It's time!

Here is something that has been bugging my innards for a while, and I knew, just knew, that I had to do a post about this. Maybe I will make this a continuous series, I don't know. But it really is time!

I am here, oh faithful readers, to give you a lesson in good grammar. Here are some quick and easy tips for you, so you can achieve better writing results!

Disclaimer: I aint no grammar guru, but these are just basic lessons everyone should know!

1. First and foremost, it is spelt GRAMMAR, not GRAMMER. -shivers-

2. '...' are called ellipses. If you must use them, use them only in threes. For instance: "Oh I thought...I thought you were serious!" and not "He stood in the corner.....................................and saw her standing on the other side."

3. Chatspeak. Stay as far away as you possibly can. "OMG..lyk u r so funeee!!!!!!!!" sounds like an adolescent talking, and is really unfit for normal writing situations. Writing "Oh my goodness, you're so funny!" is not very hard to type.

4. 'You're' is short for 'you are'. Your is short for nothing. It denotes belonging.
Wrong: Your so cute. (Your what is cute?)
Right: You're so cute.

5. 'Common' is defined as belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public; "for the common good", or having no special distinction or quality. It is not another way of saying 'Come on.'
Wrong: Common, dance!
Right: Come on, dance!

6. Exclamation points. Use them more than twice, you're really a lunatic!
Really wrong: Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok: Wow!!!!
Great: Wow!

7. Inverted commas. These are very important for dialogues. Try not to write them without these. Also, a full stop, exclamation point, or comma always comes before closing the inverted comma.
Really Wrong: I love you she said.
Wrong: "I love you", she said.
Right: "I love you," she said.

8. Serial commas. I learned these very recently. These are commas used immediately before a conjuction.
Wrong: I ate chocolates, lolipops and chewing gum.
Right: I ate chocolates, lolipops, and chewing gum.

Well, that is all for now. Most people know I am a crazy grammar freak, and I just wanted to share my so-called 'knowledge' with you. I hope these lessons help you, and who knows, I may come back for more! Let me know what you think!