Bare Minimum Grammar

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Bare Minimum Grammar

This handout explains the bare minimum you'll need to know about grammar in order to correct the most common mistakes.

Example sentence:

"While plans were in progress, the administrators assigned to the project considered every step carefully."

1. What are the main subject and verb of the sentence?

A. Ask yourself: Who did what to whom, when?

Who = the subject
Did what = the verb
Who = "The administrators assigned to the project" = subject
Did what = "considered" = verb

B. Substitute pronouns into the sentence. If you have a very long subject, see if you can substitute a pronoun for it--this will help you figure out where the subject starts and stops.

"The administrators on the project" = they
While plans were in progress, they considered every step carefully.

C. Add a tag question onto the sentence. Then try to answer the tag question.

While plans were in progress, the administrators assigned to the project considered every step carefully, didn't they?
Didn't they? Didn't who do what?
Didn't the administrators consider

2.	Which part of the sentence is independent?
	A.	Turn the words into a question without leaving any words out. If you can do this, that part of the sentence is independent.
		Were plans in progress while? Did the administrators assigned to the project consider every step carefully?

	B.	Try the "stare" test.
		Walk up to someone in the student union and say, "While plans were in progress." If the person stares at you, waiting for you to complete your thought, you are probably dealing with a dependent part of a sentence.

	C.	See if the words fit into the frame sentence: "They refused to believe the fact that ." If they fit, that part of the sentence is independent.
		They refused to believe the fact that while plans were in progress. They refused to believe the fact that the administrators assigned to the project considered every step carefully.