Identifying Sentence Errors

1
Identifying Sentence Errors

• - Grammar
• SAT Prep
• Ms. Amorin

2
What does the IDENTIFYING ERRORS
Section of the SAT consist of?

• A sentence that has four words or phrases
  underlined and lettered.
• There is usually something grammatically
  incorrect with one of the underlined words or
  phrases.
• Students are to identify the error and select the
  letter answer choice of the error.
• If the sentence is correct the way it is written,
  choose E- No Error (20)

3
How is the Identifying Errors section formatted?
4
Common Grammatical Errors found in the
Identifying Errors section-----

• Sentence structure
• Subject/verb agreement
• Pronoun
• Preposition
• Misplaced Modifier
• Parallelism

5
Strategy 1

• Carefully read straight through the sentence to
  get a feel for how it sounds, what it is about,
  and if everything makes grammatical sense.
• Do not just assume that it sounds right
• Think of proper grammar!!!

6
Strategy 2

• Go down the list of common errors because it will
  most likely be one of them.
• Ask yourself, Is the verb used correct?..
• Sentence structure
• Subject/ verb agreement
• Pronoun
• Preposition
• Misplaced Modifier
• Parallelism

7
Strategy 3- Eliminating Extras

• Trim the fat
• A sentence will often contain extraneous phrases
  that can distract you from the meat of the
  sentence
• Focus on the most important part the subject and
  verb
• Read the sentence matching the subjects to the
  verbs that are underlined (likely the error),
  then tackle the other answer choices

8
Example for Eliminating Extras and Focusing on
the Subject Verb

• Math, developed over 2,000 years ago, have been a
  favorite of
• A
  B C
• teachers and school children alike for
  generations. No error
• 
  D E
• Heres how to crack it!
• Trim the fat.
• Whats the subject of the sentence? Math
  (no error with subject)
• Then look at the verb developed and have been
• Math developed .. Correct!
• Math have been. Incorrect!
• Math is singular so it needs a singular verb-
  Math has been
• Therefore, B is the answer choice

9
Subject- verb agreement

• Simple rule
• Singular subject with singular verb
• Plural subject with plural verb
• If you are given a singular subject (he, she,
  it), then your verb must be singular (is, has,
  was)
• The verb is the person or thing that is doing the
  action

10
Subject- verb agreement example

• The answers given by the commission
• A
• appears to contradict the earlier
• B C
• testimony of its members. No error
• D E
• At first glance, the sentence appears correct.
• What is the subject of the sentence? Answers (a
  plural subject)
• What is the verb of the sentence? Appears
• Answers is plural, Appears is singular
• Read as (trimming the fat)---- The answers
  appears???
• Wrong! Choice B

11
Subject- verb agreement (cont)

• Do all the nouns/ subjects agree with their
  verbs?
• Some animals, such as the hedgehog,
• A
• appear quite timid but they can become
• B C
• fierce enemies when they perceive a threat
• to their baby. No error
• D E
• Whats the subject?
• Do the verbs match? Answer D

12
Strategy 4

• Analyze the underlined words or phrases
• What part of speech are they?
• Do they correctly coincide with the rest of the
  sentence?
• Are they grammatically correct?

13
Pronoun Errors

• Object PRONOUNS
• Singular Plural
• Me Us
• You You
• Him Them
• Her Them
• It Them
• Whom Whom

14
Pronoun Errors

• Subject PRONOUNS
• Singular Plural
• I We
• You You
• He They
• She They
• It They
• Who Who

15
Pronoun Errors example

• The safety check of the new vehicle,
• A
• including an inspection of the brakes and
• B
• wheel alignment, was performed by he
• C D
• and the mechanic. No error
• E

Answer D (him)
16
Pronoun Errors example

• Even with a calculator, you must have a
• A
• basic understanding of mathematics if
• B
• one expects to solve complex problems
• C
• correctly. No error
• D E

Answer C
17
Preposition errors

• Prepositions are words that link noun, pronouns,
  and phrases to other words in a sentence.
• PREPOSITIONS that are commonly misused in
  sentences are
• about, above, across, after, against, among,
  around, at before, beside, between, beyond, with,
  by, down, during, for, from, in, out, into, to,
  through, throughout, over, like
• (Yankee Doodle song)

18
Preposition errors

• about, above, across, after, against, among,
  around, at before, beside, between, beyond, with,
  by, down, during, for, from, in, out, into, to,
  through, throughout, over, like
• I saw a good film in TV.
• Dan was present in the wedding.
• They arrived to Paris without any issues.
• I went to Barcelona for visit a client.
• I always gain weight at Christmas.

19
Preposition error example

• After seeing Andy fall into the crocodile pit,
• A B
• his girlfriend admitted that she was
• C
  
• worried for him. No error
• D E
• Answer D

20
Preposition example

• Mary was excited for Paul who completed
• A B
• his goal of swimming across the English
• C D
• Channel last spring. No error
• E
• Answer E

21
Misplaced Modifiers

• A modifier is a descriptive word or phrase
  inserted in a sentence to add height to the thing
  it modifies.
• Ex.) Because she was a talented poet, April could
  write great music.
• Because she was a talented poet is modifying a
  phrase in the sentence
• It describes a characteristic of April

22
Misplaced Modifiers errors

• Ex.) Every time he goes to the bathroom outside,
  John praises his new puppy for being good.
• Whos going to the bathroom outside?
• Its John?!?!?
• Noooo!! Its supposed to be the puppy!!!
• The descriptive phrase every time he goes outside
  needs to be near puppy for the sentence to say
  what it means.
• Note Be careful with sentences that begin with a
  descriptive phrase followed by a comma. Make sure
  what comes after the comma is the person or thing
  being modified.
• Correct sentence Every time he goes outside, the
  puppy is praised by John for being good.

23
Misplaced Modifiers example

• As one of the most delicious
• A
• Italian restaurants in town, the
• B
• eggplant rollatini at Lorenzos
• C D
• is highly recommended. No error
• E
• Answer C

24
Parallelism

• In grammar, parallelism is a balance of two or
  more similar words, phrases, or clauses.
• The application of parallelism in sentence
  construction can sometimes improve writing style,
  clearness, and readability.
• Basically, the wording of the sentence "flows"
  logically
• Fix to make the sentence parallel!
• Ex.) For homework, the teacher assigned ten
  multiple choice questions, one short essay, and
  students were to complete a crossword puzzle.

25
Parallelism

• Ex.) Not parallel- The new restaurant has fresh
  food, reasonable prices, and service that is
  fast.
• Parallel- The new restaurant has fresh food,
  reasonable prices, and fast service.
• Not parallel- The children were arguing in the
  lobby, talked during the movie, and complained on
  the ride home.
• Parallel- The children argued in the lobby,
  talked during the movie, and complained on the
  ride home.
• Not parallel- Every morning, I have to feed the
  dog and bringing in the mail.
• Parallel- Every morning, I have to feed the dog
  and bring in the mail.

26
Parallelism- Correct these sentences to make them
parallel.

• Our neighbors spend a lot of time shopping,
  visiting friends, and they go to the movies.
• My aunt is selfish, impatient, and she is not a
  kind person.
• Aimee is laughing, answering the telephone, and
  she works on the computer.
• Laura usually either braids her hair or is
  putting it up in a French twist.

27
Parallelism example

• As a new member of the secret
• A
• society, George was required to shine
• B C
• the senior members' shoes, to carry
• their books, and never revealing the
• D
• identities of the other members. No error
• E

28
PRACTICE!!! Identifying errors )

• It is likely that the opening of the
• convention center, previously set for
• A B
• July 1, would be postponed because of
• C D
• the bricklayers' strike. No error
• E