The+Mazenod+Style+Guide

 toc url}?f=print|print this page = = = = = INTRODUCTION =

The English language is a wonderfully rich, dynamic language that has evolved over the course of over a thousand years. It has evolved as the result of invasion, trade, conquest and even some borrowing. What has evolved, however, is for many a confusing mess of rules, exceptions and, to be frank, absurdities that can make English a difficult language to work with. This is demonstrated when we consider that the millionth word added to the Oxford English Dictionary was "Web 2.0".The purpose of the Mazenod Style Guide is to bring together common usages and to break through heated debates over the "correct" use of the language. The advice in this guide is an accumulation of usages from a number of English usage guides.

= NUMERALS AND CAPITALS =

Year 8 Form 8A
 * For year groups and Form groups, use a capital. **

**For course names, use a capital.** Modelling with Mathematics Senior Science English Literature

**For discipline names, a capital is not necessary unless that discipline is also a course name.** //Homer has a good understanding of history. Homer has attained high marks in History. Homer has made little effort this semester, and this has affected his grade in Mathematics 3A/3B.//

**Languages and nationalities always have a capital.** English, Italian, Swahili When referring to Mazenod as “the College”, use a capital.
 * College or college?**

//Homer behaved well in Semester One but not in second semester. Term One has been successful for Homer. Homer performed well in first term.//
 * Use a capital when referring to a specific semester or term but not to the period of time. Also capitalise the number when referring to semesters and terms. **

//Spiders have eight legs// **Exception: when describing year groups, use the numeral (e.g. Year 8).**
 * For numbers under 10, use the word. **

//There are 28 students in my class//
 * For numbers over 10, use the numeral. **

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= PUNCTUATION =

Semi-Colons
The semi-colon serves a number of functions, each of which require writers to understand the building blocks of sentences. For guidance on this, consult the sentence structure section below.

**Semi-colons are used to form compound sentences. In these sentences, the semi-colon replaces a coordinating conjunction.** //Neon is an inert gas. It will not react with other elements. Neon is an inert gas, so it will not react with other elements.// //Neon is an inert gas; it will not react with other elements.//
 * Without a semi-colon **
 * With a semi-colon **

**Semi-colons are used to form compound sentences involving adverbial conjunctions, or sentence conjunctions.** //Shakespeare is not the greatest writer of his time. He is the greatest writer of all time.// //Shakespeare is not the greatest writer of his time; rather, he is the greatest writer of all time.//
 * Without a semi-colon **
 * With a semi-colon **
 * Note the use of the comma after the adverbial conjunction, "rather".

**Semi-colons are used to separate items in lists that are phrases.** //There are three main reasons why students perform well in exams: knowledge of content; understanding of concepts; and, an ability to think flexibly.//
 * Note the use of the colon to start the list.

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Colons
Nowadays, colons are more often used to make faces in SMS messages than in formal writing; however, their use is still important to know. A wrongly used colon is obvious and lessens the impact of your writing.

//The essay structure must be simple: introduction, body and conclusion.//
 * The colon is often used to signal that a set of examples will follow: **

**Where the examples that follow are phrases, they are usually separated by semi-colons with each grammatically flowing from the initial sentence.** //The essay must be simple and must have: a concise introduction provides a thesis statement; a well ordered set of body paragraphs that are each supported by evidence; and, a strong conclusion that gives a sense of closure to the essay.//

**Colons also serve to show that what follows is in some way equivalent to whatever has just been said. They may rephrase it in more general and summary terms, or offer more specific details.** //His career was cut short by injury: a huge loss to his team. The game was over in no time: a high-scoring first quarter, a flurry of goals in the second, and a rush by all to score by the final siren.//

**A colon serves to introduce a quotation. It may be integrated into the text on the same line.** //The prime minister was heard to say: 'There's no such word as recession.'//

**A colon may also preface a longer quotation which begins on a separate line. Block quotations taken from written sources would always follow on a separate line after the colon.** //Perhaps the greatest soliloquy in Shakespeare’s plays is from Hamlet:// // To be, or not to be: that is the question: // // Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer // // The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune // // Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, //

**Colons are commonly used in setting out the dialogue of a play, or in transcripts of interviews used in judicial records.** //Teacher: What do you think you are doing? Student: Learning, sir.//

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Apostrophes
The apostrophe is the moral compass of the English language; one must use it with absolute precision. In this case, the apostrophe replaces a letter that has been omitted. will not = won't cannot = can't do not = don't did not = didn't forecastle = fo'c'sle (the upper deck of the ship forward of the mast)
 * For contractions**

**For possession** In this case, the apostrophe signals ownership.

**Singular possession** When the possessive is used for the single person or object, add //'s//. //John's behaviour has been exceptional. The man's case was made of leather.//

**Plural possession** When the possessive is used for more than one person or object, add only the apostrophe. //The boys' lockers are a mess. The teachers' staff room is located upstairs.//

**For names ending in "s"** For names ending in "s", the Australian convention is to retain the "'s". //James's effort has been disappointing. I am going to Mr Jones's class.// This convention is controversial as the usage some years ago was to simply add the apostrophe (e.g. "//James' marks were very good//").For teachers, the Australian rule should be used to maintain consistency in student reports //.//

**The exception to this rule is for ancient and Biblical names as well as for names like Bridges.** //Achilles' heel was his weak point. Lloyd Bridges' sons are actors too. Jesus' teaching guide the values of Mazenod College.//


 * Note that apostrophes are no longer used in several kinds of expression where the idea of possession is tenuous: **
 * Expressions of time, such as three years jail
 * Official names, titles and phrases such as South Adelaide Girls
 * High School, Teachers Federation, Visitors book
 * Placenames such as Kings Cross, St Albans, Frenchs Forest

Often, writers use apostrophes to create a sense of the manner of speech of a character. //"Cletus went huntin' for squirrels over yonder," replied the banjo player.//
 * For style **

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Commas
Commas are the disciplinarians of sentences; they set the pace, the tone and they set the order of parts of sentences. There are a number of rules for commas, but only the most common are listed below.

//Homer is an intelligent, hard-working student.//
 * If adjectives can be reversed or separated by "and", then a comma is needed. **
 * The comma in this case is used to separate coordinate adjectives (i.e. describing words that are equal in status in relating to the noun they are describing).

//Homer is a polite young man.//
 * If meaning is lost by reversing or adding and, leave out the comma. **

//To improve his grade, Homer will need to work harder. Because Homer has not worked hard enough, his final grade does not reflect his ability.//
 * For introductory words and phrases. **

//Although views differ, you do not need to place a comma before the "and". Homer has achieved good results in History, Geography and English//
 * Use commas to separate items in lists. **

//Homer achieved good results in English, Geometry and Trigonometry, and History.//
 * Use a comma to avoid “and” confusion. **

//"Do you homework," the teacher instructed, "or you won't do well on the test." The boy asked, "Can I go to lunch, sir?"//
 * Use a comma to introduce speech in narratives. **

//The movie had finished, but the audience refused to leave. Sienna was tired, so she screamed until her face turned a darker shade of purple.//
 * Commas are used to separate independent clauses joined by coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) **

//Jeff must, however, pay close attention in class.// //During sixth period, which is never my favourite class, I found it hard to concentrate.//
 * Commas are used to add extra information in the middle of sentences **

//He was merely ignorant, not stupid.// //The chimpanzee seemed reflective, almost human.// //You're one of the senator's close friends, aren't you?// //The speaker seemed innocent, even gullible.//
 * Use a comma near the end of a sentence to separate contrasted coordinate elements or to indicate a distinct pause or shift. **

//Well done, Mr Stainton. Congratulations, James.//
 * Use a comma to address a person. **

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= SENTENCES =

Sentence structure
The power of good writing is found in the control the writer has over their sentences. By knowing the different ways sentences are constructed, we are able to make choices about how we use language to guide our readers through our text.

Sentence ingredients
The basic building blocks of sentences are clauses. Clauses can be classified in a number of ways, but the two basic ones are dependent clauses and independent clauses. The difference between the two is quite simple:
 * Independent clauses** can stand alone as simple sentences.
 * Dependent clauses** cannot stand alone as a sentence and usually begin with a subordinating conjunction (e.g. because, when, if).

Sentence types
There are three main types of sentences you should know (and a fourth if you want to get fancy).

Simple sentences have a subject and a verb. They are otherwise known as independent clauses. History is an important subject.
 * Simple sentences **

Compound sentences contain two independent clauses that are joined together in three possible ways. //History is an important subject, so it should be studied by all students.// //History is an important subject; it should be studied by all students.// In this case, the semi-colon replaces the conjunction. **With a semi-colon and an adverbial conjunction** // History is an important subject; consequently, it should be studied by all students. //
 * Compound sentences **
 * With a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) **
 * With a semi-colon **

// History should be studied by all students because it is an important subject. Because it is an important subject, History should be studied by all students. //
 * Complex sentences **
 * Compound sentences contain an impendent clause and a dependent clause. If the dependent clause comes first, it should be followed by a comma.**


 * And for the fancy-pants out there... **

// History should be studied by all students because it is an important subject, for it tells us about the world in which we live. //
 * Compound-complex sentences **
 * Compound-complex sentences contain two independent clauses and a dependent clause.**

**There is no clear rule on when these sentences should be used; it is purely a matter of style. Keep in mind that too much of one sentence type can become monotonous.**

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= FRAGMENTS =

= = Fragments occur when a sentence is incomplete. It might lack a verb or a subject. When these occur in word-processing programs, writers should not ignore the message. There are times, however, when sentence fragments are appropriate, such as in bullet points.

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= WHO MADE WHOM? =

= = The difference between who and whom is something that troubles many writers. To understand the difference, you will need to understand subjects and objects. ** Subject ** : the main subject of the sentence, or the "doer" in the sentence. ** Object: ** the thing that is the "done to" in the sentence.

The **student** (subject) cut the **wood** (object). ** Who ** (subject) stole the ** cookie ** (object) from the cookie jar? To **whom** (object) do you think **you** (subject) are speaking?

If the response to the sentence is "he" or "she", then the correct word to use is "who" e.g. //Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar? He did.//
 * A way to remember: **

If the response to the sentence is "him" or "her", the correct word to use is "whom". e.g. //Whom are you going to the ball with? I am going with her.//

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= EXPRESSION ERRORS =

= = ** Avoid using "inconsistent" and "at times" in the same sentence. ** //At times, Homer is inconsistent.//

Larrikin, bloke, kid
 * Avoid colloquialisms **

Curricula – plural Curricular - adjective //The curricula at Mazenod are diverse and challenging. We offer many cross-curricular activities.//
 * Curricula vs. curricular **

//Homer’s effort has been quite poor and he works well with others.// (wrong) //Homer’s effort has been quite poor and this has affected his grade; nevertheless, he works well with others and this is to be commended.// (correct)
 * Use only one idea per sentence. In particular, avoid contradictory statements in one sentence. If contradictory statements are needed, use a conjunction such as "nevertheless" or "however" in a new sentence. **

Can one passively pursue?
 * “To actively pursue …” **

Goals, by definition, are unmoving and therefore cannot be pursued.
 * “To pursue his goals” **

//** Me **// is an object pronoun, which means that it refers to the person that the action of a verb is being done to, or to which a preposition refers. //They want me to study more. The book was written entirely by me. Please call Hillary or me with any questions.// //I bought myself a car. I myself started the company. I feel like myself again.//
 * Me, myself and I **
 * //Myself// **is a reflexive or stressed pronoun, which means that, generally speaking, it should be used in conjunction with the subject pronoun I, not instead of the object pronoun me.
 * The bottom line **: //myself// can be used for stress, but most grammarians won't allow it to be used alone - they reject constructions like "Carol wants to meet with John and myself" (correct: with John and me") and "The book was written entirely by myself" (correct: by me personally).
 * Just remember that //myself// can be reflexive (I'm doing something to/for myself) or emphatic (I myself). Otherwise, you probably want to use //me//.**

utilisation of resources (use of resources); //an increasing proportion of students// (more students); //the vast majority of// (most); //a fraction of// (a few); //each individual child// (each child); //needless to say// (then why say it?); and, //meaningful learning experiences// (as opposed to meaningless learning experiences?).
 * Avoid using complex expressions when simple ones will suffice, such as: **

A modifier is a word or phrase gives extra details about another word in the sentence. A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly in the sentence. The best way to explain this is by example: //For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs. Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones. The only way to correct a dangling modifier is to alter the structure of a sentence. //
 * Beware the dangling modifier. **

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