Commas
This punctuation mark is used to separate items in a list of three or more.
What is a comma?
In this voice, the subject performs the action of the verb.
Active Voice
This type of clause can stand alone as a complete sentence.
What is an independent clause (or main clause)?
This rhetorical appeal focuses on the credibility and trustworthiness of the speaker or writer.
What is Ethos?
This term refers to the different ways information is presented, such as articles, videos, podcasts, or infographics.
What are media formats?
This type of comma is used before conjunctions like "and," "but," or "or" when joining two independent clauses.
What is an Oxford Comma or Serial Comma?
"The ball was thrown by the pitcher," this is the voice being used.
Passive Voice
This type of clause cannot stand alone as a sentence and begins with words like "because," "when," or "although."
What is a dependent clause (or subordinate clause)?
This appeal targets the audience's emotions and values.
When analyzing a news article and a video report on the same event, you are comparing information across different media for this purpose.
What is to evaluate credibility, bias, or perspective? (Acceptable: to analyze different perspectives)
This comma rule states you should use a comma after an introductory phrase or clause at the beginning of a sentence.
What is the introductory comma rule?
This voice is generally preferred in academic and professional writing because it is more direct and concise.
Active Voice
In the sentence "I'll call you when I get home," "when I get home" is this type of clause.
Adverb Clause
This appeal uses logic, facts, statistics, and reasoning to persuade.
What is Logos?
This term describes the intended audience for a particular piece of media.
What is the target audience?
Where do the comma(s) go?
My brother who lives in Chicago is visiting his friend.
After brother and Chicago
Change this passive voice sentence to active voice: "The novel was read by the entire class."
What is "The entire class read the novel"?
This type of clause functions as a noun in a sentence, such as "What she said" in "What she said surprised everyone."
What is a noun clause?
In a commercial showing sad animals in shelters to encourage donations, this rhetorical appeal is primarily being used.
What is pathos?
When a social media post uses bright colors, emojis, and short sentences, it is likely targeting this audience demographic.
What are kids/teenagers?
Add the comma(s)
Margo my doctor told me to get bandaids gauze and antiboitics from CVS.
After Margo
After doctor
After bandaids and gauze
This is one situation where passive voice might be preferred over active voice.
What is when the doer of the action is unknown, unimportant, or should be concealed? (Acceptable alternatives: scientific writing, formal reports, or when focusing on the action rather than the actor)
This type of clause modifies a noun and usually begins with "who," "whom," "whose," "which," or "that."
Adjective Clause
A scientist citing her 20 years of research experience when presenting findings is primarily using this rhetorical appeal.
What is Ethos?
This is the term for the underlying message or main idea that media creators want to communicate.
What is the central message or theme?