Investigating Essential and Nonessential Elements: Part One

Practice changing sentences from passive to active voice in this interactive tutorial about mythical creatures.

This is Part Two in a two-part series. Make sure to complete Part One first! Click HERE to launch "It's No Myth -- Part One: Distinguishing Between Passive and Active Voice."  

Learn to distinguish between passive and active voice with this interactive tutorial about mythical creatures.

This is Part One of a two-part series. Click HERE to launch "It's No Myth -- Part Two: Changing Sentences from Passive to Active Voice."

Learn about gerunds and gerund phrases in this two-part tutorial.

By the end of Part One, you should be able to identify a gerund or gerund phrase as the subject of a sentence. At the end of Part One, you'll also practice creating a sentence using a gerund as the subject and a sentence using a gerund phrase as the subject. 

Make sure to complete both parts! Click HERE to launch "Gerunds -- Part Two: Identifying Gerunds and Gerund Phrases as Subject Complements."

Learn about gerunds and gerund phrases in Part Two of this two-part series. By the end of this tutorial, you should be able to identify a gerund or gerund phrase as a subject complement. At the end of this tutorial, you'll practice creating sentences of your own with a gerund phrase as the subject and a gerund phrase as a subject complement.

Make sure to complete Part One before beginning Part Two. Click HERE to launch "Gerunds -- Part One: Identifying Gerunds and Gerund Phrases as Subjects."

Learn how to use verbs and verb phrases to convey specific meanings through the use of specific verb tenses: past perfect tense and past perfect progressive tense. 

This interactive tutorial is Part Two in a two-part series. You should complete Part One before beginning Part Two. Click HERE to launch Part One.

Learn how to use verbs and verb phrases to convey specific meanings through the use of specific verb tenses: simple past tense and past progressive tense. 

This interactive tutorial is Part One in a two-part series. In Part Two, you'll explore the use of past perfect tense and past perfect progressive tense. Make sure to complete both parts!

Click HERE to launch Part Two.

Learn how to use verb phrases in particular tenses to convey specific meanings. In this interactive tutorial, you'll explore the use of four verb tenses: simple future, future progressive, future perfect, and future perfect progressive. 

Learn to enhance your writing with verbs and verb phrases in different tenses to convey specific meanings. In Part Two, you'll work with three perfect tenses: present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect.  

We recommend that you complete Part One before starting Part Two. In Part One, you'll work with three simple tenses: past, present, and future. Click HERE to view Part One.

Learn how verbs and verb phrases can convey specific meanings through the use of three verb tenses--simple present, present progressive, and present perfect--in this interactive tutorial.

Learn to enhance your writing with verbs and verb phrases in different tenses to convey specific meanings. In Part One, you'll work with past tense, present tense, and future tense.

We recommend that you complete Part Two after Part One. In Part Two, you'll work with three tenses: present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect. Click HERE to view Part Two.

Investigate essential and nonessential elements in a sentence. In Part Two, you'll learn about essential and nonessential phrases and clauses and how to use commas with nonessential phrases and clauses in a sentence.

This is Part Two of a two-part tutorial series. Click HERE to launch Part One. 

Investigate a mysterious punctuation mark--the dash--in this interactive two-part tutorial. In this series, you'll learn about two types of dashes and their different uses. In Part Two, you'll learn about the em dash and practice using it correctly.

We recommend that you complete Part One first! Click HERE to launch Part One.

Investigate a mysterious punctuation mark—the dash—in this interactive two-part tutorial. In this series, you'll learn about two types of dashes and their different uses. In Part One, you'll learn about the en dash and practice using it correctly. In Part Two, you'll learn about the em dash and practice using it correctly. We hope by the end of this series that the dash will no longer be quite so mysterious!

Make sure to complete Part Two! Click HERE to launch Part Two.

Check out a mysterious punctuation mark, the ellipsis, in this interactive English Language Arts tutorial. You'll learn a number of different uses for the ellipsis and apply what you learn to practice using the ellipsis correctly.

Don't be mystified by commas! This interactive tutorial will help you better understand how to correctly use this often mysterious punctuation mark. You'll learn several ways commas are commonly misused to help make sure you don't make these same mistakes in your own writing. Then, you'll learn several ways to correctly use a comma. 

Check out a mysterious punctuation mark—the apostrophe—in this interactive tutorial. You'll learn several important rules and guidelines to help you demystify this punctuation mark so you can use it correctly in your own writing. 

Learn a number of important rules that will help you master the mysterious comma. In this interactive tutorial, you'll learn how commas are used to separate three or more items in a series and to “set off” certain aspects of a sentence.

Learn to recognize and fix one of the most common grammar errors—the run-on sentence—as you complete this interactive tutorial.

Take a crash course to learn the rules of capitalization in this interactive tutorial. 

Learn the rules of capitalization in this interactive tutorial! By the end, you'll have undergone a "crash course" in correct capitalization. 

Learn the rules of capitalization in this interactive tutorial! By the end, you'll have undergone a "crash course" in correct capitalization.  

Review common uses of the comma and learn how it can be properly used to set off nonrestrictive elements--like phrases and words--in a sentence. This interactive tutorial will also give you the chance to complete practice activities to check your understanding.

Learn how to use commas to connect two sentences, how to use commas with coordinate adjectives, and how to use the Oxford comma. In this interactive tutorial, you will complete practice exercises and read several short passages about primates, including gorillas and baboons.

Learn how clauses are used to form different types of sentences. In this interactive tutorial, you'll practice identifying four common sentence types: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex. You'll also practice rewriting a short paragraph to include these various types of sentences.

In this interactive tutorial, you'll take a "punctuation vacation" to learn how commas, dashes, and ellipses can be used to indicate breaks or pauses in your writing.

Review commas to separate items in a series, then practice placing semicolons to separate items in a series as you complete this interactive, baseball-themed tutorial.

Gain a better understanding pronouns and how they are used in this interactive tutorial. You'll also learn how to use two of the most commonly confused pronouns—who and whom. You'll need to bring your A-game for this basketball-themed tutorial.

Learn to define and explain active and passive voice in this wizard-themed interactive tutorial. You'll also learn how to transform passive voice to active voice to make your writing stronger.