If you’re expecting to find a free online grammar punctuation checker here, all I can do is redirect you. However, I’ll help you to become your own checker.
There are sites that have what you may be looking for. Try this one.
They have their place but I think it’s important to know and understand grammar and punctuation rules, as well as why they are important.
I liken what I just said to using a calculator.
Understanding mathematics and math processes is important. A calculator will be precise and provide the correct answer but if you don’t have any idea how the calculator arrived at the answer, it probably means you don’t really understand.
I’m hoping this lesson will shed light on the importance of understanding as well as properly using grammar and punctuation in English, probably in other languages as well.
What Is Grammar?
It is proper use of the language.
Okay then, that begs the question, who decides what is proper?
The truth is, it depends on whom you ask. If you ask me, it’s about who’s in power and it’s largely determined by social and political norms.
What are social and politcal norms?
We can question the questions to death but that’s not why we’re here.
In the USA, it’s arguably, if not probably based on what rich, white American men believe is proper.
But, I digress.
As an English teacher who has degrees in language arts, communication, and education, and as someone who prefers to keep things simple, I think it’s easier to follow some simple guidelines and/or rules so as many people as possible can follow and understand them.
That is part of what I would call being civilized as a society.
In the USA, we use what is known as Standard American English as the guideline/rule book for what is considered proper. For the most part, if it’s not in the book, as it were, then it’s not considered proper and is most likely considered either improper, slang, or both.
In honor of my degrees and profession, I prefer to use and teach Standard American English.
However, I also understand that what is considered correct can be subjective and is not absolute.
Having said that, if someone wants to be looked upon as educated and respected in the USA, it’s advisable to learn and use what is considered proper.
What Is Punctuation?
The best way I know to explain punctuation is, it’s a series of signals and/or signs that assist a reader to understand what is written.
Like street signs and other traffic signs, punctuation is used fo keep order.
On the other hand, like grammar, punctuation is not always absolute and can be subjective. But, it’s a good guideline/set of rules, that are, for the most part, easy to understand and make sense.
It can be very difficult to read something that is either improperly punctuated or not punctuated at all.
For example whatifwe didnt usespacingandpunctuation ina sentence wed neverknowwhenoneword endsandanotherbegins and manyofthewords would not make sense understand
In case you didn’t understand, below is how the above should have been written:
For example, what if we didn’t use spacing and punctuation in a sentences? We’d never know when one word ends and another begins and many of the words would not make sense. Understand?
Especially if someone who is trying to learn and understand the language, without proper punctuation, or in the above example, no punctuation at all, they would be thoroughly confused, if not more confused than they probably already are.
What Are Examples Of Proper Grammar?
There are more examples than I will mention here, but let’s look at some that people don’t always get right.
It is generally not considered proper to use a double negative in English.
In other languages it is considered proper but not in English. The reason is because two negatives make a positive. At least in math, that’s the case.
If you say I don’t have no money, that means you do have money.
The subject of a sentence is who or what is doing or being something in the sentence. The verb(s) is/are what the subject is doing.
Subject/verb agreement is important in what is considered proper in English.
If I say mathematics are difficult, the subject (I) and the verb (are) do not agree. Mathematics is singular, not plural, even though it ends with the letter s. Therefore, the proper way to say it is, mathematics is difficult for people. The verb (are) is used with plural subjects.
There is a difference between the past tense of a verb and past participle.
If I say I went to work every day this week, that is correct use of the past tense of the verb go, which is went. However, if I say I have went to work every day this week, that is incorrect/improper grammar. The correct way is to use a past participle and say I have gone to work every day this week.
There are people who don’t understand what a pariciiple is, let alone past particiiple.
To be honest, I have a difficult time explaining it myself.
Whether you understand why the above are correct or incorrect, you may be able to see that correct or incorrect use signals a person’s level of formal education or lack thereof.
The question is, how important is that to you?
What Are Some Examples Of Proper Punctuation?
Some examples of proper punctuation:
A period should be used to end a statement.
A period should be used after an abbreviation; for example, mr. is the abbreviation for mister.
An exclamation point should be used at the end of a statement or command to provide emotion and/or urgency!
A question mark should be used at the end of sentence that is a question. Do you understand? (Questions often, if not usually begin with a verb before the subject of a sentence, as per much bolded example above.)
A colon is used to introduce things, particularly lists, such as:
- A list of people
- A list of tasks
- A list of items
A comma is used to separate parts of a sentence, separate people, items, or tasks in a sentence, and in place of the word and, as well as before the last item listed to indicate it’s the last item.
An apostrophe is used to show possession or as a means to create a contraction (make two words into one).
The bottom line is, a correctly or incorrectly punctuated sentence can and does alter the context of a sentence, sometimes radically.
Conclusion
I’m sorry this post doesn’t provide a grammar punchtuation checker and that the one I suggested meets your needs.
I hope this article provided some insight about what is considered proper/improper grammar and punctuation.
Leave questions and comments in the box below and I will promptly respond
Your article is excellent. I write a lot of articles and I am always concerned about grammar and punctuation. I would have appreciated a grammar and punctuation checker in this post, but I will keep your article for future reference. Your advice may help me improve my writing skills. Keep up the great work and keep posting great content.
I would like to thank you once again
Jack
Thanks for your comments Jack. You’re welcome. I’m glad you liked what I wrote. Leave comments and questions any time. I will promptly reply.
KBob