Declarative (tells, .) · Interrogative (asks, ?) · Imperative (commands, .) · Exclamatory (strong feeling, !).
A complete sentence has a subject and a predicate. A fragment is missing a piece; a run-on jams two sentences together.
The subject names who/what; the predicate tells what they do or are. The SIMPLE subject/predicate is just the main noun/verb.
A compound sentence joins two complete ideas with a comma + a FANBOYS word (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).
Common (general) vs proper (capitalized) vs abstract (idea). Plurals: -s, -es, consonant+y→-ies, f/fe→-ves, plus irregulars.
Singular possessive: add 's (the dog's bone). Plural ending in s: add just an apostrophe (the dogs' park). Irregular plural: add 's (the children's toys).
Subject pronouns (I, he, she, we, they) do the action; object pronouns (me, him, her, us, them) receive it. Reflexive end in -self/-selves. Relative: who, whom, whose, which, that.
An action verb shows what the subject does. A helping verb works with the main verb. Modal verbs (can, could, may, might, must, should, will, would) show possibility, ability, or necessity.
Progressive = an ongoing action (is/was + –ing). Perfect = has/have/had + past participle. Watch irregular past participles.
Use 'a' before a consonant sound, 'an' before a vowel sound, 'the' for a specific one.
Adjectives describe nouns (what kind, how many). Adverbs describe verbs (how, when, where). Compare with –er/–est or more/most.
Prepositions show where/when (in, on, under, before). Conjunctions join: coordinating (FANBOYS) and subordinating (because, although, when, since).
Capitalize names, titles, days, months, holidays, specific places, historical events/documents, and proper adjectives (nationalities, languages).
Abbreviations shorten words (Mon., Dec., Dr., St.). Format letters, addresses, and titles, and punctuate dialogue with quotation marks.
Iowa style: Find the word that is spelled WRONG. If every word is correct, choose No mistakes.
Iowa style: Read the lines. Choose the line that has a capitalization MISTAKE, or No mistakes.
Iowa style: Choose the line that has a punctuation MISTAKE, or No mistakes.
Iowa style: Choose the BEST way to write the underlined part. If it is already correct, choose No mistakes.
Correlative conjunctions, perfect tenses, semicolons & colons, relative whom, and titles.
Subject-verb agreement across phrases, pronoun-antecedent agreement, parallel structure, active voice, and tricky pairs (its/it's, your/you're, affect/effect).
Phrases vs clauses, who/whom, misplaced modifiers, punctuating dialogue and titles, and combining sentences for variety.