The Grammar/Usage Cheat Sheet
Then vs. Than
Then is a time word; it indicates something happened after something else. I went to high school then I went to college. I ate some ice cream then I took a nap. I drank four beers and then I fell over. Than is a comparison word; it indicates a relationship between two things. I am older than Mary but younger than Steve. 2na Fish is a better rapper than Eminem. I’ve seen Pulp Fiction more than four times.
Its v. It’s
Its is a possessive form – it means “belonging to it.” The dog gnawed on its bone. The hurricane left destruction in its wake. High school had its own set of problems. It’s is a contraction – it means “it is.” It’s the biggest pimple I’ve ever seen. It’s not hard to see why Susan is dating Mike. The bird sits in its nest; it’s a very pretty bird. Remember, every time you type it’s, read the sentence and replace with “it is” to see if it still makes sense.
The Semicolon
A semicolon is used to connect two complete sentences that have a related theme. A period is a stop sign; a semicolon is more of a California stop. The reader keeps rolling with your theme but pauses for a second. I hate Bob; I like Jill. I don’t think we should legalize cocaine; it’s an addictive substance. Your mom’s pretty cool; I can’t believe she made us Jell-O shots. Using a comma to join two complete sentences is called a “comma splice.” It’s an error in usage; if you’re joining two complete sentences you should use a semicolon.
The Colon
A colon is, in addition to another term for your small intestine, the “equals sign” of the English language. You can use it to connect two clauses which are equal to each other, like this: There are three movies I just can’t stand: Tommy Boy, Happiness, and Spun. (three movies = Tommy Boy, Happiness, Spun.) You can make a great peanut butter sandwich like so: first get the bread… (making a peanut butter sandwich = instructions for making it) In his essay, “Growing Up,” Russel Baker expresses his confusion about his purpose in life: “(quote from the essay.)” (Russel Baker expresses = actual quote) Your writer’s manual can help you with additional examples and more specific rules for each of these, and many more. I strongly recommend using it as a resource.