How to Use Basic Grammar

Many people don't have a feel for the basic elements of grammar. Even many television and radio personalities and journalists don't display a good command; here's how you can get a handle on it.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Read resource books such as "Harbrace College Handbook," "The Elements of Grammar" and "The Elements of Style."

2. Know the difference between "its" and "it's." In this case, the possessive form of "it" doesn't have an apostrophe. However, the contraction for "it is" does have an apostrophe. Examples are, "It's on the chair," and "Its cover is falling off."

3. Realize the difference between "lay" and "lie." You lay something down on the table, but you lie down to take a nap.

4. Place periods and commas inside quotation marks.

5. Join a compound sentence one of two ways--either with a semicolon or with a comma and a conjunction. A compound sentence is a sentence made up of two independent clauses. An independent clause is a sentence fragment that, technically, could stand on its own as a complete sentence.

6. Use "affect" when you mean "to have an influence." Use "effect" when something has been brought about by something else.

Tips & Warnings

• A lot is two words, not one.
• All right is two words, not one.
• A good way to remember how to use who or whom is if the word can be substituted with he or him. He (who) and him (whom).
• You lie down. It lays down.
• Never end a sentence with a preposition, such as "at."
• Do not use double negatives, such as "not hardly."
• Avoid run-on sentences.

Resources

• Amazon sells many grammar resource books.
• The University of Ottawa website offers great tips on grammar.
• Daily Grammar emails free grammar lessons to you.
• Bartleby