Writing Error Types and Explanations:
SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT
Verbs must agree with their subjects in number.
ex.One of the girls on the team have left her shin guards on the bus.
(incorrect: change HAVE to HAS to agree with the subject ONE.)
explanations and exercises:
PRONOUN/ANTECEDENT AGREEMENT
Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in number, person, and gender.
ex. If a person wants to lose weight, they should exercise and eat good food.
(incorrect: change THEY to HE to agree with the antecedent PERSON.)
Explanations and exercises:
PRONOUN USAGE ERROR
The choice of pronoun (either SUBJECT or OBJECT) must reflect the word’s use within the sentence. ex. We have heard many stories about you and he.
(incorrect: change the SUBJECT PRONOUN HE to the OBJECT PRONOUN HIM-- used as an object of a preposition).
Explanations and exercises:
PRONOUN REFERENCE
A pronoun must have a clear connection to its antecedent. ex. Sam needed a book from the library, but he could not find it.
(incorrect: rewrite the sentence to make clear what Sam could not find, the book or the library.)
Explanations and exercises:
DANGLING MODIFIER
A modifier must clearly and sensibly describe a word found in the sentence. ex. Coming out of the market, the bananas fell on the pavement. (incorrect: Rewrite the sentence so that something is actually coming out of the market-- this sentence has the bananas exiting the market; Coming out of the market, I dropped my bananas on the pavement.)
Explanations and exercises:
MISPLACED MODIFIER
A modifier must be placed as close as possible to the word it describes. ex. She handed out brownies to the children stored in tupperware. (incorrect: rewrite the sentence so that the brownies are what is clearly stored in tupperware.)
Explanations and exercises:
FRAGMENT
When an incomplete thought is punctuated as if it were a complete thought.
(Like the above definition is--- there needs to be an independent clause attached to this dependent clause.)
Explanations and exercises:
RUN-ON/COMMA SPLICE
Two (or more) complete thoughts/independent clauses must be joined using the proper conjunctions and/or punctuation. ex. Few cats catch their prey by outrunning them they stalk their victims patiently and silently.
(incorrect-- place a period at the end of the first independent clause, which ends after the word them.)
Explanations and exercises:
PARALLEL STRUCTURE
Sentence structure should remain consistent and balanced. ex. We found the film repulsive, offensive, and we thought it was embarrassing.
(incorrect: change the last part to the adjective EMBARRASSING).
Explanations and exercises:
ACTIVE/PASSIVE VOICEWhenever possible, active voice, rather than passive voice, should be used.
(Active voice is when the subject of a sentence DOES the action of the verb. Passive voice is when the subject RECEIVES the action of the verb.
ex.Tall buildings and mountain roads were avoided by James because he had such a fear of heights.
(incorrect:rewrite the sentence so James is the SUBJECT of the first clause-- James avoided tall buildings and mountain roads because he had such a fear of heights.)
Explanations and exercises:
WRONG WORD
Be sure to use the correct word within a sentence-- pay attention to context.
ex. I would rather go to Rome this summer then visit my irritating cousins in New Jersey.
(incorrect-- change THEN to THAN.)
Explanations and exercises:
FAULTY COMPARISONS
A faulty comparison is one that is not logical. Items that are compared must in fact be similar.
ex. The weather in Canada is colder than Mexico.
(incorrect-- weather should not be compared to a country. Instead the sentece should read: The weather in Canada is colder than the weather in Mexico.
PUNCTUATION
Apostrophes:
Commas:
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