Lecture Notes: Mastering Standard English Conventions

Overview

• Focus on 10 repeating grammar patterns essential for excelling in standard English conventions sections.
• These patterns help logically complete texts conforming to standard English.
• Two main sections: Form, Structure, and Sense and Boundaries.

Form, Structure, and Sense

1. Single and Plural

• Identify the correct form by using the "They/It" test.
  • Singular Example: "Occurs" — Can say "it occurs." Hence, singular.
  • Plural Examples: "They have occurred," "They occur," "They are occurring." Thus, all plural.

2. Verb Tense

• Identify verb tenses among choices; focus on context.
  • Example: "Bonnie Borati... when she made an interesting discovery."
    • Past tense indicator ("made"), so correct choice is past tense.
    • Correct: "was studying."
    • Incorrect: "studies," "has been studying," "will study."

3. Defining Noun Sentences

• Identify when definitions or explanations point to a noun.
  • Example: "Despite being cheap..."
    • Correct: "Commercial plastics have two associated problems."
    • Logic: "Commercial plastics" match the descriptors "cheap, versatile, and easy to produce."

4. Possessive Nouns

• Apostrophes depend on singular/plural nouns.
  • Singular: Add apostrophe + "s".
  • Plural: Add just an apostrophe.
  • Examples:
    • "Wings in Brazil" — No possession, no apostrophe.
    • "Playa's sediment" — Possession, apostrophe required.
    • "Rocks' mysterious migration" — Possession, apostrophe required.

Boundaries

5. Independent-Independent Boundary

• Both preceding and following sentences make sense on their own.
• Use proper punctuation/conjunctions like:
  • Word + period, word + semicolon, word + comma + conjunction (FANBOYS).
  • Example: Choice with semicolon is correct when both sentences are independent.

6. Independent-Dependent Boundary

• One complete sentence and one incomplete sentence.
• Avoid Independent-Independent boundary punctuation.
• Example: No comma or conjunction when the second part is dependent.

Additional Rules

7. Job Title and Names

• No punctuation between a job and the name.
  • Example: "Biologist Yuri Lee."
  • Correct: "Entomologist Heather Grabb" (no punctuation).

8. Dash Usage

• Always use two dashes if a dash is present.
  • Example: If only one dash, choose an option with two.

9. Colon Use

• Noun or noun phrase should follow a colon.
• Relation required between sentence before and after the colon.
  • Example: Explanation follows the colon.

10. Defining Noun Sentences in Boundary

• Similar to Rule 3, but applied in boundary context.
• Example: Clause defines or explains a noun after a blank.
  • Correct: Insert a comma to separate definitions/explanations.

Conclusion

• Mastery of these rules and patterns can greatly enhance the ability to correctly answer standard English convention questions.
• Regular practice and application of these rules ensure better accuracy and understanding.