Grammar Mistakes Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors

Grammar Mistakes

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #1: Homophones

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #1: Homophones • Homophones are words that sound alike, but that have different spellings and meanings. Here are some of the more frequently confused homophones:

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #1: Homophones • Homophones are words that sound alike, but that have different spellings and meanings. Here are some of the more frequently confused homophones: accept / except • As a business manager, it is important to accept responsibility for employees you oversee. • All of the rooms have wireless access, except the storeroom.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors affect / effect • That book will definitely affect the way you think about this issue. • That class had a dramatic effect on my GPA.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors affect / effect • That book will definitely affect the way you think about this issue. • That class had a dramatic effect on my GPA. all ready / already • We are all ready for the exam to begin. • I can’t believe it is already time for the mid-term. .

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors affect / effect • That book will definitely affect the way you think about this issue. • That class had a dramatic effect on my GPA. all ready / already • We are all ready for the exam to begin. • I can’t believe it is already time for the mid-term. every day / everyday • I sit at the same desk every day. • Stopping at Starbucks is an everyday ritual for me.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors its / it’s • The dog held the chew toy firmly between its paws. • Whenever I start a new class, I know it’s an opportunity to improve myself.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors its / it’s • The dog held the chew toy firmly between its paws. • Whenever I start a new class, I know it’s an opportunity to improve myself. there / their / they’re • I left my cell phone over there. • I went over to their apartment for a study session. • They’re planning on widening the road just before it starts up the hill.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors to / too / two • Yesterday afternoon, I went to the dentist. • This restaurant is too crowded. • There are only two things I am concerned about.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #2: Sentence Fragments

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #2: Sentence Fragments • Sentence fragments are groups of words that are set off and punctuated as sentences, but are lacking a subject, a verb, or both. Most sentence fragments are simply dependent clauses that need to be joined to an independent clause.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #2: Sentence Fragments • Sentence fragments are groups of words that are set off and punctuated as sentences, but are lacking a subject, a verb, or both. Most sentence fragments are simply dependent clauses that need to be joined to an independent clause. Fragment • After waiting for the bus all morning.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #2: Sentence Fragments • Sentence fragments are groups of words that are set off and punctuated as sentences, but are lacking a subject, a verb, or both. Most sentence fragments are simply dependent clauses that need to be joined to an independent clause. Fragment • After waiting for the bus all morning. Complete Sentence • After waiting for the bus all morning, John grew impatient and hailed a taxi.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #3: Awkward Phrases or Sentences

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #3: Awkward Phrases or Sentences • While awkward phrases and sentences are not always caused by grammatical errors, I did want to highlight them as a recurring problem in student writing.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #3: Awkward Phrases or Sentences • While awkward phrases and sentences are not always caused by grammatical errors, I did want to highlight them as a recurring problem in student writing. • The most common causes of awkward sentences are wordiness, placement of modifiers, and syntax (word order).

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #3: Awkward Phrases or Sentences • While awkward phrases and sentences are not always caused by grammatical errors, I did want to highlight them as a recurring problem in student writing. • The most common causes of awkward sentences are wordiness, placement of modifiers, and syntax (word order). Awkward • Based on the fact that the author is pessimistic and feels life is not worth it, he is forgetting about his loved ones whom he said he did not want to hurt.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Better • The author's basic pessimism causes him to forget the very loved ones he said he didn't want to hurt.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #4: Run-On Sentences

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #4: Run-On Sentences • A run-on is a sentence made up of two independent clauses that are not separated by a semicolon or by a comma and a coordinating conjunction.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #4: Run-On Sentences • A run-on is a sentence made up of two independent clauses that are not separated by a semicolon or by a comma and a coordinating conjunction. Run-On • John studied late for the exam he felt prepared when class started.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #4: Run-On Sentences • A run-on is a sentence made up of two independent clauses that are not separated by a semicolon or by a comma and a coordinating conjunction. Run-On • John studied late for the exam he felt prepared when class started. Correct • John studied late for the exam, and he felt prepared when class started.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #5: Comma Splices

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #5: Comma Splices • A comma splice is a sentence made up of two independent clauses separated only by a comma (no coordinating conjunction).

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #5: Comma Splices • A comma splice is a sentence made up of two independent clauses separated only by a comma (no coordinating conjunction). Comma Splice • Susan likes to try new words, she often consults her thesaurus.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #5: Comma Splices • A comma splice is a sentence made up of two independent clauses separated only by a comma (no coordinating conjunction). Comma Splice • Susan likes to try new words, she often consults her thesaurus. Correct • Susan likes to try new words, and she often consults her thesaurus.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #6: Subject / Verb Disagreement

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #6: Subject / Verb Disagreement • In a sentence, the subject and verb must agree in number. A singular subject must be accompanied by a singular verb, and a plural subject must be accompanied by a plural verb.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #6: Subject / Verb Disagreement • In a sentence, the subject and verb must agree in number. A singular subject must be accompanied by a singular verb, and a plural subject must be accompanied by a plural verb. Disagreement • The characters in Shakespeare’s third comedy lives in a world that has been turned upside-down.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #6: Subject / Verb Disagreement • In a sentence, the subject and verb must agree in number. A singular subject must be accompanied by a singular verb, and a plural subject must be accompanied by a plural verb. Disagreement • The characters in Shakespeare’s third comedy lives in a world that has been turned upside-down. Agreement • The characters in Shakespeare’s third comedy live in a world that has been turned upside-down.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #7: Vague Pronoun Reference

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #7: Vague Pronoun Reference • Vague pronoun reference is when you have a pronoun that could refer to multiple antecedents. (An antecedent is the word to which a pronoun refers. )

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #7: Vague Pronoun Reference • Vague pronoun reference is when you have a pronoun that could refer to multiple antecedents. (An antecedent is the word to which a pronoun refers. ) Vague Pronoun Reference • The boy and his father knew that he was in trouble.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #7: Vague Pronoun Reference • Vague pronoun reference is when you have a pronoun that could refer to multiple antecedents. (An antecedent is the word to which a pronoun refers. ) Vague Pronoun Reference • The boy and his father knew that he was in trouble. Clear Pronoun Reference • The boy and his father knew that the boy was in trouble.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #8: Pronoun / Antecedent Disagreement

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #8: Pronoun / Antecedent Disagreement • Pronouns must agree in number with their antecedents. A singular antecedent requires the use of a singular pronoun, and a plural antecedent requires the use of a plural pronoun.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #8: Pronoun / Antecedent Disagreement • Pronouns must agree in number with their antecedents. A singular antecedent requires the use of a singular pronoun, and a plural antecedent requires the use of a plural pronoun. Pronoun / Antecedent Disagreement • Everyone brought their textbook to the first day of class.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #8: Pronoun / Antecedent Disagreement • Pronouns must agree in number with their antecedents. A singular antecedent requires the use of a singular pronoun, and a plural antecedent requires the use of a plural pronoun. Pronoun / Antecedent Disagreement • Everyone brought their textbook to the first day of class. Pronoun / Antecedent Agreement • Everyone brought his textbook to the first day of class.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors • The most common form of pronoun / antecedent disagreement involves the use of singular indefinite pronouns. Another Anyone Anybody Anything Everyone Everybody Everything Nothing Each Either No One Neither Nobody One Someone Somebody Something

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #9: Modifiers

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #9: Modifiers • Modifiers are groups of words that modify (or describe) other words in a sentence. The placement of modifiers will affect the clarity and understanding of a sentence.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #9: Modifiers • Modifiers are groups of words that modify (or describe) other words in a sentence. The placement of modifiers will affect the clarity and understanding of a sentence. Misplaced Modifier • The professor wrote a paper on social networking in his office.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #9: Modifiers • Modifiers are groups of words that modify (or describe) other words in a sentence. The placement of modifiers will affect the clarity and understanding of a sentence. Misplaced Modifier • The professor wrote a paper on social networking in his office. • The placement of the modifier causes the reader to wonder whether the professor wrote the paper in his office or if the paper is about social networking in his office.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Correct • While in his office, the professor wrote a paper on social networking.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Correct • While in his office, the professor wrote a paper on social networking. Dangling Modifiers • As a young girl, my father baked bread and gardened.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Correct • While in his office, the professor wrote a paper on social networking. Dangling Modifiers • As a young girl, my father baked bread and gardened. • This sentence implies that the father was once a girl.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Correct • While in his office, the professor wrote a paper on social networking. Dangling Modifiers • As a young girl, my father baked bread and gardened. • This sentence implies that the father was once a girl. Correct • When I was a young girl, my father baked bread and gardened.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #10: Unnecessary Tense Shift

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #10: Unnecessary Tense Shift • There are three basic verb tenses used in English: past, present, and future. Only shift verb tenses if it is necessary. If you do so without good reason, the reader will find it annoying.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #10: Unnecessary Tense Shift • There are three basic verb tenses used in English: past, present, and future. Only shift verb tenses if it is necessary. If you do so without good reason, the reader will find it annoying. Unnecessary Tense Shift • Joy laughs until she cried at the stand-up routine of Jerry Seinfeld.

Avoiding the Most Common Grammatical Errors Error #10: Unnecessary Tense Shift • There are three basic verb tenses used in English: past, present, and future. Only shift verb tenses if it is necessary. If you do so without good reason, the reader will find it annoying. Unnecessary Tense Shift • Joy laughs until she cried at the stand-up routine of Jerry Seinfeld. Correct • Joy laughed until she cried at the stand-up routine of Jerry Seinfeld.