1 Grammar and Mechanics Workshop20 Common Grammar Errors Grammarly link
2 Hosted by Writing Center www.uta.edu/owlA Division of the Department of English Sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts Jason Hogue, Program Coordinator
3 THE IMPORTANCE OF GRAMMARThe greater parts of the world’s troubles are due to questions of grammar. — Michel de Montaigne, The Complete Essays
4 1. MISSING COMMA AFTER AN INTRODUCTORY ELEMENTReaders usually need a small pause between an introductory word, phrase, or clause and the main part of the sentence, a pause most often signaled by the use of a comma. A comma tells readers that the introductory phrase or clause has come to a close and that the main part of the sentence is about to begin. Buried under layers of younger rocks, the earth’s oldest rocks contain no fossils. In German, nouns are always capitalized. Quick Comma Rules
5 2. Vague pronoun referencea. This error occurs when the pronoun can possibly refer to more than one word. Example: Transmitting radio signals by satellite is a way of overcoming the problem of scarce airwaves and limiting how they are used. Does they refer to the signals or the airwaves? The editing clarifies what is being limited. Corrected: Transmitting radio signals by satellite is a way of overcoming the problem of scarce airwaves and limiting how airwaves are used.
6 2. Vague pronoun referenceb. This error occurs when the reference is implied, but it is not clearly stated. The company prohibited smoking, which many employees resented. What does which refer to? The editing below clarifies what employees resented. The company prohibited smoking, a policy many employees resented. Pronoun Ref link
7 3. Missing comma in a compound sentenceA compound sentence consists of two or more parts that could each stand alone as a sentence. Rule: When the parts are joined by a coordinating conjunction - and, but, so, yet, or, nor, or for - use a comma before the conjunction to indicate a pause between the two thoughts. The words “I do” may sound simple, but they mean a life commitment. Melanie forgot her lunch, so she called her mother.
8 4. Wrong words Wrong-word errors can involve mixing up words that sound alike, using a word with the wrong shade of meaning, or using a word with a completely wrong meaning. Paradise Lost contains many illusions to classical mythology. Paradise Lost contains many allusions to classical mythology. Diction link (SAT)
9 5. Wrong or missing verb endingIt's easy to forget the verb endings -s (or -es) and -ed (or -d) because they are not always pronounced clearly when spoken. The United States drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, The United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.
10 6. Wrong or missing prepositionThe use of prepositions can be frequently idiomatic, but the following are some general rules.Famous idioms Use ‘in’ with spaces, lines, and bodies of water in a room, in the water, in the sea, in a queue Use ‘at’ with places, places on a page, and in groups of people at the cinema, at the bottom of the page, at the back of the class Use ‘on’ with surfaces, small islands, and directions on the table, on Maui, on the left
11 7. COMMA SPLICE In a comma splice, two independent clauses are incorrectly joined by a comma alone. To correct a comma splice, you can insert a semicolon or period, connect the clauses clearly with a word such as and or because, or restructure the sentence. It is late at night, a student sits staring at a computer. It is late at night, and a student sits staring at a computer. Westward migration had passed Wyoming by, even the discovery of gold in nearby Montana failed to attract settlers. Westward migration had passed Wyoming by; even the discovery of gold in nearby Montana failed to attract settlers.
12 8. Missing or misplaced possessive apostropheTo make a noun possessive, add either an apostrophe and an -s (Ed's book) or an apostrophe alone (the boys' gym). Josh Hamilton is one of the Ranger’s best players. Josh Hamilton is one of the Rangers’ best players. Overambitious parents can be harmful to a childs well-being. Overambitious parents can be harmful to a child’s well-being. Apostrophes and Possessives link
13 9. Unnecessary shift in tenseVerb tenses tell readers when actions take place: saying Ron went to school indicates a past action whereas saying he will go indicates a future action. Verbs that shift from one tense to another with no clear reason can confuse readers. Dawn was watching the great blue heron take off. Then she slips and falls into the swamp. Dawn was watching the great blue heron take off. Then she slipped and fell into the swamp. Verb tense tutorials
14 10. Unnecessary shift in pronounAn unnecessary pronoun shift occurs when a writer who has been using one pronoun to refer to someone or something shifts to another pronoun for no apparent reason. When one first sees a painting by Georgia O’Keefe, you are impressed by a sense of power and stillness. When one first sees a painting by Georgia O’Keefe, one is impressed by a sense of power and stillness.
15 11. Sentence fragment A sentence fragment is part of a sentence that is written as if it were a whole sentence, with a capital letter at the beginning and a period, a question mark, or an exclamation point at the end. A fragment may lack a subject, a complete verb, or both. Other fragments may begin with a subordinating conjunction, such as because, and so depend for their meaning on another sentence. Reading your draft out loud, backwards, sentence by sentence, will help you spot sentence fragments.
16 11. Sentence fragments flowchartIs there a verb? It’s a fragment. No Yes Is there a subject? It’s a fragment. No Is the word group merely a subordinate clause (because it begins with a word such as because or when)? It’s a fragment. No It’s a sentence!
17 12. Wrong tense or verb formErrors of wrong tense include using a verb that does not clearly indicate when an action or a condition is, was, or will be completed - for example, using walked instead of had walked, or will go instead of will have gone. By the time Ian arrived, Jill died. By the time Ian arrived, Jill had died. The verb died does not clearly state that the death occurred before Ian arrived.
18 13. Lack of subject-verb agreementA verb must agree with its subject in number and in person. In many cases, the verb must take a form depending on whether the subject is singular or plural: The old man is angry and stamps into the house, but The old men are angry and stamp into the house. A strategist behind the scenes create the candidate’s public image. Corrected: A strategist behind the scenes creates the candidate’s public image. The subject is the singular noun strategist, not scenes. Subject/Verb Agreement game
19 14. Missing comma in a seriesWhen three or more items appear in a series, many disciplines require them to be separated from one another with commas. Although newspapers and magazines do not use a comma between the last two items, the best advice in writing other than journalism is to use a comma, because a sentence can be ambiguous without one. Sharks eat mostly squid, shrimp, crabs, and other fish. Colbert on Oxford commas
20 14. Missing comma in a series
21 15. Lack of agreement between pronoun and antecedentMany indefinite pronouns, such as everyone and each, are always singular: Each of the puppies thrived in their new home. Each of the puppies thrived in its new home. A collective noun can be either singular or plural, depending on whether the people are seen as a single unit or as multiple individuals: As a unit: The committee granted its permission to build. As individuals: The committee put their signatures on the letter. Important
22 16. Missing comma(s) with a nonrestrictive elementA nonrestrictive element - one that is not essential to the basic meaning of the sentence - could be removed and the sentence would still make sense. Use commas to set off any nonrestrictive parts of a sentence. Marina who was the president of the club was first to speak. Marina, who was the president of the club, was first to speak. The reader does not need the clause who was the president of the club to know the basic meaning of the sentence: Marina was first to speak. The person who is in charge needs to say something. The person, who is in charge, needs to say something. Important
23 17. Unnecessary comma(s) with a restrictive elementA restrictive element restricts the meaning of the nouns they follow. Because they are essential to the meaning of the sentence, they are not set off with commas. People, who wanted to preserve wilderness areas, opposed the plan to privatize national parks. People who wanted to preserve wilderness areas opposed the plan to privatize national parks. The reader needs the clause who wanted to preserve wilderness areas because it announces which people opposed the plan. The clause should not be set off with commas.
24 18. Fused sentence A fused sentence (also called a run-on sentence) is created when clauses that could stand alone as a sentence are joined with no punctuation or words to link them. Fused sentences must be either divided into separate sentences or joined by adding words or punctuation. The current was swift he could not swim to shore. Corrected: The current was swift. He could not swim to shore. Important
25 19. Misplaced or dangling modifierEvery modifier (whether a word, phrase, or clause) should be as close as possible to the word it describes or relates to. Misplaced modifiers may confuse your readers by seeming to modify some other element in the sentence. Misplaced: The hikers could see the eagles swooping and diving with binoculars. Who was wearing the binoculars - the eagles or the hikers?
26 19. Misplaced or dangling modifier (cont.)A dangling modifier hangs precariously from the beginning or end of a sentence, attached to no other part of the sentence. The element that the phrase modifies may exist in your mind but not in your draft. Each modifier must refer to some other element in the sentence. Dangling: Looking down the sandy beach, people are tanning themselves. Looking down the sandy beach, we see that people are tanning themselves.
27 20. Its/It's confusion Use its to mean belonging to it. Use it's only when you mean it is or it has. The car is lying on it’s side in the ditch. Its a white 2009 Passat. The car is lying on its side in the ditch. It’s a white 2009 Passat.
28 Bibliography Howard, Rebecca, and Nancy Sommers. A Writer's Reference. 7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, Print. Howard, Rebecca. Writing Matters. 1st ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, Print.
29 Future Workshops March 3 – Concise Writing/Avoiding Jargon/Active vs. Passive Voice April 7 – Editing and Proofreading Strategies