example: According to MC Hammer: “I really had genuinely brotherly love for
Pac (Tupac Shakur). When I became a part of the Death Row family, he
immediately ran into the studio and woke up the next morning. I had told
him about a sang I wanted to do. It was off the Ohio players skin tight I
wanted to called it too tight. Before I could get to the studio Tupac had
gotten up early that morning went to the studio, called in the background
singers, laid down the background, wrote a rap he wanted me to rap and it
was done. He immediately embraced his partner from the town.”

22. Apostrophes’

23. Apostrophes’
Apostrophes have two functions:

24. Apostrophes’
Apostrophes have two functions:
• Contractions
Example: I’ve toured around the world, from London to the Bay.

25. Apostrophes’
Apostrophes have two functions:
• Contractions
Example: I’ve toured around the world, from London to the Bay.
• Show possession
Example: MC Hammer’s parachute pants are the best.
Example: His peers’ pants aren’t nearly as cool.

26. Stop! Hammer Time!
How you will commonly use this information.

27. Quotes and Punctuation

28. Quotes and Punctuation
Integrating a quote

29. Quotes and Punctuation
Integrating a quote
⚫Complete sentence: “Quote”
⚫ Example: In “You Can’t Touch This,” MC Hammer gives sound and inspirational advice:
“Either work hard or you might as well quit.”

30. Quotes and Punctuation
Integrating a quote
⚫Complete sentence: “Quote”
⚫ Example: In “You Can’t Touch This,” MC Hammer gives sound and inspirational advice:
“Either work hard or you might as well quit.”
⚫Incomplete sentence, “Quote”
⚫ Example: Hammer often interjects, “You can’t touch this.”

31. Quotes and Punctuation
Integrating a quote
⚫Complete sentence: “Quote”
⚫ Example: In “You Can’t Touch This,” MC Hammer gives sound and inspirational advice:
“Either work hard or you might as well quit.”
⚫Incomplete sentence, “Quote”
⚫ Example: Hammer often interjects, “You can’t touch this.”
⚫Integrated into sentence
⚫ Example: MC Hammer describes himself as “a super-dope homeboy from Oaktown” in his
song.

32. Quotes and Punctuation
Integrating a quote
⚫Complete sentence: “Quote”
⚫ Example: In “You Can’t Touch This,” MC Hammer gives sound and inspirational advice:
“Either work hard or you might as well quit.”
⚫Incomplete sentence, “Quote”
⚫ Example: Hammer often interjects, “You can’t touch this.”
⚫Integrated into sentence
⚫ Example: MC Hammer describes himself as “a super-dope homeboy from Oaktown” in his
song.
⚫Short quotes as part of the sentence
⚫ Example: He believes when you have “fresh new kicks” that “you know you want to dance.”

33. Splices, Run-ons, and Fragments

34. Splices, Run-ons, and Fragments
Comma Splice
⚫A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are fused into one sentence
using a comma. That’s not what commas are used for.
⚫ Example: That’s how we’re living, you know you can’t touch this.

35. Splices, Run-ons, and Fragments
Comma Splice
⚫A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are fused into one sentence
using a comma. That’s not what commas are used for.
⚫ Example: That’s how we’re living, you know you can’t touch this.
Run-on sentence
⚫A run-on sentence happens when two independent clauses are fused together without
using appropriate punctuation.
⚫ Example: MC Hammer is the greatest artist of all time I am his biggest fan.

36. Splices, Run-ons, and Fragments
Comma Splice
⚫A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are fused into one sentence
using a comma. That’s not what commas are used for.
⚫ Example: That’s how we’re living, you know you can’t touch this.
Run-on sentence
⚫A run-on sentence happens when two independent clauses are fused together without
using appropriate punctuation.
⚫ Example: MC Hammer is the greatest artist of all time I am his biggest fan.
Fragment
⚫A fragment is an incomplete sentence—one that doesn’t contain both a subject and
verb.
⚫ Example: Can’t touch!

37. How do we avoid grammar problems?

38. How do we avoid grammar problems?
Proofread!

39. Fin