Grammar Rules: Clauses and Punctuation
📌 Independent clauses are complete sentences; dependent clauses are fragments.
🛑 A comma splice (using only a comma to join two independent clauses) is incorrect.
🔗 Two independent clauses can be joined by a period, a semicolon, or a comma followed by a FANBOYS conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).
↔️ A comma is required when a dependent clause precedes an independent clause (Dependent, Independent).

Colon Usage
📜 Rule 1: An independent clause (full sentence) must precede the colon.
📝 Rule 2: Anything can follow the colon (dependent clause, list, or single word) if it explains, lists, or exemplifies what came before.

Connecting Independent Clauses (Conflict/Agreement)
1. Determine if clauses are dependent or independent. If either is dependent, choose the structure: Clause, transition, comma, clause.
2. If both are independent:
* If clauses conflict/disagree, choose the structure where the transition follows a semicolon (Clause; transition Clause).
* If clauses agree, choose the structure where the transition precedes a semicolon (Clause transition; Clause).
* The structure "Clause, Clause" (A in some examples) is identified as never correct in this context.

Verb Agreement Testing
1. Apply the "it/they test": Insert "it" (singular) or "they" (plural) before the verb form in the answer choices.
2. Determine which answer choice sounds correct with "it" (singular verbs like *is*, *has*) versus "they" (plural verbs like *are*, *have*).
3. The correct answer is usually the one that is different (the outlier) in number from the rest.

Tense Consistency
1. Identify time anchors (e.g., *before*, *tomorrow*) or context from surrounding verbs to establish the passage's tense (past, present, or future).
2. Select the verb form that is consistent with the established tense of the passage.

Tuning Verbs and Eliminating Fluff
1. Cross out unnecessary information first: lengthy names, extra adjectives, descriptive phrases separated by commas, or entire clauses marked off by punctuation.
2. Read the remaining bare-bones sentence with each answer choice inserted into the blank.
3. Choose the option that sounds the most correct in the simplified context.

Necessary vs. Unnecessary Information
🌟 Unnecessary information, if removed, does not change the sentence's core meaning, and must be set off by two commas, two dashes, or two parentheses.
🔍 Necessary information is essential for the sentence's function and has no surrounding punctuation.
➡️ Tip: Start by looking for options with the most punctuation coverage; test the meaning with and without the information.

Modifier Correction
1. A dangling/misplaced modifier is a descriptive phrase, usually at the beginning, followed by a comma.
2. Pose the description as a "What or Who is [doing the action]?" question.
3. The subject of the following clause (the first few words of the answer choice) must logically answer that question.

Apostrophes: Possession vs. Contractions
1. Singular Possession: Apostrophe *inside* the *s* (e.g., *hat's logo*).
2. Plural Possession (ending in s): Apostrophe *outside* the *s* (e.g., *hats' logos*).
3. Irregular Plurals (not ending in s): Apostrophe *inside* the *s* (e.g., *women's coats*).
4. Possessive pronouns (like *its*) do not use apostrophes; apostrophes in pronouns signify contractions (e.g., *it's* means *it is*).

Zero Punctuation Rules
1. Do not place punctuation around necessary information (if removed, meaning changes).
2. Do not split a subject and its verb with a single piece of punctuation.
3. Avoid placing punctuation immediately after prepositions (*of*, *about*, *under*).

Semicolons in Complex Lists
1. Use semicolons to separate items in a list when those items already contain commas (e.g., listing a name and a title).
2. If semicolons are tested in a list, identify the established pattern (e.g., description, comma, year, semicolon) and choose the option that maintains that pattern.

Pronoun Antecedent Agreement
1. Find the antecedent (the noun the pronoun replaces).
2. Match the pronoun in number (singular/plural) and possession (possessive/non-possessive) to the antecedent.
3. Possessive pronouns (*its*, *their*) never have apostrophes.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ Master the distinction between independent and dependent clauses as this dictates almost all punctuation rules tested.
➡️ When testing two independent clauses, check for agreement or conflict to decide between semicolon/transition placement.
➡️ For verb agreement, rely on the "it/they test" to quickly isolate the singular vs. plural form.
➡️ When faced with extra information, remove it; if the sentence still makes sense, you need punctuation surrounding that information.
➡️ Always look at the answer choices first to identify the grammar topic being tested before diving into the passage.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Nov 30, 2025, 17:43 UTC