Bristol Uni guide to grammar

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/exercises/grammar/grammar_tutorial/index.htm

1. Handy for revision
2. Punctuation - structure (paragraphs, style, graphology, morphology, discourse, FPA, syntax/ utterances, functions of syntax- imperative, command, interrogative, explanative, declarative)
3. Common confusions  (figurative language, lexis, register, semantics, pragmatics)
4. Exam responses (PEE)
5. Other pitfalls and problems (conjunctions, split infinitives, grammar, lexis)
6. Style (FPA)
7. Handy for revision

1. The colon
   To introduce an idea or a list
   The Semicolon
   If you are going to use a semicolon to connect two clauses, it is very important that the two clauses are both independent. That means that each clause has to be able to stand alone and make complete sense without the other. If either one cannot stand alone, a semi-colon cannot be used. They also need to be about  related topics.
   The comma
   To separate the elements in a list of three or more items
   Before certain conjunctions
   To separate introductory elements in a sentence
   To separate parenthetical (aside) elements in a sentence
   To separate direct speech or quoted elements from the rest of the sentence
   Commas are used to separate elements in a sentence that express contrast
   Commas are used for typographical reasons to separate dates and years, towns and counties etc
   Commas are used to separate several adjectives
2. Common confusions
   Who/Whom?
   This seems to cause some problems but can be easily sorted out. Essentially, who is a subject pronoun and should be used to replace the subject of the verb. Whom is an object pronoun and should be used either to replace the object of a verb, or to follow a preposition.
   Less/fewer?
   Less is used with things/material that cannot be counted or separated into individual parts. Fewer is used with discrete things that can be separated or counted. CDs, sausages, cows, people etc. can be counted. By far the most common mistake is to use 'less' when 'fewer' is needed.
   Affect/ effect?
   Affect - is a verb meaning to have an influence on
   Effect - is a noun meaning a cause of change brought about by an agent.

 E. Split infinitives.

The infinitive of a verb is the form given in the dictionary where no specific subject is indicated. In English it is always characterised by the word 'to' e.g. to work, to pay, to eat, to find, to inhabit, to bribe. A 'split infinitive' occurs when the 'to' is separated from its verb by other words. The most famous split infinitive comes at the beginning of every episode of Star Trek, when the crew's continuing mission is announced as: "to boldly go" (rather than "to go boldly").