Grammar and Mechanics Review

Grade 7 · English · Study Guide

Review essential grammar rules and mechanics including punctuation, sentence structure, and common usage errors.

Grammar refers to the system of rules that governs how sentences are constructed. Mechanics refers to the conventions of written language: capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. Together, these skills make writing clear and professional.

Sentences must have a subject (who or what the sentence is about) and a predicate (what the subject does or is). A complete thought expressed with both is called an independent clause. A sentence fragment is missing a subject, predicate, or complete thought. A run-on sentence incorrectly joins two independent clauses without proper punctuation or a conjunction.

Common punctuation rules to know: Commas are used after introductory phrases, to separate items in a series, and to join independent clauses with coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so — FANBOYS). Semicolons join two closely related independent clauses. Colons introduce lists or explanations. Apostrophes show possession (the dog's leash) or mark contractions (don't = do not).

Pronoun-antecedent agreement means a pronoun must match its antecedent (the word it replaces) in number and gender: 'Each student must bring their notebook.' Subject-verb agreement means singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs: 'The team wins every game' (singular); 'The players win every game' (plural).

Modifiers must be placed close to the word they describe to avoid misplaced modifier errors. For example: 'Running down the hall, the trophy was knocked over' is confusing — trophies don't run.

Key terms

Independent Clause: A group of words with a subject and predicate that expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence.
Fragment: An incomplete sentence that is missing a subject, predicate, or complete thought.
Run-On Sentence: Two or more independent clauses incorrectly joined without proper punctuation or a conjunction.
Subject-Verb Agreement: The grammatical rule that singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs.
Misplaced Modifier: A describing word or phrase placed too far from the word it modifies, creating confusion about meaning.
Coordinating Conjunction: One of seven conjunctions (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) used to join independent clauses.

Flashcards

Subject: The person, place, thing, or idea that a sentence is about — who or what the sentence focuses on.
Predicate: The part of a sentence that tells what the subject does or is — includes the verb.
Fragment: An incomplete sentence that lacks a subject, predicate, or complete thought.
Run-On Sentence: Two or more independent clauses incorrectly joined without proper punctuation.
Semicolon: Punctuation mark (;) used to join two closely related independent clauses.
Apostrophe: Punctuation mark (') used to show possession or mark where letters are omitted in contractions.
Comma Splice: An error where two independent clauses are joined only by a comma, without a coordinating conjunction.
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: The rule that a pronoun must match its antecedent in number (singular/plural) and gender.

Questions

Which sentence contains a misplaced modifier?
1. She carefully wrapped the gift.
2. Running late, he missed the bus.
3. Barking loudly, the neighbors were annoyed by the dog.
4. The teacher explained the assignment clearly.
Show answer
Answer: Barking loudly, the neighbors were annoyed by the dog.
'Barking loudly' should modify the dog, not the neighbors. As written, the sentence implies the neighbors were barking — a misplaced modifier error.
A semicolon can be used to join two closely related independent clauses.
Show answer
Answer: True
A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses that are closely related in meaning, without needing a conjunction: 'She studied hard; she passed the test.'
The seven coordinating conjunctions can be remembered with the acronym ______.
Show answer
Answer: fanboys
FANBOYS stands for For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So — the seven coordinating conjunctions used to join independent clauses.
Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement?
1. The team of players are ready.
2. The group of students was excited.
3. The dogs barks at strangers.
4. Each of the girls were late.
Show answer
Answer: The group of students was excited.
'Group' is a collective noun treated as singular in American English, so it takes the singular verb 'was.' The other options have agreement errors (plural verb with singular subject or vice versa).
Which of the following is a sentence fragment?
1. She finished her homework before dinner.
2. Running as fast as she could down the street.
3. The movie was longer than expected.
4. They arrived early and found good seats.
Show answer
Answer: Running as fast as she could down the street.
'Running as fast as she could down the street' has no independent clause — there is no subject-verb combination expressing a complete thought, making it a fragment.

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