When you are studying English or you want to learn it, some times it's difficult to have it like an habit. We know that the English is so important but for many people could be a little difficult to find the correct way to learn it satisfactory. One part of learn English that the people think that is difficult is Grammar, because you have to learn a lot of rules, vocabulary, exceptions (you know English always has exceptions). It is depending about how is your favorite way to learn and but you can find here some tips that you can apply to learn it better and on a different way. You can try with your favorites and you will improve your grammar.
Tip #1
Tips to mind apostrophes:
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Read the word as if the apostrophe didn’t exist.
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Don’t read it as a contraction.
-
It is better to know the possessive pronouns and that way you won’t get
confused.
Practice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8ZwNHWdR7c
Pronouns with Contractions
Tip #2
-Always use a comma after and introductory or prepositional phrase:
- Introductory clauses are dependent clauses that provide background information or "set the stage" for the main part of the sentence.
- Introductory phrases also set the stage for the main action of the sentence, but they are not complete clauses.
- Common introductory phrases include prepositional phrases, appositive phrases, participial phrases, infinitive phrases, and absolute phrases.
Practice:
Tip #3
Easy following tips to memorize homophones:
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WHAT ARE HOMOPHONES?: Homophones sound exactly alike when pronounced out loud but have completely different meanings.
- Look at the context and try to figure out the meaning of the word. This will help you to concentrate in memorizing each word.
Practice:
http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/vocabulary-games/homophones-games/homophones.html
Tutorial
http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/vocabulary-games/homophones-games/homophones.html
Tutorial
Tip#4
Articles definite or indefinite, how to remember:
- For singular nouns, the indefinite articles are “a” and “an.”
- For plural nouns, the indefinite article is “some.”
- We have only one definite article, and it’s “the.” We use “the” for singular, plural and uncountable nouns.
Practice:
Tip#5
Appositives: these dependant clauses modify
the subject and often add non-essential information – offset with commas:
-
An appositive is usually a noun or a noun phrase that renames another
noun right beside it. Usually the appositive follows the noun, but not always.
-
Grammar rules govern appositives: PUNCTUATION and AGREEMENT :
1. A
nonessential appositive is always separated from the rest of the sentence,
usually with commas, but sometimes dashes or colons are more appropriate.
2. An appositive is never
punctuated if it is essential to the meaning of the word beside it.
3. If the appositive is a pronoun, its
case/person must agree with the usage of the noun it renames.
Practice:
Tip#6
Tips on that, who, and which – use commas for non-essential (not
necessary) information:
- Some modifying elements of a sentence are essential, restricting the meaning of a modified term, while others are nonessential and don't restrict the modified term's meaning. These nonessential elements, which can be words, phrases, or clauses, are set off with commas.
-
Rule: Use commas before and
after nonessential words, phrases, and clauses, that is, elements embedded in
the sentence that interrupt it without changing the essential meaning.
- CHECK HERE FOR MORE NON-ESSENTIAL
WORDS OR PHRASES: http://www.mtcra.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/COMMAS-NONESSENTIAL-WORDS-PHRASES-Gregg-only.pdf
Practice:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/3/5/25
http://www.quia.com/quiz/300693.html?AP_rand=1591563608
Tutorial
Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtJExBjjkWY
Tip#7
The semicolon replaces a period and links 2 independent clauses:
- The semicolon establishes a close connection between two sentences or independent clauses.
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A semicolon can replace conjunctions and or but.
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The semicolon is always followed by a lower case letter with proper
nouns being the only exception (proper nouns are always capitalized).
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Semicolon use can be applied to separate two clauses or sentences that are
saying the same thing in different ways.
-
As with other punctuation marks that denote the end of a clause or sentence,
there is no space between the semicolon and the word preceding it; there should
be a single space after the semicolon.
Practice:
http://www2.ivcc.edu/rambo/practice_semicolon_quiz.htm
https://depts.dyc.edu/learningcenter/owl/exercises/semicolons_ex1.htm
Tutorial
Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th-zyfvwDdI
Tip#8
Remember the countable and uncountable nouns.
- MANY for countables (DRESS, HOUSE, CAR).
- MUCH/A LOT and LITTLE/FEW for non-countable (MONEY, SNOW, TIME) .
Practice
http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/agr_muchmany.html
http://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/adjectives/adjective-exercises/
Tutorial
Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DExrsKWvGc
Tip#9
Remember the Parts of Speech:
- The function the word serves in a sentence is what makes it whatever part of speech it is.
- NOUN – Nouns are naming words. We can’t talk about anything until we have given it a name.
- PRONOUN – A pronoun is a word that stands for a noun.
- VERBS – The verb is the motor that runs the sentence. A verb enables us to say something about a noun.
- ADJECTIVE – An adjective is a word that describes a noun.
- ADVERB – An adverb adds meaning to a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
- PREPOSITION – a preposition is a word that comes in front of a noun or a pronoun and shows a connection between that noun or pronoun and some other word in the sentence
- CONJUNCTION – a conjunction joins words and groups of words.
-INTERJECTION — An interjection is a word or phrase thrown into a sentence to express an emotion, for example, “Doh!”
Practice:
Tip #10
Who vs. That vs. Which
- Who and sometimes that refer to people. That and which refer to groups or things.
- Which introduces a nonessential clause, which adds supplementary information.
- If that has already appeared in a sentence, writers sometimes use which to introduce the next clause, whether it is essential or nonessential. This is done to avoid awkward formations.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/which_quiz.htm
Some more practice about different topics:
2. https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/infinitive-gerund/exercises?21
https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/infinitive-gerund/exercises?10
https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/infinitive-gerund/exercises?10
4. http://www.studyspanish.com/practice/pastpart.htm
5. http://www.curso-ingles.com/practicar/ejercicios/conditional-sentences
Written by:
Esmeralda Vargas
Katherine Calvo
