Crafty commas cause commotions in creative classrooms

In a commotion over a comma? I agree that the comma is a VERY hard thing to understand, but try and be calm about it. (Just ask Grandpa, who has now realized that he's been invited for dinner instead of finding himself AS dinner.)
Try these rules (and spare the old man's life and your error in meal choice!)

Between words or word groups in a series
  Example: Medical supplies, food, blankets, and clothing were rushed to the flood area.

To separate parts of a compound sentence
 Example: Many homes were flooded, and owners had to be rescued by police. (You can make two sentences: the comma helps split them apart.)

  To separate a direct quote from the rest of a sentence.
  Example: “We’re going home,” said Nick. She answered, “No, I’m staying.”

  When you speak to someone, use a comma to set apart their name.
  Example:  “Alicia, please come and help me.” 

 IF YOU BEGIN A SENTENCE WITH “Yes,” “No,” “Well,” “Oh,”…..

1.  “Yes, I want to get better grades!” “No, I did not forget!”
2.  “Well, I’ll just try it again.”
3.   “Oh, I did my work yesterday.”

     * The “Oxford” Comma

 Used with three items:
Example:  “Peter, Paul, and Mary were a folk group during the 1960s.”
 *(This often appears as “Peter, Paul and Mary.”)
  (But this is the reason for the Oxford comma: otherwise, how do we separate the 2^nd and 3^rd members or items?)

 Transition phrases get help from commas

1.  Example: Generally, one can see a transition phrase followed by a comma.
2.  Example: Moreover, they are at the head of a sentence.
3.   Example: However, there’s always someone who forgets them!
4. Example: Therefore, use them with a comma!
5. Example:  In fact, they work much like transitions.
6. Example: On the other hand, they lend a big hand to a sentence.
7. Example: For that matter, they handle the work of a smaller phrase.
8. Example: All things considered, they are useful.

 BIG intro phrases get commas

1. Example: As far as I’m concerned, it’s just about obvious that a comma makes a difference.
2. Example: In spite of the best intentions, students still argue and fuss that they don’t understand them.
3. Example: After all the presentations are done, I’m sure everyone grasps the idea—or else.

If two or more adjectives describe or modify the same noun, make sure they work separately if appropriate:

1.   “He was a bashful, sleepy kid.”
2.   “The eager, radiant princess kissed the slimy, vile frog.”

  (Each adjective works by itself)

  Other uses of commas
In addresses, to separate smaller from larger units: Washington, D.C.
 Albertville, Alabama

 Date (if day/month/year is used. NO if only month-year):
 June 14, 2006, was a very good day for a wedding.

"Word Crimes" drive me wild!!

A moment of temporary loss of reality: it's time for Weird Al Yankovic. I used this video when I was at a major financial-economics university in China during 2015-2016 to make a point about English. (And also to have some cool music. The students loved it.) 

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Borrow versus Lend: grammar

Plural last name endings

Calling all standards!

On the 2nd-from-bottom image, I now learned that I've been using "i.e." wrong: I meant to use "e.g.." which means "for example." Okay, how am I going to remember that?! Well, I use mnemomics ("neh-mohn-ics" to remember things--so I'll remember that "i.e." is an EGGS-ample."

We accept exceptions

Does the cat see the mouse? No, the dirty rat!

Good versus Well: grammar lesson

Today's Lunchbox Lesson, c/o Analytical Grammar/Grammar Planet: GOOD and WELL

GOOD: an adjective, modifying/describing a noun. It's typically used three ways:
1. before the noun it modifies ("Have a good time!")
2. after a verb of being ("That movie was good!")
3. after a linking verb ("Those cookies smell good!")

Good should not be used as an adverb to modify a verb.

It would be incorrect to say "I played good at piano practice today." 

It should read, "I played well at piano practice today."

WELL: an adverb, modifying/describing a verb. That means WELL tells *how* something is done. For example, "She did well on her AP exam." (How did she do? She did well!) For example, "He reads quite well for his age." (How does he read? He reads well!)

**In certain cases, well may be used as an adjective and be interchangeable with good:
1. to indicate good health (I feel good/I feel well)
2. to indicate satisfactory conditions (All is good in the city today/All is well in the city today)

GOOD and WELL both change to "better" and "best" in their comparative and superlative forms.

This is a good research paper.
It is much better than your last one.
In fact, it's the best paper in the class!

Everyone played well at the concert today.
The percussion section played better than the string section.
The brass section -- with the saxophone solo -- played the best!

GOOD is always an adjective modifying a noun.
WELL is usually an adverb, modifying a verb. It can, however, be used as an adjective only to describe good health or satisfactory conditions.

GrammarZilla will take the bite out of grammar!

What do you get when you mix Godzilla with

King Kong?

 
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"GrammarZilla!"  Go ahead and take a bite out of grammar!   http://www.chompchomp.com 

GrammarZilla says, "Are these errors on your paper? Don't take a bite out of your grade."

The Oxford Comma: don't leave a group of words without it

And now a few syllables about the Oxford comma. I use it--and I find most people (especially Americans) don't like it--nor do they understand its purpose. The rule in general with a group of three items is to use a comma for the first item, then use the word "and" between the second and third. For example, a popular folk group in the 1960s were Peter, Paul and Mary. (In a similar way, a progressive rock band that I liked during the '70s were Emerson, Lake and Palmer.)

Enter the Oxford comma, which puts a SECOND punctuation mark after the 2nd item: "Peter, Paul, and Mary." And that's why I use it: in the first example (without the Oxford comma), if Peter was on time for the gig but Paul didn't show, did Mary also not perform? If Emerson and Lake were onstage but Palmer was still in the dressing room, did the band get full credit? Of course not.

If you look at the image I've used as an example, it is rather horrid--but you get the point. No, I won't melt down if you don't use the Oxford comma--but if you read anything I write, you'll notice it. For example, the law firm Dewey, Cheathem, and Howe. (I'm not very fond of lawyers--sorry. But that came from the "Car Talk" radio show.)

I've been used--but I'm not going to use anyone either!

Use to/Used to (with thanks to http://www.5minuteenglish.com/mar20.htm)
 
There is a little confusion on how to use the words use to and used to. One reason for the confusion is that it is sometimes used as a verb, and sometimes used as an adjective. The other reason is because it seems like the tense changes. It's really quite simple when you look at it.

Used as an adjective. Use to be + used to. This means to be accustomed to. For example- I can study with the TV on. I am used to it. It means I am accustomed, adjusted, or don't mind having the TV play while I'm studying. 

Or another example- Tim had a hard time living in Tokyo. He wasn't used to so many people. Tim didn't have experience being with big crowds of people before.

Used as a verb. Use to + verb is a regular verb and means something that happened but doesn't happen any more. It uses -ed to show past tense. But since it always means something that happened in the past, it should always use past tense. For example- I used to go to school in Paris. (I went to school there before, but now I don't.) Or, When Joshua was a child, he used to climb trees. (Now he doesn't climb trees.)
 
Remember, we always use this word when talking about the past. So when do you use use to without the d at the end? When the base form of the verb is used. Look at these examples- She didn't use to swim before noon. (Now she does swim before noon.) Or Did your father use to ride a horse? In these cases the past tense is shown with the did and didn't.