2. Who vs. that
• The (antecedent) that was standing …
Inanimate objects and animals that don’t have
individual names (i.e., they aren’t pets)
• The (antecedent) who was standing …
People and pets
3. Subject/verb agreement
• Each (of …) was
Others that always take singular: each one, either
and neither (when used alone), everyone, anybody,
anyone, somebody, someone, nobody, no one.
5. Commas/semicolons
• I went to the store, and I bought melons.
When using a FANBOYS conjunction to join two
phrases that have their own subjects and verbs, use
a comma before the conjunction.
• I went to the store; Sarah went to the disco.
Use a semicolon when there is NO conjunction in
between the phrases.
6. Because/since
“Use because to denote a specific cause-effect
relationship: He went because he was told. Since
is acceptable in a causal sense when the first
event in a sequence led logically to the second
but was not its direct cause: They went to the
game, since they had been given the tickets.”
Use “because” by default, to avoid confusion with
the other meaning of “since.”
7. Colons and lists
• I aced three tests: math, spelling and
geography.
Use a colon to introduce a list with a complete
sentence.
• I aced math, spelling and geography.
No colon when the list itself is the object of the
sentence.
8. That/which
• Red is the color that signifies danger.
• The color is red, which signifies danger.
That = no comma; which = comma
9. Affect/effect
• This will affect you. The rain affected the
crops.
In almost all cases, the verb is “affect.”
• The had an effect on you. The effect of the
rain was to wipe out the crops.
In almost all cases, the noun is “effect.” Clue: Is the
word introduced by an article (a, an, the)? (There
may be adjectives in between).
10. Hyphens & adjectives
• “When a compound modifier – two or more
words that express a single concept –
precedes a noun, use hyphens to link all the
words in the compound except the adverb
very and all adverbs that end in -ly: a first-
quarter touchdown, a bluish-green dress, a
full-time job, a well-known man, a better-
qualified woman, a know-it-all attitude, a very
good time, an easily remembered rule.”
11. Possessives
• The men’s room. The women’s room. The
children’s room.
When a plural noun does not end in S, the
possessive is formed with an apostrophe and an S.
• The boys’ room, the girls’ room, the adults’
room.
When a plural noun does end in S, add only an
apostrophe.
12. Along with
• Jack and Jill are going up the hill.
When “and” joins two singular nouns, they form a
plural subject.
• Jack, along with Jill, is going up the hill.
When two singular nouns are joined by “along with”
or “as well as,” the first noun rules the verb. Clue:
Commas are used to set off the phrase that starts
with “along with.”
13. Who/whom
• The officer to whom the question was
addressed.
Recast the phrase “to whom the question was
addressed” as “the question was addressed to ...”
You would use him or her, so make it whom.
• He will speak to whoever Tom decides is best.
Same thing: “to whoever Tom decides is best” =
“Tom decides she/he is best,” so make it whoever.
14. Hoard/horde
• Hoard = Lots of crap.
This is a hoard:
• Horde = Lots of
people. This is a
horde:
16. Your/You’re
• You are going = You’re going.
Contractions always take apostrophes: they’re, he’s,
she’s, we’re, it’s, I’m, I’ll, etc.
• Your home = The home that belongs to you.
Possessive pronouns never take apostrophes: their,
her, his, my, hers, mine.
