Papoose Swampy Publishing House blog

Home >> Grammar Style Guide >> Italics Understanding Italics Italics are used to signify an idea or a thought unspoken, such as narration; for example, then I thought to myself that’s a great idea! In the preceding sentence that’s a great idea is a thought unspoken, hence no quotes. (See Quotes ) Italics are used when writing a word as a word, such as the word words ; for example, the word italics is being defined. In the preceding sentence, italics is being used as the word itself, and not to signify the change in font style of applying italics to a word. Italics are used when writing a letter as a letter, such as the letter A ; for example, the letter A is capitalized in this sentence. In the preceding sentence, the letter a is self-referencing that it is treated with capitalization (See: Capitalization ), so it is also treated with italics. Some people use italics to treat headlines, such as newspaper headlines. Headline capitalization (See Headline Caps )

Home >> Grammar Style Guide >> Restrictive Clauses Introducing Restrictive Clauses To understand what a restrictive clause includes, let's first examine the word  restrictive . By the way, using a word as a word in a sentence receives the italics treatment. The word  italics  is unrelated to the country Italy. Notice I italicize the word  italics  when using it in a sentence as the word itself. Get it? Italics is a style imposed on letters, characters, words, terms, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to mimic the act of writing in script. Notice that Italics, while plural, receives a singular verb in the preceding sentence. Do you understand why? We'll circle back to that if you don't. Send me a reminder when I forget. When you see this: {R} in any of the study plans of PapooseWeb, then that is an indicator of the grammar choice that was just made. {R} means the term or phrase that follows restricts the term or phrase that precedes the {R} symbol. Don&

Home >> Grammar Style Guide >> Hypothetical Statements Hypothetical Statements Which one is right? If she was going to go... If she were going to go... Hypothetical Statements use were for sentences that did not, do not, or might not have actually occurred. To state that clearer, when a sentence involves an action that did not yet occur, is not occurring right now, or might not occur at all. So to rephrase, use were when a sentence involves an action that did not, does not, or might not occur. This is a rare grammatical usage for more advanced language studies, so let's circle back later and keep it simple for now. (Path :: Poetic)

Home >> Grammar Style Guide >> Appositives Understanding Appositives An appositive is a word, usually a noun or pronoun, that modifies the noun or pronoun directly preceding it. For example: I Papoose am writing. In this case, the appositive: Papoose is provided in open form, a grammar style that reduces comma usage where adding commas, while grammatically correct, does not provide added value to the sentence,[ref: Because Commas ] because the relationship of the modified expression and the modifier is clearly defined. I, Papoose Doorbelle, am a writer. Here, the appositive: Papoose Doorbelle , which modifies the word: I is expressed using closed form, which is a preference for using commas whenever grammatically correct. Papoose, canine philanthropist, likes to write appositives. Treatment of Appositives The appositives are the words directly preceeding the subjects and receive no special treatment. Comma Usage of Appositives Open form and closed

Home >> Grammar Style Guide >> Parenthetics Parenthetics Parenthetics is a term to describe any expression that can be set off with the commas or obviously parentheses as the name implies. A parenthesis marks the beginning of a word, phrase, or clause that can be removed from the sentence without changing the meaning of it. A parenthetic expression is denoted by any punctuation that separates that text from the rest of the sentence. Parenthetics and Commas When a comma is used to separate a parenthetic expression or parenthetic clause within a sentence then another comma is used at the end of that clause or expression. When commas separate parenthetics from the rest of the sentence, then they are setting off a nonrestrictive clause. Parenthetics and Semicolons & Colons In the case of both semicolons and colons , neither is used to set off parenthetic expression; however, either can be contained within the content of a parenthetic expression. At no time can

Home >> Grammar Style Guide >> Ellipses Ellipses An ellipsis is a set of three periods together to indicate a short break or pause in speech or missing text from a quote. More than one ellipsis is termed ellipses . Pause An ellipsis can be inserted after a word, phrase, or sentence in speech, such as a monologue or dialogue. When an ellipsis is inserted after text, and the sentence isn't interrupted by omitted words missing from the context, then a space is followed after the ellipsis and then the following text with no additional punctuation unless the ellipsis ends the quoted text. For example, "I was going to..." I said before being interrupted. When an ellipsis begins quoted text , it is immediately followed by text with no spaces after it and a single or double quote preceding it. Omission An ellipsis can be inserted into a sentence to indicate that some text has been omitted. In some circumstances, the ellipsis can be followed b

Home >> Grammar Style Guide >> Semicolons Understanding Semicolons Semicolons have a number of useful reasons to be included in a sentence or paragraph. Where colons can be useful outside of sentence structures, semicolons are typically limited to separating text in paragraphs or similar constructs. You may think semicolons are the halfway point between commas and colons, and in some respects, that assumption wouldn't be far from the truth. Where a comma offers a pause and a colon introduces something, a semicolon can be considered a halfway point between these two attributes. However, a semicolon adds value to a sentence with its own merits. At times, only a semicolon can offer the clear interpretation of text intended to be set off in a manner that other punctuation might not be able to achieve as precisely and clearly. Using a semicolon in a sentence may not be as forgiving as a misplaced comma or period , so special consideration should be taken before tr