WORDS THAT ALTER, GIVE ADDITIONAL MEANING OR MODIFY
ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS ARE BOTH MODIFIERS
ADJECTIVES
WORDS WHICH ALTER, GIVE ADDITIONAL MEANING TO OR MODIFY NOUNS AND PRONOUNS
IT WAS A YELLOW DOOR.
�YELLOW� GIVES ADDITIONAL MEANING TO �DOOR,� A NOUN.
A, AN AND THE ARE ALWAYS ADJECTIVES
THEY ALWAYS GIVE ADDITIONAL MEANING TO NOUNS AND PRONOUNS
HOW TO TELL IF A WORD IS AN ADJECTIVE
IF A WORD EASILY FITS INTO THE BLANK IN HE/IT WAS VERY ________, THAT WORD IS PROBABLY AN ADJECTIVE.
EVERY WORD THAT WILL FIT IS AN ADJECTIVE, BUT NOT ALL ADJECTIVES FIT.
DICTIONARIES TELL IF WORDS ARE ADJECTIVES
BUT SOMETIMES A WORD CAN BE MORE THAN ONE PART OF SPEECH DEPENDING UPON ITS USAGE
CHECK THE DICTIONARY AND THE USAGE
ADVERBS
ADVERBS ALTER, GIVE ADDITIONAL MEANING TO OR MODIFY VERBS, ADJECTIVES AND OTHER ADVERBS
ADVERB MODIFYING A VERB
HE DRANK SLOPPILY.
SLOPPILY GIVES ADDITIONAL MEANING TO DRANK, A VERB
ADVERB MODIFYING AN ADJECTIVE
HE WAS VERY TALL.
VERY GIVES ADDITIONAL MEANING TO TALL, AN ADJECTIVE
ADVERB MODIFYING ANOTHER ADVERB
HE DRANK VERY SLOPPILY.
VERY GIVES ADDITIONAL MEANING TO SLOPPILY, AN ADVERB
HOW TO TELL IF A WORD IS AN ADVERB
WORDS WITH AN �LY SUFFIX ARE ADVERBS
NOT EVERY WORD ENDING IN �LY, BUT THOSE WITH �LY ADDED
NOT, NEVER AND VERY ARE ALWAYS ADVERBS
WORDS THAT GIVE INFORMATION ON HOW, WHEN OR HOW OFTEN ARE USUALLY ADVERBS
THIS IS ALMOST ALWAYS TRUE
DECIDING WHETHER TO USE AN ADJECTIVE OR AN ADVERB
FIND THE WORD BEING MODIFIED
IF THE WORD BEING MODIFIED IS A NOUN OR PRONOUN, USE AN ADJECTIVE
IF IT�S A VERB, ADJECTIVE OR ADVERB, USE AN ADVERB
DEGREES OF COMPARISON
BOTH ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS HAVE DEGREES OF COMPARISON
TALL, TALLER AND TALLEST ARE ADJECTIVE DEGREES OF COMPARISON
QUICKLY, MORE QUICKLY AND MOST QUICKLY ARE ADVERB DEGREES OF COMPARISON
IRREGULAR DEGREES OF COMPARISON
AS SHOWN IN GOOD, BETTER AND BEST, DEGREES OF COMPARISON ARE SOMETIMES IRREGULAR
QUICKLY, MORE QUICKLY MOST QUICKLY
BAD, WORSE, WORST
USE A DICTIONARY TO DETERMINE THE FORMS OF IRREGULARLY CHANGING DEGREES OF COMPARISON
BEFORE BUYING A DICTIONARY, LOOK UP BAD
IF IT DOESN�T GIVE YOU WORSE AND WORST, DON�T BUY IT
WHEN TO USE COMPARATIVES IN REPORTS
DO NOT USE COMPARATIVES IF MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE
�THE SUSPECT WAS �TALL� TELLS THE READER ALMOST NOTHING
�THE BLONDE SUSPECT WAS TALLER THAN THE BRUNETTE,� GIVES A LITTLE INFORMATION
�THE BLONDE SUSPECT WAS APPROXIMATELY 6 FEET TALL. THE BRUNETTE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET TALL.� IS MUCH MORE SPECIFIC THAN THE TWO PREVIOUS EXAMPLES.
CONFUSING MODIFIERS
MODIFIERS NEED TO BE CONNECTED TO THE WORDS THEY MODIFY
I FOUND A KNIFE ON THE BED WHICH WAS WET.
DOES WET REFER TO THE KNIFE OR THE BED?
TO AVOID CONFUSING MODIFIERS, PUT THE MODIFIERS NEXT TO THE WORDS BEING MODIFIED.
I FOUND A WET KNIFE ON THE BED OR I FOUND A KNIFE ON THE WET BED
WRITING IN COMPLETE SENTENCES
COMPLETE SENTENCES MINIMIZE CONFUSION
EVERY COMPLETE SENTENCE HAS A SUBJECT, A VERB AND CONVEYS A COMPLETE THOUGHT WHICH STANDS ALONE.
A COMMAND IS THE ONLY COMPLETE SENTENCE IN ENGLISH IN WHICH THE SUBJECT IS IMPLIED BUT NOT GIVEN
�STOP!�
SENTENCES IN REPORTS
SENTENCE FRAGMENTS ARE INCOMPLETE SENTENCES
THEY LACK SUBJECTS OR VERBS OR DON�T CONVEY COMPLETE THOUGHTS
RUN-ON SENTENCES CONVEY TWO OR MORE COMPLETE THOUGHTS
I FOUND A HAIR AND I COLLECTED IT IS TWO COMPLETE THOUGHTS.
I FOUND A HAIR, AND I COLLECTED IT IS TECHNICALLY CORRECT ENGLISH (BECAUSE OF THE COMMA)
A PROSECUTING ATTORNEY MAY ASK, �WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?�
YOU�RE SUPPOSE TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION WITH THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE TRUTHFUL ANSWER.
THE CORRECT ANSWER TO THE PROSECUTOR�S QUESTION IS: �I FOUND A HAIR.�
IF YOU WRITE TWO THOUGHTS IN ONE SENTENCE, YOU MAKE YOUR TESTIMONY MORE DIFFICULT
�I FOUND A HAIR AND I COLLECTED IT� IS IMPROPER TESTIMONY
SO WRITE �I FOUND A HAIR. I COLLECTED IT.� TO MAKE TESTIMONY EASIER
DON�T CONNECT TWO THOUGHTS WITH AND, OR OR BUT IN REPORTS (WITH OR WITHOUT A COMMA)
PUNCTUATION
POOR PUNCTUATION CAN CAUSE CONFUSION IN REPORTS
POOR PUNCTUATION EXAMPLES
�THE SUSPECTS LEFT IN A BLUE GREEN CAR.�
�THE SUSPECTS LEFT IN A BLUE-GREEN CAR.�
�THE SUSPECTS LEFT BLUE/GREEN CAR.�
�THE SUSPECTS LEFT IN A BLUE, GREEN CAR.�
COMMAS
A COMMA TELLS A READER WHERE TO PAUSE IN A SENTENCE
�THE HAWAIIAN SHIRT WAS YELLOW, GREEN AND WHITE.�
WITHOUT THE COMMA THE SHIRT IS TWO COLORS ONLY, YELLOW-GREEN AND WHITE.
COMMAS ARE ALSO USED TO SEPARATE ITEMS IN SERIES, ADDRESSES AND DATES
THE FLAG WAS RED, WHITE, AND BLUE. (COMMA IN A SERIES)
THE COMMA BEFORE AND IS OPTIONAL
181 LA CALLE DE LAS FLORES Y PULGAS, MICHOACAN, MEXICO (COMMAS IN AN ADDRESS)
JULY 11, 1952 (COMMA IN A DATE)
APOSTROPHES
USE APOSTROPHES TO SHOW LETTERS HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT
IT WAS 7 O�CLOCK. (LETTERS LEFT OUT OF �OF THE CLOCK�)
APOSTROPHES ARE USED TO SHOW POSSESSION
THE KNIFE WAS SMITH�S.
REMEMBER, POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS DO NOT USE APOSTROPHES TO SHOW POSSESSION
TO MAKE MOST POSSESSIVES PLURAL, ADD �S�
THAT WAS THE BOY�S BIKE. (SINGULAR)
THOSE WERE THE BOYS� BIKES. (PLURAL)
IF A NOUN ENDS IN �S, FORM THE PLURAL BY SIMPLY ADDING AN APOSTROPHE
HE VANDALIZED THE WITNESS� CARS TO SCARE THEM.
USE AN APOSTROPHE TO FORM A PLURAL OF A NOUN ONLY IF THE NOUN IS A NUMBER OR FIGURE
HE GOT STRAIGHT A�S.
THERE WERE THREE 6�S IN A ROW.
PARENTHESES
PARENTHESES MAY ENCLOSE NUMBERS THAT ARE NOT MERE REPEATINGS OF SPELLED-OUT NUMBERS
EVIDENCE: (1) A BLUE COAT, (2) BROKEN GLASS AND (3) A HUMAN FINGER.
NOT �THERE WERE THREE (3) ITEMS OF EVIDENCE.�
DON�T USE PARENTHESES TO ENCLOSE SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION IN REPORTS
JONES (THE SUSPECT) WAS BLEEDING FROM HIS NOSE.
IF THE INFORMATION IS ESSENTIAL, USE COMMAS INSTEAD OF PARENTHESES
BRACKETS
DON�T USE THEM IN REPORTS
THEY�RE USED TO SET OFF AN AUTHOR�S COMMENT INSIDE ANOTHER PERSON�S QUOTE
�THERE [SIC] MINE,� HE WROTE.
DASHES
DON�T USE THEM IN REPORTS
AS WITH PARENTHESES, USE COMMAS IF THE INFORMATION BETWEEN DASHES IS ESSENTIAL
JONES � THE SUSPECT � WAS BLEEDING FROM HIS NOSE.
HYPHENS
USE THEM IN COMPOUND NUMBERS BETWEEN TWENTY AND ONE HUNDRED
�THERE WERE TWO TWENTY-TWO SHELL CASINGS.�
SOMETIMES (RARELY) USE THEM TO AVOID CONFUSION
�HE WAS THE EX-PRESS SECRETARY FOR THE PRESIDENT.� (AS OPPOSED TO THE EXPRESS SECRETARY)
USE THEM WITH SOME PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES
EX-WIFE
PRESIDENT-ELECT
USE THEM IN PLACE OF THE WORD �TO�
HE GOT 2O-LIFE IN PRISON
CAUTION: A HYPHEN MEANS �TO� NOT �THROUGH�
JUNE 2 � JUNE 4 MEANS JUNE 2 AND 3 ONLY
CAN BE USED TO DIVIDE WORDS AT SYLLABLES IF PUTTING PARTS OF ONE WORD ON TWO LINES
PAPER IS CHEAP AND THIS CAN BE CONFUSING
DON�T DO IT WHEN HANDWRITING REPORTS
COLONS
USE THEM IN REPORTS TO INTRODUCE LISTS
EVIDENCE:
DO NOT USE COLONS IN 24-HOUR TIME
1313 HOURS, NOT 13:13 HOURS
SEMICOLONS
DON�T USE THEM IN REPORTS
QUOTATION MARKS
USE THEM FOR A PERSON�S EXACT WORDS ONLY WHEN NECESSARY UNDER THREE CONDITIONS ONLY:
(1) IF IT HELPS PROVE THE CRIME
SHE YELLED, �FIRE!� IN THE CROWDED THEATER.
(2) WHEN NECESSARILY USING SLANG
SHE SAID SHE�D GIVE ME A �HALF AND HALF JOB� FOR TWENTY DOLLARS.
(3) WHEN QUOTING A SUSPECT�S PROFANITY
HE SAID, �FUCK YOU, PIG.�
UNDERLINING AND ITALICS
USE ITALICS WHEN TYPING, KEYBOARDING
USE UNDERLINING WHEN HANDWRITING
THE NAMES OF PARTIES TO ANY COURT CASE
MIRANDA v.ARIZONA