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Unit 6
Reviewing the Basics
Chapter 25
Proofreading to Correct
Your Personal Error
Patterns
The important last step in the writing process is proofreading: slowly reading your revised paragraph or essay in order to find and correct any errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Proofreading your own work before turning it in is vitally important because grammatical and other mistakes not only distract readers, but give a negative impression of your skills and even intelligence. The more mistakes you tend to make, the more important proofreading is for you.
3
Identifying and Tracking Your Personal Error Patterns
An error pattern is any error you make two, three, or more times. Four ways to discover your error patterns: Papers: Study recently returned papers, make sure you understand the errors that have been marked. Count the number of times each mistake appears. Instructor: Ask your instructor to identify your error patterns, and to note which three are the most serious. Textbook: As you work through this book, notice chapter or practices where you keep making mistakes or writing incorrect answers. Writing Lab: Go to the writing lab with a paper you recently wrote. As a tutor to identify the kinds of errors you make, and to note which three are the most serious. 4
Proofreading Strategies
Many writers have found that the proofreading strategies below help them see their own writing with a fresh eye. Try a number of methods and see which ones work best for you:
Allow enough time to proofread.
Work from a paper copy.
Read your words aloud.
Read “bottom’s up” from the end to the beginning.
Isolate your sentences.
Check for one error at a time.
5
EXPLORING ONLINE
http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Proofreading.html
Excellent proofreading advice from the University of
Wisconsin OWL
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/561/01
Proofreading tips from the Purdue University OWL, plus
advice on correcting common errors made by college
students
6
Chapter 26
The Simple Sentence
8
Every sentence must contain two basic
elements: a subject and a verb.
A subject is the who or what word that performs
the action or the who or what word about which
a statement is made.
Some sentences have more than one subject,
joined by and.
Sometimes an -ing word can be the subject of a
sentence.
Defining and Spotting Subjects
9
One group of words that may confuse you as you look for
subjects is the prepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase
contains a preposition (a word like at, in, of, from) and its
object.
The object of a preposition cannot be the subject of a
sentence. Therefore, spotting and crossing out prepositional
phrases will help you find the subject.
Common Prepositions
about before in through
above behind into to
across between like toward
after by near under
along during of until
among for on up
at from over with
Spotting Prepositional Phrases
10
Action Verbs
In order to be complete, every sentence must
contain a verb. One kind of verb, called an
action verb, expresses the action that the
subject is performing:
The star quarterback fumbled.
The carpenters worked all day, but the
bricklayers went home early.
Defining and Spotting Verbs
11
Linking Verbs
Another kind of verb, called a linking verb, links the subject
to words that describe or identify it:
Don is a fine mathematician.
This fabric feels rough and scratchy.
Common Linking Verbs
appear
be (am, is, are, was, were, has been, have been, had been)
become
feel
look
seem
Defining and Spotting Verbs
12
Many verbs consist of more than one word:
He should have taken the train home.
Are Tanya and Joe practicing the piano?
The lounge was painted last week.
Verbs of More Than One Word—Helping Verbs
13
EXPLORING ONLINE http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/subject
or/htm
Interactive subject quiz
http://www.dailygrammar.com/archive.html
Click “Lessons 6-10” (Verbs) and “Lessons 11-15” (Verbs)
for a verb review.
http://a4esl.org/a/g3.html
Interactive preposition quizzes: scroll down to
“prepositions.”
Chapter 27
Coordination and Subordination
15
A clause is a group of words that includes a subject and a verb.
If a clause can stand alone as a complete idea, it is an
independent clause and can be written as a simple sentence.
Here are two independent clauses written as simple sentences:
The dog barked all night.
The neighbors didn’t complain.
You can join two clauses together by placing a comma and a
coordinating conjunction between them:
The dog barked all night, but the neighbors didn’t complain.
Let’s go to the beach today, for it is too hot to do anything else.
Coordination
16
The coordinating conjunctions but and for join
together two clauses.
Note that the clause on each side of the
coordinating conjunction can stand alone as a
complete sentence.
A comma precedes each coordinating
conjunction.
Coordinating Conjunctions
and for or yet
but nor so
Coordinating Conjunctions
17
Two clauses can also be joined with a subordinating
conjunction. The clause following a subordinating
conjunction is called a subordinate or dependent clause
because it depends on an independent clause to complete
its meaning:
We will light the candles when Flora arrives.
When Flora arrives, we will light the candles.
(When Flora arrives is a subordinate or dependent
clause introduced by the subordinating conjunction
when. By itself, when Flora arrives is incomplete; it
depends on the independent clause to complete its
meaning.)
Subordination
18
Subordinating Conjunctions
after if unless
although if only until
as in order that when
as if once whenever
as though provided that where
because rather than whereas
before since wherever
even if so that whether
even though though while
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You can join two independent clauses by placing a semicolon
between them. The semicolon takes the place of a conjunction:
She hopes to receive good grades this semester; her scholarship
depends on her maintaining a 3.5 average.
Tony is a careless driver; he has had three minor accidents this
year alone.
(Each of the sentences above could also be made into two
separate sentences by replacing the semicolon with a period.
Note that the first word after a semicolon is not capitalized
(unless, of course, it is a word that is normally capitalized.)
Semicolons
20
Most transitional expressions (such as however, for
example, and therefore) are conjunctive adverbs.
A conjunctive adverb placed after a semicolon can help
clarify the relationship between two clauses:
I like the sound of that stereo; however, the price is too high.
They have not seen that film; moreover, they have not been
to a theater for three years.
(Note that a comma follows the conjunctive adverb.)
Conjunctive Adverbs
21
Addition: also, besides, furthermore, in addition,
moreover
Comparison: likewise, similarly
Contrast: however, nevertheless, on the contrary, on
the other hand
Example: for example, for instance
Emphasis: indeed, in fact, of course
Result: consequently, therefore, thus
Conjunctive Adverbs or Transitional Expressions
22
Sentence Pattern Review Chart–Coordination
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Sentence Pattern Review Chart–Subordination
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EXPLORING ONLINE
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/qu
izzes/nova/nova1.htm
Interactive coordination quiz
http://depts.dyc.edu/learningcenter/owl/exerci
ses/conjunctions_ex2.htm
Exercises in subordination, with answers
Chapter 28
Avoiding Sentence Errors
26
A run-on sentence incorrectly runs together two
independent clauses without a conjunction or
punctuation.
This error confuses the reader, who cannot tell
where one thought stops and the next begins:
My neighbor Mr. Hoffman is seventy-five years
old he plays tennis every Saturday afternoon.
Avoiding Run-Ons
27
A comma splice incorrectly joins two
independent clauses with a comma but no
conjunction:
My neighbor Mr. Hoffman is seventy-five years
old, he plays tennis every Saturday afternoon.
Avoiding Comma Splices
28
The run-on and the comma splice can be corrected
in five ways:
1. Use two separate sentences.
My neighbor Mr. Hoffman is seventy-five years old.
He plays tennis every Saturday afternoon.
2. Use a coordinating conjunction.
My neighbor Mr. Hoffman is seventy-five years old,
but he plays tennis every Saturday afternoon.
29
3. Use a subordinating conjunction.
Although my neighbor Mr. Hoffman is seventy-five years
old, he plays tennis every Saturday afternoon.
4. Use a semicolon.
My neighbor Mr. Hoffman is seventy-five years old; he
plays tennis every Saturday afternoon.
5. Use a semicolon and a conjunctive adverb.
My neighbor Mr. Hoffman is seventy-five years old;
however, he plays tennis every Saturday afternoon.
30
A sentence fragment is incomplete.
It lacks a subject, a verb, or both—or it does
not stand alone as a complete idea.
Avoiding Fragments
31
Six common sentence fragments:
Dependent Clause Fragments
A dependent clause fragment often starts with a
subordinating conjunction like although, because, if,
and when.
Relative Clause Fragments
A dependent clause fragment can also start with
who, whose, which, or that.
-ing Fragments
An -ing fragment starts with an -ing verb form.
32
Six common sentence fragments (continued):
Prepositional Phrase Fragments
Appositive Phrase Fragments
Infinitive Phrase Fragments
Watch out for fragments beginning with a subordinating
conjunction; who, which, or that; or an -ing verb form. These
groups of words cannot stand alone, but must be combined
with another sentence or changed into a complete
sentence.
Watch out for phrase fragments. A prepositional phrase,
appositive phrase, or infinitive cannot stand alone, but must
be combined with another sentence or changed into a
complete sentence.
33
Review Chart: Correcting Sentence Fragments Type of Fragment F Fragment
C Corrected
1. Dependent clause F After Jake moved to Colorado.
C After Jake moved to Colorado, he learned to ski.
2. Relative clause F Who loves computer games.
C My niece, who loves computer games, repairs
my computer.
3. -ing modifier F Surfing the Web.
C Surfing the Web, we visited European art museum
sites.
4. Prepositional phrase F Inside the cave.
C They found mastodon bones inside the cave.
5. Appositive F A slow student.
C Einstein, a slow student, proved to be a genius.
6. Infinitive F To go dancing tonight.
C She wants to go dancing tonight.
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EXPLORING ONLINE
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/cgi-
shl/quiz/pl/run-ons_add’l.htm
Review and quizzes to help you root out run-ons
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quizz
es/fragment_fixing.htm
Great tips and quizzes to help you find and fix
sentence fragments
Chapter 29
Present Tense (Agreement)
36
Subjects and verbs in the present tense must
agree in number; that is, singular subjects
take verbs with singular endings, and plural
subjects take verbs with plural endings.
Defining Subject-Verb Agreement
37
Three Troublesome Verbs in the Present Tense: To Be, To
Have, To Do
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© C
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Each of these constructions takes a singular verb:
either (of) . . . each (of) . . . every one (of) . . .
neither (of) . . . one (of) . . . which one (of) . . .
Special Singular Constructions
41
Sometimes a phrase or a clause separates the subject from the
verb. First, look for the subject; then make sure that the verb
agrees with the subject.
1. The economist’s ideas on this matter seem well thought out.
2. Radios that were made in the 1930s are now collectors’ items.
In sentence 1, the ideas are well thought out. The prepositional
phrase on this matter separates the subject ideas from the verb
seem.
In sentence 2, radios are now collectors’ items. The relative
clause that were made in the 1930s separates the subject radios
from the verb are.
Separation of Subject and Verb
42
In sentences that begin with there or here, the
subject usually follows the verb:
1.There seem to be two flies in my soup.
2.Here is my prediction for the coming year.
In sentence 1, the plural subject flies takes the
plural verb seem.
In sentence 2, the singular subject prediction takes
the singular verb is.
Sentences Beginning with There and Here
43
In questions, the subject usually follows the verb:
1. What is the secret of your success?
2. Where are the copies of the review?
In sentence 1, the subject secret takes the singular verb is.
In sentence 2, the subject copies takes the plural verb are.
Agreement in Questions
44
A relative clause is a subordinate clause that begins with
who, which, or that. The verb in the relative clause must
agree with the antecedent of the who, which, or that.
1. People who have a good sense of humor make good
neighbors.
2. Be careful of a scheme that promises you a lot of money
fast.
In sentence 1, the antecedent of who is people. People
should take the plural verb have.
In sentence 2, the antecedent of that is scheme. Scheme
takes the singular verb promises.
Agreement in Relative Clauses
45
EXPLORING ONLINE
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/sv_agr.htm
Review the rules of subject-verb agreement; then scroll
to the bottom for three interactive quizzes.
http://a4esl.org/q/h/vm/svagr.html
Take this verb quiz and get instant feedback on your
answers.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/cgi-
shl/quiz.pl/agreement_add2.htm
Test your verb skills with this more difficult quiz.