Common Errors: Dangling Modifiers Parallelism Subject-Verb Agreement

1
Common Errors Dangling Modifiers Parallelism
Subject-Verb Agreement

• Presented by Melanie Chen

2
Dangling Modifiers Whats wrong with the
sentences below?

• Faced with rising competition
• worldwide, the aspect of marketing gradually
  takes its advantage. (X)
• 2. To make a really good peanut-butter-
• and-jelly sandwich, each ingredient must be
  chosen carefully. (X)

3
Correction

• Faced with rising competition
• worldwide, the aspect of marketing gradually
  takes its advantage. (X)
• -- Faced with rising competition worldwide, we
  all know that the aspect of marketing gradually
  takes its advantage. (O)

4
Correction

• 2. To make a really good peanut-butter-and-jelly
  sandwich, each ingredient must be chosen
  carefully. (X)
• -- To make a really good peanut-butter-and-jelly
  sandwich, we must choose each ingredient
  carefully. (O)

5
Parallelism Whats wrong with the sentences
below?

• 3. I was interested and astounded by the story of
  his latest adventure. (X)
• 4. I neither know what kind of coffee he likes
  nor where one might buy it. (X)

6
Correction

• 3. I was interested and astounded by the story of
  his latest adventure. (X)

-- I was interested in and astounded by the story
of his latest adventure. (O)
7
Correction

• 4. I neither know what kind of coffee he likes
  nor where one might buy it. (X)
• -- I know neither what kind of coffee he likes
  nor where one might buy it. (O)

8
Subject-Verb AgreementWhats wrong with the
sentences below?

• 5. The criteria for the position of managing
  editor was discussed at last nights staff
  meeting. (X)
• 6. Either Joe or my father have my ticket to the
  game tucked safely in some pocket or other. (X)

9
Correction

• 5. The criteria for the position of managing
  editor was discussed at last nights staff
  meeting. (X)
• -- The criteria for the position of managing
  editor were discussed at last nights staff
  meeting. (O)
• criteria? plural
• criterion? singular

10
Correction

• 6. Either Joe or my father have my ticket to the
  game tucked safely in some pocket or other. (X)
• -- Either Joe or my father has my ticket to the
  game tucked safely in some pocket or other. (O)

11
Correction

• 7. The Eiffel Tower used to be the highest tower
  ever built, but now it is not that high as the
  Tokyo Tower. (X)
• -- The Eiffel Tower used to be the highest
  tower ever built, but now it is not as high as
  the Tokyo Tower. (O)

12
Correction

• 8. Like other mammals, marsupials vary
  considerably in shape, height, weigh, and way of
  movement. (X)
• -- Like other mammals, marsupials vary
  considerably in shape, height, weight, and way of
  movement. (O)

13
Correction

• 9. Grandmother was melancholy all day
• long after the traffic accident was
• happened on her fiftieth wedding
• anniversary. (X)
• Grandmother was melancholy all day
• long after the traffic accident
• happened on her fiftieth wedding
• anniversary. (O)

14
Correction

• 10. He used to persuade me to study hard. His
  words sounded like my father. (X)
• -- He used to persuade me to study hard.
  His words sounded like my fathers. (O)