Grammar Girl 2.0
Read It Again
Writing Roadblocks
Opinionated
Getting Personal
100
Standard American grammar does NOT have writers drop the comma -- also known as this -- before the conjunction in a series of elements.
What is an Oxford comma?
100
In "Grand Thefts," the author is addicted to this game.
What is Grand Theft Auto?
100
Don’t ever use a definition or quote or this as a lead on a story.
What is a question?
100
Opinion writers should use these to support their point of view.
What is facts?
100

This popular form of creative nonfiction is different than a formal essay because the author writes about experience without having to prove the point

What is a personal essay?

200
When trying to decide whether lie or lay is correct, it might help to think of this Eric Clapton song, which uses the word incorrectly.
What is "Lay Down Sally?"
200
In “A Gown for Lindsey Rose,” the story opens with Lois Bineshtarigh sewing a tiny gown. The woman’s occupation is this.
What is a nurse?
200
Unless it is an opinion piece, avoid this type of ending, which can be a little preachy.
What is the sermonette?
200
Oped is short for these two words.
What is opinion and editorial?
200

A personal essay is written in this person.

What is first person?

300
If you want a more dramatic pause in your writing, use one of these.
What is a dash?
300
In the story “On Valentine's Day, a boy's rite of passage is finding the right words,” the boy goes here to get his girlfriend a gift.
What is the Hallmark store?
300
Using specific nouns and verbs reduces the need for these.
What are modifiers?
300
This type of opinion is drawn.
What is an editorial cartoon?
300

The writer cannot just write an interesting story; it must include this.

What is a universal truth?

400
Apostrophes have two main uses in the English language: they stand in for something that's missing, and they can be used to indicate this
What is possession?
400
In "The End of the Waffle House," who is the man who walks with a cane in the story?
What is the owner?
400
When you change the words of a quote it’s called this.
What is misquoting?
400
Besides what the author thinks, opeds should include this.
What are opposing arguments?
400

To get a personal essay published in a literary magazine, you might have to write one of these.

What is a query letter?

500
This is Grammar Girl's real name
What is Mignon Fogarty?
500
In “All She has, $150,000, is going to a University,” Oseola McCarty’s went on vacation once, to this scenic place.
What is Niagara Falls?
500
Writing for journalism is vastly different than writing for English composition. The lead of a journalism story is called this in English composition.
What is a topic sentence?
500
Unless you are sharing a personal anecdote to illustrate your point, opeds should be written in this person.
What is the third person?
500

Susan Weich wrote an essay about a high school crush who she tried to win over by doing this.

What is becoming his penpal?

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