Grammar Tips

Grammar Tips

What’s wrong with this passage?

Grandma got run over by a reindeer wearing pink pajamas, as a result, she don’t walk around with carrots in her pocket anymore. Or sugar cubes either.

If you could identify the preceding passage as containing a run–on sentence, a sentence fragment, a subject-verb agreement error, and a modifier error, A+ for you. If you couldn’t, read on.

The following tips should provide you not only with a brief overview of common grammatical errors but also with a few suggestions for ways to correct them.

RUN-ON SENTENCES

A run-on sentence occurs when two complete sentences "run together" with improper or no punctuation. The most common run-on errors occur when two complete sentences are (a) joined by a conjunction (joiner word) and no punctuation or (b) joined by a comma with no conjunction.

INCORRECT	I went shopping on Friday night but I could not decide what to buy.
INCORRECT	I went shopping on Friday night, I could not decide what to buy.
CORRECT	I went shopping on Friday night, but I could not decide what to buy

The word "but" is called a co-ordinate conjunction.
Co-ordinate conjunctions require a comma when they are used to join two sentences.
Co-ordinate conjunctions include the following: for, and, nor, but, or , yet, so.
Remember the word FANBOYS to help you remember all seven co-ordinate conjunctions. (F=for, A=and, and so on)

INCORRECT	I went shopping on Friday night however I could not decide what to buy.
INCORRECT	I went shopping on Friday night, however, I could not decide what to buy.
CORRECT	I went shopping on Friday night; however, I could not decide what to buy.

The word "however" is called an adverbial conjunction.
Adverbial conjunctions require a semi-colon before them and a comma after them when they are used to join two sentences.
Other common adverbial conjunctions include the following: therefore, nevertheless, consequently, as a result, furthermore, in addition.

INCORRECT	I went shopping on Friday night, I could not decide what to buy.
CORRECT	I went shopping on Friday night; I could not decide what to buy.
CORRECT	I went shopping on Friday night. I could not decide what to buy.

A complete stop is required between independent clauses (complete sentences). However, a comma is simply a grammatical "pause."
Instead of the comma, use a semicolon or form two sentences using a period.

SENTENCE FRAGMENTS

A sentence is a complete thought. A sentence fragment occurs when an idea is missing one of the key components needed to make it complete (i.e., a subject, a verb, or a complete idea).

To correct a sentence fragment, simply add the missing component or combine the fragment with the sentence which precedes or follows it.

MISSING SUBJECT	Joshua caught a fish. But let it go.
CORRECT	Joshua caught a fish, but he let it go.
MISSING SUBJECT & VERB	Joshua loves to go fishing. Especially with his grandfather.
CORRECT	Joshua loves to go fishing, especially with his grandfather.
MISSING COMPLETE IDEA	I bought Joshua some worms. Since he loves to go fishing.
CORRECT	I bought Joshua some worms since he loves to go fishing.

MODIFIERS

A modifier is a word or group of words that limits (qualifies, describes) another word or group of words. A modifier must always appear next to the word it is intended to modify. Otherwise, your modifier is said to be dangling or misplaced.

DANGLING MODIFIER Sitting on the dock, the sunset was spectacular to watch.

Was the sunset sitting on the dock? Correct this type of modifier error by adding an appropriate subject (someone who was sitting on the dock).

CORRECT Sitting on the dock, we watched the spectacular sunset.

MISPLACED MODIFIER Stephen opened his birthday presents, laughing with excitement.

Were the presents laughing? Correct this type of error by moving the modifier so that it appears beside the appropriate word.

CORRECT Laughing with excitement, Stephen opened his birthday presents.

**Pay special attention to the modifiers "nearly", "almost" and "only". They, too, must appear next to the word that they are intended to modify.

INCORRECT Joe nearly passed the test with 100%. (means he did not pass)

CORRECT Only Joe was accused of theft. (no one else)

CORRECT Joe was only accused of theft. (accused but not convicted)

CORRECT Joe was accused of theft only. (nothing else)

NOTE: Each of the last three examples above is correct. The placement of the word "only" merely changes the meaning.

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

The subject of your sentence must always agree with the verb in number. If the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural. Use the following steps to ensure that your subject and verb agree in number.

    1. Find the subject of the sentence (who or what the sentence is about).
    2. Determine whether the subject is singular or plural by referring to the
        following chart.

SINGULAR PLURAL

any singular noun any plural noun

units of time, distance, and money words joined by "and"

indefinite pronouns such as each, every, either, neither, one, anyone, no one, someone, everyone, anybody, nobody, everything, somebody, everybody, anything, nothing indefinite pronouns such as several, many, both

the number a number

   3. If the subject is singular, the verb will end with an "s".

        For example: Each student (was, has, is, does, goes, ...)

        Several of the students (were, have, are, do, go, ...)

NOTE: Watch for these common pitfalls.

The indefinite pronouns "all" and "most" can be singular or plural depending on the phrase that follows the pronoun.

                All of the pie was eaten.
                All of the students were absent.

If the subject of the sentence is a fraction, look at the phrase that follows the fraction to determine whether the verb should be singular or plural.

                Half of the chocolate egg was eaten.
                Half of the chocolate eggs were eaten.

If the correlatives "either... or"/"neither... nor" are present in the sentence, the verb must agree with the subject closest to it.

                Either Rick or his teammates drive to the arena.
                Either Rick's teammates or he drives to the arena.

Group nouns such as team, class, committee, and jury are considered singular when they are acting as one unit and plural if the members are acting as individuals.

                The team celebrates its victory after every game.
                The team argue over where to celebrate after each victory.
                The committee was formed to organize the fund raiser.
                The committee were voting on which new members to accept.

The pronoun "you" requires a plural verb whether it is referring to one person or a group of people.

                You were the first one I thought to call.
                Do all of you have your tickets with you?

Let's return to our original passage. You should now be able to correct the errors so that the passage reads as follows:

Wearing her pink pajamas, Grandma got run over by a reindeer; as a result, she doesn't walk around with carrots in her pocket anymore. She doesn't carry cubes with her either.

Click here to return to the Writing Corner.

DANGLING MODIFIER	Sitting on the dock, the sunset was spectacular to watch.
Was the sunset sitting on the dock? Correct this type of modifier error by adding an appropriate subject (someone who was sitting on the dock).
CORRECT	Sitting on the dock, we watched the spectacular sunset.
MISPLACED MODIFIER	Stephen opened his birthday presents, laughing with excitement.
Were the presents laughing? Correct this type of error by moving the modifier so that it appears beside the appropriate word.
CORRECT	Laughing with excitement, Stephen opened his birthday presents.
**Pay special attention to the modifiers "nearly", "almost" and "only". They, too, must appear next to the word that they are intended to modify.
INCORRECT	Joe nearly passed the test with 100%. (means he did not pass)
CORRECT	Only Joe was accused of theft. (no one else)
CORRECT	Joe was only accused of theft. (accused but not convicted)
CORRECT	Joe was accused of theft only. (nothing else)
NOTE: Each of the last three examples above is correct. The placement of the word "only" merely changes the meaning.

SINGULAR	PLURAL
any singular noun	any plural noun
units of time, distance, and money	words joined by "and"
indefinite pronouns such as each, every, either, neither, one, anyone, no one, someone, everyone, anybody, nobody, everything, somebody, everybody, anything, nothing	indefinite pronouns such as several, many, both
the number	a number