Grammar and Mechanics

Use these sites to practice grammar and punctuation skills. I will help you identify the skills you need to improve. We will work on some skills in class, but we are not likely to have time to cover them all. You may use these sites for additional instruction and practice. I encourage independent learning, but you may always ask me for help.

OWL (Online Writing Lab)

from The Learning Center at D'Youville College

This is a useful sight for most grammar topics.

http://depts.dyc.edu/learningcenter/owl/grammar_topics.htm


For English Language Learners

GRAMMAR AND WRITING VIDEOS WITH PRACTICE

https://sites.google.com/mpls.k12.mn.us/dianas-ell-writing-practice/home


HUBBS CENTER ELL TEACHER SITE:

Resources used in the highest level ELL class at the Hubbs Center. Check here first for grammar instruction and practice:

https://ell7.weebly.com/


FREE RICE

http://freerice.com/#/english-grammar/1936428

Online grammar practice. For each answer you get right, the organization donates rice to a community in need.


LEARN AMERICAN ENGLISH ONLINE--ORANGE LEVEL

http://www.learnamericanenglishonline.com/Orange%20Level/Orange%20Level.html

Covers simple sentences, clauses, phrases, compound sentences, complex sentences, verb tenses, appositives, subjunctive mood, punctuation, and more.


Grammar Bytes

http://www.chompchomp.com/menu.htm

A lively site with videos, slideshows, quizzes, and handouts about grammar.

Covers comma splices, fragments, parallel structure, dangling modifiers, subject-verb agreement, and more.


Guide to Grammar and Writing

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/index.htm

Information about all aspects of grammar and writing.

Take interactive quizzes.


Purdue OWL Exercises

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/

Practice grammar, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, sentence style, writing numbers, and more.

ESL exercises include a good explanation of paraphrasing and summarizing.


SPECIFIC SKILLS

Subjects and Verbs

Instruction, Examples, and Exercises to help identify subjects and verbs of sentences.

http://content.nroc.org/DevelopmentalEnglish/unit01/Foundations/subjects-and-verbs.html

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/subjects.htm

Prepositional Phrases

http://content.nroc.org/DevelopmentalEnglish/unit01/Foundations/prepositional-phrases.html

Simple Sentences

http://www.learnamericanenglishonline.com/Orange%20Level/O1%20Simple%20Sentences.html

Clauses and Phrases

http://www.learnamericanenglishonline.com/Orange%20Level/O2%20Clauses%20and%20Phrases.html

Compound Sentences

http://www.learnamericanenglishonline.com/Orange%20Level/O3%20Compound%20Sentences.html

Compound Sentences: Joining Independent Clauses

Learn to tell whether a sentence is simple or compound. Learn how to create compound sentences.

https://www.englishgrammar101.com/module-9/clauses/lesson-8/simple-and-compound-sentences

How to Use Semicolons to Join Independent Clauses (video only)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXaAVc3PQKQ

Complex Sentences

http://www.learnamericanenglishonline.com/Orange%20Level/O4%20Complex%20Sentences.html

Sentence Fragments

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/5/18/38

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/5/18/39

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/5/18/38

Comma Splices

http://content.nroc.org/DevelopmentalEnglish/unit02/Foundations/comma-splices.html

Subject-Verb Agreement

http://content.nroc.org/DevelopmentalEnglish/unit03/Foundations/subject-verb-agreement.html

Dangling Modifiers

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/597/01/

Plurals and Possessives

Possessive Nouns

https://www.englishgrammar101.com/module-1/nouns/lesson-8/possessive-nouns

Apostrophe Videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE0IBPtbY2o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My6oGvkHnfYExplanation: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/621/01/

Exercises: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/3/3/10/

Apostrophe online exercises:

http://www.chompchomp.com/exercises.htm#Apostrophes

http://www.gedonlineclass.net/Curric/punct5apostrophes2.htm

Capitalization

Find the Capitalization slideshow (at the bottom of the list). Click to download it. You will need the PowerPoint program, which is available on the Hubbs Center computers.

http://www.chompchomp.com/presentations.htm

Learn to identify proper nouns. The first letter(s) of these nouns need to be capitalized!

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/proper-nouns/

Commas: Essential and Nonessential Items

Explanation: http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/appositive.htm

Exercises: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/2/4/11/

There, Their, They're

1. Explanation http://www.chompchomp.com/handouts/wordchoicetip01.pdf

2. Exercises: http://www.chompchomp.com/hotpotatoes/wordchoice01.htm

3. More Exercises (if needed): http://www.chompchomp.com/hotpotatoes/wordchoice02.htm