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COMMON ERRORS. The Basics. What is a complete sentence? A complete sentence has three components: a subject (the actor in the sentence) a predicate (the verb or action), and a complete thought (it can stand alone and make sense—it's independent ). For example:
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The Basics What is a complete sentence? A complete sentence has three components: • a subject (the actor in the sentence) • a predicate (the verb or action), and • a complete thought (it can stand alone and make sense—it's independent). Forexample: • John waited for the bus all morning. • John waited for the bus all morning in the rain last Tuesday. • Wishing he'd brought his umbrella, John waited for the bus all morning in the rain last Tuesday. • Wishing he'd brought his umbrella and dreaming of his nice warm bed, John waited for the bus all morning in the rain last Tuesday because his car was in the shop.
Sentence Fragments • The fragments are dependent clauses -they have a subject and a verb - they look like complete sentences, but they don't express a complete thought. • For example: 1 Because his car was in the shop. (What did he do?) 2 After the rain stops. (What then?) 3 When you finally take the test. (What will happen?) 4 Since you asked. (Will you get the answer?) 5 If you want to go with me. (What should you do?)
Because his car was in the shop, John took the bus. • John took the bus because his car was in the shop.
John took the bus. (independent clause) Because his car was • in the shop. (Dependent clause all by itself. Uh oh! Fragment!) • John took the bus because his car was in the shop. (Hooray! It's • fixed!) How do you find and fix your fragments? • Remember the basics: subject, verb, and complete thought.
You try! 1. Despite the common commodities such as rice, flour and sugar. 2. There are around 1.3 billion people staying in China and if 30% of them have their own cars. 3. Spending hours every day after school and even on weekends. 4. Some of the students working in Professor Espinoza's laboratory last semester.
Run-ons • Fused sentences • This happens when two complete sentences (a subject and its predicate and another subject and its predicate) are put together in one sentence without separating them properly. • For example: My favourite movies is 3 idiots it is very inspiring.
How to correct the run-on sentence? • You could use a semicolon: My favourite movies is 3 idiots ; it is very inspiring. • You could use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so): My favourite movies is 3 idiots, for it is very inspiring. – OR- My favourite movies is 3 idiots, it is very inspiring.
You could use a subordinating conjunction: My favourite movies is 3 idiots because it is very inspiring. -OR- Because it is so inspiring, My favourite movies is 3 idiots. • You could make it into two separate sentences with a period in between: My favourite movies is 3 idiots. it is very inspiring.
You could use an em-dash (a long dash) for emphasis: My favourite movies is 3 idiots -- it is very inspiring.
You try! • Judy leads a charmed life she never seems to have a serious accident. • The airport is about to shut down because of the snow and if the plane doesn't land soon it will have to go on to Boston. • The show begins at 7:30 make sure you're there before 7:15. • Marcello always knew his way around the woods this is something he could always depend on.
Parallelism • Using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. • This can happen at the word, phrase, or clause level. 1. Do not mix forms. Not parallel: Mary likes hiking, swimming, and to ride a bicycle. The production manager was asked to write his report quickly, accurately, and in a detailed manner. The teacher said that he was a poor student because he waited until the last minute to study for the exam, completed his lab problems in a careless manner, and his motivation was low.
Parallel: • Mary likes hiking, swimming, and riding a bicycle. • The production manager was asked to write his report quickly, accurately, and thoroughly. • The teacher said that he was a poor student because he waited until the last minute to study for the exam, completed his lab problems in a careless manner, and lacked motivation.
2. A parallel structure that begins with clauses must keep on with clauses. Not parallel: The coach told the players that they should geta lot of sleep, that they should not eat too much, and to do some warm-up exercises before the game. The salesman expected that he would present his product at the meeting, that there would be time for him to show his slide presentation, and that questions would be asked by prospective buyers. (passive)
Parallel: • The coach told the players that theyshould get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too much, and that they should do some warm-up exercises before the game. — OR — • The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, not eat too much, and do some warm-up exercises before the game.
3. Be sure to keep all the elements in a list in the same form. Not Parallel: The dictionary can be used for these purposes: to find word meanings, pronunciations, correct spellings, and looking up irregular verbs. Parallel: • The dictionary can be used for these purposes: to find word meanings, pronunciations, correct spellings, and irregular verbs.
You try! • In English class, Tisha learned to read poems and she critically appreciated good prose. • He wanted three things out of college: to learn a skill, to make good friends, and learning about life. • Working on tall bridges requires tremendous balance, amazing agility, and will create an eventual lack of fear. • I have been to Paris and saw the Eiffel Tower. • Is she coming to the party or go to a movie? • Golf requires hand-eye coordination, flexibility, and to be able to concentrate.
Subject-verb agreement • The basic rule states that a singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb. • Rule 1. Two singular subjects connected by or or nor require a singular verb. Example:My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.
Rule 2. Two singular subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor require a singular verb as in Rule 1. Examples:Neither Juan nor Carmenis available.Either Kiana or Caseyis helping today with stage decorations.
Rule 3. When I is one of the two subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor, put it second and follow it with the singular verb am. Example:Neither she nor I am going to the festival.
Rule 4. When a singular subject is connected by or or nor to a plural subject, put the plural subject last and use a plural verb. Example:The serving bowl or the platesgo on that shelf.
Rule 5. When a singular and plural subject are connected by either/or or neither/nor, put the plural subject last and use a plural verb. Example:Neither Jenny nor the othersare available.
Rule 6. As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are connected by and. Example:A car and a bike are my means of transportation.
Rule 7. Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by words such as along with, as well as, besides, or not. Ignore these expressions when determining whether to use a singular or plural verb. Examples: The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly. Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.
Rule 8. The pronouns each, everyone, every one, everybody, anyone, anybody, someone, and somebody are singular and require singular verbs. Do not be misled by what follows of. Examples: Each of the girls sings well. Every one of the cakes is gone. NOTE: Everyone is one word when it means everybody. Every one is two words when the meaning is each one.
Rule 9. With words that indicate portions—percent, fraction, part, majority, some, all, none, remainder, and so forth —look at the noun in your phrase (object of the preposition) to determine whether to use a singular or plural verb. If the object of the preposition is singular, use a singular verb. If the object of the preposition is plural, use a plural verb. Examples: • Fifty percent of the piehas disappeared. Pie is the object of the preposition of. • Fifty percent of the pieshave disappeared.Pies is the object of the preposition. • One-third of the cityis unemployed. • One-third of the peopleare unemployed.
All of the pieis gone. • All of the piesare gone. • Some of the pieis missing. • Some of the piesare missing. • None of the garbagewas picked up. • None of the sentenceswere punctuated correctly. • Of all her books, nonehave sold as well as the first one.
Rule 10. The expression the number is followed by a singular verb while the expression a numberis followed by a plural verb. Examples: The number of people we need to hire is thirteen. A number of people have written in about this subject.
Rule 11. When either and neither are subjects, they always take singular verbs. Examples: Neither of them is available to speak right now. Either of us is capable of doing the job.
Rule 12. The words here and there have generally been labelled as adverbs even though they indicate place. In sentences beginning with here or there, the subject follows the verb. Examples: There are four hurdles to jump. There is a high hurdle to jump.
Rule 13. Use a singular verb with sums of money or periods of time. Examples: Ten dollars is a high price to pay. Five yearsis the maximum sentence for that offense.
Rule 14. Sometimes the pronoun who, that, or which is the subject of a verb in the middle of the sentence. The pronouns who, that, and which become singular or plural according to the noun directly in front of them. So, if that noun is singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use a plural verb. Examples: Salma is the scientist who writes/write the reports. He is one of the men who does/do the work.The word in front of who is men, which is plural. Therefore, use the plural verb do.
Rule 15. Collective nouns such as team and staff may be either singular or plural depending on their use in the sentence. Examples: The staff is in a meeting. (Staff is acting as a unit here.) The staff are in disagreement about the findings.(The staff are acting as separate individuals in this example.) The sentence would read even better as:The staff members are in disagreement about the findings.
