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Proper Grammar Usage

Why should you learn to use proper grammar?



proper grammar

Whether you like it or not, people judge you based on how you communicate.

Taking the time to use the right grammar and punctuation in your writing and speech allows you to present yourself in the best possible light.

proper grammar
As Grammar Girl says, "The quality of your writing often has a huge influence on the first impression you make on people."

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of things to remember, you might consider using an online grammar checker which can check for proper grammar and tell you how to fix errors in your written communication.

Also, if you are an ESL learner, Diana from Helping You Learn English has lots of great information to help you including an ESL Cafe where you can meet people, share stories, and learn English.


Subject Verb Agreement

What does it mean for a subject and a verb to "agree?"

Well, it refers to the number of the subject and the verb. Here is an example of a sentence with a subject and a verb that agree:

Mary washes the car every Saturday.

Here is how the sentence would sound without subject verb agreement:

Mary wash the car every Saturday.

Learn more about subject verb agreement here.


Capitalization Rules

Learn some of the nitty-gritty about capitalization.

I've shortened this list to six main rules (and a few sub-rules).

Learn more about the capitalization rules here.


Idiomatic Expressions

These things drive me up the wall.

I'm just kidding. Actually, I really enjoy learning about idioms.

Idioms are groups of words which have meanings that are not literal.

Here are a couple of examples:

Drives me up the wall = makes me crazy

A dime a dozen = something that is very common

While they are fun to learn about, they can be difficult to grasp - particularly for people learning English as a second language.

Learn more about idiomatic expressions here.

Proverbs are similar to idioms. Learn about English proverbs here.


Punctuation Rules

English punctuation baffles many of us.

When do we use a semi-colon? How about that always mystifying apostrophe?

See the punctuation rules page for a guide to help you punctuate better!

Or, check out the page on the lovely exclamation mark, the party animal of punctuation.


How to Write a Letter

Whether you are writing a friendly letter to your grandmother (You still do that, don't you?) or a business letter, you should use proper grammar.


Go From Proper Grammar Back to English Grammar Home Page



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