Katys Brief Grammar Cheat Sheet

Instructions: For each picture, record the number of the grammar rule that is
violated or confused. Following these rules, change each phrase or sentence so
that it is grammatically correct. Some rules may be used more than once, and
some pictures might violate more than one rule!

1.

Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding s.

a. Charless friend
b. the witchs malice
c. From Strunk and Whites The Elements of Style (1.1)

2. In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a

comma after each term except the last.
a. red, white, and blue
b. gold, silver, or copper
c. From Strunk and Whites The Elements of Style (1.2)

3. The word your sits before another word (usually a noun or a

pronoun) to show that it belongs to "you" (e.g., your car, your arm),
is of "you" (e.g., your picture, your photograph) or is related to
"you" (e.g., your uncle).
a. Youre is short for you are.
b. Courtesy of Grammar-Monster, http://www.grammarmonster.com/easily_confused/youre_your.htm

4. Modifiers are just what they sound likewords or phrases that

modify something else. Misplaced modifiers are modifiers that
modify something you didn't intend them to modify.
a. Rolling down the hill, Squiggly was frightened that the rocks would
land on the campsite.
b. Courtesy of Grammar Girl,
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/misplaced-modifiers?
page=all#sthash.Q1zn1aRo.dpuf

5. To, Too, or Two?

a. To is a preposition which begins a prepositional phrase or an infinitive.
b. Too is an adverb meaning "excessively" or "also."
c. Two is a number. Many other words in English which reflect the number
two are spelled with tw: twin, twice, between, tweezers, etc.
d. Courtesy of English Plus, http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000258.htm

6. All ordinal numbers carry a suffix: -nd, -rd, -st, or -th.

a. first (1st)
b. second (2nd)
c. third (3rd)
d. fourth (4th)
e. fifth (5th)

f.
g.
h.
i.
j.

sixth (6th)
seventh (7th)
eighth (8th)
ninth (9th)
tenth (10th)

k. Courtesy of About Education,

http://grammar.about.com/od/mo/g/ordnumberterm.htm

7. Homonyms, homophones, and homographs are words that are easily

confused because they look alike or sound alike (or both) but have
different meanings.
a. Tail, tale
b. Sweet, suite
c. Courtesy of About Education,
http://grammar.about.com/od/words/a/HomonymChart4.htm

8. Common introductory phrases that should be followed by a comma

include participial and infinitive phrases, absolute phrases,
nonessential appositive phrases, and long prepositional phrases
(over four words).
a. Having finished the test, he left the room.
b. To get a seat, you'd better come early.
c. Courtesy of Purdue Owl, https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/607/02/

9. Malapropism: Absurd or humorous misuse of a word, especially by

confusion with one of similar sound.
a. "He is the very pineapple of politeness." -Mrs. Malaprop in Richard
Sheridan's The Rivals
b. "There's no stigmata connected with going to a shrink. -Little Carmine
in The Sopranos
c. Courtesy of About Education,
http://grammar.about.com/od/mo/g/malapterm.htm

Looking for more grammar tips and rules? I highly recommend the above
websites/sources that I cited!