The Writer's Coffee: Grammar Help Desk

So, I was talking to one of my coworkers today (who taught English classes at every level) and we decided that people are getting lazy with the English language. "Text lingo" is slowly taking over everything: texting, FaceBook, or even every day conversations. "One day," my friend said, "people won't even know what a book is!"

We will, together, be coming up with different points to blog about here. You can also let us know what you need help with and we will be glad to answer.


2017 Grammar Exercises


Wednesday, April 5th

Imperatives (part I)

imperatives
(noun)

1. a command
2. something that demands attention or action

(adjective)

1. absolutely necessary or required
2. of the nature of or expressing a command

Examples

Usually, imperative sentences are short and simple:

-Stop!
-Go!
-Come here now!

Other times, imperative sentences may be long, complex, or even compound
-Pour me a glass of water.
-Walk through the hallway and take the last door at the right.
-Put that down and come here.

**Putting the word "please" before a imperative sentence might be considered "the polite way" of speaking, it is not required.



Thursday, March 23rd


SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

This is a very common problem, both in writing and while this may seem tricky...

it is really simple!

Plainly, the subject of any sentence and the verb of that same sentence must agree in terms of "number." Another way to put it is that they must either singular or plural (not a combination of both). You cannot have a singular subject with a plural verb (or a plural subject with a singular noun).

A singular subject is one single person or thing:

Cat

Dog


A plural subject is more that one person or thing:

Cats

Dogs


When trying to figure out what verb to use, simply change the subject to a pronoun and use it with the verb:

Try it with the verb sing

He sings

She sings

They sing


He and she are both singular subjects / sings is a singular verb

They is a plural subject / sing is a plural verb




2016 Grammar Exercises

Wednesday, August 10th

So tonight, I want to discuss a problem that I see a lot of the time: the difference between to, too, and two. They all sound the same.... Right?

Wrong! They all sound the same, but mean something totally different.


TO:

preposition

1. expressing motion in the direction of (a particular location).
2. identifying the person or thing affected.
3. identifying a particular relationship between one person and another.
4. indicating that two things are attached.
5. concerning or likely to concern (something, especially something abstract).
6. governing a phrase expressing someone's reaction to something.
7. used to introduce the second element in a comparison.

TOO: 

adverb to a higher degree than is desirable, permissible, or possible; excessively. in addition; also.

TWO:

number

1. equivalent to the sum of one and one; one less than three; 2.

All different things, but yet they all sound the same. 

Below is an exercise to practice with these words. 

1. Since the girl had ______ walk to the corner, and is was _______ far, she paid _______ dollars to ride in a cab. 

2. There were ______ many people on the train, so the _________ people had ______ go to another station.

3. She had ____ wait ________ long for her ride, so her ________ friends came to pick her up.