We’ve collected some common questions from teachers about how to teach grammar and mechanics. The questions and answers about punctuation and capitalization are below.

Commas between Adjectives

Question:

Is there a good way to help my students know when to place commas between two or more adjectives?

Answer:

Display the visual below and review it with the class.

Have students test it with the following examples: 

Rob is a strong, energetic athlete. 

The two calico cats were her pets.

Hyphens in Compound Adjectives

Question:

How do I teach students when to use a hyphen in a compound adjective?

Answer:

When a compound adjective comes before the noun it modifies, you usually do join the adjective with a hyphen. 

Example: Yahira is a full-time English teacher. 

When a compound adjective comes after the noun it modifies, you usually do not join the adjective with a hyphen. 

Example: Yahira teaches full time.

Punctuating Titles

Question:

When it comes to writing titles of works in running text, which titles should be italicized and which should be enclosed within quotation marks?

Answer:

Generally speaking, titles of stand-alone, or whole, works are italicized, while titles of small works or works that are a piece of a larger whole are enclosed within quotation marks. Display this visual:

Students will soon understand which titles to italicize and which to enclose within quotation marks.

Separate and Joint Possession

Question:

My students have trouble using punctuation to show joint and separate possession. What can I do to help them?

Answer:

Teach it mathematically. Write the following phrase on the board:

my mom and dad’s house

Say: Mom and dad are married. Jointly, they own one house. Then write:

my brother’s and sister’s weddings

Say: My brother and sister had two separate weddings. Write on the board the following equations:

1 possession = 1 apostrophe 2 possessions = 2 apostrophes

Repeat with several other phrases.

Spelling Out Numbers

Question:

What do you do if a sentence begins with a number? Do you begin the sentence with the numeral or with a word?

Answer:

Remember the old rule: Every sentence must begin with a capital letter. A numeral is not a letter, so don’t begin a sentence with a numeral. Spell out the number word or revise the sentence so that the number is not used as the first word.