Writing in seminary can be challenging, especially if English is not your primary language. At Central, we want to provide as much support as possible to assist you during your time in seminary. The resources on this page focus on English grammar and syntax. Grammar refers to the words we use, their proper form and function, and how they relate to one another. Syntax refers to the structure of sentences. The boxes below highlight some of the most common issues when writing in English and provide links to examples and practice exercises. The bottom of the page includes tips and links to additional resources. A strong grasp of English grammar and syntax is helpful for all students at Central. Be sure to check out other topics pertaining to writing on the Academic Writing page.
Subjects and verbs are the basic building blocks of all writing. If you are struggling with writing in English or want to refresh your skills, revisiting this topic is one of the best places to start. Making sure that your subject and verb agree in person and number can be a source of confusion. Use the PDF linked below to refresh your understanding of subject-verb agreement.
Prepositions are a helpful tool that, when used correctly, can quickly elevate your writing. Prepositions can provide information about the relationship between two nouns, and some verbs always appear with a preposition. Academic writing typically avoids ending a sentence with a preposition, though this rule is becoming more relaxed. The PDF below provides additional information regarding how to use prepositions as well as definitions and examples for specific prepositions.
Using the correct verb tense when writing is an important part of communicating your ideas clearly. There are 12 forms for verbs in English, and each form is used to express specific circumstances. The first link below introduces all 12 verb forms with examples of how to form and use them. The second link provides more in depth information and examples of some of the most commonly used forms.
Punctuation includes periods (.), question marks (?), exclamation points (!), colons (:), semicolons (;), and commas (,) just to name a few. While professional writing tends to avoid using exclamation points, the other punctuation marks can be quite useful. Check out the PDFs linked below to find out more about some of the more unfamiliar punctuation marks.
Fragment and run-on sentences are two of the most frequent errors made when writing, yet both are easily avoided. Fragments are incomplete sentences. Typically, they are written in such a way that a needed subject or verb is missing in the sentence. Run-on sentences are the opposite of fragments. They are overly long and complicated sentences that contain too many ideas and should be separated into multiple sentences. Check out the PDF linked below for more information and examples of fragments and run-on sentences.
In addition to fragments and run-ons, poor sentence structure can create confusion for your readers. The PDF linked below explains several common mistakes writers make when constructing sentences and provides examples of how to correct them. Once you are aware of these common sentence structure errors, it will be easier to identify and fix them in your own writing.
You may or may not find all of the tips below helpful. Try a few out and see what works best for you!