Essential Comma Control: An Online Tutorial
(special
thanks to all the sites represented in this tutorial)
STOP! Before you go any further, please remember to
READ everything. This tutorial is
completely based on reading and understanding all the material at each
step. Thank you!
This tutorial is intended to
strengthen the most prominent weakness in the grammar of student writing: comma
use and run-ons. Simply follow the
tutorial to it’s completion. Go at your own pace and take notes as needed, which
may be checked. Enjoy.
Hint: For
faster loading and better PowerPoint performance, right click on the PowerPoint
files and download them to your L: Drive. Plus, you’ll have them for exam review too!
1. Before
any of this will make sense, you have to make sure you understand independent and dependent (subordinate)
clauses. We have reviewed these
several times, but it won’t hurt to look at them one more time. Use the link below to review these
clauses. There’s a lot of extra
information in this PowerPoint – just make sure you understand the difference
between independent and dependent (subordinate) clauses.
http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/ppt/clauses.pps
2. Now,
you are ready to for a comprehensive Power Point presentation on commas.
Keep in mind that we’ll be concentrating more on the Sentence Level
commas so pay special attention to the commas with introductory elements, with
dependent clauses, and to fix run-ons & comma splices.
http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/ppt/commas.pps
3. Comma Quizzes: Once you have completed
the Comma Presentation, take each of the following online quizzes – simply
click on each link to complete each quiz.
You’ll notice that these concentrate on Sentence Level commas
since these are the most common errors found in student writing at our level. Try to do them in order as they become
increasingly difficult. Use this worksheet to record your scores
and keep track of your progress.
Quiz 1: http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/nova/nova2.htm
-- introductory elements
Quiz 2: http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/nova/nova1.htm
-- to avoid a run-on
Quiz 3: http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/commas_fillin.htm
-- applying commas, fill in the blank
Quiz 4: http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/comma_quiz.htm
-- authentic application with real paragraph
4. Now, to
hone your skills a bit more and actually make them useful, you need to review
run-ons again. So, use the link below to
view a Power Point Presentation on Avoiding Run-ons. Again, go at your own pace and take notes as
needed.
http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/ppt/run-ons.pps
5. Sentence Punctuation Quizzes: Ah, now
we ready to master the most common comma error in student writing. Good.
Try a few more online quizzes to fully master the punctuation of
sentences. Just use the links below and
use this worksheet to record your
scores and keep track of your progress.
Quiz 1: http://webster.commnet.edu/cgi-shl/quiz.pl/run-ons_add1.htm
-- recognizing run-ons and fixes
Quiz 2: http://webster.commnet.edu/cgi-shl/quiz.pl/run-ons_add2.htm
-- same as above
Quiz
3: http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/nova/nova4.htm
-- fixing comma splices
Quiz 4: http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/nova/nova3.htm
-- same as above
Quiz 5: http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/runons_quiz.htm
-- overall run-on review with explanations
6. Use the
two PowerPoint Presentations below to further develop your skills with
sentences by giving you some style choices when combining sentences.
http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/ppt/semi2.pps
- the semicolon
http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/ppt/colons.pps
- the colon
7. Ok, now
that you’ve studied sentences and punctuation, print each of the following
worksheets and complete them. When you
are done, you may return to each link to view the answers. Keep your corrected printout to hand in
later.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_commaintEX1.html
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_commacompEX1.html
All Done? Go put all that expertise to use by learning about
the most important writing skill you can have to develop your sentence style
and clarity: Sentence Combining.