grammar

English 101: Colons and Semicolons

by Darren Chow on May 28, 2013

Colons are used to introduce a list, definition, summary, or an idea. Colons can only be used after independent clauses. They are most commonly used in a list. Colons tell the reader “here is the list”.

Example:

I ate these fruits over the week: apples, oranges, and bananas.
I packed 3 things for my trip: clothes, money, and toiletries.

Semicolons are used because it is not as strong as a pause as a period. Moreover, semicolons help with sentence variation.

Semicolons are used usually to link independent clauses together, but without coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS = For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)

1. Do not put semicolons to join two independent clauses before a coordinating conjunction

(Wrong): I like potatoes; and he likes tomatoes.
(Right): I like potatoes; he likes tomatoes.

2. Do not put a semicolons between a dependent clause and an independent clause.

(Wrong): Running and talking; we fell to last place in the race.
(Right): Running and talking, we fell to last place in the race.

3. Semicolons should only be used where periods should be used.

Ex. I like potatoes; my favorite way to eat them is baked.

4. Semicolons are able to be put where commas should be put only when making a list and the the subjects of the list already contain commas.

Ex. I loved going to Japan because it have amazing food, including ramen; Hong Kong because they have great comfort foods, including noodles in fish soup; Florida because of all the amusement parks, including Disneyland.

Test:

Tell which sentences are using colons and semicolons correctly.

1. My favorite foods are: pasta, sushi, and chips.
2. I love to play basketball; I love to play soccer.
3. I have travelled to many places: Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong
4. He hates dogs; but loves cats.
5. I like computer games; and she like reading books
6. I love to eat instant noodles; but my favorite kind are the spicy flavored instant noodles.
7. Being distracted by video games; I failed all of my subjects in school.
8. My dream jobs are to: be a scientist, a chef, or an astronaut.
9. Blue is my favorite color; but green is nice too.
10. In my spare time I do my hobbies: card tricks, video games, and read books.

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English 101 Homophones: Your and You’re

by Diana Lum on May 25, 2013

Think Out Here’s student, Brianna Mei, has offered to help teach Think Out Here’s audience about homophones. Brianna also provided us with “English 101: Punctuation: Periods“. This post is the first of a series of lessons on homophones.

Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Homophones are one of the most common errors in writing. Countless times, people will confuse “there, their, and they’re” or “to, too, and two”. One of the most common mistakes is the use of “you’re” and “your”.

Often, when one’s first language is English, not a lot of emphasis is placed on grammar because he or she is supposed to know what is right or wrong by the way it sounds. Thus, sometimes, ESL students have better grammar than native speakers.

Below is Brianna’s quick lesson on the difference between “you’re” and “your”. Take the quiz and see how you do!

 

Your and You’re

 

Even though “your” and “you’re” sound the same, the two words have totally different meanings. Also, they are used differently.

 

What is the Difference Between Your and You’re?

 

YOUR is a pronoun. It means belonging to you; a possession; or, it can mean to be related.

 

Example: I think this pen is yours, not mine.

Therefore, this means the same as: I think this pen belongs to you because it isn’t mine.

YOU’RE is a possessive adjective. It is an abbreviation for you are.

 

Example: You’re my best friend!

In this case, “you’re” means, “You are my best friend!”

 

 

How to Use Your and You’re

 

 

People use your when:

 

-something belongs to someone.

Example: Your pen looks very nice!

 

 

-Someone is related to someone

Example: Your uncle is a very nice man.

 

People use you’re when:

 

-they don’t want to write “you are”. Therefore, they would write you’re since it is the abbreviation.

Example: You’re a very talented child.

This is the same as: You are a very talented child.

Quiz

Put in either YOUR or YOU’RE in the blank spaces.

1. How are ______________ pets doing? _____________ lucky you get to have two puppies.

2. _______________ drawings are so nice! I think ______________ a great artist because ______________ so creative.

3. _____________ are always so kind a generous. However, why is _____________ brother always so cruel and stubborn?

4. How is ____________ dad doing in his new job?

5. What a great tennis player ___________!

 

 

 

Using homophones correctly is part of basic writing skills. It looks extremely unprofessional when someone cannot use homophones correctly. If you took the quiz and still think you need some extra help with homophones or English/ESL in general, ask Think Out Here for some tutoring. We are more than happy to help!

 

 

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English 101: Sentence Types Part 2

April 22, 2013

This lesson is also provided by Think Out Here’s Darren Chow of Prince of Whales Secondary School in Vancouver.  He previously wrote “English 101: Sentence Types Part“, teaching us about simple, compound, complex, and compount-complex sentences. Think Out Here loves giving its students the opportunity to show off their skills.  Often, the best way to learn is to teach. [...]

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English 101: Sentence Types Part 1

April 16, 2013

One of Think Out Here’s mottos is: “Each one. Teach one.”  Thus, one of the best ways a student can learn new material is to teach it.  Therefore, sometimes, Think Out Here’s tutors will get their students to become the tutor, where the student needs to create a lesson plan to teach a particular topic.  It [...]

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Home Tutoring in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland and Online Tutoring Worldwide

March 24, 2013

At Think Out Here, we are a dedicated team of tutors committed to helping you fulfill your academic goals.  Our English and ESL tutors are highly-qualified and experienced, so you can be sure that we will teach you all the skills you need to succeed!  We are a Vancouver-based tutoring company that offers in-person and [...]

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