Lesson 353 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Commas

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Use a comma or commas to set off an appositive if not closely tied to the words it equals or identifies. 

 

Examples: 

Larry Millward, my best friend, will speak at the meeting. 

My brother Ken moved to Hawaii. (closely tied)

Instructions: Place commas where they are needed.

1. Fred James a soldier captured during World War II spoke at the assembly.

2. My sister Elaine died recently.

3. Paul the top student in his class was the valedictorian.

4. Small farming a very important occupation is disappearing.

5. We rode all day on Dot a very old and gentle horse.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Fred James, a soldier captured during World War II, spoke at the assembly.

2. My sister Elaine died recently. (It is closely tied, but one could take Elaine as a noun of address if you don't know her as the sister.)

3. Paul, the top student in his class, was the valedictorian.

4. Small farming, a very important occupation, is disappearing.

5. We rode all day on Dot, a very old and gentle horse.

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Lesson 53 - Parts of Speech - Adverbs

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Most adjectives that have more than one syllable and end in le simply change the e to y to form the adverb.

      Example: 

      favorable - favorably

Instructions: Change the following adjectives to adverbs.

1. noble

2. horrible

3. sensible

4. suitable

5. comfortable

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. nobly

2. horribly

3. sensibly

4. suitably

5. comfortably

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Lesson 352 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Commas

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Use a comma or commas to set off words or phrases used as nouns of address (nominatives of address).

Examples:

Joe, get over here. 

Get over here, Joe. 

Young man, get over here.

Instructions: Place commas where they are needed.

1. Did you Susan see him at the meetings?

2. I will call you in the morning Steve.

3. Well Fred it was a pleasure to see you again.

4. Jeanne I don't know what is going on.

5. You should Bill know the answer to that one.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Did you, Susan, see him at the meetings?

2. I will call you in the morning, Steve.

3. Well, Fred, it was a pleasure to see you again.

4. Jeanne, I don't know what is going on.

5. You should, Bill, know the answer to that one.

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Lesson 52 - Parts of Speech - Adverbs

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Most adjectives that end in y change the y to i and then add the ly to form the adverb.

      Example:

      lazy - lazily

Instructions: Change these adjectives to adverbs.

1. happy

2. easy

3. mighty

4. busy

5. angry

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. happily

2. easily

3. mightily

4. busily

5. angrily

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Lesson 351 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Commas

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Use a comma to separate introductory words yes and no and mild interjections from the sentence that follows them.

Examples: 

Oh, I heard that before. 

Yes, I will be here.

Instructions: Place commas where they are needed.

1. Yes you may leave the room.

2. Of course I won't change my plans.

3. Oh you want to try my patience more.

4. No I didn't see you there.

5. Wow you think that is great.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Yes, you may leave the room.

2. Of course, I won't change my plans.

3. Oh, you want to try my patience more.

4. No, I didn't see you there.

5. Wow, you think that is great.

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Lesson 51 - Parts of Speech - Adverbs

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Most adverbs are formed from adjectives. Many adverbs are formed by adding ly to the adjective.

      Example:

       slow - slowly

Instructions: Change the following adjectives to adverbs.

1. fierce

2. quick

3. large

4. useful

5. equal

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. fiercely

2. quickly

3. largely

4. usefully

5. equally

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Quiz for Lessons 346 - 350 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Commas

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Instructions: Place commas where they are needed.

1. Baseball basketball track and tennis require running.

2. The numbers 8 16 32 and 48 are called even numbers.

3. Eat drink and make merry for you will soon die.

4. I like shopping my husband likes dining and the family likes activities.

5. Working hard saving some money and providing for a family should be important for a father.

6. I saw him run up the mountain jump off the cliff and land in a pine tree.

7. He was from Great Falls Montana and she was from Twin Falls Idaho.

8. I have been to Dubois Idaho Taber Alberta Canada and Whippany New Jersey.

9. She likes to sing to play the piano and to read novels.

10. The search party looked along the road up the hill and down the alleys for clues.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Baseball, basketball, track, and tennis require running.

2. The numbers 8, 16, 32, and 48 are called even numbers.

3. Eat, drink, and make merry, for you will soon die.

4. I like shopping, my husband likes dining, and the family likes activities.

5. Working hard, saving some money, and providing for a family should be important for a father.

6. I saw him run up the mountain, jump off the cliff, and land in a pine tree.

7. He was from Great Falls, Montana, and she was from Twin Falls, Idaho.

8. I have been to Dubois, Idaho, Taber, Alberta, Canada, and Whippany, New Jersey.

9. She likes to sing, to play the piano, and to read novels.

10. The search party looked along the road, up the hill, and down the alleys for clues.

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Quiz for Lessons 46-50 - Parts of Speech - Adverbs

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Adverbs that tell us how, when, and where can shift position in the sentence.

 

Instructions: Find the adverbs in the following sentences, tell what word they modify, and what they tell us. Remember that adverbs tell us how, when, where, why and modify the verb. They also can shift in a sentence. Adverbs that tell us how much modify adjectives or other adverbs. These adverbs must come before the word they modify.

1. Haven't we often stopped here before?

2. Boyd does his work faithfully and carefully.

3. My children sometimes say that I have always been highly critical.

4. Yesterday Jim came by once or twice.

5. The baby lay there very safely in the crib.

6. Today the dog seemed rather restless.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Haven't we often stopped here before?

    - n't (when/how), often (when), here (where), and before (when) modify have stopped

2. Boyd does his work faithfully and carefully.

    - faithfully (how) and carefully (how) modify does

3. My children sometimes say that I have always been highly critical.

    - sometimes (when) modifies say

    - always (when) modifies have been

    - highly (how much) modifies critical

4. Yesterday Jim came by once or twice.

    - yesterday (when), by (where), once (when), and twice (when) modify came

5. The baby lay there very safely in the crib.

    - there (where) and safely (how) modify lay

    - very (how much) modifies safely

6. Today the dog seemed rather restless.

    - today (when) modifies seemed

    - rather (how much) modifies restless

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Lesson 350 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Commas

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Use commas to separate a series of three or more short clauses. 

 

Example: 

I am working, he is sleeping, and she is singing. 

(The comma before the conjunction and is optional, but I prefer using it.)

Use no commas in a series when all items are joined by or, and, or nor.

Instructions: Place commas where they are needed.

1. They are eating we are drinking and you are starving.

2. The music began the lights dimmed and the curtains opened.

3. My sister has left home my brother is at school and my mother is baking bread.

4. Jim fished Jeff hiked and I loafed the whole camp-out.

5. You correct he proofreads but I edit material.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. They are eating, we are drinking, and you are starving.

2. The music began, the lights dimmed, and the curtains opened.

3. My sister has left home, my brother is at school, and my mother is baking bread.

4. Jim fished, Jeff hiked, and I loafed the whole camp-out.

5. You correct, he proofreads, but I edit material.

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Lesson 50 - Parts of Speech - Adverbs

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Adverbs that tell us how, when, and where can shift position in the sentence.

     Example: 

     I am often out of town. 

     Often I am out of town. 

     I am out of town often.

Instructions: List the adverbs in these sentences.

1. Jeff does his work wisely.

2. Seldom do we see everyone at the same time.

3. Ann often visits from Canada.

4. Now let's check this again.

5. I see what you mean now.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Jeff does his work wisely.

2. Seldom do we see everyone at the same time.

3. Ann often visits from Canada.

4. Now let's check this again.

5. I see what you mean now.

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Lesson 349 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Commas

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Use commas to separate a series of three or more phrases. 

 

Example: 

He ran down the hall, out the door, and into the yard. 

(The comma before the conjunction and is optional, but I prefer using it.)

Use no commas in a series when all items are joined by or, and, or nor.

Instructions: Place commas where they are needed.

1. The rain splashed against the house onto the sidewalk and into the street.

2. Through the trees around the cabin and down the valley roared the wind.

3. College is to gain knowledge to make new friends and to prepare for a career.

4. The cat climbed up the tree and out on a limb and finally onto the roof.

5. Munching on an apple listening to a recording and sitting on the couch Martha looked very happy.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. The rain splashed against the house, onto the sidewalk, and into the street.

2. Through the trees, around the cabin, and down the valley, roared the wind.

3. College is to gain knowledge, to make new friends, and to prepare for a career.

4. no commas needed

5. Munching on an apple, listening to a recording, and sitting on the couch, Martha looked very happy.

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Lesson 49 - Parts of Speech - Adverbs

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Adverbs may be compound. 

 

     Example: 

     He speaks rapidly and well.

Instructions: Find the adverbs in these sentences.

1. We shouldn't decide this very important decision quickly or foolishly.

2. Suddenly and quietly the boys slipped from the room.

3. The girls did the dishes laughingly and happily together.

4. Marilyn types rapidly and accurately.

5. Either today or tomorrow we will go to the zoo.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. We shouldn't decide this very important decision quickly or foolishly.

2. Suddenly and quietly the boys slipped from the room.

3. The girls did the dishes laughingly and happily together.

4. Marilyn types rapidly and accurately.

5. Either today or tomorrow we will go to the zoo.

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Lesson 348 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Commas

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Use commas to separate a series of three or more numbers. 

 

Example: 

He called for numbers 3, 6, 9, and 12.

Instructions: Place commas where they are needed.

1. In the Bingo game the winning numbers were 7 21 35 46 and 72.

2. My combination for my lock is 3 54 and 26.

3. He said that his lucky numbers were 7 11 13 and 99.

4. The numbers 14 27 58 79 and 38 won the lottery.

5. I like mixed greens with numbers of 20 50 and 100 on them.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. In the Bingo game the winning numbers were 7, 21, 35, 46, and 72.

2. My combination for my lock is 3, 54, and 26.

3. He said that his lucky numbers were 7, 11, 13, and 99.

4. The numbers 14, 27, 58, 79, and 38 won the lottery.

5. I like mixed greens with numbers of 20, 50, and 100 on them.

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Lesson 48 - Parts of Speech - Adverbs

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Not and its contraction n't are adverbs. They really modify the entire sentence, but we will have them modify the verb as it is the most important word in the sentence. This is a common practice in grammar books. Remember that adverbs tell us how, when, where, why, and how much and modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

Instructions: Find the adverbs in these sentences and tell which word they modify.

1. Terri did not do the work correctly.

2. Mom was never so deeply pleased with the kids.

3. Badger actually likes almost every cat he sees.

4. I recently found that you wouldn't help.

5. You will not go tomorrow to that very scary movie.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Terri did not do the work correctly.

    - not and correctly modify did do

2. Mom was never so deeply pleased with the kids.

    - never and deeply modify was pleased

    - so modifies deeply (telling how much)

3. Badger actually likes almost every cat he sees.

    - actually modifies likes

    - almost modifies every (telling how much)

4. I recently found that you wouldn't help.

    - recently modifies found

    - n't modifies would help

5. You will not go tomorrow to that very scary movie.

    - not and tomorrow modify will go 

    - very modifies scary (telling how much)

Note: Adverbs that modify verbs always modify the whole verb phrase when it is made up of more than one word.

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