literature

Grammar Workshop--ThePrettySin

Deviation Actions

FictionWorkshop's avatar
Published:
1.1K Views

Literature Text

Here are some helpful hints to improve the grammar, and thus the flow, of your writing.

It’s, Its
      It’s-Contraction of ‘it is’ or ‘it has’
      Example: ‘It’s Tuesday today.’
      Its-Possessive adjective/pronoun of it
      Example: ‘The beast roared angrily. Its claws glinted in the moonlight as it stepped closer.’

Your, You’re
      Your-The possessive form of ‘you’
      Example: ‘Is that your bag?’
      You’re-Contraction of ‘you are’ or ‘you were’
      Example: ‘You’re going to the ballgame, right?’

Use of Semicolons
      Used between similar ideas in place of coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), and the phrases seperated by the semi-colon can stand alone as sentences.
      Example: ‘I am alone; my wife left me.’
      Semicolons are best in limited use.

Subject/Verb Agreement
      Double check that singular subjects and verbs are matched.
      I, he, and she, along with singular subjects (dog, cat, George, the building) go with verbs such as was, am, bloom, pet, etcetera

      Double check that plural subjects and verbs are matched.
      They and groups of objects (dogs, cats, children, flowers, one of these) go with verbs such as were, are, blooms, pets, etcetera

      THE EXCEPTION: You
      You identifies with both singular and plural verbs. Primarily, ‘you were’ is the only plural, but occasionally, another one or two verbs will be listed as plural for ‘you’
      Example: ‘You were going to the store, right?’
                                  ‘You pet the dog? Ew!’

Colon
      This is used to signal that the words following will explain or amplify the previous section or to indicate a series of words. Colons aren't needed often in fiction writing.
      Example: The teacher said, "There are several reasons Americans fatter today:lack of exercise and convenience of fast food."

Apostrophe
      This little mark is used to show possession, omission of letters, and plural words.
      Example, possession: 'Is that Mark's food?'
      Example, omission: 'No, I don't think so.'
      Example, plural: 'Actually, the James' brought that.'

Quotation Marks
      Single (') and double (") are used to enclose direct quotations: speech, someone's writing, and sometimes thought.
      Example, double quotation: "Look, over there!"
      Example, single quotation: "I think her exact words were, 'I always get what I want,'"

Dash
      The dash signals a shift, insertion, or break in thought.
      Example: "I think-and I could be wrong-that they live over there."

Parentheses
      Parentheses always come in pairs and enclose a brief example or fact.
      Example: My closet is plagued by demons (known as dirty clothes).

Ellipsis
      These three little dots usually signal the omission of something. It's used to build suspense, or as a display of confusion by the character, but don't over do them.
      Example: "I thought it was in here..." he said.
PLEASE COMMENT, FAV, and CRIT ON THE ORIGINAL WORK!
[link]

~ThePrettySin
© 2007 - 2024 FictionWorkshop
Comments0
Comments have been disabled for this deviation