Five Basic Grammar Categories for Review

I. Subject/verb agreement

If you use a singular subject, use a singular verb; if the subject's plural, make the verb plural, too:

    Most bears in the North American wilderness hibernate for the winter.
    A kind act, whether given as a smile or as friendly words, makes a difference for many people.
    One of the most notorious bank robbers in American history was a man named John Dillinger.

II. Pronoun agreement

Pronouns by definition are placeholders for nouns. As such, they should match their antecedents in number:

    Tom and Paul decided to get to their destination by catching the next train.
    Each student knows what is expected for his or her success in this course.
    (To be inclusive and write something less awkward, rewrite this sentence as:
        Students know what is expected for their success in this course.)

Pronouns should also be in the proper case (a term that refers to how the pronoun is used in the sentence). Most writers know about possessive pronouns (his book, its color, their house, etc.). But when pronouns are used as subjects or as objects (of verbs or prepositions, for example), writers can inadvertently pick the wrong form. When a pronoun is used as a subject, use the subjective form of the pronoun:

    Tom and he were held back from the street.
    He and I flew south for Christmas.
    We know who will come back for more.

When the pronoun functions as the object of a verb or preposition in a sentence, use the objective form:

    That was an issue I left up to Susan and him.
    He gave me the tickets;  we'll pass them along to either Frank or her, or perhaps neither of them.
    I said that this issue was strictly between him and me.    

III. Possessions vs. Contractions

This is a variation on proper pronoun usage. There are three primary examples to remember:

    its (possession) vs. it's (contraction)
    your (possession) vs. you're (contraction)
    there (relative pronoun) or their (possession) vs. they're (contraction)

For example:

    That book looks like it's had its pages torn and I don't think it's from overuse!
    You know you're in trouble when you're late for your class.
    Let's eat there if they're not crowded; otherwise, we'll have to put our name on their reservations list.

IV. Semi-colon and colon

Keep these two punctuation marks distinct. Here's an easy (although not completely true for all uses) guideline:

    Use a semi-colon when you intend to separate two independent clauses (or sentences)
    Use a colon when you intend to introduce information following an introductory clause or phrase.

For example:

    There are principles that govern how politics should work; sometimes these principles get broken.
    If I could suggest one guideline for good relationships, it would be this: be patient with each other.

V. Sound Sentence Construction

A final review of any writing should include attention to the construction of sentences. Three errors of sentence construction occur frequently and these need attention when you proofread. These include:

    A. Fragments

            Wrong: Hardly an easy thing to understand.   
              Fixed: A fragment is hardly an easy thing to understand. 
            Wrong: Being that I am in the middle.   
              Fixed: That's because I am in the middle. 

     B. Run-ons or fused sentences

            Wrong: I can occupy two chairs sometimes I can even occupy three.
              Fixed: I can occupy two chairs; however, sometimes I can even occupy three.

    C. Comma splices

            Wrong: They say times will get better, I don't believe them.
              Fixed: They say times will get better, but I don't believe them.

Proofread your papers paying attention to these five categories and I believe your writing will be greatly improved.

By the way, you are not alone in struggling with the English language. Consider these attempts as a reminder that even when the words are correct, the meaning can be entirely misunderstood by an audience!