Basic Grammar and Composition PDF

MCI 0120
MARINE CORPS INSTITUTE
BASIC GRAMMAR AND

COMPOSITION
MARINE BARRACKS
WASHINGTON, DC

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
MARINE CORPS INSTITUTE
912 CHARLES POOR STREET SE
WASHINGTON NAVY YARD DC 20391-5680
IN REPLY REFER TO:
1550
9 Sep 2012
From: Director
To: Marine Corps Institute Student
Subj: BASIC GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION (MCI 0120)
1. Purpose. The subject course provides a basic knowledge of grammar and composition.
2. Scope. This course instructs Marines in the fundamentals of basic grammar and composition.
3. Applicability. This course is intended for instructional purposes only. This course is
designed for all Marines, regardless of MOS, who strive to improve their grammar and
composition skills.
4. Recommendations. Comments and recommendations on the contents of the course are

invited and will aid in subsequent course revisions. Please complete the course evaluation
questionnaire at the end of the final examination. Return the questionnaire and the examination
booklet to your proctor.
M. S. REICHENBAUGH
By direction
(This page intentionally left blank.)
Table of Contents
Page
Contents ............................................................................................................................ i
Student Information .......................................................................................................... iii
Study Guide ...................................................................................................................... v
Study Unit 1 Parts of Speech .............................................................................. 1-1
Lesson 1 Nouns ............................................................................................ 1-3

Lesson 2 Pronouns ....................................................................................... 1-15
Lesson 3 Verbs ............................................................................................. 1-25
Lesson 4 Adjectives, Articles, and Adverbs ................................................ 1-39
Lesson 5 Prepositions ................................................................................... 1-49
Lesson 6 Conjunctions ................................................................................. 1-55
Lesson 7 Interjections................................................................................... 1-63
Study Unit 2 Phrases, Clauses, and Sentences ................................................... 2-1
Lesson 1 Phrases .......................................................................................... 2-3

Lesson 2 Clauses .......................................................................................... 2-13
Lesson 3 Sentences....................................................................................... 2-25
Study Unit 3 Punctuation Marks ........................................................................ 3-1
Lesson 1 Comma .......................................................................................... 3-3

Lesson 2 Colon ............................................................................................. 3-9
Lesson 3 Semicolon ..................................................................................... 3-15
Lesson 4 Apostrophe .................................................................................... 3-21
Lesson 5 End Punctuation ............................................................................ 3-27
Lesson 6 Quotation Marks ........................................................................... 3-35
Study Unit 4 Capitalization and Spelling ........................................................... 4-1
Lesson 1 Capitalization ................................................................................ 4-3

Lesson 2 Spelling ......................................................................................... 4-11
Continued on next page
MCI Course 0120 i

Table of Contents, Continued
Study Unit 5 Effective Essay Writing ................................................................ 5-1
Lesson 1 Purpose of the Essay ..................................................................... 5-3

Lesson 2 Developing the Essay.................................................................... 5-11
Lesson 3 The Draft Writing Process ............................................................ 5-29
Lesson 4 The Editing Process ...................................................................... 5-39
Review Lesson Examination............................................................................................. R-1
MCI Course 0120 ii

Student Information
Number and MCI 0120

Title BASIC GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION
Study Hours 7
Course Text
Materials
Review Agency II Marine Expeditionary Force

Camp Lejeune, NC
Reserve 2
Retirement
Credits (RRC)
ACE This course is scheduled for review by the American Council on Education
during 2012.
Assistance For administrative assistance, have your training officer or NCO log on to the
MCI home page at www.mci.usmc.mil. Marines CONUS may call toll free
1-800-MCI-USMC. Marines worldwide may call commercial (202) 685-
7596 or DSN 325-7596.
MCI Course 0120 iii

MCI Course 0120 iv

Study Guide
Congratulations Congratulations on your enrollment in a distance education course from the

Distance Learning and Technologies Department (DLTD) of the Marine
Corps Institute (MCI). Since 1920, the Marine Corps Institute has been
helping tens of thousands of hard-charging Marines, like you, improve their
technical job performance skills through distance learning. By enrolling in
this course, you have shown a desire to improve the skills you have and
master new skills to enhance your job performance. The distance learning
course you have chosen, MCI 0120, Basic Grammar and Composition,
provides essential training to all Marines who wish to improve their grammar
and writing skills.
Your Personal - YOU ARE PROPERLY MOTIVATED. You have made a positive
Characteristics decision to get training on your own. Self-motivation is perhaps the most
important force in learning or achieving anything. Doing whatever is
necessary to learn is motivation. You have it!
- YOU SEEK TO IMPROVE YOURSELF. You are enrolled to

improve those skills you already possess, and to learn new skills. When
you improve yourself, you improve the Corps!
- YOU HAVE THE INITIATIVE TO ACT. By acting on your own,

you have shown you are a self-starter, willing to reach out for
opportunities to learn and grow.
- YOU ACCEPT CHALLENGES. You have self-confidence and

believe in your ability to acquire knowledge and skills. You have the
self-confidence to set goals and the ability to achieve them, enabling you
to meet every challenge.
- YOU ARE ABLE TO SET AND ACCOMPLISH PRACTICAL

GOALS. You are willing to commit time, effort, and the resources
necessary to set and accomplish your goals. These professional traits will
help you successfully complete this distance learning course.
MCI Course 0120 v

Study Guide, Continued
Beginning Your Before you actually begin this course of study, read the student information
Course page. If you find any course materials missing, notify your training officer or
training NCO. If you have all the required materials, you are ready to begin.
To begin your course of study, familiarize yourself with the structure of the
course text. One way to do this is to read the table of contents. Notice the
table of contents covers specific areas of study and the order in which they are
presented. You will find the text divided into several study units. Each study
unit is comprised of two or more lessons and lesson exercises.
Leafing Leaf through the text and look at the course. Read a few lesson exercise
Through the questions to get an idea of the type of material in the course. If the course has
Text additional study aids, such as a handbook or plotting board, familiarize
yourself with them.
The First Study Turn to the first page of study unit 1. On this page, you will find an
Unit introduction to the study unit and generally the first study unit lesson. Study
unit lessons contain learning objectives, lesson text, and exercises.
Reading the Learning objectives describe in concise terms what the successful learner,
Learning you, will be able to do as a result of mastering the content of the lesson text.
Objectives Read the objectives for each lesson and then read the lesson text. As you read
the lesson text, make notes on the points you feel are important.
Completing the To determine your mastery of the learning objectives and text, complete the
Exercises exercises developed for you. Exercises are located at the end of each lesson,
and at the end of each study unit. Without referring to the text, complete the
exercise questions and then check your responses against those provided.
MCI Course 0120 vi

Continuing to Continue on to the next lesson, repeating the above process until you have
March completed all lessons in the study unit. Follow the same procedures for each
study unit in the course.
Preparing for To prepare for your final exam, you must review what you learned in the
the Final Exam course. The following suggestions will help make the review interesting and
challenging.
- CHALLENGE YOURSELF. Try to recall the entire learning sequence

without referring to the text. Can you do it? Now look back at the text to
see if you have left anything out. This review should be interesting.
Undoubtedly, you’ll find you were not able to recall everything. But
with a little effort, you’ll be able to recall a great deal of the information.
- USE UNUSED MINUTES. Use your spare moments to review. Read

your notes or a part of a study unit, rework exercise items, review again;
you can do many of these things during the unused minutes of every day.
- APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED. It is always best to use the

skill or knowledge you’ve learned as soon as possible. If it isn’t possible
to actually use the skill or knowledge, at least try to imagine a situation in
which you would apply this learning. For example make up and solve
your own problems. Or, better still, make up and solve problems that use
most of the elements of a study unit.
- USE THE “SHAKEDOWN CRUISE” TECHNIQUE. Ask another

Marine to lend a hand by asking you questions about the course. Choose
a particular study unit and let your buddy “fire away.” This technique
can be interesting and challenging for both of you!
- MAKE REVIEWS FUN AND BENEFICIAL. Reviews are good

habits that enhance learning. They don’t have to be long and tedious. In
fact, some learners find short reviews conducted more often prove more
beneficial.
MCI Course 0120 vii

Tackling the When you have completed your study of the course material and are confident
Final Exam with the results attained on your Review Lesson exercise, you are ready to
take the final examination. Your training NCO or officer will administer the
final examination either online at www.mci.usmc.mil or by using Form
DP-37 (answer sheet) that is provided in the sealed envelope marked "FINAL
EXAM". If you use Form DP-37 to take your final examination, your
training NCO or officer will return it to MCI for grading. Ensure you read all
the directions carefully, whether online or on Form DP-37, before taking your
final examination.
Completing The sooner you complete your course, the sooner you can better yourself by
Your Course applying what you’ve learned! HOWEVER--you do have 2 years from the
date of enrollment to complete this course.
Graduating! As a graduate of this distance education course and as a dedicated Marine,

your job performance skills will improve, benefiting you, your unit, and the
Marine Corps.
Semper Fidelis!
MCI Course 0120 viii

STUDY UNIT 1
PARTS OF SPEECH
Overview
Scope Putting our thoughts on paper is important, but only if what we have written
clearly communicates our intentions. Our understanding of English grammar
can help make sure that we communicate clearly. The objective of this study
unit is to help you sharpen your understanding of English grammar by briefly
reviewing the parts of speech.
In This Study This study unit contains the following lessons:

Unit
Lessons See Page

Nouns 1-3
Pronouns 1-15
Verbs 1-25
Adjectives, Articles, and Adverbs 1-39
Prepositions 1-49
Conjunctions 1-55
Interjections 1-63
MCI Course 0120 1-1 Study Unit 1


LESSON 1
NOUNS
Introduction
Purpose The first words that you encounter when being introduced to any new
environment or topic are the names for things. For instance, the first words
that a child begins to use as it masters language are names for things (mom,
dad, bottle); the first words that many Marines remember noticing in recruit
training are the new names for things (bulkhead, portholes, go-fasters); and
the first category of words we'll discuss concerning the topic of grammar are
the naming words: nouns. Nouns are fundamental building blocks of
language. This lesson will help you identify the nouns in a sentence and how
these nouns relate to other sentence elements.
Learning Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to

Objectives
 Identify the function of nouns.
 Identify the characteristics of nouns.
 Identify the correct way to form plurals.
 Identify the nouns in a sentence.
In This Lesson This lesson contains the following topics:
Topic See Page

Introduction 1-3
Definition 1-4
Gender 1-6
Number 1-7
Person 1-9
Case 1-10
Lesson 1 Exercise 1-12
MCI Course 0120 1-3 Study Unit 1, Lesson 1

Definition
Naming Words In grammar, parts of speech are defined by their job in the sentence at hand.
Nouns are words that do the job of naming. Nouns name people, places, and
things. The “things” named by nouns also includes concepts, ideas, qualities,
and animals.
Nouns are traditionally divided into a number of different classes, depending

on their meanings, their functions, their characteristic endings, and the kinds
of modifying words that appear with them. Nouns can be concrete or
abstract. The table below lists examples of concrete and abstract nouns.
Concrete Nouns Abstract Nouns

Officer Invisible substances (air, gases)
Weapon Qualities (courage, honor)
Tank Actions (marching, commanding)
Child Measurements (month, pounds)
Function Nouns function as subjects, objects of verbs, or objects of prepositions. As

the subject, nouns perform the action described by the verb. As the object of
a verb or preposition, nouns generally receive the action.
Function Example
Subject Corporal Wrigley fired the rifle.
(Corporal Wrigley is the noun that did the action)
Sergeant Baker taught the maintenance class.

(Sergeant Baker is the noun that did the action.)
Object of the verb or Private Jones fired the rifle expertly to win the
object of a preposition championship. (Rifle is the noun acted on.)
The honored guest for today‟s parade is Colin

Powell. (Parade is the object of the preposition
for.)

Definition, Continued
Proper Nouns Proper nouns name particular people, places, or things. Proper nouns usually
begin with a capital letter.
Proper Noun Common Noun

President Lincoln leader
Parris Island depot
3d Battalion battalion
New York city
September month
United Nations organization
iPad device
Lance Corporal Jones motivator
Compound Compound nouns are two or more words used together that name a single
Nouns person, place, or thing. Sometimes compound nouns are written as one word
or as a hyphenated word.
One Word Separate Words Hyphenated Words

keyword sergeant major brother-in-law
machinegun social security secretary-treasurer
breechblock lieutenant colonel court-martial
congressman commander in chief runner-up
homework attorney general great-grandfather
Characteristics The characteristics of nouns are
 Gender
 Number
 Person
 Case

Gender
Description One characteristic of nouns is gender. Try to be aware of noun gender so you
don‟t alienate or offend your audience. Whenever possible, when your
audience includes men and women, try to pick nouns that are gender neutral.
Gender Examples
Male Marksman, congressman, actor
Female Stewardess, housewife, actress
Neutral Chairperson, representative, performer, spouse

Number
Definition Nouns are also classified by whether they refer to one item or more than one
item. This characteristic of nouns is called “number.” If a noun refers to only
one item, it is classified as a singular noun. A noun that refers to more than
one item is called a plural noun. Nouns tell us if they are plural by changing
their ending from the singular form.
Adding S Nouns ending in a sound that can be smoothly united with s usually form their
plurals by simply adding s:
 Officer  officers
 Radio  radios
 Regulation  regulations
Nouns ending in ay, ey, oy, or uy also form their plurals by adding s:
 Day  days
 Key  keys
 Boy  boys
Adding ES Nouns ending in a sound that cannot be smoothly united with s form their
plurals by adding es:
 Bush  bushes
 Torch  torches
 Wrench  wrenches
Changing Y to I Nouns ending in y preceded by a consonant form their plurals by changing y

and Adding ES to i and adding es:
 Mercy  mercies
 Nursery  nurseries
 Army  armies

Number, Continued
Plurals of Compound nouns form their plurals by making the main word plural:
Compound
Nouns  Sergeant major  sergeants major
 Lieutenant colonel  lieutenant colonels
 Court-martial  courts-martial
 Mother-in-law  mothers-in-law
Plurals of Plurals of nouns borrowed from French, Greek, and Latin frequently retain
Borrowed the plural of the original language:
Nouns
 Alumna (feminine)  alumnae
 Alumnus (masculine)  alumni
 Analysis  analyses
 Basis  bases
 Criterion  criteria
Special Plurals Some nouns form their plurals differently. These types of nouns do not
follow specific rules:
 Man  men
 Ox  oxen
 Mouse  mice
 Sheep  sheep
 Scissors  scissors
 Child  children
 Headquarters  headquarters

Person
Type Another characteristic of nouns is called “person.” Although the concept of

person applies to English nouns in a broad, linguistic sense, person has no
effect on the form or spelling of English nouns.
The three types of person are as follows:
 First person
 Second person
 Third person
First Person A noun in first person is serving as the speaker; generally this is the subject of
a sentence, the person who does the action.
Example: Private Jones talked. (Private Jones is a noun in first person.)
Second Person A noun in second person is the person spoken to or to whom action is done.
Example: Private Jones talked to Sergeant Smith. (Sergeant Smith is a noun

in second person.)
Third Person A noun in third person is the one spoken of.
Example: Corporal Jones talked to Sergeant Smith about Private Mason.

(Private Mason is a noun in third person.)

Case
Definition Another way to classify nouns is by case. Case describes whether a noun is
functioning as the subject of a sentence, the object of a verb or a preposition,
or is being used to show ownership. The three case categories are the
following:
 Subjective
 Objective
 Possessive
Subjective Case A noun in subjective case is the subject of a sentence.
 The wind blew. (Wind is a noun and the subject of the sentence.)
 The platoon marched away. (Platoon is a noun and the subject of the
sentence.)
Objective Case A noun in objective case is the object of a verb or a preposition.
 The commander assigned the guards. (Guards is a plural noun that is the
object of the verb assigned.)
 The general spoke eloquently to the command. (Command is a collective

noun that is the object of the preposition to.)
 SSgt Lyon placed first at the rifle competition. (Competition is a noun

that is the object of the prepositions at.)
Possessive Case A noun in possessive case indicates ownership.
 Sgt Smith locked the door of the cell. (Cell is a noun that is the object of
the preposition of.)
 The commander‟s policy is no drinking at company functions.

(Commander’s is the possessive form of the noun commander.)
 This evening‟s storm cancelled the parade. (Evening‟s is the possessive

form of the noun evening.)

Case, Continued
Form English nouns have a particular form, an inflected ending, when they are
showing possession. Nouns in subjective or objective case keep the same
spelling. For this reason, nouns have only two case forms:
 Common
 Possessive
Common Form The common form serves as either the subjective or objective case. The
common form is generally the noun in singular or plural form.
A relationship of possession can also be shown by using a noun in common

form within a phrase beginning with “of.” Because possession between two
inanimate objects is considered illogical, using an of-phrase is the preferred
way to show a relationship of possession between two inanimate objects in
formal writing.
 The doors of the car had been dented several times.

 The windows of the house had been left open overnight.
Possessive The possessive form shows ownership. Generally the possessive form
Form follows the phrase of the or has an apostrophe s („s) or a plain apostrophe at
the end of the noun:
 The storm of the evening (the evening‟s storm)

 Angela‟s book (book belongs to Angela)
 Marines‟ rifles (rifles that belong to many Marines)
When forming the possessive of a compound noun, the last word is changed.
 The sergeants major's meeting (the meeting belongs to many sergeants

major)

Lesson 1 Exercise
Directions Complete items 1 through 4 by performing the action required. Check your
answers against those listed at the end of this lesson.
Item 1 What is a function of nouns?
a. Connecting
b. Modifying
c. Naming
d. Predicating
Item 2 What are the four characteristics of nouns?

a. _________________________________
b. _________________________________
c. _________________________________
d. _________________________________
Item 3 To form the plural of nouns that end in y preceded by a consonant, you
a. add es.
b. add s.
c. change the y to e and add s.
d. change the y to i and add es.
Item 4 Identify the nouns in the following sentence.
Lance Corporal McClain‟s ability to accomplish multiple, complicated tasks

simultaneously enabled his superiors to focus on other important issues.
a. Ability, multiple, superiors, important issues

b. Ability, superiors, issues
c. Lance Corporal McClain‟s, ability, tasks, superiors
d. Lance Corporal McClain‟s, ability, tasks, superiors, issues
MCI Course 0120 1-12 Study Unit 1, Lesson 1 Exercise

Lesson 1 Exercise, Continued
Answers The table below lists the answers to the exercise items. If you have questions
about these items, refer to the reference page.
Item Number Answer Reference Page

1 c 1-4
2 a. Gender 1-5
b. Number
c. Person
d. Case
3 d 1-7
4 d 1-11


LESSON 2
PRONOUNS
Introduction
Purpose Another part of speech that is critical for good writing is the pronoun.
Pronouns function like nouns; they are naming words. Pronouns are words
that substitute for nouns. Pronouns have all the characteristics of nouns, but
they also have many unique features and concerns. This lesson will describe
the characteristics of pronouns and provide you examples of pronouns so you
can identify them in a sentence.

Objectives
 Identify the characteristics of pronouns.
 Identify pronouns by type.
 Identify pronouns in a sentence.
 Identify the pronoun-antecedent agreement.
Topic See Page

Introduction 1-15
Characteristics 1-16
Types 1-18
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement 1-21

Characteristics
Description Because pronouns substitute for nouns, they have the same characteristics as
nouns:
 Gender (male, female, or neutral)

 Person (first, second, or third)
 Number (singular or plural)
 Case (subjective, objective, or possessive)
You might remember that some nouns change their spelling to show
differences in gender (actor/actress) or number (rifle/rifles) or a relationship
of possession (Bob's rifle). But, unlike nouns, pronouns actually change
form, meaning they have different spellings, based on all four characteristics.
Gender Because pronouns substitute for nouns, pronouns also note gender
differences. Pronouns may be male, female, or neutral.
 Male (he, him, his, himself)

 Female (she, her, hers, herself)
 Neutral (it, you, we, us, they, them, themselves, itself, ourselves, mine,
ours, etc.)
Person Like nouns, pronouns function in first, second, or third person.
 First person – A pronoun in first person represents the speaker or writer,

or a group including the speaker or writer (I, we)
 Second person – A pronoun in second person represents the audience, or

the one spoken or written to (you)
 Third person – A pronoun in third person represents anyone or anything

outside of the speaker or writer or his or her audience (he, she, it, they,
them, etc.)

Characteristics, Continued
Number Pronouns can be singular or plural. The table below shows number and
person for some pronouns.
Number
Person
Singular Plural
First I We
Second You You
Third He, she, it They
Case As with nouns, case describes whether a pronoun is functioning as a subject

of a sentence, an object of a verb or a preposition, or showing a relationship
of possession.
 Subjective case functions as the subject of a sentence

 Objective case functions as the object of a verb or preposition
 Possessive case shows ownership
The following table lists some pronouns by case.
Subjective Possessive Objective

I Mine Me
You Your, yours You
He, she, it His, hers, its Him, her, it
We Our, ours Us
They Their, theirs Them
Who Whose Whom

Types
Eight Types There are eight types of pronouns:
 Demonstrative
 Indefinite
 Intensive
 Interrogative
 Reciprocal
 Reflexive
 Relative
 Personal
Demonstrative A demonstrative pronoun points out the noun it refers to and distinguishes it
Pronouns from others. Some demonstrative pronouns are
 This
 That
 These
 Those
Example: Those are the Marines who helped validate this course. (Those is
the demonstrative pronoun that refers to a specific group of Marines – the
Marines who helped validate this course.)
Indefinite Indefinite pronouns refer to an unidentified person or thing. Some indefinite

Pronouns pronouns are
 One
 Any
 Each
 Anyone
 Somebody
 All
Example: Anyone can apply for the position. (Anyone is the indefinite
pronoun that refers to the unknown person who can apply for the position.)

Types, Continued
Intensive Intensive pronouns strengthen or emphasize the antecedent. The antecedent is

Pronouns the noun to which the pronoun refers. Some intensive pronouns are
 Myself
 Yourself
 Himself
Example: The commander, himself, took out the garbage. (Himself is the
intensive pronoun that refers to the antecedent commander to emphasize it.)
Interrogative An interrogative pronoun indicates a question. Some interrogative pronouns

Pronouns are
 Who
 Which
 What
Example: Who was the honor graduate? (Who is the interrogative pronoun in
the question; it refers to the person who was the honor graduate.)
Reciprocal Reciprocal pronouns denote mutual action or cross relationship between

Pronoun members comprised in a plural subject. Some reciprocal pronouns are
 Each other
 One another
Example: Corporal Jones and Corporal Smith helped each other prepare for
the promotion board. (Each other is the reciprocal pronoun that refers to the
antecedents Corporal Jones and Corporal Smith.)

Types, Continued
Reflexive Reflexive pronouns refer to the subject of the sentence, clause, or verbal
Pronoun phrase in which it stands. Generally it is a personal pronoun compounded
with self. Some reflexive pronouns are
 Myself
 Yourself
 Himself
Example: He helped himself get promoted by working and studying

diligently. (Himself is the reflexive pronoun that refers to the subject of the
sentence he.)
Relative Relative pronouns introduce an adjective clause. The relative pronoun

Pronoun connects the adjective clause to the independent clause by showing
relationship to the noun (the antecedent). Some relative pronouns are
 Who, Whom
 Whose
 Which
 That
Example: Corporal Smith is the Marine who won the rifle competition. (Who
is the relative pronoun that refers to the Marine that won the rifle
competition.)
Personal A personal pronoun represents a person or persons. Some common personal

Pronouns pronouns are
 I
 You
 He, She
 It
 We
 They
Example: John and I attended basic training together; we were combat

buddies there. (We is the personal pronoun that refers to the antecedent John
and I.)

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Antecedent An antecedent is the noun that the pronoun represents or stands for.
Definition Generally it is the closest noun that comes before the pronoun in the sentence.
Agreement Pronouns must always agree in person and number with their antecedents.
The pronoun gender should also be the same as its antecedent. The table
below describes this agreement further.
If the noun is… Then the pronoun…

The person speaking Must be first person
The audience Must be second person
A third party Must be third person
One person, place, or thing Must be singular
More than one person, place, or thing Must be plural
Male Should be male
Female Should be female
Either a group of both males and Should be neutral
females or a thing dismissed from
gender
Clarity It should always be clear to the reader to which noun your pronoun is
referring. In the sentence below, it is uncertain to what they is referring.
 After the Marines were tested and the scores were compiled, they were
released to their units.
Is the word they referring to the Marines‟ scores or the Marines themselves?
For clarity, the unclear example should be adjusted to either of the options
below.
 After the Marines were tested and the scores were compiled, the Marines'
scores were released to their units.
 After the Marines were tested and the scores were compiled, the Marines
were released to their units.

Lesson 2 Exercise
Item 1 What is the major function of pronouns?
a. Connecting
b. Modifying
c. Naming
d. Predicating
Item 2 Through Matching: For items 2 through 5, place the letter of the type of pronoun in
Item 5 column 2 that best describes the list of pronouns in column 1. The answers in
column 2 may only be used once.
Column 1 Column 2
List of Pronouns Type of Pronoun
___ 2. Who, which, what a. Interrogative

___ 3. This, that, these, those b. Reflexive
___ 4. Myself, yourself, himself, c. Reciprocal
etc. d. Demonstrative
___ 5. Each other, one another
Item 6 Identify the pronoun in the sentence below.
SSgt Martin is the Marine who won the rifle competition.
a. SSgt Martin
b. Marine
c. who
d. competition

Item 7 Pronouns must always agree in _________ and __________ with their
antecedents.
a. person, number
b. weight, size
c. reflective, selectively
d. half, person


1 c 1-15
2 a 1-19
3 d 1-18
4 b 1-20
5 c 1-19
6 c 1-20
7 a 1-21

LESSON 3
VERBS
Introduction
Purpose When we write, we not only use nouns and pronouns, but also we express
action. Verbs are words that express an action, an occurrence, or a state of
existence. This lesson will teach you the characteristics of verbs and the
relationship between verbs and other sentence elements.

Objectives
 Classify verbs by type.
 Define the characteristics of verbs.
 Select the correct verb form for subject-verb agreement in a sentence.
 Identify the tenses of verbs.
Topic See Page

Introduction 1-25
Classification of Verbs 1-26
Person and Number 1-29
Voice 1-31
Mood 1-32
Tense 1-34

Classification of Verbs
Categories Each sentence in English has two main parts: a subject and a predicate. The
subject of a sentence consists of one or more nouns or pronouns and their
modifiers. The predicate of a sentence consists of one or more verbs or verb
phrases and their modifiers. It states or asserts what the subject did.
Verbs are predicating (stating or asserting) words. They express state of

being or action. We classify verbs as
 Transitive
 Intransitive
 Linking
 Auxiliary
Transitive A transitive verb is an action verb, or verb phrase, with at least one object. A
Verbs transitive verb is said to be transferring action from the subject to its object or
objects.
Examples:
 The commander wrote the award citation. (Wrote is the transitive verb;
citation is the object that answers the question wrote what?)
 The officer pushed the suspect. (Pushed is the transitive verb; suspect is
the object that answers the question pushed whom?)
Intransitive An intransitive verb expresses no transfer of action; consequently, it does not

Verbs require an object to complete its meaning. An intransitive verb is also called
a finite verb.
Examples:
 The troops marched all day. (Marched is the intransitive verb.)

 The old man died. (Died is the intransitive verb.)

Classification of Verbs, Continued
Linking Verbs A linking verb is a state-of-being verb, or verb phrase, with at least one
subject complement or predicate adjective. A linking verb is said to be
linking a noun or adjective back to its subject
 My brother will be a Marine. (The subject complement "Marine" is

being linked by the state-of-being verb phrase "will be" back to the
subject "brother.")
 Marines are expeditionary. (The predicate adjective "expeditionary" is

being linked by the state-of-being verb "are" back to the subject,
"Marines.")
Note: When the subject complement is a noun or pronoun, it is called a

predicate nominative. When the subject complement is an adjective
that modifies the subject of the verb, it is called a predicate adjective.
Common The most common linking verbs are

Linking Verbs
 Seem  Taste
 Become  Smell
 Appear  Sound
 Prove  Turn
 Look  Grow
 Remain  Forms of the verb “to be”
 Feel (am, is, are, was, were, be,
being, been)
Examples:
 He is my friend. (Is represents the linking verb; friend is the noun serving
as the subject complement that identifies or describes who he is.)
 The room appears different. (Appears is the linking verb; different is the
adjective serving as the subject complement that describes the subject
room.)

Classification of Verbs, Continued
Auxiliary Verbs An auxiliary verb helps another verb. Some verbs commonly used as
auxiliaries are
 Have  Must
 Has  May
 Had  Can
 Do  Might
 Did  Could
 Does  Would
 Shall  Should
 Will  Forms of to be
Examples:
 She is going to Okinawa. (Is is the auxiliary verb – a form of the verb
to be – that helps the verb going.)
 You should check with your platoon leader for the information. (Should
is the auxiliary verb that helps the verb check.)
Verb Phrase A verb with its auxiliary verb is called a verb phrase. Some examples of verb
phrases are
 Can go
 Had been done
 Will be able to
Verb Characteristics of verbs are discussed on the following pages. Verbs are
Characteristics characterized by
 Person
 Number
 Voice
 Mood
 Tense

Person and Number
Characteristics Like nouns and pronouns, verbs can be
 First, second, or third person

 Singular or plural
Based on the person and number, the form of the verb is different. Creating
these different forms is called conjugation.
Conjugating The table below is an example of the verb to take based on person and
the Verb To number.
Take
Number
Person
Singular Plural
st
1 (the speaker) I take We take
2nd (the one spoken to) You take You take
3rd (the one spoken of) He, she, or it takes They take
Adding S to Verbs ending in a sound that can be smoothly united with s form their third
Form Third person singular by adding s.
Person Singular
Verbs  Verb blacken becomes blackens
 Verb criticize becomes criticizes
 Verb radiate becomes radiates
Verbs ending in a y and preceded by a, e, o, or u also form their third person

singular by adding s.
 Verb buy becomes buys

 Verb enjoy becomes enjoys
 Verb sway becomes sways

Person and Number, Continued
Adding ES to Verbs ending in a sound that cannot be smoothly united with s form their
Form Third third person singular by adding es.
Person Singular
Verbs  Verb pass becomes passes
 Verb tax becomes taxes
 Verb march becomes marches
Changing Y to I Verbs ending in a y preceded by a consonant form their third person singular
and Adding ES by changing the y to i and adding es.
to Form Third
Person Singular  Verb pity becomes pities
Verbs
 Verb carry becomes carries
 Verb bury becomes buries
Subject-Verb Because the verb takes different forms based on person and number, it is
Agreement important to use the correct form. The verb form must match the form for the
person and number of the subject noun. That is, if the subject is singular and
third person, the verb form must also be singular, third person; generally this
means the verb will end in s.

Voice
Active Voice Voice is a characteristic unique to verbs. A verb's voice tells the reader what
relationship the subject of the sentence has with the action being expressed by
the verb. Active voice is used when the subject performs the action, as shown
in the examples below.
 The private cleaned the floor. (The private is the subject and the person
doing the cleaning.)
 Sergeant Smith directed traffic away from the accident. (Sergeant Smith
is the subject and the person directing traffic.)
Passive Voice The passive voice is used when the subject is acted upon. A form of the verb
to be combined with a phrase by someone or something generally indicates
passive voice.
 The floor was cleaned by the private. (The floor is the subject and it is
being cleaned.)
 Traffic was directed away from the accident by Sergeant Smith. (The
traffic is the subject and it is being directed.)
Note: Use passive voice when the doer is not important. For example, The
words “let’s go” were heard.
Changing Voice Change an active-voice sentence to a sentence in passive voice by reversing

the order of the sentence, adding a state-of-being verb to the verb phrase, and
putting the doer of the action to the right of the verb as the object of a phrase.
Note the changes to the subjects and verbs in the following example:
Active voice: Lance Corporal Wyatt drove the HMMWV.
Passive voice: The HMMWV was driven by Lance Corporal Wyatt.
To change a passive-voice sentence to a sentence in active voice, reverse the

process, removing the state-of-being verb and arranging the words so that the
doer of the action is to the left of the verb.

Mood
Definition Mood shows how the speaker views the action. It relates to the function of
the sentence and expresses the attitude the speaker or writer has toward the
action or being. The form of the verb can change when a sentence expresses
a statement, an opinion, a question, a command, a warning, a doubt, or a
hypothetical.
Four Types The four moods a verb can express are
 Indicative
 Interrogative
 Imperative
 Subjunctive
Indicative The indicative mood is the most familiar and the most common verb mood.
Mood The indicative mood usually states a fact or an opinion.
 The Marine Corps is one of the smaller branches of service. (fact)

 The Marine Corps is the best branch of service. (opinion)
Interrogative The interrogative mood asks a question. When looking for the verb phrase
Mood within a sentence in interrogative mood, it sometimes helps to rearrange the
sentence in the form of a statement rather than a question. When they are
used, the auxiliary verbs "do" and "did" are part of the verb phrase.
 Do you believe the Marine Corps is the best branch of service?

 How far did Private Whelan run?
Imperative The imperative mood expresses a command, warning, or request. Instruction

Mood manuals and Marine Corps orders are frequently written in the imperative
mood. The subject of an imperative mood sentence is the pronoun “you,” but
the subject is often omitted and understood.
 Ready, aim, fire!

 Be wary of files from unknown sources.
 Please complete this survey.

Mood, Continued
Subjunctive The subjunctive mood refers to the way the form of the verb changes to
Mood express things such as doubts, wishes, hypotheticals, or other conditions
contrary to fact.
 The platoon leader recommended that he study the drill and ceremony
manual more often.
 The boss insisted that they work five days a week.

Tense
Definition The verb characteristic of tense refers to the action or state of being of the
verb. It describes the point in time the action or state of being occurs.
Six Types The six verb tenses are
 Present
 Past
 Future
 Present perfect
 Past perfect
 Future perfect
Present Tense Present tense refers to action or state of being that is currently occurring:
 I take
 He marches
 They grow
Past Tense Past tense refers to action or state of being that has already occurred.
 I took
 He marched
 They grew
Future Tense Future tense refers to action or state of being that will occur in the future.
 I shall take
 He shall march
 They shall grow

Tense, Continued
Present Perfect Present perfect tense refers to action or state of being that began in the past
and is continuing in the present.
 I have taken
 He has marched
 They have grown
Past Perfect Past perfect tense refers to action or state of being that has occurred before
another past action.
 I had taken
 He had marched
 They had grown
Future Perfect Future perfect tense refers to action or state of being that will be completed by
a certain time in the future.
 I shall have taken

 He shall have marched
 They shall have grown

Lesson 3 Exercise
Item 1 What are the four classes of verbs?
a. Auxiliary, imperative, indicative, and intransitive

b. Auxiliary, intransitive, linking, and transitive
c. Imperative, interrogative, linking, and subjunctive
d. Imperative, interrogative, subjunctive, and transitive
Item 2 List the five characteristics of verbs.
a. _________________________
b. _________________________
c. _________________________
d. _________________________
e. _________________________
Item 3 Subject verb agreement says that if the subject is singular and in the third
person, then the verb must be __________ and in the __________ person.
a. singular, third
b. plural, first
c. present, first
d. plural, second
Item 4 The six verb tenses are present, past, future, present perfect, past perfect and
a. current perfect.
b. always.
c. future perfect.
d. present past.


1 b 1-26
2 a. Person 1-28
b. Number
c. Voice
d. Tense
e. Mood
3 a 1-30
4 c 1-34


LESSON 4
ADJECTIVES, ARTICLES, AND ADVERBS
Introduction
Purpose Modifying words add color to our writing. Adjectives and adverbs are
modifying words, along with articles. That is, they describe or limit the
meaning of another word or group of words. This lesson will explain the
differences between adjectives, articles, and adverbs.

Objectives
 Identify the function of adjectives.
 Identify the types of adjectives.
 Identify the function of articles.
 Identify the types of articles.
 Identify the function of adverbs.
 Identify the adjectives in a sentence.
 Identify the adverbs in a sentence.
Topic See Page

Introduction 1-39
Adjectives 1-40
Articles 1-42
Adverbs 1-43
Importance of Location 1-45

Adjectives
Definition Adjectives are words and phrases that describe or limit the meaning of a noun
or its equivalent. Adjectives answer the questions what kind, how many, or
which one.
Attributive Adjectives that describe a quality of a noun are called attributive adjectives.
Adjectives Attributive adjectives are placed next to the nouns they modify.
 Dressed in his combat gear, the sergeant looked like a formidable foe.
(Formidable describes the noun foe.)
 She demonstrated her professional attitude in that situation. (Professional

describes the noun attitude.)
 He married a woman of great means. (Of great means describes the noun
woman. Additionally, great describes the noun means.)
Predicative Adjectives that occur after a linking verb or words such as appear, sound,
Adjectives look, feel, taste, seem, become, and smell are called predicative adjectives.
 The food tasted bad.

 He is handsome in his dress uniform.
 The section became disorganized.
Categories Attributive and predicative adjectives can be divided into three categories:
 Descriptive
 Proper
 Limiting
Descriptive Descriptive adjectives name a particular quality.

Adjectives
 Green vehicle
 Powerful Marine
 Leaking radiator

Adjectives, Continued
Proper Proper adjectives (shown below) are derived from proper nouns.
Adjectives
 Roman fountain
 American custom
 Marine Corps hero
Limiting Limiting adjectives may indicate possession, point out things, number items,
Adjectives or they can be articles that introduce nouns or pronouns.
Function Examples
Indicate possession  My puppy
 Their challenge
 Your commitment
Point out  This manual
 Former president
 That regulation
Number  Three forces
 Second platoon
 Tenth vehicle
Introduce noun or pronoun  A division
 The Marine
 An idea

Articles
Definition An article is a limiting adjective that introduces a noun or pronoun. There

are two types of articles: definite and indefinite.
Definite Definite implies that a noun is „specifically identifiable.‟ The is the only
article that is definite.
Example:
The President has a speech scheduled later today.
Indefinite Indefinite means „identifiable in general.‟ A and an are the two articles that
are classified as indefinite.
 Sgt Dakota Meyer received the Medal of Honor and became an American
hero.
 A Captain in The Marine Corps is usually at a company level.
Identifying To help identify nouns either in a sentence or in a list, use the article “the.” If
Nouns the word can be combined with the word “the” to form a logical phrase, or if
it has the words “a,” “an,” or “the” before it in the sentence it is probably a
noun.
Examples:
 The Marines manned checkpoints along the run. (Notice how the word
“the” helps indicate the word “run” is used here as a noun.)
 The Marines run past the checkpoint. (Notice the lack of the word “the”
helps show “run” is not being used here as a noun but as a verb.)

Adverbs
Definition Like adjectives, adverbs are modifying words. Adverbs are words and
phrases that describe or limit the meaning of a verb, an adjective, or a whole
sentence. Adverbs answer the questions when, where, why, in what manner,
or to what extent.
Modify Single By definition, adverbs are words and phrases that modify single words (either
Words verbs or adjectives).
 The day went quickly.

 Nearly all men want success.
 The funeral detail slowly marched to the cadence.
Modify Adverbs can also modify complete sentences.

Sentences
 Maybe he will go.
 Very quickly the crowd dispersed.
 The parade was cancelled, because it was raining.
Ask Questions Adverbs can also serve to ask questions.
 When did he go?

 Where is the book?
 How quickly can you disassemble the rifle?
Indicate Adverbs can indicate the manner in which the action is taken.
Manner
 Secretly embarrassed, the woman held her head high.
 Speaking quietly, the chaplain admonished the little boy.
 I only found the secret.
Indicate Time Another function of adverbs is to indicate time.
 Never healthy, she decided to retire.

 I called today.
 Yesterday the Marines celebrated their victory.

Adverbs, Continued
Indicate Place Adverbs can describe location or place.
 Outside the office, it was raining hard.

 Here at MCI, we produce distance training products.
 Within the organization, the morale was low.
Indicate Degree Adverbs indicate the degree something happens.
 Quite easily distracted, the editor failed to finish her project.

 She was very happily married.
 The meal was mostly vegetarian.
Conjunctive A conjunctive adverb is an adverb that serves as a conjunction; it joins two

Adverbs complete sentences.
Common Some common conjunctive adverbs are

Conjunctive
Adverbs  Consequently
 Furthermore
 However
 Moreover
 Nevertheless
 Otherwise
 Therefore
 Thus
Examples:
 He was the top student in his platoon; therefore, he was the honor
graduate.
 Corporal Brooks finished second in the marksmanship competition;

consequently, his platoon finished second in the company competition.

Importance of Location
Specific Rules Attributive adjectives, you may remember, are placed next to the noun they
for Adjectives modify. Predicative adjectives are placed after the linking verb or verb of
sense (appear, sound, feel, taste, smell).
General Rule Generally, place the adverb or adjective closest to the word or words that it
modifies. Placement of the adjective or adverb affects the meaning of a
sentence. Be sure to place the adjective or adverb so that it modifies exactly
what you mean for it to modify!
Consider the following sentences to see how the placement of only, which
can be an adjective or an adverb, affects the meaning of each sentence.
 Only I lost a million dollars. (Just me, nobody else.)

 I only lost a million dollars. (Just lost, not found, won, etc.)
 I lost only a million dollars. (Just $1 million, not more or less.)

Lesson 4 Exercise
Item 1 Adjectives are words and phrases that describe or limit the meaning of a
a. subject
b. noun
c. predicate
d. verb
Item 2 List the three categories of adjectives.
a. ________________________________
b. ________________________________
c. ________________________________
Item 3 Select the adjective in the sentence.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday the young Marine would go running
with his platoon.
a. Monday
b. would
c. young
d. running
Item 4 Read the sentence and choose the word that is one of the three articles.
Mr. Barack Obama is the President of the United States.
a. President
b. the
c. Barack Obama
d. is

Item 5 The two types of articles are __________ and indefinite.
a. definite
b. aggressive
c. modifying
d. naming
Item 6 What is the function of an adverb?
a. To describe a verb
b. To modify a verb or an adjective
c. To name a noun or pronoun
d. To modify a person, place, or thing
Item 7 Not counting the article the, list the adjectives and adverbs in the following
sentence (adjectives; adverbs):
The Continental Congress authorized the formation of two battalions of

Marines under Captain Samuel Nicholas, who is traditionally considered the
first Commandant of the Marine Corps.
a. two, Captain; first

b. two, first; traditionally
c. first; Captain, traditionally
d. two, Continental; first


1 b 1-40
2 a. Descriptive 1-40
b. Proper
c. Limiting
3 c 1-41
4 b 1-42
5 a 1-42
6 b 1-43
7 b 1-40,1-43

LESSON 5
PREPOSITIONS
Introduction
Purpose Prepositions are connecting words. Connecting words helps us link one word
or word group with another. They help us establish relationships between the
words in a sentence. This lesson will teach you about the group of connecting
words called prepositions.

Objectives
 Identify the function of prepositions.
 Identify prepositional phrases in a sentence.
 Identify the object of a preposition in a sentence.
Topic See Page

Introduction 1-49
Definition 1-50
Prepositional Phrases 1-51

Definition
Function Prepositions are specific words that connect a noun or pronoun (called its
object) with some other word in the sentence. The preposition shows the
relationship between the object and the other word.
Common The most common prepositions are

Prepositions
 About, above, across, after, among, around, as, at
 Before, behind, below, beside, by
 Down, during
 Except
 For, from
 In, inside, into
 Near, next
 Of, off, on, out, over
 Past
 Since
 Through, to, toward
 Under, until, up, upon
 With, within, without
Example: The company under the leadership of Captain Johnson excelled in

competition. (Under is the preposition that relates leadership to company. Of
is the preposition that relates Captain Johnson to leadership. In is the
preposition that relates competition to excelled.)

Prepositional Phrases
Definition A preposition and its object form a prepositional phrase. The object of a
preposition is a noun or a pronoun.
Examples Some prepositional phrases are
 After the ceremony (After is the preposition; ceremony is its object.)

 Toward the enemy (Toward is the preposition; enemy is its object.)
 Under the leadership (Under is the preposition; leadership is its object.)

Lesson 5 Exercise
Item 1 Which is the function of a preposition?
a. Predicate
b. Modify
c. Name
d. Connect
Item 2 Select the prepositional phrase in the sentence below.
The company is under the leadership of Captain Johnson.
a. the company
b. under the leadership
c. Captain
d. Is under
Item 3 What is the object of a preposition?
a. adjective
b. pronoun or noun
c. adverb
d. clause


1 d 1-50
2 b 1-51
3 b 1-51


LESSON 6
CONJUNCTIONS
Introduction
Purpose Like prepositions, conjunctions are connecting words. A conjunction joins

words, phrases, or clauses. Conjunctions show the relationship between the
sentence elements they connect. There are three classes of conjunctions:
coordinating, correlative, and subordinating. This lesson will teach you to
identify conjunctions and the relationship between the elements they connect.

Objectives
 Identify the classes of conjunctions.
 Identify correlative conjunction pairs.
 Identify the relationship between elements joined by subordinating

conjunctions.
 Identify the conjunctions in a sentence.
Topic See Page

Introduction 1-55
Coordinating Conjunctions 1-56
Correlative Conjunctions 1-57
Subordinating Conjunctions 1-58

Coordinating Conjunctions
Definition One category of conjunctions is the coordinating conjunction. Coordinating

conjunctions join words, phrases, or clauses of equal rank.
Common The common coordinating conjunctions are

Coordinating
Conjunctions  For
 And
 Nor
 But
 Or
 Yet
 So
Note: An easy way to remember the common coordinating conjunctions is to

remember the acronym fan boys (from the first letter of each of the
common coordinating conjunctions).
Examples The following sentences contain coordinating conjunctions.
 The Marine and the soldier competed together.

 The Marine Corps collects toys at Christmas, so the chapel staff can
distribute gifts to children.
 The commander devised the plan, but the NCOs carried out the orders.

Correlative Conjunctions
Definition Another type of conjunction is the correlative conjunction. Correlative

conjunctions work in pairs to join words, phrases, clauses, or whole
sentences.
Common The most common correlative pairs are

Correlative
Conjunction  Both … and
Pairs
 Either … or
 Neither … nor
 Not … but
 Not only … but also
Relationship Elements joined with a correlative conjunction pair are generally equal in
Between Joined rank.
Elements
Examples The following sentences contain correlative conjunctions.
 Both the Marines and the Navy live on that base.
 Not only the enlisted Marines, but also the officers participated in the
disaster relief.
 Neither sleet, nor rain, nor dark of night shall keep them from their
appointed duties.

Subordinating Conjunctions
Definition The third category of conjunctions is subordinating conjunctions.

Subordinating conjunctions join clauses that are not equal in rank. When
subordinating conjunctions are used, one clause is dependent on the other;
that is, the dependent clause is not a complete sentence by itself.
Common The most common subordinating conjunctions are

Subordinating
Conjunctions  After, although, as, as if, as though
 Because, before
 Even if, even though
 If, in order that
 Rather than
 Since, so that
 Than, that, though
 Unless, until
 When, whenever, where, wherever, whether, while
Examples The following sentences contain subordinating conjunctions.
 Although the weather was stormy, the Marine patrolled the perimeter.
 She accepted the job, so that she could be closer to home.
 Corporal Smith worked after duty hours even though his supervisor did
not ask him to.

Lesson 6 Exercise
Item 1 Through Matching: For items 1 through 4, place the letter of the class of conjunction
Item 4 from column 2 that best describes the conjunction in column 1. The answers
in column 2 may be used more than once.
Column 1 Column 2
Conjunction Class of Conjunction
___ 1. As if a. Coordinating
___ 2. Both…and b. Correlative
___ 3. Nor c. Subordinating
___ 4. Not…but
Item 5 Which of the following is an example of a correlative conjunction pair?
a. Almost always
b. Even though
c. In this case
d. Not only…but also
Item 6 What type of conjunction joins clauses that are not equal in rank in which one
clause is dependent on the other?
a. Subordinating conjunction
b. Superlative conjunction
c. Correlative conjunction
d. Coordinating conjunction

Item 7 Identify the conjunction in the sentence below.
Coordinating conjunctions join words, phrases, or clauses of equal rank.
a. conjunctions
b. join
c. or
d. of equal


1 c 1-58
2 b 1-57
3 a 1-56
4 b 1-57
5 d 1-57
6 a 1-58
7 c 1-56


LESSON 7
INTERJECTIONS
Introduction
Purpose Interjections are used to express strong feeling or emotion that usually occurs
quickly. Sometimes called exclamations, you‟ll notice they always come
with an exclamation mark.

Objectives
 Identify the functions of an interjection.
 Identify interjections in a sentence.
Topic See Page

Introduction 1-63
Functions 1-64

Functions
Usage Interjections, called exclamations, are words or phrases that express feelings
and emotions. Interjections are most often used in advertising to attract
attention or suggest enthusiasm; they are also used in conversation and
personal writing.
Note: Interjections are rarely used in business correspondence.
Common Some common interjections include:

Interjections
 Wow
 Gosh
 Okay
 Well
 Oops
 Oh
 Yes
In some instances, sounds such as hmm, mmm, and phew, along with others,
can also be used as interjections.
Use in a An interjection is sometimes expressed as a single word or non-sentence

Sentence phrase, followed by a punctuation mark, either a comma or an exclamation
point. Because an interjection is not a complete sentence, in formal writing
the interjection should be incorporated into a larger sentence clause, as shown
in the examples below.
 Stop! Don‟t go into the gas chamber without your gas mask.
 Yes, I would love to be on the Marine Corps color guard.
 Corporal, stop that vehicle now!
 The young commander replied, “Oh well, maybe I‟ll be him next year.”

Lesson 7 Exercise
Directions Complete items 1 and 2 by performing the action required. Check your
Item 1 A(n) __________ is a short utterance that usually expresses emotion and is
capable of standing alone.
a. noun
b. adverb
c. conjunction
d. interjection
Item 2 Identify the interjection in the sentence below.
"Just the thought of playing with Shaq, wow!"
a. wow
b. thought
c. playing
d. Just

Answers The table below lists the answers to the exercise items. If you have questions,
refer to the reference page.

1 d 1-64
2 a 1-64

STUDY UNIT 2
PHRASES, CLAUSES AND SENTENCES
Overview
Scope In study unit 1, you learned about the parts of speech. In this study unit, you
will learn how to put them together into the elements of effective writing:
phrases, clauses, and sentences

Unit
Lessons See Page

Phrases 2-3
Clauses 2-13
Sentences 2-25


LESSON 1
PHRASES
Introduction
Purpose This lesson teaches the first element of putting parts of speech together to
communicate effectively. The first element of word groups is the phrase.
This lesson will define different types of phrases so that you will be able to
identify them in sentences.

Objectives
 Identify a phrase.
 Identify phrases in a sentence.
Topic See Page

Introduction 2-3
Types of Phrases 2-4
Absolute Phrases 2-5
Verb Phrases 2-6
Prepositional Phrases 2-7
Adjective Phrases 2-8
Adverb Phrases 2-9

Types of Phrases
Definition A phrase is a group of words that relate to each other but lack a related
subject and predicate. Phrases do not make sense alone. A phrase by itself is
a sentence fragment; that is, it is not a complete sentence.
Categories The different categories of phrases are
 Absolute
 Verb
 Prepositional
 Adjective
 Adverb

Absolute Phrases
Definition An absolute phrase, also called a "nominative absolute," contains a noun

phrase subject and a “partial” predicate. Absolute phrases resemble clauses,
but the predicate is incomplete, with forms of the word "be" being deleted
from the phrase. Absolute phrases function as a type of modifier that explains
more about the general circumstances occurring in the main clause. They may
be placed at almost any position in the sentence.
Examples Some sentences with absolute phrases (in italics) are
 Knees trembling, Private Smith approached the promotion board.

 Eyes flashing, the first sergeant reprimanded the unshaven Marine.
 Heads bowing, the regiment chaplain began to pray.
 The commander stood at the podium, hands shaking, and began to speak.

Verb Phrases
Definition Verb phrases are phrases that consist of a verb and all the related helping
words. They function as single-word verbs, to express action or to link subject
and complement.
Auxiliary/ These are common words that can assist in identifying verb phrases.
Helping Verbs
 Have  Must
 Has  May
 Had  Can
 Do  Might
 Did  Could
 Does  Would
 Shall  Should
 Will  Forms of to be
Examples Some sentences with verb phrases (in italics) are
 After you have moved the handle to the safe position, you will be able to
connect the chain to the block.
 Travelers should be aware of strangers lurking near their luggage.
 You have loaded the weapon.
 SSgt Drake should have moved to the left to avoid contact.

Prepositional Phrases
Definition Prepositional phrases start with a preposition, include a noun or pronoun

object of the preposition, and may also have other modifiers. Prepositional
phrases function as adjectives, adverbs, or nouns.
Below are some common prepositions to help identify prepositional phrases.
 About, above, across, after, among, around, as, at

 Before, behind, below, beside, by
 Down, during
 Except
 For, from
 In, inside, into
 Near, next
 Of, off, on, out, over
 Past
 Since
 Through, to, toward
 Under, until ,up, upon
 With, within, without
Examples Some sentences with prepositional phrases (in italics) are
 When placing the ammunition into the weapon, make sure the bolt is in
the closed position.
 Each step of the process is covered in more detail later in this lesson.
 How can we make sure we retain the integrity of the plan?
 He walked into the meeting just as his squad leader arrived.

Adjective Phrases
Definition An adjective phrase is a prepositional phrase that serves as an adjective. The

adjective phrase modifies a noun or pronoun, and it answers questions such
as: what kind, how many, or which one?
Examples Some sentences with adjective phrases (in italics) are
 The commander of the troops is responsible for the commands.

 Careless omission of pertinent facts will hinder mission success.
 The Military Police arrested a Marine of criminal nature.
 He carried a sword stained with blood.

Adverb Phrases
Definition An adverb phrase is a prepositional phrase that is used as an adverb. The

adverb phrase modifies the verb, and it answers questions such as: when,
where, how, or why?
Examples Some sentences with adverb phrases (in italics) are
 Because it started to rain, the troops marched at a fast pace.

 The party began after the parade.

Lesson 1 Exercise
Item 1 What is a phrase?
a. A group of words that relate to each other, but lack a related subject and
predicate
b. A group of words that relate to each other, and have a subject and a
predicate
c. A group of words that relate to each other, have a subject and a predicate,
and form a complete thought
d. A group of words unrelated to each other, but have a related subject and
predicate.
Item 2 Through Matching. Match the phrase in column 1 to its type in column 2.
Item 7
Column 1 Column 2
Phrase Type
___ 2. has reported a. Absolute phrase

___ 3. voice quivering b. Adverb phrase
___ 4. for two counts c. Adjective phrase
___ 5. slowly lowered d. Verb phrase
___ 6. shall stand
___ 7. to the flagstaff
Item 8 Identify the phrase in the sentence below.
When placing the ammunition into the weapon, make sure the bolt is closed.
a. When placing
b. the ammunition
c. into the weapon
d. make sure the bolt


1 a 2-5
2 d 2-6
3 a 2-5
4 c 2-8
5 b 2-9
6 d 2-6
7 b 2-9
8 c 2-7


LESSON 2
CLAUSES
Introduction
Purpose The next element of effective writing is the clause. This lesson defines
clauses and explains the different types of clauses you will use to write well.
You will learn words that may signal the different types of clauses in a
sentence.

Objectives
 Identify a clause.
 Identify the functions of clauses.
 Identify clauses in a sentence.
Topic See Page

Introduction 2-13
Types of Clauses 2-14
Dependent Clauses 2-15
Independent Clauses 2-16
Restrictive Clauses 2-17
Nonrestrictive Clauses 2-18
Noun Clauses 2-19
Adverb Clauses 2-20
Adjective Clauses 2-21

Types of Clauses
Definition A clause is a group of words that relate to each other, contains a subject and a
predicate (verb), but may or may not form a complete thought.
A clause is the smallest grammatical unit that can express a complete

proposition. All clauses that do not form a complete thought are incomplete
sentences or sentence fragments.
Categories Types of clauses are
 Dependent
 Independent
 Restrictive
 Nonrestrictive
 Noun (Nominal)
 Adjective
 Adverb

Dependent Clauses
Function A dependent clause is introduced by a subordinating conjunction; a dependent

clause does not make sense when it stands alone.
Here are some of the most common subordinating conjunctions.
 After, although, as, as if, as though

 Because, before
 Even if, even though
 If, in order that
 Rather than
 Since, so that
 Than, that, though
 Unless, until
 When, whenever, where, wherever, whether, while
Examples Some sentences with dependent clauses (in italics) are
 When you have 12 smoke grenades in the storage boxes, firmly seat 6
grenades into the barrels of the launchers.
 Your professionalism is evident, because you have chosen to study

distance education materials.
 As a dedicated Marine, your job performance will improve when you take
these courses.
 After the performance of the national anthem, the company cut their
salutes.

Independent Clauses
Function An independent clause contains a subject and a predicate. However, it is

really a sentence. An independent clause not only contains a subject and a
predicate, it also makes sense by itself; it is a complete thought.
Examples Some independent clauses are
 All Marines learn basic infantry skills.

 The Marine Corps celebrates its birthday on November 10.
 Corporal Jones received his first Good Conduct Medal.
It is important to remember that all independent clauses can stand alone.
Sentence A sentence with an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses is
Structure referred to as a complex sentence. One with two or more independent clauses
and one or more dependent clauses is referred to as a compound-complex
sentence.

Restrictive Clauses
Function A restrictive clause limits the meaning of the word it modifies, and it limits
the interpretation to only one. The restrictive clause is an essential element of
the sentence.
Examples Some sentences with restrictive clauses (in italics) are
 The company that won the softball tournament celebrated their victory at
the picnic.
 Turn the switch that powers the tank to the off position, before you begin
disassembly.
 The Marine presented the bouquet to the lady whose husband just retired.
 The Marine in the lineup who has a red tattoo committed the crime.
Note: In the last example, there was a specific Marine being identified. He
was in a lineup (letting you know that one Marine being referred to
had to be in the lineup). The Marine was also identified by having a
red tattoo. This lets you know that there was a Marine in the line that
had a red tattoo which is how you would indentify one who committed
the crime.

Nonrestrictive Clauses
Function Nonrestrictive clause is a relative clause that describes or supplements but is

not essential in establishing the identity of the antecedent and is usually
set off by commas in English.
Identifying A comma is placed in the front of all nonrestrictive clauses. Also look for
Nonrestrictive extra information that could be left out without affecting the meaning or
Clauses structure of the sentence.
Non-restrictive relative clauses are normally introduced by which, whose,

who, or whom, but never by that.
Examples Some sentences with nonrestrictive clauses (in italics) are
 Before testing the adapter, the silver part of the machine, remove the
circuit card.
 The M250 smoke grenade launcher, mounted on the side of the tank,
screens your tank from enemy observation.
 Personnel having open lesions, particularly on their hands, face, and

neck, are prohibited from performing further duty in the mess hall.

Noun Clauses
Function A noun clause functions as a noun. Because it is a clause, it has a subject and
a predicate. A noun clause is generally essential to the sentence and cannot
be omitted.
Identifying Some signal words that a noun clause is beginning are

Noun Clauses
 How
 That
 What
 Whether
 Why
Note: Except for that, noun clause signal words cannot be omitted. That can
only be omitted if it is not the first word in a sentence.
Examples Some sentences with noun clauses (in italics) are
 The manual describes how the machine gun is cleaned.

 The awards board determines whether the award nomination is approved.
 The young Corporal replied, “I believe that everything happens for a
reason.”
 The young Corporal replied, “I believe everything happens for a reason.”

Adverb Clauses
Function An adverb clause functions as an adverb. The adverb clause tells how,
on/under what condition, when, where, or why. The adverb clause has a
subject and a predicate, but it cannot stand alone.
Identifying Adverb clauses are introduced by subordinate conjunctions. The

Adverb Clauses subordinating conjunction that signals the beginning of an adverb clause
depends on the type of information the clause tells. The following table lists
the subordinating conjunctions for adverb clauses.
If the subordinating Then the adverb clause tells…

conjunction is…
As if, as though How
Although, if, provided that, though, On/under what condition
unless
After, as, as soon as, before, since, When
until, when, whenever, while
Where, wherever Where
As, because, since, so that Why
Examples Some sentences with adverb clauses (in italics) are
 Although we have no units adjacent to us, we have a company to our rear

for support.
 Move your platoon forward 600 meters, as soon as your equipment

arrives.
 The Battalion Commander saw LCpl Brown when he went to the store.
 SgtMaj Johnson sat quietly in order to appear polite.

Adjective Clauses
Function An adjective clause is a clause that functions as an adjective. The adjective

clause modifies a noun or a pronoun; it comes after the word it modifies.
Identifying Adjective clauses are introduced by relative pronouns. There are five main
Adjective relative pronouns.
Clauses
 That
 Which
 Who
 Whom
 Whose
Examples Some sentences with adjective clauses (in italics) are
 The secondary road that runs south from the junction at the river is your
left boundary.
 Honor graduate is awarded to the Marine whose grades and performance

greatly excelled above the rest.

Lesson 2 Exercise
Item 1 Which of the following identifies a clause?
a. Complex sentences that are used to express thought

b. Coordinating conjunctions join words or phrases.
c. Attributive and predicative adjectives that can be divided into three
categories
d. A group of words that relate to each other, contains a subject and
predicate, but may not form a complete thought.
Item 2 Through Matching: In the space provided, match the type of clause in column 2 that
Item 5 matches the definition in column 1. The type of clause may only be used
once.
Column 1 Column 2
Definition Type of Clause
___ 2. Clause that may begin with that, a. Noun clause

which, who, whom, whose b. Adjective clause
___ 3. Clause that is introduced with a c. Restrictive clause
subordinating conjunction d. Dependent clause
___ 4. Clause that may begin with how,
that, what, whether, or why
___ 5. Clause that limits the meaning of
the word it modifies
Item 6 Identify the restrictive clause in the sentence below.
Marines deployed to Lebanon as part of a multinational peacekeeping force

were withdrawn from the war-torn country in 1984.
a. Deployed to Lebanon as part of a multinational peacekeeping force

b. As part of a multinational peacekeeping force
c. From the war-torn country
d. In 1984


1 d 2-14
2 b 2-21
3 d 2-15
4 a 2-19
5 c 2-17
6 a 2-17


LESSON 3
SENTENCES
Introduction
Purpose This lesson teaches you how to put together everything you have learned to
form properly structured sentences. In this lesson you will learn how to create
simple, compound, and complex sentences. Once you have these mastered,
you are well on the way to effectively communicating.

Objectives
 Identify a sentence.
 Identify sentences by type.
Topic See Page

Introduction 2-25
Sentence Structure 2-26
Simple Sentences 2-27
Compound Sentences 2-28
Complex Sentences 2-29

Sentence Structure
Definition A sentence is a word group that has a subject and a predicate and makes sense
by itself. At a minimum, it is the equivalent of an independent clause that
makes sense by itself.
Subject The subject is the naming part of the sentence. It consists of a noun, a noun
phrase, or a pronoun. It is what the sentence is about.
Predicate The predicate is what is being written about the subject. It consists of a verb
or verb phrase. It may also contain modifiers or objects that the subject acts
upon.
Types of The three basic types of sentences are

Sentences
 Simple
 Compound
 Complex
Note: Learn to use the three types of sentences. It improves your writing if
you can mix simple, complex, and compound sentences within your
paragraphs.
Considerations Be careful not to put too much information into one sentence. It is better to
provide the information in several shorter sentences instead of one
cumbersome one.
Consider the following sentence, for example: During the summer, Marines
at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C. perform in ceremonial parades on
Tuesdays and Fridays at 8th and I Streets and the Iwo Jima Memorial.
It would be better to present the information in several shorter sentences:

During the summer, Marines at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C. perform
in many ceremonial parades. These parades are held on Tuesdays and
Fridays. Tuesdays’ parades are at the Iwo Jima Memorial. Fridays’ parades
are at the 8th and I Streets barracks.

Simple Sentences
Definition A simple sentence has a subject and a predicate that makes sense by itself.
An independent clause is a simple sentence.
Examples Some simple sentences are
 She was promoted.

 The Marines will defend the perimeter.
 Health and sanitation within the food service field go hand in hand.

Compound Sentences
Definition A compound sentence consists of two simple sentences joined by the

conjunctions or, but, or and.
Examples Some compound sentences are
 The planning team has developed a sound plan, but the operations section
is having trouble executing it.
 The preventive medicine personnel are instructors of sanitation training,

and they perform the sanitation inspections at the mess hall.

Complex Sentences
Definition A complex sentence contains one or more dependent clauses and an

independent clause. The dependent clauses must relate to the independent
clause in thought.
Examples Some complex sentences are
 When war broke out in Europe in 1914, the balance of power system
pitted two European alliances of roughly equal military strength and
national resources against each other.
 Although annual training may be recorded on the reverse side of the

certificate, for Marines transferring, the departments at new duty stations
may prefer to issue new certificates.

Lesson 3 Exercise
Item 1 What is the definition of a sentence? ________________________________

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Item 2 Through Matching: In the space provided, place the letter of the type of sentence in
Item 5 column 2 that best describes the example sentence in column 1. The type of
sentence may be used more than once.
Column 1 Column 2
Example Sentence Type of Sentence
___ 2. Chesty, the Marine Corps a. Simple

mascot, is named for b. Compound
Lieutenant General Lewis B. c. Complex
Puller.
___ 3. A suicide truck bombed the
headquarters building, and
more than 200 Americans
were killed or wounded.
___ 4. By the end of World War II,
Major Boyington was the
top-ranking flying ace in the
Marine Corps.
___ 5. When Private Opha Mae
Johnson enlisted into the
Marine Corps, her enlistment
reflected the dramatic
changes in women’s status
brought about by the U.S.
entry into World War I.


1 A group of words that 2-26
has a subject and a
predicate and makes
sense by itself.
2 a 2-27
3 b 2-28
4 a 2-27
5 c 2-29


STUDY UNIT 3
PUNCTUATION MARKS
Overview
Scope Punctuation is a device we use to clarify the meaning of written text. The
general principles governing the use of punctuation are
 If it does not clarify the text, it should be omitted.

 In the choice and placing of punctuation marks, the sole aim should be to
bring out the writer‘s thought more clearly.
Punctuation should aid in reading and prevent misreading. Careless omission

of a punctuation mark can greatly alter the meaning of a sentence. Likewise,
excessive punctuation tends to break the smooth flow of words and makes the
sentence hard to understand. This unit teaches you the proper way to use
different punctuation marks in a sentence.

Unit
Lessons See Page

Comma 3-3
Colon 3-9
Semicolon 3-15
Apostrophe 3-21
End Punctuation 3-27
Quotation Marks 3-35


LESSON 1
COMMA
Introduction
Purpose In its simplest sense, punctuation in writing takes the place of pauses and
emphasis in speaking. One test for effective punctuation is to read your
writing aloud; if you pause or use emphasis where the punctuation appears,
you have probably punctuated correctly. About half of the errors in
punctuation are comma errors. This lesson will not cover all of the minute
details of the comma; however, it will teach you the proper and most common
uses of the comma.
Learning Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to identify the purpose of the
Objective comma in a sentence.
Topic See Page

Introduction 3-3
Use in Compound Sentences 3-4
With Phrases and Clauses 3-5

Use in Compound Sentences
Usage Commas set off independent clauses that are joined by a coordinating
conjunction.
The following sentences are examples of compound sentences that use a

comma to set off the independent clauses (in italics) joined by a coordinating
conjunction.
 The commander is Colonel Jensen, and the executive officer is Major Roe.
 The Marines practiced the ceremony every day, so the crowd enjoyed
each performance.

With Phrases and Clauses
Introductory Commas set off introductory elements (in italics).

Elements
 Adverb clauses
 If you register now, you can vote by mail.
 When you first handle a weapon, you must clear it.
 Long prepositional phrases

 In the cool air of the April morning, we prepared for the field
problem.
 Military personnel often complete substantial work, by the time
civilians are just beginning to wake up.
 Verbal phrases
 Speaking off the record, the Senator addressed the battalion.
 The lieutenant handled the situation, serving as the acting
commander.
Items in a Commas separate the items in a series (in italics) when there are more than
Series two items.
 The book is available in bookstores, at newsstands, or by mail.

 Basic issue items include uniforms, boots, and BAWs.
 Some benefits of military service are the travel opportunities, the medical
care, and the exchange privileges.
Coordinate Commas separate coordinate adjectives (in italics) when they are of equal
Adjectives importance.
 Tall, stately trees lined the boulevard.

 Courageous, dedicated Marines traveled to the area on a relief mission.
 The mess sergeant cooked large, delicious burgers to order.

With Phrases and Clauses, Continued
Parenthetical Commas set off parenthetical expressions (in italics). These words and
Expressions phrases interrupt the flow of the sentence and are not essential to its meaning.
 General parenthetical expressions

 She was, in my opinion, an outstanding officer.
 The entire briefing, moreover, lacked vitality.
 Nonrestrictive clauses
 Parsons Boulevard, which runs past my house, is being repaved.
 The editor‘s supervisor, who recently took another job, received an
award for her service.
 Nonrestrictive phrases
 Mrs. Atlee, wearing red, is the commander‘s sister.
 The Marine, dressed in his blues, becomes a handsome escort.
 Nonrestrictive appositives
 America‘s first general, George Washington, crossed the Delaware
River.
 The Marine Corps Commandant, General Jones, recently took
command.
Absolute Commas set off absolute phrases (in italics).

Phrases
 The day being warm, we headed for the beach.
 The corporal hurried to clean the rifle, the command being a lawful order.
Direct Address Commas set off names or words used in direct address (in italics).
 Sergeant Jones, what are you doing?

 How are you this morning, Mrs. Snyder?
Yes or No Commas set off yes or no at the beginning of a sentence.
 Yes, a lot of information is covered in this course.

 No, you do not disassemble the weapon before you clear it.

Lesson 1 Exercise
Item 1 Through Matching: In the space provided, place the letter of the use of the comma in
Item 4 column 2 that best describes the comma‘s use in the sample sentence in
column 1. The use of the comma in column 2 may be used more than once.
Column 1 Column 2
Sample Sentence Use of Comma
___ 1. SgtMaj John Quick, noted for a. Separate independent clauses

his performance at Cuzco joined by coordinating
Well, received the conjunction
Congressional Medal of b. Set off parenthetical or
Honor. nonrestrictive information
___ 2. Brevet Brigadier General c. Separate items in a series
Henderson introduced higher d. Set off introductory phrases
standards of personal
appearance, training, and
discipline for the Marines.
___ 3. Lieutenant O‘Bannon led a
Marine detachment in the
storming of the fortress of
Tripoli, and O‘Bannon‘s
Marines were the first forces
to hoist the flag over territory
in the Old World.
___ 4. Wash your hands before
going on duty, after every
visit to the head, and after
touching anything that might
be a source of germs.


1 b 3-6
2 c 3-5
3 a 3-4
4 c 3-5

LESSON 2
COLON
Introduction
Purpose The colon is a mark of anticipation. The material that follows the colon
illustrates, restates, or depends on the information that precedes the colon.
This lesson will teach different situations in which to use a colon.
Objective colon in a sentence.
Topic See Page

Introduction 3-9
To Introduce 3-10
To Separate 3-12

To Introduce
A List Colons introduce a list, but only after as follows, the following, or a noun that
represents or stands for the list that follows it.
 Each soldier will carry the following: MREs for three days, a survival
knife, and a sleeping bag.
 The division had four new officers: Lieutenants Smith, Tucker, Fillmore,
and Lewis.
A Long Colons introduce a long quotation (one or more paragraphs).

Quotation
 In The Killer Angels Michael Shaara wrote: ―You may find it a different
story from the one you learned in school. There have been many versions
of that battle [Gettysburg] and that war [the Civil War].‖
Note: The brackets indicate that the comment was added by the person
quoting the author.
 In the DLTD Style Manual, styles are defined as: ―A series of formats
that can automatically apply to any part of your document. Instead of
applying formats one at a time by clicking toolbar buttons, keyboard
shortcuts, or dialog boxes, you choose a style and it automatically applies
all the formatting for you. When you need to change the appearance of
any document, all you have to do is change the styles.‖
A Formal Colons introduce a formal quotation or question.

Quotation or
Question  The President declared: ―The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.‖
 The question is: What can we do about it?

To Introduce, Continued
A Second Colons introduce a second independent clause that explains the first.
Independent
Clause  Potter‘s motive is clear: he wants the assignment.
 The commander was transferred: he was reassigned to Headquarters,
Marine Corps.
A Business Colons introduce a business letter. That is, a colon follows the salutation of a
Letter business letter.
 Dear Sir or Madam:

 Dear Senator Smith:
Details of an Colons introduce details following an announcement.

Announcement
 For sale: Large lakeside cabin with dock.
 Attention: The parade will be cancelled due to rain.
A Formal Colons introduce a formal resolution. That is, a colon follows the word
Resolution resolved.
 Resolved: That this council petition the mayor…

 Resolved: That this court-martial will…
Words in a Colons introduce the words of a speaker in a play or script.

Script
 Macbeth: She should have died hereafter.
 Narrator: If you will please take your seats, we will now begin the
ceremony.

To Separate
Parts of a Title, Colons separate the parts of a title, reference, or numeral.

Reference, or
Numeral  Principles of Mathematics: An Introduction
 Luke 3:4-13
 8:15 AM
Bibliographies In bibliographies, colons separate the place of publication from the publisher
and the volume number from the pages.
 Miller, Jonathan. The Body in Question. New York: Random House,

1978.
 Jarchow, Elaine. ―In Search of Consistency in Composition Scoring.‖

English Record 23.4 (1982): 18—19.

Lesson 2 Exercise
Item 1 A colon is used to
a. separate items in a list after the words as follows, the following, or a noun
that is an appositive for the list.
b. separate details in an announcement.
c. separate independent clauses that do not have a coordinating conjunction.
d. introduce a list after the words as follows, the following, or a noun that is
an appositive for the list and to introduce details in an announcement.
Item 2 Which one of the following is punctuated correctly?
a. 10:30 AM
b. 9-45 PM
c. For sale, 1958 Corvette
d. Dear Sir;


1 d 3-10; 3-11
2 a 3-12

LESSON 3
SEMICOLON
Introduction
Purpose The semicolon is another frequently used punctuation mark. Using the
semicolon allows you to vary the sentence construction within a paragraph.
However, there are specific rules for using the semicolon correctly. This
lesson will teach you acceptable uses of the semicolon in a sentence.
Objective semicolon in a sentence.
Topic See Page

Introduction 3-15
Independent Clauses 3-16
Use with Commas 3-17

Independent Clauses
No The semicolon separates two or more independent clauses when closely

Coordinating related and not joined by a coordinating conjunction.
Conjunction
 Since the mid-1970‘s America‘s campuses have been relatively quiet;
today‘s students seem interested more in courses than causes.
 You will set up an anti-armor ambush in their vicinity; the ambush will
cover the road running northwest to southwest.
With a The semicolon separates two independent clauses joined by a conjunctive

Conjunctive adverb.
Adverb
 On weekdays the club closes at eleven; however, on weekends it is open
until one.
 MCI Marines help produce distance learning products; furthermore, they

perform ceremonial duties at Marine Barracks Washington.

Use with Commas
Clauses with The semicolon punctuates clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (in
Commas italics) when the clauses have commas within them.
 Today people can buy what they need from department stores,
supermarkets, and discount stores; but in colonial days, when such
conveniences did not exist, people depended on general stores and
peddlers.
 You must draw rations, water, ammunition, radios, and radio batteries at
the company command post; and then draw four sound-powered
telephones and communication wires from the company gunnery sergeant.
Series with The semicolon punctuates items in a series when there are commas within the
Commas series.
 At the alumni dinner, I sat with the school‘s best-known athlete, Gary
Wyckoff; the editor of the paper, two stars of the class play, a fellow and
a girl who later married each other; and Tad Frump, the class clown.
 The Marines came from Fargo, North Dakota; Norfolk, Virginia; Austin,
Texas; and Barstow, California.

Lesson 3 Exercise
Item 1 A __________ is used to separate two or more independent clauses when

closely related and not joined by a coordinating conjunction.
a. apostrophe
b. colon
c. comma
d. semicolon
Item 2 Which sentence below is punctuated properly?
a. The following military personnel are members of the Detroit Chamber of

Commerce General Black, post commander; General Smith, USMC
liaison; and Colonel Jones, USAF liaison.
b. The following military personnel are members of the Detroit Chamber of
Commerce: General Black, post commander, General Smith, USMC
liaison, and Colonel Jones, USAF liaison.
c. The following military personnel are members of the Detroit Chamber of
Commerce: General Black, post commander; General Smith, USMC
d. The following military personnel are members of the Detroit Chamber of
Commerce. General Black, post commander; General Smith, USMC


1 d 3-16
2 c 3-17


LESSON 4
APOSTROPHE
Introduction
Purpose Another often misused punctuation mark is the apostrophe. Misuse or

omission of an apostrophe can hamper the understanding of the sentence.
This lesson will teach you the function of the apostrophe so you can use it
correctly when you write.
Learning Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to identify the function of
Objective the apostrophe in a sentence.
Topic See Page

Introduction 3-21
Showing Possession 3-22
Marking Omissions 3-23

Showing Possession
Possessive Case The apostrophe forms the possessive case of nouns.

of Nouns
 Generally, form the possessive noun by adding an apostrophe s to the end
of the noun.
 Mrs. Smith‘s car

 The court-martial‘s outcome
 The Marine‘s uniform (singular)
 For nouns that end in an s, form the possessive case by adding only an
apostrophe.
 The bus‘ tires (singular noun)

 The buses‘ tires (plural noun)
 The gas‘ aroma
 The Marines‘ uniforms (plural)
Note: Be careful when forming the possessive case of nouns ending in s. If

the noun is singular, make it possessive by just adding the apostrophe.
If you want a plural possessive noun, make it plural first and then add
the apostrophe.

Marking Omissions
In Contractions Apostrophes show the omission of letters in contractions.
 Do not becomes don’t

 Would not becomes wouldn’t
 I am becomes I’m
 It is becomes it’s
Note: Be careful not to confuse the contraction it’s with the possessive case
of the pronoun it (its). Use the apostrophe only for the contraction of
it is.
For Numbers Apostrophes can also show the omission of numerals.
 Class of 1984 becomes Class of ‘84

 The 1920s becomes the ‘20s

Lesson 4 Exercise
Item 1 Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
a. Camp LeJeune was 2 days march from where we were encamped.

b. Camp LeJeune was 2 days‘ march from where we were encamped.
c. Camp LeJeune was 2 day‘s march from where we were encamped.
d. Camp LeJeune was 2 day march from where we were encamped.
Item 2 Which punctuation mark is used to form the possessive case of nouns as well
as show the omission of letters in contractions?
a. Apostrophe
b. Colon
c. Comma
d. Semicolon


1 b 3-22
2 a 3-23


LESSON 5
END PUNCTUATION
Introduction
Purpose While the punctuation within the sentence is critical for accurate communi-
cation of your ideas, end punctuation is equally important. End punctuation
indicates the end of a complete thought and the type of sentence that is
presented. This lesson discusses end punctuation so that you can choose the
right punctuation to communicate your thoughts.
Learning Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to identify end punctuation
Objective marks.
Topic See Page

Introduction 3-27
Period 3-28
Exclamation Point 3-29
Question Mark 3-30

Period
Function The most frequently used end punctuation mark is the period. Beside
separating whole numbers from decimal numbers, the period is placed at the
end of all
 Declarative statements
 Imperative statements (commands)
 Indirect questions
Decimal Point The period is called a decimal point when it separates whole numbers from
decimal numbers.
 $500.25
 33.50 percent
 23.75 feet
Declarative The following statements are examples of declarative sentences.

Sentences
 You will be held accountable for your actions, words, and gestures.
 The private was at the appointed place of duty on time.
 I expect you to lead the way.
Imperative The following statements are imperative sentences.

Sentences
 Check the phone roster for accuracy.
 Please help customers in a timely manner.
 Report to the first sergeant before you leave.
Indirect The following statements are indirect questions.

Questions
 The corporal asked when the promotion would become effective.
 We need to get the supplies for the picnic; the question is who has the
money.
 The first sergeant asked the private what his problem was.

Exclamation Point
Function The exclamation point is used to emphasize a statement or to express strong
emotion (urgency, surprise, enthusiasm, disbelief).
Examples The following sentences are examples of emphatic statements.
 Look out, the tree is falling!

 Congratulations!
 Oh! I forgot to tell you the good news.

Question Mark
Function The question mark is used to indicate
 Direct questions
 A series of questions
 Elliptical questions
 A command or request
 Doubtful information
 Rising intonation
 A question within a statement
Direct The question mark is placed at the end of direct questions.

Questions
 What are you doing for lunch today?
 Where have you been all morning?
 Have you participated in any wars or conflicts?
A Series of Use a series of questions when you want to add emphasis to your writing.
Questions The question mark is placed at the end of each question in a series. For
example, see how the emphasis changes in the following sentence when you
add question marks.
 Who is in charge, the commander, the first sergeant, or the executive

officer?
 Who is in charge? Is it the commander? Is it the first sergeant? Or is it the

executive officer?
Elliptical The question mark is placed at the end of elliptical questions. Elliptical
Questions questions are questions that are shortened for economy and ease of
understanding; their meanings are clear.
 I understand tickets are on sale for the picnic. How much? (Short for
How much are the tickets?)
 Where is the briefing? At headquarters? (Short for Is the briefing at

headquarters?)

Question Mark, Continued
A Command/ The question mark is placed at the end of a command phrased as a request.
Request
 Will you go to the post office for me?
 Can you bring me a copy of the regulation?
Doubtful The question mark is used to indicate doubt about the information that
Information precedes it.
 The Marine Corps (1775? - present) is a fine branch of service.

 President Kennedy (1932? – 1963) believed strongly in civil rights.
Rising The question mark is placed at the end of a sentence that is a statement in
Intonation form, but a question of intonation. That is, when you say the statement your
voice rises at the end to sound like a question instead of a statement.
 You want to go on leave in the middle of the personnel changes?

 You believe they care about your problems?
Question A short question inside a statement is set off with commas and the question
Within a mark is placed at the end. If the short question is at the end of the sentence, a
Statement question mark is placed at the end.
 We can exchange the gifts, can‘t we, if we have the receipts?

 We can exchange the gifts if we have the receipts, can‘t we?

Lesson 5 Exercise
Item 1 List three types of sentences that use a period for end punctuation.
a. _____________________________________
b. _____________________________________
c. _____________________________________
Item 2 Identify the sentence that is punctuated correctly.
a. The commander asked where the supplies were?

b. The commander asked where the supplies were.
c. I have asked him will you get me that regulation?
d. I have asked him to get me that regulation?
Item 3 A __________ is used to emphasize a statement or express strong emotion.
a. exclamation point
b. period
c. question mark
d. semicolon
Item 4 Which end mark is used to indicate a direct question, a series of questions, or
rising intonation?
a. comma
b. period
c. question mark
d. exclamation point


1 a. Declarative sentences 3-28
b. Imperative sentences
c. Indirect questions
2 b 3-28
3 a 3-29
4 c 3-30


LESSON 6
QUOTATION MARKS
Introduction
Purpose Often when we write we repeat statements made by other people or from
other sources. To correctly do this we must use quotation marks. Quotation
marks enclose quotations, slogans, slang expressions, or ordinary words used
in other than their usual fashion. This lesson teaches you how to properly use
quotation marks.
Learning Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to identify the correct use of
Objective quotation marks.
Topic See Page

Introduction 3-35
Direct Quotations 3-36
Ellipses 3-37
Special Uses 3-38
With Other Punctuation Marks 3-39

Direct Quotations
One Sentence Use quotation marks to enclose direct quotations.

Quotation
 MacArthur vowed, ―I shall return,‖ as he left the islands.
 Walter Cronkite closed his news program with these words, ―And that‘s
the way it is.‖
More Than For quotations of several sentences, use quotation marks before the first
One Sentence sentence and after the last.
Quotation
 Jenkins said, ―Something‘s wrong. I know it. He should have called in
by now.‖
 The sergeant said, ―The company operations will be with the 3rd platoon.
The command post is to the rear grid 691901. I‘ll be with 3rd platoon.‖
Several For quotations of several paragraphs either

Paragraphs
Quotation  Put quotation marks at the beginning of each paragraph but at the end of
only the last paragraph.
 Do not use any quotation marks at all; instead indent the entire quotation
and type it single spaced.
Incomplete With a short quotation that is not a complete sentence, use no commas before
Sentence the quote.
Quotation
 Barrie described life as ―a long lesson in humility.‖
 MacArthur‘s commencement speech was about ―duty, honor, country.‖
Interrupted With an interrupted quotation, use quotation marks only around the quoted
Quotation words.
 ―I heard,‖ said the sergeant, ―that you passed the course.‖

 ―A ship without Marines,‖ said Admiral David D. Porter, U.S. Navy, ―is
like a garment without buttons.‖

Ellipses
Definition An ellipsis (plural form is ellipses) is three periods (…) used to indicate an
omission or a pause.
In Quotations Use the ellipsis to indicate the omission of unimportant or irrelevant words
from a quotation.
 ―What a heavy burden is a name that has become…famous.‖

—Voltaire
 ―Military intelligence…a contradiction in terms.‖
—Groucho Marx
Opposite By contrast, use brackets [] to indicate explanatory words added to the

quotation.
 ―From a distance it [fear] is something; nearby it is nothing.‖

—La Fontaine
 Said Benjamin Franklin [on freedom], ―Those that can give up essential
liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor
safety.‖

Special Uses
Quoting When quoting dialogue, start a new paragraph with each change of speaker.
Dialogue
 ―He‘s dead,‖ Holmes announced.
―Are you sure?‖ the young lady asked.
 ―Is the company formed?‖ asked the commander.

―The company is all present and accounted for,‖ the first sergeant replied.
Short Title Use quotation marks around the titles of short written works: poems, articles,
essays, short stories, chapters, and songs.
 The first chapter in The Guns of August is entitled ―A Funeral.‖

 I still get misty-eyed when I hear ―Danny Boy.‖
Definition of Use quotation marks around the definition of words.

Words
 The original meaning of lady was ―kneader of bread.‖
 Montagnard comes from the French word for mountaineer; it refers to

―people inhabiting a highland region chiefly in southern Vietnam
bordering on Cambodia.‖
Special Use of Use quotation marks to indicate the special use of a word.
Words
 Organized crime operates by having its ill-gotten gains ―laundered‖ so
they appear legitimate.
 ―Devil Dog‖ is an affectionate term for Marines coined after World War I.

With Other Punctuation Marks
Quotation Use a set of single quotation marks (‗‘) to indicate a quotation within a
Within a quotation.
Quotation
She asked, ―Who said, ‗Let them eat cake.‘?‖
Periods or Place periods and commas inside quotation marks.

Commas
 Dr. Watson said, ―It‘s the speckled band.‖
 ―Move out,‖ the first sergeant commanded.
Colons or Place colons and semicolons outside the quotation marks.

Semicolons
Coe barked, ―I have nothing to say‖; then he left.
Question Place question marks, exclamation marks, and dashes

Marks,
Exclamation  Inside the quotation marks when the punctuation belongs to the quote
Marks, Dashes
 Shauna said, ―Who is my opponent?‖
 Outside the quotation marks when they do not belong to the quote
 Did Shauna say, ―I fear no opponent‖?

Lesson 6 Exercise
Item 1 For quotations of several sentences, use quotation marks
a. before each sentence and the end of the last sentence.

b. before the first sentence and the end of the last sentence.
c. around each sentence.
d. at the end of each sentence.
Item 2 Which punctuation marks are used for a quote within a quote?
a. colon
b. double quotation marks
c. single quotation marks
d. parentheses
Item 3 Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
a. During Sergeant Collins‘ briefing, he said, ―Bring everything we shall

need.‖
b. Captain Page said, ―The company will go on a 10-mile hike;‖ therefore, I
forgot about the siesta I was planning.
c. Corporal Wilsons rifle is lying on his bunk where he placed it this
afternoon.
d. Tension rose rapidly during yesterdays meeting, they consequently
adjourned early.


1 b 3-36
2 c 3-39
3 a 3-39


STUDY UNIT 4
CAPITALIZATION AND SPELLING
Overview
Scope Along with proper sentence structure and punctuation, readers rely on proper
capitalization and spelling to convey the meaning of a sentence or paragraph.
Capitalization indicates the beginnings of different sentences and other
grammatical constructions. Spelling includes selecting the proper word to
state your meaning. The study unit teaches you rules for proper capitalization
and to improve your spelling ability.

Unit
Lessons See Page

Capitalization 4-3
Spelling 4-11


LESSON 1
CAPITALIZATION
Introduction
Purpose Your readers generally expect a capital letter to identify the beginnings of
sentences and proper names. Using capital letters otherwise may be
misleading. If you are unsure about whether or not a word should be
capitalized, the best rule is not to capitalize it. This lesson will teach you
appropriate instances to use capital letters.
Learning Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to identify proper
Objective capitalization when writing.
Topic See Page

Introduction 4-3
In Grammatical Forms 4-4
For Proper Nouns and Adjectives 4-6

In Grammatical Forms
Sentences Capitalize the first word of every sentence, including quoted sentences.
 She said, ―The work is finished.‖

 The commander asked for the morning report.
 What do you want for your birthday?
Poetry Capitalize the first word of a line of poetry.
 Had we but world enough, and time,

This coyness, lady, were no crime.
—Andrew Marvel, ―To His Coy Mistress‖
 Listen my children and you shall hear

Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ―The Midnight Ride‖
Words and Capitalize words and phrases used as sentences.

Phrases
 Really?
 Yes, indeed.
 Of course.
 Why?
Following a Capitalize the first word of a formal question or statement following a colon.
Colon
 He asked several questions: Where are you going? What will you do?
What is your goal?
 I offered a word of advice: Read only the best books.

In Grammatical Forms, Continued
In an Outline Capitalize the first word of each item in a formal outline.
I. Sports offered the first semester

A. Football
B. Basketball
II. Enlisted ranks in the Marine Corps
A. Private
B. Private First Class
C. Lance Corporal
Titles Capitalize the first, last, and all other important words in a title.
 The Naked and the Dead

 Uniform Code of Military Justice
Addresses, Capitalize the first word and all principal words in addresses, salutations, and
Salutations, signatures.
and Signatures
 Very truly yours,
 Dear Sir or Madam:
 My Dearest Son,
Note: Capitalize nouns indicating relationships only when they are used as
names or titles in combination with proper names (as in Mother
Theresa). Do not capitalize them if they are preceded by a possessive
adjective (as in my mother).

For Proper Nouns and Adjectives
Proper Noun A proper noun is a name of a particular person, place, or thing. It is always
capitalized.
 Eskimo
 Marine Corps
 General Westmoreland
Proper A proper adjective is an adjective derived from a proper noun; that is,
Adjectives American from America. Proper adjectives are always capitalized.
 English
 Japanese
Places and Capitalize the names of specific places and organizations. This includes
Organizations geographic directions when they refer to a specific area, but not points on the
compass. Also capitalize the names of stars and planets.
 Atlantic Ocean
 He came from the Old South.
 1st Marine Air Wing
 United Nations
 Earth, Jupiter
 The North Star, the Big Dipper
Time Capitalize the days of the week, months, holidays, historical events, and
References historical periods.
 Friday
 May
 Veteran’s Day
 We had a staff ride on the Battle of Gettysburg.
 What happened during the Middle Ages?

For Proper Nouns and Adjectives, Continued
Religious Capitalize religious names.

Names
 Christians read the Bible.
 Catholics revere the Virgin.
 The Torah is central to Judaism.
 Allah, God, the Lord
Historical Capitalize historical documents, names of flags, emblems, and school colors.
Documents,
Emblems, and  Where is the Constitution stored?
Colors
 Old Glory
 Bronze Star
 Green and Gold
Specific Capitalize the names of ships, aircraft, trains, and spacecraft. These names
Transportation are usually also in italics.
Vehicles
 Titanic
 The Orient Express
 Enterprise
Acronyms Capitalize initials used as acronyms.
 B.C.
 NATO
 FBI
Personifications Capitalize personifications (attributing personal qualities to something).
 Mother Nature
 Old Man Winter
 The face of Death

For Proper Nouns and Adjectives, Continued
Titles Capitalize a title preceding a name. Also capitalize the names of educational
institutions, departments, specific courses, and specific academic degrees.
 Professor Johnson
 Reverend Howell
 Duke University
 Biology 101
 MEd (for Masters degree in Education)
 Captain Williams
Note: Don’t capitalize titles if they are not associated with a name, such as he
was promoted to captain or the professor graded the tests.
Interjections Capitalize the interjection O and the pronoun I.

Lesson 1 Exercise
Item 1 Matching: In the space provided, place the letter of the reason for
capitalization in column 2 that best describes why the italicized words in the
samples in column 1 are capitalized. The reasons in column 2 may be used
more than once.
Column 1 Column 2
Samples Reason
___ 1. Respectfully yours, a. Beginning of sentence or line of

___ 2. Members of the 5th and 6th poetry
Marines wear the French b. Proper noun
Fourragere. c. Title
___ 3. The Art of War, by Sun Tzu d. Address or salutation
___ 4. Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
– A.L. Tennyson
___ 5. Valorous exploits of Marines
throughout history are
important examples on which
to base your conduct.
___ 6. Sheriff Bart


1 d 4-5
2 b 4-6
3 c 4-5
4 a 4-4
5 a 4-4
6 c 4-8

LESSON 2
SPELLING
Introduction
Purpose Nothing can substitute for the ability to spell. Some writers try to avoid
misspelling by using only familiar words. For instance, a writer wants to
express ―moving forward‖ in a sentence. He would like to use the word
―edging‖ to describe the action. Instead, he substitutes the word ―moving‖
simply because he does not know how to spell ―edging.‖ The result is writing
that is flat and colorless. This lesson teaches you habits and rules to follow to
reduce your chances for spelling errors.
Learning Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to identify misspelled or
Objective misused words when writing.
Topic See Page

Introduction 4-11
Basic Spelling Rules 4-12
Word Usage 4-13
Habits 4-15

Basic Spelling Rules
Ie and Ei Distinguish between ie and ei. Remember this saying: Write i before e
except after c or when sounded like a as in eighty and sleigh.
Final E Drop the final e before a suffix beginning with a vowel but not before a suffix
beginning with a consonant.
 Suffix beginning with a vowel: guide + ance = guidance

 Suffix beginning with a consonant, final e retained: hate + ful = hateful
Final Y Change the final y to i before a suffix, unless the suffix begins with i.
 Change y to i and add suffix (not beginning with i): defy + ance =
defiance
 Suffix begins with i: cry + ing = crying
Final If a single vowel precedes a final single consonant that ends an accented
Consonant syllable or a one-syllable word, double the final single consonant before
adding a suffix beginning with a vowel
 Stop + ing = stopping

 Admit + ed = admitted
Unless both conditions exist, the final consonant is not doubled.
 Stoop + ing = stooping (p ends a one-syllable word, but is preceded by a

double vowel oo)
 Benefit + ed = benefited (t is preceded by a single vowel I, but it does not

end the accented syllable)
Note: Remember, every rule has an exception. Basic spelling rules are only
basic guidelines to follow. If in doubt, look it up in the dictionary!

Word Usage
Idiosyncrasies Watch for word idiosyncrasies. When the spelling of a word is contrary to
the usual word structure, give particular attention to that word. Observe its
special qualities. Look at it. Sound it out to yourself. Memorize it. Write it
repeatedly. Write it in different sentences.
Homonym Distinguish between homonyms. Homonyms are words that sound alike but
Pairs have different meanings and may have different spellings. Whenever you use
a word that may be a homonym, use a dictionary to make sure you use the
word correctly.
The following table lists some homonym pairs that give writers problems.
Word and Meaning Homonym and Meaning

Accept – a verb meaning to receive. Except – a preposition meaning to
leave out.
Advice – a noun meaning counsel or Advise – a verb meaning to give
opinion. counsel.
Affect – a verb meaning to produce a Effect – a noun meaning result; a
change in. verb meaning to cause or to
accomplish.
Capitol – a noun meaning the Capital – a noun meaning the official
building in which state or federal seat of government or wealth; an
legislatures meet. adjective meaning of primary
importance.
Complement – a verb meaning to Compliment – a verb meaning to
make complete; a noun meaning that praise or congratulate; a noun
which is filled up or complete. meaning a formal expression of
courtesy, praise, or admiration.
Here – an adverb meaning in or at Hear – a verb to mean to perceive or
this place; a noun meaning this place. apprehend by the ear.
Its – a singular personal pronoun in It’s – a contraction of the words it is.
third person possessive case.
Personal – an adjective meaning or, Personnel – a noun meaning a body
relating to or affecting a person; a of persons usually employed.
noun meaning a short newspaper
paragraph relating to the activities of
a person, a group, or personal
matters.

Word Usage, Continued
Other The following table lists other homonyms that are frequently misused in
Frequently sentences. Learn them so you can check your writing to make sure you have
Confused used the right word for what you mean.
Words
Cite – a verb meaning to Site – a noun meaning a Sight – a noun meaning
quote, commend, or location or a verb ability to see or a verb
mention to support or meaning to find a meaning to observe
illustrate. location. within one’s field of
vision.
To – a preposition used Too – an adverb Two – an adjective
as a function word to meaning besides or meaning one more than
indicate movement, an also. one in number.
action or condition
toward a place, person,
or thing; direction;
contact or proximity;
limit; relationship; also
used to indicate
infinitive verb form.
There – an adverb Their – a plural They’re – a contraction
meaning in or at that personal pronoun in for the words they are.
place; a pronoun that third person possessive
functions to introduce a case.
clause or sentence.
Write – a verb meaning Right – an adjective Rite – a noun meaning
to inscribe characters on meaning correct or the a ceremony.
a surface. opposite of left; a noun
meaning a privilege.

Habits
Proofreading Care in writing and proofreading your work will help eliminate errors in the
spelling of simple words, such as, to, there, and its.
Dictionary Use the dictionary. Some people do not like to use the dictionary. However,
the only sure way to find the correct spelling, or correct hyphenation of a
word is to look it up in the dictionary.
Record Errors Keep a list of your spelling errors. Although it is a difficult habit to establish,
the habit of correctly recording the words you frequently misspell is one
technique that many have found helpful. Make sure you spell the word
correctly when entering it on your list.
Spell by Learn to spell words by syllables. A long word when divided into syllables
Syllables becomes a number of short words. To simplify the spelling of long words,
divide the word into its pronounceable parts (syllables) and spell them part by
part.
Frequently Learn lists of frequently misspelled words. Collect lists of frequently

Misspelled misspelled words. From the lists identify the words you have trouble
Words spelling. Study them. Practice writing the words several times until you have
memorized them correctly.
Misused Words Be sure to use exactly the word you mean. Be particularly careful when
choosing the preposition; although they may be short words, they can be
carelessly used. Some words require specific prepositions; sometimes the
preposition used can change the meaning of the sentence.
Basic Rules Learn the basic spelling rules to help you become a better speller.

Lesson 2 Exercise
Item 1 Select the basic spelling rule that the given word demonstrates.
Friend
a. Double the final consonant preceded by a single vowel in an accented

syllable or one-syllable word before adding a suffix that begins with a
vowel.
b. Change the y to an i before adding a suffix, unless the suffix begins with i.
c. Drop the final e before a suffix beginning with a vowel but not before a
suffix beginning with a consonant.
d. Write i before e except after c or when sounded like a as in eighty and
sleigh.
Item 2 Choose the sentence that has proper spelling and capitalization.
a. james asked his teacher ―where is the constitution stored?‖.

b. Do you know Private Ryan’s full name?
c. The two Ranks that make up NCOs are: Corporal and Sargeant.
d. the commander asked for the morning report.
Item 3 Select the list that contains only habits for improving your spelling.
a. Learn basic rules for spelling; use the dictionary and thesaurus; record
frequent errors to learn from your mistakes
b. Proofread; use the dictionary; learn basic rules for spelling; record
frequent errors to learn from your mistakes
c. Proofread; spell by sounding out the words; use the thesaurus; learn basic
rules for spelling
d. Spell by syllables; use the dictionary and thesaurus; learn frequently
misspelled words and record your own frequently misspelled words


1 d 4-12
2 b 4-12
3 b 4-15


STUDY UNIT 5
EFFECTIVE ESSAY WRITING
Overview
Scope Now that you have reviewed the parts of speech and basic principles for
writing a sentence, you need a process to organize your thoughts for a final
composition. To make your final composition, you will need to know how to
effectively write an essay.
So what is an essay? An essay is a piece of writing which is often written

from an author's (you) personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number
of elements, including literary criticism, political manifestos, learned
arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the
author.
This study unit will teach you how to effectively write an essay.

Unit
Lessons See Page

Purpose of the Essay 5-3
Developing the Essay 5-11
The Draft Writing Process 5-29
The Editing Process 5-39


LESSON 1
PURPOSE OF THE ESSAY
Introduction
Purpose All writing begins with a specified topic. The topic may come from a job
requirement, professional development, or an instructor. To write an effective
essay, you must follow certain procedures. The procedures consist of defining
the purpose of an essay and identifying the type of essay you will write. This
lesson teaches you how to effectively write an essay that is succinct and to the
point.

Objectives
 Identify types of essays.
 Define the purpose of an essay.
Topic See Page

Introduction 5-3
Types of Essays 5-4
Purpose of an Essay 5-6
Forming Hypotheses 5-7
Developing a Plan of Action 5-8

Types of Essays
Common Types The four most common types of essays are
 Expository
 Descriptive
 Narrative
 Persuasive
Expository An expository essay investigates an idea, evaluates evidence, expounds on the

idea, and sets forth an argument concerning that idea in a clear and concise
manner. The format for an expository essay includes compare and contrast,
cause and effect, and definition and examples. Expository text is meant to
provide information and is the most frequently used type of writing by
students in colleges and universities. A well-written exposition remains
focused on its topic and lists events in chronological order.
A common method of writing an expository essay is the five-paragraph

approach. This approach consists of
 An introductory paragraph
 Three body paragraphs
 A conclusion
Descriptive A descriptive essay describes an object, person, place, experience, situation,

etc. It encourages the author to create a written account of a particular
experience. The intent of a descriptive essay is to draw the read into a
particular situation so they may somewhat experience it. Because of this it is
important choose as much vivid language. This will better help with the
objective of the essay. This essay allows for more artistic freedom.
Guidelines for writing a descriptive essay are
 Take time to brainstorm.

 Use clear and concise language.
 Choose vivid language.
 Use your senses and emotions.
 Leave the reader with a clear impression.
 Be organized.

Types of Essays, Continued
Narrative A narrative essay is anecdotal, experiential, and personal. It tells a story, and
therefore should include all the parts of a story:
 Introduction
 Plot
 Characters
 Setting
 Climate
 Conclusion
A narrative essay should be written from a clear point of view. Use clear and
concise language throughout, and the use of the first person pronoun ―I‖ is
often found in this type of essay.
Persuasive The persuasive, or argumentative, essay requires the writer to investigate a

topic, collect and evaluate evidence, and establish a position on the topic in a
concise manner. Although it is similar to the expository essay, the persuasive
essay generally calls for more pre-writing and research. The five-paragraph
approach is a common method for writing a persuasive essay, but it may
require more paragraphs if you need to establish context, discuss opposing
views, and sources of information.
Components of a persuasive essay are
 Clear, concise these statement in the first paragraph

 Clear and logical transitions between the introduction, body, and
conclusion
 Evidential support in the body paragraphs
 Conclusion that not only restates the thesis, but readdresses it in light of the
evidence provided

Purpose of an Essay
Function The purpose of an essay is to develop ideas and concepts in your writing
based on your point of view. Essays are concise and require clarity in purpose
and direction. They require you to hone your skills in close reading, analysis,
comparison and contrast, persuasion, and clarity.
Essays are used to
 Inform
 Persuade
 Change attitudes
 Analyze
 Argue
 Recommend
 Evaluate
 Provoke thought
 Express feelings
 Entertain
Why? Your essay must have a clearly stated purpose. Merely stating the research
problem just gives your research direction. Compiling information without a
purpose is merely collecting facts, opinions, and ideas on a given topic. You
must first identify why you need to answer the research problem. "Why"
provides purpose for your efforts and helps you and your audience understand
what you want to accomplish.

Forming Hypotheses
Definition A hypothesis is an educated guess based on specific assumptions that directs

your thinking toward possible solutions. An educated guess may reflect one
or more points of view that help you focus on the problem.
Assumptions An assumption is a self-evident condition required to complete your research.

You discover the assumptions by asking yourself "What is it that I'm taking
for granted?"
Before accepting any assumption as valid, you must determine whether the
self-evident condition nullifies or supports your investigation. Some
assumptions are so self-evident that you may err by not identifying them.
Without identifying your assumptions you won't know if they are valid or
invalid. You must identify your assumptions.
For example, if you are evaluating computer-assisted training for Marine

development, you may assume that Marines can read. If they cannot read,
then your educated guess is invalid.

Developing a Plan of Action
Purpose Military operations begin with a clearly stated purpose. Implementation

requires a specific plan of action; so does research. You identify your
purpose and then develop a plan to discover the information needed to answer
the question. You must then consider where to find your research data and
how to analyze the data to be sure you recognize and understand its
significance for your research. Writing is a process; you can’t just sit down at
the computer, write, and call it a day. The quality of your writing will reflect
the time and forethought you put into it.
Criteria for You only accept information, evidence, facts, observations, and experiences
Accepting Data (data) relevant to the problem. Every problem has many factors. Data will
come from primary and secondary sources. Some are relevant, while others
may have nothing to do with the solution. Your task is to determine what
data is relevant, and then to collect it. However, what you collect only
becomes significant when you use your mind to extract meaning from it.
Data demands interpretation; it cannot stand alone. It must pass from your
notes through your mind for processing and interpretation. Data that passes
from the raw stage to the final product without interpretation is merely the
regurgitation of meaningless ideas.
Defining Your Your research has an audience; keep your focus on them. You must be
Audience mindful of your audience’s familiarity and perspective on the subject. Your
audience impacts your purpose, style, and content.
For example, you may be seeking to develop a new fuel-efficient engine for
lawn mowers. If this is a task that benefits only one person, then your
audience is one person. However, if your purpose is to increase your income,
then your audience quickly expands to include manufacturers, financial
leaders, and those wanting a fuel-efficient engine for their lawn mowers.

Lesson 1 Exercise
Item 1 List the four most common types of essays.
a. ____________________________
b. ____________________________
c. ____________________________
d. ____________________________
Item 2 A(n) __________ essay investigates an idea or evaluates research, using a

compare and contrast or cause and effect approach.
a. expository
b. persuasive
c. descriptive
d. narrative
Item 3 What is the purpose of an essay?
a. To collect data
b. To reiterate already told facts
c. To tell the author’s point of view
d. To write about a topic for a grade


1 a. Expository 5-4
b. Descriptive
c. Persuasive
d. Narrative
2 a 5-4
3 c 5-6

LESSON 2
DEVELOPING THE ESSAY
Introduction
Purpose Once you identify the purpose and assumptions and specify your audience,
you are ready to gather your data. Organized and focused writing provides
sufficient material to improve the quality of your essay. You can always
develop a wealth of data. The only problem is deciding where to start. This
lesson teaches you how to research your topic and develop the outline of your
essay.

Objectives
 Identify the process to develop an essay.
 Identify brainstorming.
 Identify the purpose of a thesis statement.
 Identify the purpose of an outline.
Topic See Page

Introduction 5-11
Development Process 5-12
Gathering Data 5-13
Analyzing Data 5-14
Evaluating Data 5-15
Brainstorming Techniques 5-18
Creating a Thesis Statement 5-22
Developing an Outline 5-23

Development Process
Process The process to develop an essay includes the following steps:
Step Action
Research Collect, analyze, and evaluate data
Plan Brainstorm and develop an outline
Draft Write quickly and follow your outline
Edit Read and revise
Proof Eliminate typing and grammatical errors
Produce Final Draft Ready for publishing
Research All writing begins with research of a given topic. Research is a process to
systematically gather information to find the answer to a specific question or
to develop the solution to a given problem.
The topic may come from a job requirement, professional development, or an

instructor. The research process consists of finding information, making
notes, explaining the notes, and documenting your sources. Organized and
focused research provides sufficient material to improve the quality of your
composition.
Characteristics The research process has several distinct characteristics. Your first step is to
understand clearly what your requirement is, not just what you think it is.
You must clearly identify the requirement that underlies the task. You must
be able to answer the following questions before you start collecting data.
 Purpose identified?
 Assumptions identified?
 Audience specified?

Gathering Data
Definition Gathering data consists of collecting data (facts, information, evidence,

observations, and experiences) and forming inferences, judgments, and
conclusions.
Initial Steps Before you collect data, you must
 Identify your own point of view.

 Seek others' points of view.
 Identify the strengths and weaknesses of each point of view.
 Strive for objectivity in evaluating all points of view.
Sources Now you are ready to research. You should examine sources from libraries,
the Internet, interviews, etc.
Record Keep detailed records of the collected data to include source information
(titles, publishers, etc.).

Analyzing Data
Organization Once you gather your data,
 Be sure all the data is clear, accurate, and relevant to the question at issue.
 Lay out the evidence to clearly identify supporting and opposing
relationships.
 Restrict your claims to those supported by sufficient data.
Evaluation Once you organize your data,

Criteria
 Identify the implications and possible consequences.
 Search for negative and positive consequences.
 Anticipate unusual or unexpected consequences.
 Examine the implications and consequences from various points of view.
Biases Everyone develops a subjective way at looking of opportunities, issues,

problems, and accomplishments; these are biases. You have biases that
inhibit your data analysis and influence how you respond to situations, ideas,
information, and decisions.
Biases include taboos, traditions, and proverbs that you use to explain why
you can or cannot do something. It also includes your tendency to pursue
data supporting your viewpoint while downplaying contradictory evidence.
Examine Your Recognizing your biases and how they inhibit creativity helps you increase
Biases the effectiveness of your data analysis. To examine your biases,
 Identify what biases you may bring to the problem.

 Ask others to identify what they see as your biases affecting the problem.
 Ask questions to clarify your biases.
 Identify what affect your biases have on your problem.
 Make and implement a plan to use your biases appropriately.

Evaluating Data
Standards Standards help you determine the quality of your reasoning and thinking. To
help you evaluate your reasoning and critical thinking process, apply the
following standards:
 Clarity
 Accuracy
 Precision
 Relevance
 Depth
 Breadth
 Significance
 Logic
Clarity Clarity requires you to express your thoughts clearly. For example, is your
purpose so clear that anyone understands it or is it vague so no one
understands your intent?
Clarity helps you judge the relevance, depth, significance, and accuracy of
your ideas, recommendations, or decisions. To help you achieve clarity ask
yourself, can I
 Express that idea in another way?

 Elaborate further on that point?
 Give an example or illustration that clarifies that point?
Accuracy Accuracy describes a product or decision that conforms to some truth or

standard. Correct, on the other hand, denotes that there are no errors,
mistakes, or distortions. When you strive for accuracy, you try to conform to
a specific truth or standard. To help you achieve accuracy ask,
 What evidence supports the assertion?

 How can you check for the validity of the evidence?
 How can you verify or test the assertion?

Evaluating Data, Continued
Precision Precision describes the quality of accuracy and exactness.
An issue M16A2 rifle differs from a match rifle in sights, barrel, and stocks.
Manufacturers have machined the sights to closer tolerances on the match
rifle than on the standard issue. You say that the sights are precise, that is,
manufacturers hold them to closer tolerances so Marines can adjust them
accurately.
To help you achieve precision, ask yourself, can I
 Be more specific?
 Give me more details?
 Narrow the focus?
Relevance Relevance suggests that a close association exists between the subject and the
data. Your task is to clarify if indeed an association exists and how strong it
may be. To help you explore relevancy, ask
 What is the relationship between the subject and the problem?

 How is this connected to the problem?
 How does this affect the problem?
 How does this help with this issue?
Depth Depth, in contrast to surface knowledge, seeks to understand the complexities

of the subject. To asses depth, ask these types of questions
 What are the complexities of this problem?

 How does an understanding of these complexities increase understanding
of the problem?
 How does your answer address the complexities of the problem?

Evaluating Data, Continued
Breadth You may satisfy all the other standards for assessment, yet have a narrow
focus. Narrow focus prevents you from considering other points of view that
may affect the problem. You need to ask yourself
 What are the other points of view that affect this problem?
 Can I look at this problem from another perspective?
 How would a conservative, a liberal, or an opponent understand this
issue?
 What would this look like from the point of view of an enemy?
Significance When something is significant you are giving it importance. Be careful not to
equate significance with relevance. The two are not the same. Something
may be relevant to the problem, but may have no significance to it.
For example, easy to read election ballots are relevant to a fair election but are
not significant if the problem is ballot box security.
To help you clarify the significance of each issue and its relation to the
problem, ask yourself
 Is this the most important problem to consider?

 Is this the central idea or issue?
 Which of these facts are most important?
 Which will have the greatest effect on the problem?
Logic Logic refers to the relationship between ideas. It includes the
 Order in which you place a variety of thoughts and how they support each
other
 Rational conditions that affect whether an event will or will not take place
 Assumptions that underlie any discipline whether it is academic, business,
or military

Brainstorming Techniques
Types Now you can begin gathering data, but where do you begin looking?
Brainstorming is an informal way of generating topics to write about or
identify points to make about your topic. Two techniques that can help are
mind-mapping and fishboning.
Mind-mapping Mind-mapping is a structured brainstorming technique that
 Emphasizes capturing the free flow of ideas and discovering the

relationships within and between the ideas.
 Is especially effective in helping you identify what you already know

about a given topic and where you need more information.
Example You've just reported to the team tasked with developing a plan that ensures
the safe withdrawal of U.S. forces from Haiti. The team must satisfy all the
key players' (President, Congress, DOD, United Nations, etc.) requirements.
During the in brief, your team leader tasks you with putting in place an
electoral system that ensures fair and democratic elections in Haiti. To do
this, follow the steps below‖
Step Action
1 Take a sheet of paper (or use electronic media) and record in the
center your general topic. Underneath the topic, write down who
the paper is for, your audience.
2 Randomly record everything you know about the topic and your
audience, as shown below:

Brainstorming Techniques, Continued
Example,
continued
Step Action
3 Look over your notes and identify the relationships among the
ideas you have recorded. Try to tie these ideas together using
symbols and lines that help you to see them, as shown in the
graphic below.

Example,
continued
Step Action
4 Transfer these relationships to another sheet of paper. At this point
you will begin to see the possible major parts of your research
along with holes where you need more information, as shown
below.
FAIR AND DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS FOR HAITI

Possible Problems History of Haitian Politics
Haitian military Dictatorships
Haitian political parties Secret police
United Nations Observers Democracy overthrown
Private Armies Abusive military rule
Secret Police Private armies
UN Lack of will & Overseas
defeats History of Intervention
US Congress’ unwillingness to US Military
get involved UN Involvement
State Department Haitian’s attitude
Earthquake damage
Electoral System Needs
Haitian Society Polling places
Two-tiered – rich and poor Financing
Most are illiterate Poll Observers
Poor school system Poll Managers
Wealthy are literate Training of Poll Workers
Port au Prince – only major city Education of Population
Rural society Accessibility of Polls
Fear and ignorance pervades Ballot Preparation
population Ballot Counting
Churches and Religious Safety of Voters
Traditions
Media
Newspapers
Television
Radio

Fishboning Another technique to capture what you know and don't know about a topic is
called fishboning. First, divide your topic into its major divisions. Each
major division serves as a branch off of the topic. Next divide each division
into its many elements or branches. This helps you identify your general and
specific knowledge about the topic, as shown below.
Finishing Up After you have completed either of these brainstorming techniques, you can
Brainstorming now use your time effectively to collect information on specific areas where
you need further data rather than trying to research everything on developing
an electoral system for Haiti. This also leads you to the planning phase of
writing.

Creating a Thesis Statement
Purpose The problem you are investigating is at the very heart of any report, paper, or
research. Creating a thesis statement is the most important element of your
writing. It is here that you clarify the problem. The thesis statement tells the
audience why the topic demands attention.
Format To create a thesis statement, clearly state your topic and your position (or
assertion) on the topic. Your position is what you want to accomplish.
Thesis = Topic + Your position or assertion on the topic
Example The statement, ―Creating an electoral system for Haiti‖ is merely a topic. It
fails to tell the reader why the topic is important. Look again at the Haitian
scenario. You have received a task – to develop an electoral system that
ensures fair, democratic elections. This task is not a thesis statement, but you
can make it into one:
 Topic: The Haitian Electoral System.

 Position: To create a fair and democratic electoral system for Haiti.
 Thesis Statement: The new Haitian electoral system will ensure fair and
democratic elections.
Other Thesis Notice that by restating the topic and purpose as a thesis statement you have
Statements
 Identified the topic
 Made an assertion that you can write about
You can develop several other thesis statements for the topic. Each one will
take a different direction.
Example Topic: Creating an electoral system for Haiti becomes:
 People who feel safe will vote their conscience.

 A democratic electoral system will work when you eliminate private
armies.
 A democratic electoral system will work when you enforce the law
equally.

Developing an Outline
Purpose Good writing follows a plan. The plan is an outline of your thinking. The
outline
 Can be detailed enough to set forth item by item what the paper will look
like or be just a mental outline used to develop the paper
 Helps readily identify areas in your research that you need to consider
further before writing your first draft
 Helps you arrange your material so your audience understands what you
have to say
The purpose of the outline is to
 State your thesis and your major arguments.

 Present facts that support each major reason.
 Show your analysis of the facts, opinions, and ideas that support your
thesis.
 Conclude with a brief summary restating your thesis.

Developing an Outline, Continued
Pyramid of Outlining is like designing a pyramid from the top down. You start by
Support selecting the topic and forming it into a thesis statement (the capstone of the
pyramid). The next layer consists of your major points. Subsequent layers
consist of your evidence and analysis. Your analysis explains or illustrates
the importance of the evidence relative to the thesis. When you finish you
have a "Pyramid of Support," as shown below.

Other To help your audience understand your major and minor reasons and your
Components thesis, a good plan also includes
 Evidence. Evidence (facts, experiences, opinions of experts, and other

data) by itself may or may not support your thesis.
 Analysis. Your task is to show your audience through your analysis how
the evidence supports and illustrates your thesis.
Key Elements Outlines may have many forms; the key elements, however, are the
of an Outline
 Introduction (which includes your thesis statement and a listing of your
major points)
 Development of the thesis
 Conclusion
An example of how to build an outline is shown in the graphic below.
EXAMPLE OF HOW TO BUILD AN OUTLINE
I. Introduction
A. Attention Step, Purpose, or Context – when B and C may be
necessary reversed
B. Thesis Statement (Bottom line)
C. List of Major Reasons Supporting the Thesis
Statement
I. Development
A. Major Reason #1 If you list the major
• Evidence 1 and analysis parts in your
• Evidence 2 and analysis introduction, use the
• Relevance to thesis/bottom line same sequence in
Submit in a logical order development
B. Major Reason #2
• Evidence 1 and analysis
• Evidence 2 and analysis
• Relevance to thesis/bottom line
C. (Other major reasons when necessary)
I. Conclusion
A. Review of Major Reasons and Support of Sequence appropriately
Thesis
B. Thesis Statement Application (to provide
information or to persuade)
C. Recommendations (further research, etc., as
appropriate)

Basic Structure An outline is the plan you develop to lay out your writing. Your plan needs
to consider the
 Introduction
 Transition
 Major and minor reasons
 Transitions between major reasons
 Transition to your conclusion
The basic structure is shown in the following graphic:

Lesson 2 Exercise
Item 1 What are the chronological steps to develop an essay?
a. Plan, research, draft, proof, and go final

b. Research, draft, edit, proof, and go final
c. Research, plan, draft, edit, proof, and produce a final draft
d. Plan, research, draft, edit, proof, and produce a final draft
Item 2 Brainstorming is an informal way of generating topics to write about, or

points to make about your
a. topic.
b. story.
c. answer.
d. ideas.
Item 3 What is the purpose of a thesis statement?
______________________________________________________________
Item 4 What is one purpose of a written outline?
a. Prepares the reader for what is to come.

b. Assists in selecting topical headings for paragraphs.
c. Ensures you have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
d. Shows your analysis of the facts, opinions, and ideas that support your
thesis.


1 c 5-12
2 a 5-18
3 Clarify the problem and state 5-22
why the topic is important.
4 d 5-23

LESSON 3
THE DRAFT WRITING PROCESS
Introduction
Purpose During the draft writing process you use all the information previously
learned to formulate your essay. In this process you begin writing your essay,
organizing your content into paragraphs, the building blocks of an essay.
Paragraphs are used to explain your thoughts and ideas in depth when writing.
Using your outline, you can now develop your first draft. The idea of the first
draft is to get your ideas out, flesh out your answer, and shape your content
into a finished essay. The first draft is only one part of the whole writing
process that leads to a finished, presentable, and hopefully excellent essay.
Keep in mind that you won’t complete your essay with just one draft; you will
create several drafts before finalizing your essay. This lesson covers the steps
of the draft writing process.

Objectives
 Identify the focus for writing the first draft.
 Identify techniques for writing the first draft.
 Identify the traits of a paragraph.
 Identify effective revision techniques.
Topic See Page

Introduction 5-29
Draft Writing Techniques 5-30
Writing Paragraphs 5-31
Effective Revision Techniques 5-34

Draft Writing Techniques
Focus The purpose of drafting is to write very quickly ALL you have to say onto the
page. You should focus on the substance and organization of your document,
not on what the final product may look like.
Remember, you are producing your first draft. It will not look like your final
product. However, when finished, the first draft should contain the substance
you need to communicate.
Techniques Two techniques to help you write the first draft are to
 Use your outline.

 Draft quickly.
Use Your Your outline will help keep you focused on both the substance and
Outline organization of your paper. If you use a computer to compose your text, you
should print out your outline and place it where you can see it clearly. Place
any quotations, references, and supporting documents in the order they occur
in the outline. Now begin writing. Follow your outline and insert supporting
material as needed.
Draft Quickly Write quickly as the ideas come to mind. Don't worry about the perfect word
or the just-right sentence. The purpose is to capture the ideas that race
through your mind. Whenever you pause to capture the right word or
sentence, you may lose an important idea. Therefore, write as rapidly as you
can and capture those great ideas that grabbed your attention. Once you have
all of your thoughts written down, you can start organizing them.

Writing Paragraphs
Basic Rule The basic rule of thumb in composing paragraphs is to keep one idea to one
paragraph. If you begin to transition into a new idea, it belongs in a new
paragraph. There are some simple ways to tell if you are on the same topic or
a new one. You can have one idea and several bits of supporting evidence
within a single paragraph. You can also have several points in a single
paragraph as long as they relate to the overall topic of the paragraph. If the
single points start to get long, then perhaps elaborating on each of them and
placing them in their own paragraphs is the way to go.
Elements To be as effective as possible, a paragraph should contain each of the

following traits:
 Unity
 Coherence
 Topic Sentence
 Adequate Development
All of these traits overlap. Using and adapting them to your individual
purposes will help you construct effective paragraphs.
Unity An entire paragraph should concern itself with a single focus. If it begins with
one focus or major point of discussion, it should not end with another one or
wander within different ideas.
Coherence Coherence is the trait that makes a paragraph easy for a reader to understand.
You can create coherence in your paragraphs by creating logical bridges and
verbal bridges.
Logical Bridges Verbal Bridges

 The same idea of a topic is  Key words can be repeated in
carried over from sentence to several sentences.
sentence.  Synonyms can be repeated in
 Successive sentences can be several sentences.
constructed in parallel form.  Pronouns can refer to nouns in
previous sentences.
 Transition words can be used to
link ideas from different
sentences.

Writing Paragraphs, Continued
Topic Sentence A topic sentence indicates in a general way the idea or thesis the paragraph is
going to discuss. Not all paragraphs have clear-cut topic sentences, and topic
sentences can occur anywhere in the paragraph. An easy way to make sure
your reader understands the topic of the paragraph is to put your topic
sentence near the beginning of the paragraph. Regardless of whether you
include an explicit topic sentence or not, you should be able to easily
summarize what the paragraph is about.
Adequate The topic should be discussed fully and adequately. Aim for three to five or
Development more sentences per paragraph. Writers should beware of paragraphs that only
have a couple of sentences. This can indicate that the paragraph is not fully
developed. The following methods can be used to ensure your paragraph is
well-developed:
 Use examples and illustrations.

 Cite data.
 Use an anecdote or story.
 Define terms in the paragraph.
 Compare and contrast ideas.
 Evaluate causes and reasons.
 Examine effects and consequences.
 Analyze the topic.
 Describe the topic.
 Provide a chronology of an event.
Starting a New You should start a new paragraph

Paragraph
 When you begin a new idea or point
 To contrast information or ideas
 When your readers need a pause
 When you are ending your introduction or starting your conclusion

Writing Paragraphs, Continued
Proportion Make your paragraphs proportional to your paper. Since paragraphs do less
work in short papers, have short paragraphs for short papers and longer
paragraphs for longer papers. If you have a few short paragraphs, consider if
they are really parts of a larger paragraph and can be combined, or if you can
add details to support each point and make each into a more fully developed
paragraph.
Signposts and Two important elements of paragraphing are signposts and transitions.
Transitions Signposts are internal aids to assist readers. They usually consist of several
sentences or a paragraph outlining what your paper has covered and where
your paper will be going. Basically, tell them what you are going to tell them,
tell them, and then summarize by telling them what you told them.
Transitions are usually one or several sentences that "transition" from one
idea to the next. Transitions can be used at the end of most paragraphs to help
the paragraphs flow one into the next.

Effective Revision Techniques
Purpose You’re not going to have a perfect essay the first time you write it. Each time
you read through it, you will find things that you may want to revise. Make
sure you have set aside time to do this. When you have plenty of time to
revise, use the time to work on your paper and take breaks from writing. If
you can set your draft aside for a day or two, you may return to it with a fresh
outlook. During the revising process, put your writing aside at least twice –
once during the first part of the process, when you are reorganizing your
work, and again when you are polishing and paying attention to details.
Revision Use the following strategy to evaluate your drafts. Revise your essay by
Strategy reorganizing it to make your best points stand out, by adding needed
information, by eliminating irrelevant information, and by clarifying sections
or sentences.
 Find your main point.

 Identify your readers and your purpose.
 Evaluate your evidence.
 Save only the good pieces.
 Tighten and clean up your language.
 Eliminate mistakes in grammar and usage.
 Detach yourself: switch from being writer-centered to reader-centered.
Find Your What are you trying to say in your essay? Try to summarize your thesis, or
Main Point main point, and the evidence you are using to support that point. Try to
imagine that this paper belongs to someone else. Does the paper have a clear
thesis? Do you know what the paper is going to be about?
Identify Your What are you trying to do in the essay? Are you trying to argue with the
Readers and reading, to analyze the reading, to evaluate the reading, to apply the reading
Purpose to another situation, or to accomplish another goal?
Examine the paragraphs to make sure the reader can quickly identify the topic
of each one. Review the sentences to see if they are cohesive. Sentences in a
paragraph should be unified with the topic of the paragraph. If readers feel
that a sequence of topics is coherent, then they will feel they are moving
through a paragraph from a coherent point of view. But if readers feel a
paragraph’s topics shift randomly, then they have to begin each sentence out
of context, leaving them feeling dislocated, disoriented, and out of focus.

Effective Revision Techniques, Continued
Evaluate Your Ask yourself the following questions: Does the body of your essay support
Evidence your thesis? Do you offer enough evidence to support your claim? If you are
using quotations from the text as evidence, did you cite them properly?
Save Only the Do all of the ideas relate back to the thesis? Is there anything that doesn't
Good Pieces seem to fit? If so, you either need to change your thesis to reflect the idea or
cut the idea.
Tighten Your Do all of the ideas in the essay make sense? Are there unclear or confusing
Language ideas or sentences? Read your paper out loud and listen for awkward pauses
and unclear ideas. Cut out extra words, vagueness, and misused words.
Eliminate Do you see any problems with grammar, punctuation, or spelling? If you
Mistakes think something is wrong, you should make a note of it, even if you don't
know how to fix it. Ask someone else for assistance. A second set of eyes
often catches mistakes you overlook.
Detach Try to detach yourself from what you've written; pretend that you are
Yourself reviewing someone else’s work. What would you say is the most successful
part of your paper? How could this part be made even better? What would
you say is the least successful part of your paper? How could this part be
improved?

Lesson 3 Exercise
Item 1 What should be your focus when writing the first draft?
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Item 2 State the two techniques for writing your first draft.
a. ______________________________________
b. ______________________________________
Item 3 List the four traits of a paragraph.

a. ______________________________________
b. ______________________________________
c. ______________________________________
d. ______________________________________
Item 4 List seven revising techniques.

a. ______________________________________
b. ______________________________________
c. ______________________________________
d. ______________________________________
e. ______________________________________
f. ______________________________________
g. ______________________________________


1 The substance and organization 5-30
of the paper
2 a. Use your outline 5-30
b. Draft quickly
3 a. Unity 5-31
b. Cohesiveness
c. Topic sentence
d. Adequate development
4 a. Find your main point. 5-34
b. Identify your readers and
your purpose.
c. Evaluate your evidence.
d. Save only the good pieces.
e. Tighten and clean up your
language.
f. Eliminate mistakes in
grammar and usage.
g. Detach yourself: switch from
writer-centered to reader-
centered


LESSON 4
THE EDITING PROCESS
Introduction
Purpose Good writers are invariably good revisers. They can set aside "pride of
authorship" and critically review what they wrote. Besides editing it yourself,
you may want to have others edit, too. No matter who is editing, the criteria
are the same. This lesson teaches you how to systematically edit your essay,
the criteria to meet when you edit, common editorial marks to facilitate the
editing process, and specific word constructions to look for in the edit
process.

Objectives
 Identify the purpose for proofing.
 Identify eight criteria for editing.
 Identify common editorial marks by use.
 Identify wordy constructions for editing.
Topic See Page

Introduction 5-39
Proofing 5-40
Editing Criteria 5-42
Editorial Marks 5-45
Simple Words and Phrases 5-46
Noun Strings 5-48
Dummy Subjects 5-49
Redundant Expressions 5-50
Smothered Verbs 5-51
Modifier Problems 5-53

Proofing
Considerations Many writers don't revise well because they don't know how, find it difficult
and avoid it, and/or don't schedule enough time.
Good writers
 Set aside sufficient time just for revising

 At the appointed time, sit down and begin the revision process
 Follow established criteria to review and revise their writing
What to Look Proofreading means to check and mark the final draft of your paper, that is,
For the one that you send out the door. When proofreading you look not only for
typing errors but also for the true mistakes—what you never intended to say.
This includes anything (and everything) else that's incorrect with the content,
such as incorrect data, illogical sequence, erroneous conclusions, and
improper grammar.
If you discover too many problems for a final copy, reassess your paper,
determine if you are saying what you want, make corrections to your paper,
and then reprint. Reread the reprint, note any corrections, make them, and
then produce the final draft.
Proofreading Proofreading is most effective when you approach it systematically. One

Process helpful technique follows three steps:
 Reread the composition

 Do a spell check
 Check the grammar
Rereading First, read your paper backwards beginning at the end and proceeding to the
beginning. You call this "proofing from the bottom to the top." Look for
correctly spelled words that are not the right words. For example, you may
use "sight" rather than "site" when referring to a location.

Proofing, Continued
Spell Check Second, use your computer to perform a spell check of the document.
However, do not rely solely on your computer’s spell check to find all the
errors. Your computer may miss a word that is spelled correctly but used in
the wrong context (e.g., ―their are…‖ instead of ―there are…‖). It is
important to read your paper and then reread it again!
Grammar Finally, perform a grammar check of your paper. Look for such things as
Check incomplete sentences, passive voice, verb tense agreement, and subject
agreement with verbs and pronouns. The computer can assist you in this task.
Remember, the computer is only a tool that suggests what you can do; you
must make the final decision on how to compose each sentence.
Once you have finished proofreading your paper, it is ready to send to your
readers.

Editing Criteria
Eight Criteria The criteria for editing are the same standards you used for evaluating data.
to Check For As you begin your revision process, check for
 Clarity
 Accuracy
 Precision
 Relevance
 Depth
 Breadth
 Significance
 Logic
Clarity Clarity requires you to explain, illustrate, give examples, interpret, elaborate,
refine, and resolve. Don’t use jargon that may confuse your readers. You
must express your thoughts clearly so they are obvious to your reader. Write
so your thoughts are
 Distinct
 Understandable
 Vivid
Accuracy A statement can be clear but not accurate.
 Does the evidence support your assertions?

 Can you or others verify or test what you say for accuracy?
 Have you hit the right target?
Precision A statement can be clear and accurate, but not precise.
 Are you specific?

 Is the detail sufficient to support your position?
 Is your focus too broad, too narrow, or about right?
 Have you placed all rounds in the target area?

Editing Criteria, Continued
Relevance A statement can be clear, accurate, and precise, but not relevant to the
question at issue. Have you shown your reader how your position
 Is part of the problem?

 Addresses the question?
 Helps to resolve the issue?
Depth Your document may have all of the qualities of good writing yet lack depth.
Superficiality is a problem common to many writers and speakers.
 Does your writing identify those factors that make this a difficult
problem?
 Have you considered the complexities underlying the subject?
 How do you address these complexities?
 Are you dealing with the most significant factors or merely
superficialities?
Breadth A line of reasoning may satisfy all of the above standards for assessment, yet
lack breadth.
 Have you identified and considered other points of view?

 What are they?
 How do they relate to your problem?
Significance This standard is often linked to relevance, but the two are not synonymous.
Something may have relevance to the issue at hand, but have little or no
significance.
 Have you really addressed the central idea?

 You list facts and other data but which are the most important?
 Which will have the greatest effect on the problem?
 Why?
 Why not?

Editing Criteria, Continued
Logic When you write, you bring a variety of thoughts together into some order.
When the combinations of words are mutually supporting and make sense in
order and combination, your writing is "logical." When the combinations of
words are not mutually supporting, are contradictory in some sense, or do not
make sense, you say that your writing is "not logical."

Editorial Marks
Purpose When you edit, use editorial marks to indicate where changes are needed.
Editorial marks provide a quick code for correcting written compositions.
Editorial marks tell what needs to be changed and how it needs to be changed.
Shown below are common editorial marks, their meaning, and an example of
their use and correction.

Simple Words and Phrases
Purpose Contrary to popular belief, official writing does not demand big words or
pompous phrases. Small, one-syllable words
 Form the guts of the English language.

 Save writing and reading time.
 Give power to writing.
Wordy Wordy constructions are phrases, clauses, or sentences that use extra words to
Constructions convey meaning. Wordy constructions can be in the form of
 Noun strings
 Dummy subjects
 Redundant expressions
 Smothered verbs
 Modifier problems
Improving To make your writing simple and clear,

Your Writing
 Review the words and phrases from the following table.
 Highlight those words in the first column you use most often.
 From the highlighted choices, make a list of the seven you most
frequently use and their recommended replacements.
 Use this list to edit future writing.
 Repeat the process, picking seven more each time.
Simplified The following table shows wordy phrases and recommended replacements:
Phrases
Wordy Phrases Recommended Replacements

A number of Some
A prioritized list A priority list
Adjacent to Next to
Afford an opportunity Allow, let
As a means of To
As prescribed by Under
At the present time Now
Attached herewith is Here is

Simple Words and Phrases, Continued
Simplified
Phrases,
continued
Wordy Phrases Recommended Replacements

By means of By, with
Due to the fact that Because, due to
For example Such as
For the purpose of For, to
Has the capability Can
In accordance with By under
In addition Also, besides, too
In an effort to To
In conjunction with With
In order that For, so
In order to To
In regard to About, on
In the amount of For
In the course of During, in
In the event that If
In the near future Soon
In view of Since
Inasmuch as Since
Incumbent upon Must
Interpose not objection Don’t object
It is essential Must
It is recommended I/you recommend
It is requested I/you request
Limited number Few
Pertaining to About, of, on
Prior to Before
Provides guidance for Guides
Take appropriate measures Act
Take into account Consider
This office I/you
Time period Time, period
Until such time as Until
With reference to About
With the exception of Except for

Noun Strings
Rule Avoid using long strings of nouns to modify another noun; this makes for
difficult reading. This includes nouns that are used as adjectives. This
happens frequently in technical writing. Revise the sentence even if you must
add words to make the relationship between words clear. Unnecessary nouns
can be removed, or perhaps some of the nouns can be changed to verbs or
adjectives.
Examples The following table shows examples of noun strings and their revision to
make reading easier:
Instead of this… Write this…

Underground mine worker safety Developing procedures to protect the
protection procedures development safety of workers in underground
mines
Bethesda has a hospital employee Bethesda has a program to improve
relations improvement program. relations among employees.
This report explains our investment This report explains our projects to
growth stimulation projects. stimulate growth in investments.

Dummy Subjects
Definition Dummy subjects are empty expressions that
 Hide the real subject

 Increase the sentence length
 Delay the point
 Encourage passive voice
 Hide responsibility
Rule Delete dummy subjects and move the real subject to the front.
Note: The exception to the rule occurs when the dummy subject refers to
something definite mentioned in a recent sentence.
Examples Sentences with dummy subjects begin with
 It is
 It appears
 It seems like
 There is
 There are
 It will be
Alternatives The table below lists suggested replacements for dummy subjects:
Dummy Subject Replace with

It is my intention to… I intend to…
There is one thing bothering me. One thing bothers me.
There are three reasons for this. Three reasons for this are…
It appears that… I think…
It is essential that… You must…

Redundant Expressions
Definition Redundant words and expressions create meaningless or unnecessary

distinctions. They add bulk but not information.
Rule Avoid repeating words or phrases unnecessarily.
Do not use pairs of similar words when one word will do. If two ideas are
slightly different, is the difference important? If not, eliminate one and retain
the one that expresses meaning more precisely.
Use the, that, or which to clarify meaning; otherwise leave them out.
Examples of In the following examples, the italicized word can be deleted because it is
Redundant unnecessary.
Expressions
 Separate out
 Basic fundamentals
 Start over again
 Symmetrical in form
 Seldom or ever
 Actual facts
 Really glad
 Honest truth
Alternatives The following table lists redundant expressions and corrected versions.
Redundant words are italicized.
Redundant Expression Corrected Version

The first sergeant’s function and role The first sergeant’s role is…
are…
The commander engaged in a frank The commander engaged in candid
and candid dialogue. dialogue.
The staff provides guidance and The staff provides guidance to…
assistance to…
The regulations won’t allow it. Regulations won’t allow it.
I feel that it’s a good decision. I feel it’s a good decision.
The report that I’m writing is nearly The report I’m writing is nearly
finished. finished.

Smothered Verbs
Definition A smothered verb is a verb (action word) converted to a noun so that it needs
a helping verb and prepositions or articles to express action. Smothered verbs
lengthen the sentence and sap its vitality.
Smothered The following sentence shows a smothered verb construction:

Verb
Construction You are in agreement with the decision.
In this example,
 The main verb, agree, has been converted to a noun, agreement.

 The sentence now needs a
 Helping verb, are
 Preposition, in.
A better statement would be: You agree with the decision.
Rule Eliminate smothered verbs in your sentences. Find the smothered verb;
convert it to an action verb (or substitute it with a harder hitting verb). Then
eliminate the helping verb or other modifiers (the preposition).
Note: Passive voice is a form of smothering; the doer of the action is vague.
Use active voice whenever possible to make your writing more
forceful and easier to understand clearly.
Distinct Most smothered verbs have distinct endings.

Endings
 -ance
 -ant
 -ence
 -ity
 -mant
 -ment
 -ness
 -sion
 -tion

Smothered Verbs, Continued
Weak Helping Smothered verbs rely on weak helping verbs to show action. If one of the
Verbs following weak helping verbs appears, a smothered verb is nearby.
 Be
 Can
 Conduct
 Do
 Effect
 Get
 Give
 Have
 Hold
 Make
 Provide
 Put
Examples The following table lists possible corrections to smothered verb constructions.
Smothered Verb Construction Correction

You held a meeting. You met.
I made a choice. I chose…
They conducted an investigation. They investigated…
You gave consideration to… You considered…
You are in support of… You support …
He made an attempt to… He attempted to…
The NCO provided assistance to The NCO assisted…

Modifier Problems
Misplaced Put words and phrases that modify other words or phrases as close to the
Modifiers words they modify. Be sure your meaning is clear. Misplaced modifiers
drastically change the meaning of the sentence.
Example The table below shows examples of misplaced modifiers, explanations, and
corrections.
Misplaced Modifier Explanation Correction

During firing, be sure As written, during Be sure to lubricate
to lubricate moving firing, modifies the moving parts on your
parts on your weapon whole sentence. Thus, weapon to reduce
to reduce friction. the sentence means that friction during firing.
you lubricate your
weapon while you are
firing. What you mean
to say is that lubrication
reduces friction that
occurs during firing.
The mess sergeant As written, the mess The mess sergeant
added the noodles and sergeant is boiling added the noodles and
spices to the hot water instead of the water. spices to the boiling hot
while boiling. water.
Dangling Like misplaced modifiers, dangling modifiers are not correctly placed. A
Modifier dangling modifier actually has no noun in the sentence to refer to.
Dangling Modifier Explanation Correction

As a tank commander, As a tank commander As a tank commander,
it is your responsibility refers to a person. you must ensure your
to ensure your tank is Therefore it can not tank is able to shoot,
able to shoot, move, modify the following move, and
and communicate at all word, it, or the whole communicate at all
times. sentence. The modifier times.
dangles with nothing to
modify.
Running as fast as This example shows the Running as fast as
possible, the football football was doing the possible, he caught the
was caught just before running. football just before time
time ran out. ran out.

Lesson 4 Exercise
Item 1 What is the purpose of proofing?
a. Make sure the pages appear correct.

b. Keep from have the material returned to you for revision.
c. Find and correct typing, grammar, and content errors.
d. Find and correct only typing and grammar errors.
Item 2 The eight criteria for editing are: clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance,
depth, breadth, logic, and
a. distance.
b. significance.
c. shortness.
d. memory.
Item 3 Through Matching: For items 3 through 7, place the letter of the purpose in column 2
Item 7 that best describes the editorial mark in column 1. The answers in column 2
may be used only once.
Column 1 Column 2
Editorial Mark Purpose
a. Delete
___ 3. b. Insert comma
c. Let it stand
___ 4. d. Capitalize
e. Insert period
___ 5.
___ 6.
___ 7.

Item 8 Through Matching: For items 8 through 15, place the letter of the type of wordy
Item 15 expression in column 2 that best describes the example in column 1. The
answers in column 2 may be used more than once.
Column 1 Column 2
Example Type of Wordy Expression
___ 8. In the event that this occurs, a. Smothered verbs

we’re prepared to act. b. Dummy subjects
___ 9. The project is important and c. Redundant expressions
significant. d. Modifier problems
___ 10. The process should be e. Simple words and phrases
repeated again and again.
___ 11. We held a meeting to focus
on priorities.
___ 12. There are several reasons
for rejecting this scheme.
___ 13. The task group devised an
action plan.
___ 14. We believe that the changes
won’t raise costs.
___ 15. He designed a concept
analysis planning strategy.


1 c 5-40
2 b 5-42
3 b 5-45
4 e 5-45
5 c 5-45
6 a 5-45
7 d 5-45
8 e 5-47
9 c 5-50
10 c 5-50
11 a 5-52
12 b 5-49
13 c 5-50
14 d 5-53
15 c 5-50

REVIEW LESSON EXAMINATION
Review Lesson
Introduction The purpose of the review lesson examination is to prepare you for your final
examination. We recommend that you try to complete your review lesson
examination without referring to the text, but for those items (questions) you
are unsure of, restudy the text. When you finish your review lesson and are
satisfied with your responses, check your responses against the answers
provided at the end of this review lesson examination
Directions Select the ONE answer that BEST completes the statement or that answers
the item. For multiple choice items, circle your response. For matching
items, place the letter of your response in the space provided.
Item 1 The function of nouns is
a. predicating.
b. naming.
c. modifying.
d. connecting.
Item 2 The characteristics of __________ are gender, number, person, and case.
a. adjectives
b. adverbs
c. nouns
d. prepositions
Item 3 To form the plural of compound nouns, you
a. add s to the last word.

b. make the main word plural.
c. make the last word plural.
d. make the first word plural.
MCI Course 0120 R-1 Review Lesson Examination

Review Lesson, Continued
Item 4 Identify the part of speech of the italicized word in the following sentence:
The only NCOs who are authorized to carry a sword are Marine NCOs.
a. Adjective
b. Noun
c. Adverb
d. Conjunction
Item 5 Pronouns are characterized by __________, gender, cases and numbers.
a. place
b. person
c. tense
d. verb
Item 6 Each other and one another are examples of _________ pronouns.
a. indefinite
b. objective
c. possessive
d. reciprocal
Item 7 Identify the pronoun in the sentence below.
Anyone can apply for the position.
a. position
b. the
c. apply
d. anyone

Item 8 Select the answer that describes the problem and the correction (problem;
correction).
Our company clerk is a man in who you can put a great deal of trust.
a. Wrong case of pronoun who; whom

b. Pronoun-antecedent disagree; whose
c. Wrong person of pronoun who; whom
d. Wrong person of pronoun who; whose
Item 9 Verbs of sense (such as be, appear, feel, taste, smell, sound) are types of
__________ verbs.
a. auxiliary
b. linking
c. transitive
d. intransitive
Item 10 Like nouns and pronouns, verbs can be __________ or plural.
a. multiple
b. active
c. right
d. singular
Item 11 Subject verb agreement says that if the subject is singular and in the third
person, then the verb must be __________ and in the __________ person.
a. plural, second
b. plural, first
c. present, first
d. singular, third

Item 12 Select the verb tense described below.
Will be completed by a certain time to come
a. Past perfect
b. Future
c. Past
d. Future perfect
Item 13 Adjectives answer the questions what kind, how many or
a. how often.
b. why not.
c. which one.
d. which way.
Item 14 Predicative and attributive adjectives can be separated into three categories:
descriptive, proper and
a. predicating.
b. naming.
c. limiting.
d. connecting.
Item 15 Read the sentence and choose the word that is one of the three articles.
Mrs. Hillary Clinton is the Secretary of State.
a. Secretary
b. Hillary Clinton
c. the
d. is

Item 16 Which word is a definite article?
a. Have
b. An
c. Without
d. The
Item 17 What is the function of an adverb?
a. To describe a verb
b. To modify a person, place, or thing
c. To modify a verb or an adjective
d. To name a noun or pronoun
Item 18 Select the adjective in the sentence.
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday the young Marine would do physical
training with his platoon.
a. Monday
b. would
c. training
d. young
Item 19 Select the adverb in the sentence below.
Morale was low within the organization.
a. morale
b. within
c. organization
d. the

Item 20 What is the function of prepositions?
a. Naming words
b. Modifying nouns
c. Connecting nouns to other words
d. Predicating words
Item 21 Select the prepositional phrase.
After the baseball game was over, dad said “It was time to go”.
a. “It was time to go”

b. dad said
c. After the baseball game
d. was over
Item 22 What is the object of a preposition?
a. pronoun or noun
b. adjective
c. adverb
d. clause
Item 23 What are the three types of conjunctions?
a. Coordinating, correlative pairs, passive

b. Coordinating, correlative pairs, and subordinating
c. Correlative pairs, nonrestrictive, and restrictive
d. Auxiliary, coordinating, and subjunctive
Item 24 Either…or and Both…and are examples of
a. correlative conjunction pairs.

b. sentences.
c. prepositional phrases.
d. articles.

Item 25 What type of conjunction joins clauses that are not equal in rank in which one
clause is dependent on the other?
a. Subordinating conjunction
b. Superlative conjunction
c. Correlative conjunction
d. Coordinating conjunction
Item 26 Identify the conjunction in the sentence below.
The Commanding Officer and Executive Officer will return tomorrow.
a. the
b. return
c. and
d. tomorrow
Item 27 Which of the following matches the definition below?
A short utterance that usually expresses emotion and is capable of standing

alone.
a. conjunction
b. noun
c. interjection
d. adverb
Item 28 Identify the interjection in the sentence below.
“Just the thought of playing with Lebron, wow!”
a. just
b. wow
c. playing
d. thought

Item 29 Select the type of phrase that identifies the following phrase:
For two counts.
a. Adjective phrase
b. Absolute phrase
c. Verb phrase
d. Adverb phrase
Item 30 Which grammatical construction matches the words in italics?
When placing the ammunition into the weapon, make sure the bolt is in the
closed position.
a. Phrase
b. Dependent clause
c. Simple sentence
d. Complex sentence
Item 31 Define a clause.
a. A group of words that relate to each other, contains a subject and

predicate, but may not form a complete thought
b. Coordinating conjunctions that join words or phrases
c. Attributive and predicative adjectives that can be divided into three
categories
d. Complex sentences that are use to express thought
Item 32 Which clause is introduced by a subordinating conjunction and does not make
sense when it stands alone?
a. Dependent clause
b. Independent clause
c. Nonrestrictive clause
d. Restrictive clause

Item 33 Identify the type of clause in italics.
The M250 smoke grenade launcher, mounted on the side of the tank, screens
your tank from enemy observation.
a. Nonrestrictive
b. Noun
c. Adverb
d. Adjective
Item 34 A sentence is a group of words
a. that has a subject and predicate.

b. that has a clause and a couple of prepositional phrases.
c. put together that make no sense.
d. that has a subject, a predicate and makes sense by itself.
Item 35 Which type of sentence should be used to best tell someone how to complete
a series of tasks?
a. Compound
b. Complex
c. Simple
d. Standard
Item 36 A __________ is used to set off independent clauses that are joined by a
coordinated conjunction.
a. Semicolon
b. Period
c. Colon
d. Comma

Item 37 Which punctuation mark is used to introduce a business letter?
a. Semicolon
b. Comma
c. Colon
d. Apostrophe
Item 38 A(n) __________ punctuates clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction

when the clauses have commas within them.
a. semicolon
b. colon
c. comma
d. apostrophe
Item 39 Which punctuation mark is used to show the omission of letters in

contractions?
a. Comma
b. Apostrophe
c. Colon
d. Semicolon
Item 40 Which end punctuation mark is used to indicate a question within a

statement?
a. Question mark
b. Period
c. Exclamation point
d. Comma

Item 41 Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
a. “What was the last chapter we were to study”? asked Private Dean.
b. “What is on the menu tonight?” wondered Corporal Smith, “Italian foods,
seafood, or Asian foods?”
c. Tension rose rapidly during yesterdays’ meeting, they consequently
adjourned an hour early.
d. During the summer, the engineers had installed, a new gymnasium floor,
an improved heating system, and modern saunas, in the recreation facility
Item 42 Identify the correctly capitalized statement or sentence.
a. Mr. barrack obama is the President of the United States.

b. the commander inspected the Troops.
c. she said, “The work was finished.”
d. Do you know Private Ryan’s full name?
Item 43 Identify the correct spelling for the word indicating third person possessive.
a. There
b. Their
c. Thier
d. They're
Item 44 A(n) __________ essay investigates an idea or evaluates research, using a

compare and contrast or cause and effect approach.
a. persuasive
b. expository
c. descriptive
d. narrative

Item 45 What is the purpose of an essay?
a. To collect data
b. To tell the author’s point of view
c. To reiterate already told facts
d. To write about a topic for a grade
Item 46 What is the first step in research?
a. Identify topic headings and outline.

b. Provide an answer to the commander.
c. Identify what data you need to answer the problem.
d. Identify why you need to answer the research problem.
Item 47 The brainstorming technique called __________ breaks your topic into major
divisions, and then into branches and elements to identify general and specific
knowledge about your topic.
a. story-boarding
b. outlining
c. mind-mapping
d. fishboning
Item 48 What is the purpose of a thesis statement?
a. Clarify the problem and state its importance.

b. Give an outline of the paper.
c. Tell the reader your conclusion.
d. Tell the reader what others have said.
Item 49 What is one purpose of a written outline?
a. Prepares the reader for what is to come

b. Assists in selecting topical headings for paragraphs
c. States your thesis and your major arguments
d. Ensures you have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion

Item 50 What should be your focus when writing the first draft?
a. The substance and organization of the paper

b. The final product
c. Writing slowly and carefully to support each idea
d. Choosing the right words the first time
Item 51 When writing your first draft, it is important to
a. write carefully and methodically.

b. write quickly as the ideas come to mind.
c. ensure you capture each idea with the right word.
d. ensure the writing is free of emotion.
Item 52 Using examples and illustrations, comparing and contrasting ideas, and
describing the topic are all examples of
a. unity.
b. coherence.
c. topic sentence.
d. adequate development.
Item 53 You should revise your essay to make your best points stand out, add needed
information, eliminate irrelevant information, and
a. clarify sections or sentences.

b. cover more topics.
c. make it longer.
d. make recommendations.
Item 54 Why do you need to proof your essay?
a. To find and correct typing, grammar, and content errors

b. To keep from having the material returned to you for revision
c. To find and correct only typing and grammar errors
d. To make sure the pages appear correct

Item 55 Breadth in the editing process means that you have
a. identified and considered other points of view.

b. identified the complexities underlying the subject.
c. included sufficient detail to support your position.
d. shown how your position resolves the issue.
Item 56
Which editorial correction is best described by the image shown above?
a. Capitalize
b. Delete
c. Insert space
d. Underline
Item 57 Select the type of wordy expression that best describes the sentence below.
He designed a concept analysis planning strategy.
a. Modifier problems
b. Smothered verb
c. Dummy subjects
d. Redundant expressions

Answers The table below lists the answers to the review lesson examination items. If
you have questions, refer to the reference page.

1 b 1-4
2 c 1-5
3 b 1-8
4 b 1-10
5 b 1-16
6 d 1-19
7 d 1-18
8 a 1-21
9 b 1-27
10 d 1-29
11 d 1-30
12 d 1-35
13 c 1-40
14 c 1-40
15 c 1-42
16 d 1-42
17 c 1-43
18 d 1-43
19 b 1-44
20 c 1-50
21 c 1-51
22 a 1-51
23 b 1-55
24 a 1-57
25 a 1-58
26 c 1-56
27 c 1-64
28 b 1-64
29 a 2-7
30 a 2-7
31 a 2-14
32 a 2-15
33 a 2-18
34 d 2-26
35 c 2-27

Answers,
continued

36 d 3-4
37 c 3-11
38 a 3-17
39 b 3-23
40 a 3-31
41 b 3-36
42 d 4-8
43 b 4-14
44 b 5-4
45 b 5-6
46 d 5-12
47 d 5-18
48 a 5-22
49 c 5-23
50 a 5-30
51 b 5-30
52 d 5-32
53 a 5-34
54 a 5-40
55 a 5-43
56 a 5-45
57 a 5-53

Basic Grammar and Composition PDF

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MCI 0120

MARINE CORPS INSTITUTE

BASIC GRAMMAR AND

Subj: BASIC GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION (MCI 0120)

4. Recommendations. Comments and recommendations on the contents of the course are

Student Information .......................................................................................................... iii

Study Guide ...................................................................................................................... v

Study Unit 1 Parts of Speech .............................................................................. 1-1

Lesson 1 Nouns ............................................................................................ 1-3

Study Unit 2 Phrases, Clauses, and Sentences ................................................... 2-1

Lesson 1 Phrases .......................................................................................... 2-3

Study Unit 3 Punctuation Marks ........................................................................ 3-1

Lesson 1 Comma .......................................................................................... 3-3

Study Unit 4 Capitalization and Spelling ........................................................... 4-1

Lesson 1 Capitalization ................................................................................ 4-3

Continued on next page

MCI Course 0120 i

Study Unit 5 Effective Essay Writing ................................................................ 5-1

Lesson 1 Purpose of the Essay ..................................................................... 5-3

Review Lesson Examination............................................................................................. R-1

MCI Course 0120 ii

Number and MCI 0120

Review Agency II Marine Expeditionary Force

MCI Course 0120 iii

MCI Course 0120 iv

Congratulations Congratulations on your enrollment in a distance education course from the

- YOU SEEK TO IMPROVE YOURSELF. You are enrolled to

- YOU HAVE THE INITIATIVE TO ACT. By acting on your own,

- YOU ACCEPT CHALLENGES. You have self-confidence and

- YOU ARE ABLE TO SET AND ACCOMPLISH PRACTICAL

Continued on next page

MCI Course 0120 v

Continued on next page

MCI Course 0120 vi

- CHALLENGE YOURSELF. Try to recall the entire learning sequence

- USE UNUSED MINUTES. Use your spare moments to review. Read

- APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED. It is always best to use the

- USE THE “SHAKEDOWN CRUISE” TECHNIQUE. Ask another

- MAKE REVIEWS FUN AND BENEFICIAL. Reviews are good

Continued on next page

MCI Course 0120 vii

Graduating! As a graduate of this distance education course and as a dedicated Marine,

MCI Course 0120 viii

In This Study This study unit contains the following lessons:

Lessons See Page

MCI Course 0120 1-1 Study Unit 1

MCI Course 0120 1-2 Study Unit 1

Learning Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to

 Identify the characteristics of nouns.

 Identify the correct way to form plurals.

 Identify the nouns in a sentence.

In This Lesson This lesson contains the following topics:

Topic See Page

MCI Course 0120 1-3 Study Unit 1, Lesson 1

Nouns are traditionally divided into a number of different classes, depending

Concrete Nouns Abstract Nouns

Function Nouns function as subjects, objects of verbs, or objects of prepositions. As

Sergeant Baker taught the maintenance class.

The honored guest for today‟s parade is Colin

Continued on next page

MCI Course 0120 1-4 Study Unit 1, Lesson 1

Proper Noun Common Noun