1. make sure the niche and verb of each condition or phrase agreethat is actually, that a singular matter have one verb, and a plural matter a plural verb. Whenever different words come between matter and verb, you might confuse the noun nearest into the verbbefore or afterfor the verb’s actual subject matter.
Awry: a central element of living purpose were to go to law college. Correct: A central section of living goals might to go to legislation school.
Awry: The profits won from the cosmetic industry is not sufficient. Right: the earnings generated by cosmetic business aren’t sufficient.
2. feel especially cautious that the subject matter and verb concur when your topic consists of 2 or more parts signed up with by and or or; once topic try a word like panel or jury, which could bring either one or a plural verb based on whether it’s handled as a device or as several people; or if your topic is actually a term like mathematics or measles, which appears plural but is singular in meaning.
Awry: My brother and his awesome friend commutes daily from Louisville. Correct: My brother and his pal commute every single day from Louisville.
Wrong: The committee ended up being getting the obligation themselves. Appropriate: The panel happened to be taking all duty themselves. (observe that the aid of the word by themselves indicates that committee is managed as a group of people, never as a unit.)
Wrong: Measles are becoming less common in america. Right: Measles is becoming less frequent in the usa.
To check for subject-verb arrangement, circle the topic and verb in each sentence and make certain they agree.
Pronouns
1. A pronoun (like we, it, you, your, the girl, this, by themselves, people, who, which) is employed to restore another wordits antecedentso the antecedent does not have to be repeated.Check each pronoun to make certain that it agrees with the antecedent in gender and quantity. Keep in mind that keywords like each, either, neither, and one are singular; when they are made use of as antecedents, they grab single pronouns. Antecedents comprised of a couple of elements accompanied by or or nor just take pronouns that agree with the nearest antecedent. Collective-noun antecedents (audience, teams) may be singular or plural according to whether or not they reference one device or several individuals.
Completely wrong: each of the pups thrived in their new home. Best: Every one of the pups thrived in its new home.
Incorrect: Neither Jane nor Susan sensed they was indeed managed fairly. Right: Neither Jane nor Susan thought that she had been managed relatively.
Faulty: the group generally altered their positions getting varied experience. Best: The team generally altered her positions attain varied enjoy.
To check for contract of pronouns and antecedents, circle each pronoun, identify its antecedent, and make sure they agree in sex and quantity.
2. As mentioned above, more indefinite pronouns (like each, either, neither, or one) become singular; consequently, they simply take singular verbs. A relative pronoun, like just who, which, or that, takes a verb that will abide by the pronoun’s antecedent.
Completely wrong: each one of the products in these design coordinate with all the people. Best: Each of the products in these designs coordinates together with the other individuals.
Wrong: He is one of several staff members whom works overtime on a regular basis. Correct: they are one of the staff members who do work overtime frequently. (contained in this instance, the antecedent of that is workers, and then the verb should really be plural.)
3. an unclear pronoun guide occurs when visitors is not sure of a pronoun’s antecedent. If a pronoun could relate to several antecedent, or if perhaps the antecedent is implied however explicitly reported, change the sentence to make the antecedent obvious.
Incorrect: Before Mary attacked Mrs. Turpin, she was a judgmental woman. Correct: Before Mary attacked Mrs. Turpin, the second is a judgmental lady. (In the first sentence, she could refer to either Mary or Mrs. Turpin.)
Wrong: They think that an egg can be essential as a human being, but it cannot be showed. Correct: They believe an egg is as essential as a human existence, but these an assertion can’t be showed. (In the first phrase, the antecedent of it is unclear.)
Additional Grammatical Mistakes
Phrase Fragments
1. The sentence fragment is actually a partial sentence punctuated as a sentence. To really make it a whole sentence, join they for the primary condition or rewrite they.
Incorrect: this woman is a great buddy. One whom I count on and admire. Right: She is a great pal, an individual whom I count on and appreciate.
Awry: in workshop, we discovered the worth of control. Also tips get close notes. Best: within the working area, we discovered the worth of discipline. We additionally discovered just how to grab close records.
Incorrect: The old aluminum vessel sitting on their truck. Correct: the existing aluminum ship was actually sitting on their trailer.
To check for sentence fragments, check all sentences for a subject, a verb, and at the very least one term that will not start out with a subordinating keyword like because, although, if, whenever, that, since, or who.
Misplaced or Dangling Modifiers
1. Misplaced or dangling modifiers are keywords, expressions, or clauses perhaps not demonstrably linked to the term they change. Go a misplaced modifier nearer to the phrase they represent, or revise a sentence to offer a dangling modifier a word to modify.
Faulty: they were able to start to see the eagles swooping and scuba diving with binoculars. Right: With binoculars, they may begin to see the eagles swooping and scuba diving.
Wrong: Nixon told reporters he wanted to get free from government after the guy destroyed the 1962 gubernatorial race. Appropriate: After the guy destroyed the 1962 gubernatorial battle, Nixon advised reporters which he wanted to escape government.
Incorrect: a bunny’s teeth should never be employed for protection even when cornered. Right: even if cornered, a rabbit never uses its teeth for protection.
Completely wrong: As a boy, their grandmother told tales of her years as a nation schoolteacher. Right: As a kid, the guy read his grandmother tell stories of her ages as a nation schoolteacher.
To proofread for missing or essay writing dangling modifiers, circle all modifiers and draw a line into the word they explain; take care they cannot mistakenly change several other word.
Created by Creating Tutorial Treatments, Indiana College, Bloomington, IN