Capitalization Station
What should always be capitalized at the beginning of every sentence and every line of poetry?
The first letter.
What is the difference between there, their, and they're?
There refers to a place; their shows possession; they're means they are.
What two major parts does a complete sentence need?
A subject and a predicate/verb expressing a complete thought.
What acronym helps writers remember the seven coordinating conjunctions?
FANBOYS — for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.
Where do periods and commas go in relation to quotation marks?
Inside the quotation marks.
What punctuation mark normally ends a declarative sentence?
A period
What is a proper noun?
The specific name of a person, place, organization, or other particular thing.
What is the difference between its and it's?
Its shows possession; it's is a contraction meaning it is.
What is a sentence fragment?
An incomplete sentence that is missing something necessary to express a complete thought.
When are commas used with items in a series?
To separate three or more items in a list.
What should a writer do every time the speaker changes in a conversation?
Begin a new paragraph.
What punctuation mark always ends an interrogative sentence?
A question mark
What is the general capitalization rule for titles of books, poems, songs, and other creative works?
Capitalize the first and last words and all important words in the title.
What is the difference between whose and who's?
Whose shows possession; who's means who is.
What is the basic rule for subject-verb agreement?
Singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs.
When should a comma be placed before a coordinating conjunction?
When the conjunction joins two independent clauses.
What punctuation usually separates a quotation from a dialogue tag such as she said?
A comma
What are the two possible ending punctuation marks for an imperative sentence?
A period or an exclamation point.
According to the packet, which types of words are generally not capitalized in the middle of a title?
Articles, short prepositions, and conjunctions.
Explain the difference among to, too, and two.
To is used for most other purposes, too means also or excessively, and two is the number.
When words or phrases appear between the subject and verb, which word determines whether the verb should be singular or plural?
The actual subject - not the words or phrases between the subject and verb.
What punctuation rule generally applies to an introductory phrase or clause?
It should be separated from the main sentence with a comma.
here does a question mark or exclamation point go if it belongs to the words being quoted?
Inside the quotation marks.
What is one major purpose of a semicolon?
To separate two closely related independent clauses when there is no coordinating conjunction.
When should a person's title, such as President, Professor, or Senator, be capitalized?
When it is used as part of the person's name; it is generally lowercase when used alone or generically.
What is the general difference between affect and effect?
Affect is commonly a verb meaning to change or impact; effect is commonly a noun meaning a result.
When subjects are joined by or or nor, how do you determine which verb form to use?
The verb should agree with the subject closest to it.
How should extra information - such as an aside, appositive, or nonessential information - be punctuated?
It should be separated from the rest of the sentence with commas.
If a quotation is interrupted by words such as he said, should the second part of the quotation automatically begin with a capital letter?
No. If the second part continues the same sentence, it begins with a lowercase letter.
What is one major purpose of a colon?
To introduce a list, series, or extended quotation when the preceding words form a complete sentence.