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Grammar for high school admissions tests: Difference between revisions

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* the high school admissions test will not measure for this use of the apostrophe  
* the high school admissions test will not measure for this use of the apostrophe  


=== Comma ===
=== comma ===
<u>does 6 things</u>:
<u>does 6 things</u>:


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**** ''Cows, sheep, and are all farm animals.''
**** ''Cows, sheep, and are all farm animals.''


4. sets up quotation
'''4. sets up quotation'''


* comma separates a direct quotation from it's introduction
* comma separates a direct quotation from it's introduction
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** the  
** the  


5. set aside parenthetical information (appositives, relative clauses, etc.)
'''5. set aside parenthetical information (appositives, relative clauses, etc.)'''


ex. "Steve, my neighbor, is not very nice."
ex. "Steve, my neighbor, is not very nice."
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  "Steve, who is my neighbor, is not very nice"
  "Steve, who is my neighbor, is not very nice"


6. separate dates and place names
'''6. separate dates and place names'''
 
* month, day, year : ''We took the test on April 11, 2023.''
* month day, year, in the middle of a sentence
** O''n April 11, 2023, we took the test''
* no comma for Month Year: ''We took the test in April 2023.''
*
 
== Comma and no comma with phrases and clauses ==
 
* restrictive elements are not separated by commas
* commas separate non-restrictive elements
** non-restrictive = not essential to the meaning of the sentence
 
=== subordinate clause ===
= a form of a dependent clause
 
* subordinate clauses (a form of a dependent clause) are generally <u>non-restrictive</u>:
** ''I took the test yesterday, although I was tired.''
** ''Although I was tired,I took the test.''
 
=== when, because ===
= are subordinating conjunctions (among many others)
 
* can be either restrictive or non-restrictive
** ''The car ran out of gas '''because I forgot to fill it'''''
** ''I ran out of gas''', because I'm always forgetting.'''''
** '''''When you leave,''' don't forget to turn out the lights.''
** ''Don't forget to turn out the lights '''when you leave.'''''
 
=== relative clause ===
= a form of a dependent clause
 
= clause that follows a relative pronoun, ''that, where, which, who, whose''
 
* relative clauses can be either <u>restrictive</u> or <u>non-restrictive</u>
** '''''that'' <u>is always restrictiv</u>e''' (no comma)
*** ''The cat '''that got stuck on the roof''' was hers''
*** ''Five things '''that you need''' to learn are...''
** '''''which''''' can be either restrictive or non-restrictive
** if "which" can be replaced by "that" it is restrictive (no comma)
*** The cat which got stuck on the roof was hers
** but "which" can also be non-restrictive
*** if it cannot be replaced by "that" it is non-restrictive
*** ex. ''The cat''', which is hers,''' got stuck on the roof.''  << correct
*** ex. ''The cat''', that is hers,''' got stuck on the roof.''  << incorrect, so use "which" and commas
** when '''''which''''' follows an independent clause it is usually non-restrictive
*** ''Roads across deserts are straight for miles''', which makes you sleepy'''''
*** Five beavers live under the dam''''', which they made from my favorite tree.'''''
** '''''who, whose''''' can be either restrictive or non-restrictive
*** ''The guy '''who always wins''' just won again.''
*** ''That kid, '''who should know better''', did it again''
* note that the relative pronoun can be either a "dependent word" that serves as a conjunction
** ''He turned out the lights, '''which he usually forgets to to.'''''
*** which = relative pronoun and dependent word that combines the two clauses
* or as the subject of the relative clause
** ''Don't forget to turn off the lights, '''which saves energy'''''
*** which = relative pronoun and subject of the relative clause "which saves energy")


== Nouns ==
== Nouns ==