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Parallelism

Rule of Parallel StructureNote: We devote an entire section to parallel structure in the eBook Developing a Powerful Writing Style. We urge you to read it. We also deal with parallel structure in more detail below.Notice in the examples above that ea...

Serial-Comma Rule - Red, White, and Blue

When you use a coordinating conjunction to join two elements of a series, no comma comes before the conjunction. But when you join three or more elements, the preferred rule requires a comma before the coordinating conjunction.This is called the seri...

Conjunctive Adverbs - “However,” etc.

Watch OutAnother word that can join two independent clauses is the conjunctive adverb. You probably use these words in your writing style: however, therefore, furthermore, nevertheless, and others.If you use a conjunctive adverb to join two independe...

2. Correlative Conjunctions

Power WordsThe second kind of conjunction is the correlative conjunction, which comes in pairs of words. Here are the most commonly used:Correlative Conjunctionseither . . . or neither . . . nor not . . . but not only . . . but (also) both . . . andP...

3. Subordinating Conjunctions

Starting Dependent ClausesThe third and final type of conjunction introduces subordinate clauses. We have a rather long list of these words, called subordinating conjunctions. Notice our friend, the word that. As a subordinating conjunction, it intro...

As Far As

As Far As Success …Many smart people flub the use of the subordinating conjunction as far as. Keep in mind that the expression serves as a subordinating conjunction. That is, it joins a clause. What must be in the clause to make it a clause?Right.A...

Rule of Parallel Structure

Though we’ll study parallel construction in the eBook Developing a Powerful Writing Style, I must introduce the concept here, for producing a parallel series requires the use of two of the conjunctions we just discussed: coordinating conjunctions a...

Start a Sentence with a Conjunction

And you may start a sentence with And.You probably learned in grade school: Never start a sentence with but, and, or any other conjunction. Poppycock!Not only can you start sentences with a conjunction, but you must—if you want to become a good wri...

"However" as a Sentence-Starter

However, this is bad form.Look at the sentences above, the ones starting with But. Imagine how awful they would sound if the writer had started them with However followed by a comma. No applause for Justice Black if he had written: The Framers knew, ...

A Word About "Nor"

Nor After NegativesThe conjunction nor can serve either as a coordinating conjunction or as part of the correlative conjunction neither . . . nor. As a coordinating conjunction, it can join a complete independent clause. When used in this way, it con...

Subject-Verb Agreement - Plural Subjects

Watch OutBefore winding up our discussion of conjunctions, we need to visit the notion of subject-verb agreement in number. When you write a plural subject, you must use a plural verb. When you write a singular subject, you must use a singular verb.A...

A Summary of Conjunctions

We have three kinds of conjunctions:1. coordinating 2. correlative 3. subordinatingWe have seen that coordinating and correlative conjunctions join two or three or four or more clauses, phrases, or words. The structures joined must be grammatically...

Prepositions - Definition, Overview, and Lists of Examples

WelcomeBelow you’ll find links to our discussion on prepositions. We recommend that you start with the first topic,Prepositions - Words That Glue. At the bottom of each topic, you’ll find links to “Next” and to “Previous.” So start with t...

Prepositions - Words That Glue

Now let’s explore a very important part of speech, the preposition. This little word helps us hook nouns onto sentences. When we do, we form prepositional phrases. When you complete this section, you might decide that a preposition is a good word t...

1. Simple Prepositions

Little but Important WordsIn the English language we have approximately 70 simple prepositions. About half of them have two syllables (under, over, behind, without) or more (underneath, notwithstanding).Here’s just a partial list of simple preposit...

2. Marginal Prepositions

Verbs as PrepositionsMarginal prepositions act like prepositions but derive from other word classes, primarily verb forms:Marginal Prepositionsbarring concerning considering pending Previous: 1. Simple PrepositionsNext: 3. Compound Prepositions...

3. Compound Prepositions

A Stuffy StyleThese come in two varieties:1. two-word prepositions 2. three-word prepositionsThe two-word varieties include pursuant to, according to, because of, prior to, subsequent to, and others. The three-word varieties include with respect to, ...

Prepositional Phrase - Two Parts

The prepositional phrase consists of two major parts:1. the preposition 2. the object of the prepositionThe object is the noun (or pronoun) attached to the sentence by the preposition. That noun might be a true noun, a noun phrase, or a noun clause. ...

Objective Case of Pronouns

Just Between You and MeA reminder. Whenever a pronoun serves as the object of a preposition, it must appear in the objective case.So please heed this advice from Henry Fowler: After a preposition the objective form of a pronoun . . . must always b...

Ending a Sentence or Clause with a Preposition

Yet Another MythHere we have another myth, which I briefly mentioned in the section on prepositions:Never end a sentence or clause with a preposition. Actually, a sound rule would urge you to avoid ending sentences or clauses with prepositions in for...

Serving as Other Parts of Speech

Prepositions Serving Double DutyMany words that serve as prepositions also serve as other parts of speech. The word up, for example, acts as a preposition: He looked up the tree. (prepositional phrase) But the word up can also serve as an adverb: He ...

The “Like” Word

Like, Wow!The word doing the most damage to the communicative “skills” of young people today happens to be a preposition … the word like. It also happens to be a noun, a verb, an adjective, an adverb, a conjunction, and an interjection.The word...

A Summary of Prepositions

In this section, we learned all about the preposition, whose primary role in life is to stick nouns on sentences. We met three basic kinds: simple, marginal, and compound. We learned that skilled writers don’t use too many compound prepositions lik...

The Last Part of Speech - The Interjection

We don’t need to spend much time with the eighth and final part of speech—the interjection.Like wow!Rats.Damn!Oh!These and other words of surprise are interjections. Use them in speech and creative writing. Leave them out of your master’s thesi...

Common Grammatical Mistakes

We have broken some of the longer topics into multiple pages. So watch for references to “Pages 1-2-3” at the bottom of the topic. Click the next page number to continue reading.Please note:You may download this entire section and read it in hard...