• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Matthew Ward Writes

Short story author, Novelist in the making & Grammar enthusiast

  • About me
  • Grammar Blogs
  • Lessons from Reading
  • Short Stories
  • Show Search
Hide Search

sentences

What is passive voice?

Matthew Ward · 15/01/2021 · 2 Comments

‘Avoid passive voice.’ That must be one of the most common pieces of grammar advice. And one of the most valuable ever. So, how terrible would it be if you had to ask, ‘But what is passive voice’, and no one had a simple answer? That’s what I’m here to provide today. … [Read more...] about What is passive voice?

Filed Under: Grammar Blogs Tagged With: English grammar, grammar, sentences

Asking too much of your commas? Careful rephrasing comes to their rescue

Matthew Ward · 20/11/2020 · Leave a Comment

Last week, I repaired the first half of a sentence inspired by one of my mum’s most grammatically awkward sentences (sorry, Mum). I worked through some of the murkier waters of writing series of items like this one: She’s got size-five shoes, dresses, and handbags. Are there … [Read more...] about Asking too much of your commas? Careful rephrasing comes to their rescue

Filed Under: Grammar Blogs Tagged With: comma, commas, English grammar, grammar, sentences

Leapfrogging! A simple solution for grammar pitfalls and pink poodles

Matthew Ward · 13/11/2020 · 1 Comment

Have you ever bitten off more sentence than you could chew? I mean, have you ever tried to put a long and complex idea down on paper only to reach the end of a very long sentence, look back at what you wrote, and think one thought: ‘Don’t tell me I have to edit that!’ … [Read more...] about Leapfrogging! A simple solution for grammar pitfalls and pink poodles

Filed Under: Grammar Blogs Tagged With: English grammar, grammar, sentences

Taking the Complex out of Complex Sentences … and taking on one of their greatest complexities

Matthew Ward · 06/11/2020 · 2 Comments

Recently, I was browsing punctuation and grammar books on Amazon when I came across an interesting review. Here’s an extract: “I thought I'd got the hang of the different sentence types (simple, compound, complex) until I reached the section in this book where Seely [the author] … [Read more...] about Taking the Complex out of Complex Sentences … and taking on one of their greatest complexities

Filed Under: Grammar Blogs Tagged With: complex sentences, English grammar, grammar, sentences

Can a single comma change the meaning of a whole sentence? A simple guide to placing commas before ‘which’ and ‘that’

Matthew Ward · 02/10/2020 · 2 Comments

‘Place a comma before “which” but not before “that”.’ I’ve come across this simple guideline many times, and it’s certainly memorable, straightforward, and easy to apply. And it works most of the time. However, I often wonder if it’s too simple for its own good. It refers to one … [Read more...] about Can a single comma change the meaning of a whole sentence? A simple guide to placing commas before ‘which’ and ‘that’

Filed Under: Grammar Blogs, Popular Tagged With: comma, commas, English grammar, English punctuation, grammar, punctuation, sentences

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

About Me

I’m a nineteen-year-old budding writer with a passion for grammar, short stories, and novels.

More About Me

Search posts

Follow Me

  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Find the post for you

  • About me
  • Grammar Blogs
  • Lessons from Reading
  • Short Stories

Copyright © 2021

Privacy Policy

“What about milk?” Debbie asked. Mark reached for the milk. “Let me see.” He shook the carton. “There’s only a drop left.” “I’ll add it to the list.”

This paragraph includes several mistakes.

The paragraph starts with Debbie’s dialogue. Then, it moves to Mark’s. Then, it returns to Debbie’s. We need to start new paragraphs with each new speaker.

And we need to make sure that information about Debbie is alongside her dialogue, and information about Mark is placed alongside his dialogue.

When we put this into action we get this:

“What about milk?” Debbie asked.

Mark reached for the milk. “Let me see.” He shook the carton. “There’s only a drop left.”

“I’ll add it to the list.”

Now that’s perfect.

Mark, standing in the kitchen and hearing her call, opened the fridge. “I think,” Debbie continued, “we might be low on cheese.”

This paragraph includes a mistake. The dialogue in the paragraph is Debbie’s. Therefore, information that is primarily about Mark shouldn’t be in the same paragraph.

This is how it should be written:

Mark, standing in the kitchen and hearing her call, opened the fridge.

“I think,” Debbie continued, “we might be low on cheese.”

Mark moved one block of cheddar and checked behind it. “No, we’ve got two blocks.”

This paragraph is perfect. It involves Mark’s dialogue and information about Mark.

“Have we got enough groceries to last the week?” Debbie shouted from the living room.

This paragraph is perfect. It involves Debbie’s dialogue and information about Debbie.


There’s no need to wait for my next post because I’ve got an offer for you.
I’ll edit the punctuation and grammar in any two paragraphs of your writing for free.
You could choose the most awkward ones if you like!
(I’d probably do that if I were you.)
Then, when I return your paragraphs, I’ll include full explanations of every edit so that you can apply them to the rest of your writing. I’d love to help.
For more information and to take up my offer, click here.
This site uses cookies Find out more