Passive Vs. Active
and Pronoun Antecedent Agreement
and Pronoun Antecedent Agreement
In addition to helping the environment, renewable resources—such as solar power and hydroelectricity—may also provide an economic benefit, as it may reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
as they may reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
George Washington was the first President of the United States.
George Washington was the first president of the United States.
Rule: Titles are capitalized only when they are part of the name.
Neither the dogs nor the cat are going outside.
Neither the dogs nor the cat is going outside.
Rule: If a sentence has two subjects connected by or/nor, either/or, or neither/nor, the verb must agree with the second subject (the subject closer to the verb).
Kaylee who just graduated from high school is an accomplished figure skater.
Kaylee, who just graduated from high school, is an accomplished figure skater.
Rule: The above is a nonrestrictive clause because Kaylee is named; therefore, the clause is "junk" or not needed and needs commas.
On October 3, 2015 Jeff Smith marketing director at Intel traveled to 14 Appian Way in Rome Italy.
On October 3, 2015, Jeff Smith, marketing director at Intel, traveled to 14 Appian Way in Rome, Italy.
The article contradicted its own argument.
Correct
Its is possessive and it's is a contraction.
The instructor explains the diagram to students who (asked or ask) questions during the lecture.
Explains is present tense, referring to a current state; asked is past, but should be present ( ask ) because the students are currently continuing to ask questions during the lecture period.
The instructor explains the diagram to the students who ask questions during the lecture.
Tony is dishonest, he steals data for a living.
A. Run-on
B Fragment
C. Comma Splice
Comma Splice
The patient was referred to the physician with stomach pains.
Correct of incorrect? Why?
The patient with stomach pains was referred to the physician.
Allan was complimented by Laura.
Laura complimented Alan.
Have you given mom her present yet?
Have you given Mom her present yet?
Rule:Capitalize family relationships when used in place of a name
Both of my dogs has/have collars.
Both of my dogs have collars.
Rule: Since “Both” and “Several” are plural indefinite pronouns, they take the plural verbs “have” and “are.”
Children who eat vegetables are likely to be healthy.
The sentence is correct.
The clause who eat vegetables is restrictive; therefore it does not require commas.
In the beginning there was light.
In the beginning, there was light.
Introductory Phrase or Clause Rule!
The drought ______________plant growth.
a. effect
b. affected
affected
Affect, when used as a verb, means "to act on or change someone or something."
About noon the sky darkened, a breeze sprang up, and a low rumble (announces or announced) the approaching storm.
Darkened and sprang up are past tense verbs; announces is present but should be past (announced) to maintain consistency within the time frame.
CORRECTED: About noon, the sky darkened, a breeze sprang up, and a low rumble announced the approaching storm.
The U.S. Postal Service is usually very reliable, however, sometimes a letter is not delivered for weeks, months, or even years.
A. Run-on
B. Fragment
C. Comma Splice
Comma Splice
Charlie spotted a stray puppy driving home from work.
The Grand Canyon is visited by thousands of tourists every year.
I started my paper with the sentence, “flightless birds are fascinating.”
I started my paper with the sentence, "Flightless birds are fascinating."
Rule: The quoted sentence should begin with a capital letter.
Mary and John usually (plays/play) together.
Mary and John usually play together.
Rule: Mary and John are plural subjects because there are two of them, and the word and is used to join them together.
Oliver Twist which was Dickens’s second novel is a classic.
Oliver Twist, which was Dickens’s second novel, is a classic.
Nonrestrictive clause!
You are of course planning to attend the convention.
You are, of course, planning to attend the convention.
Rule: Use a comma to set off parenthetical words and phrases which interrupt the sentence with information that is nonessential.
A. Change explained to has explained
B. Change then to than
C. Change fell to falls.
C. Change fell to falls
Verb tense correction needed
What do (snake’s or snakes) like to eat?
Ran to the store faster than a rabbit.
A. Comma Splice
B. Run-on
C. Fragment
Fragment
Who ran to the store?
A dangling modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes something that has been left out of the sentence. Fix the sentence below! You can add words.
Riding in the sports car, the world whizzed by rapidly.
Name who was riding in the sports car.
Example-As Jane was riding in the sports car, the world whizzed rapidly.
Just as they finished work for the day, the worker found his lost green helmet and made his way home happily.
Just as he finished work for the day, the worker found his lost green helmet and made his way home happily.
I'm going to visit my friends in Eastern Oregon.
I'm going to visit my friends in eastern Oregon.
Rule: Capitalize North, South, East, and West when contained in the name of a place (state, country, etc.) but not when used for giving directions.
The slaughter of animals for their fur has/have caused controversy.
The slaughter of animals for their fur has caused controversy.
The subject of the sentence is slaughter not animals; therefore, the verb must be singular.
The lamp, that Aunt Betsy gave me, is on the bedside table.
The lamp that Aunt Betsy gave me is on the bedside table.
Rule: That is used to introduce restrictive clauses, and which introduces nonrestrictive clauses.
The Mississippi River the great river of North America pours into the Gulf of Mexico.
The Mississippi River, the great river of North America, pours into the Gulf of Mexico.
Rule: Nonrestrictive appositive- Use a comma to set off appositives, words that rename nouns.
The diversity of environments' on Earth presents design challenges that have put Gan and other engineers to the test.
A. Delete the apostrophe after environments
B. Change have to has
A
Environments should be plural, not possessive.
My (dog’s or dogs') noses are dry after the long walk today.
Dogs'
Plural possessive is required.
Our new landlord was expected to make changes. Such as fixing the plumbing, installing a new washer, and replacing the security gate. Has not done any of it yet and weeks have passed.
A. Comma Splice
B. Run-on
C. Fragment
Fragment
Such as fixing the plumbing, installing a new washer, and replacing the security gate. Has not done any of it yet and weeks have passed.
Walking home at night, the trees looked like spooky aliens.
You can add words.
As __________was walking home at night, the tress looked like spooky aliens.
While it can seem like a daunting task to train for a marathon, anyone who has completed the challenge knows that preparing a plan that they stick to is the key to success.
...preparing a plan and sticking to it
Explanation: Anyone is a singular pronoun and the word they is a plural pronoun. Get rid of they.
America's founding fathers signed the declaration of independence, which began the American revolutionary war.
America's founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, which began the American Revolutionary War.
The boxes of cake mix is/are on the shelf.
Rule: The subject of the sentence is boxes, not cake mix; therefore, the subject is plural.
Walden University which is entirely online has main administrative offices in Baltimore and Minneapolis.
Walden University, which is entirely online, has main administrative offices in Baltimore and Minneapolis.
Nonrestrictive and therefore requires commas!
While talking to Jean about her plans, I found out that she is going to Hawaii.
Name the rule-
A. Compound Sentence
B. Introductory Phrase or Clause
C. Restrictive or Nonrestrictive Clause
Rule B Introductory Phrase of Clause
Soon, drinkable water will be purified and accessible where it is needed.
A. purified to purifying
B. Delete the comma after soon
No comma rule allows for a comma after the word soon.
(Socrate’s or Socrates') students thought he was a brilliant teacher.
Socrates'
His name ends with an s so the comma goes after the s.
My professor read my paper she said it was excellent.
A. Run-on
B. Fragment
C. Comma Splice
The waiter presented a steak that was medium rare to the guest.
A person needs to see (his or her, their) dentist twice per year.
The correct answer is his or her.
A singular pronoun must replace a singular noun; a plural pronoun must replace a plural noun.
Donna was a special agent for the United States internal revenue service. George Washington was a mason (the name of a special fraternity).
Two problems!
Capitalization needed - Donna was a special agent for the United States Internal Revenue Service. George Washington was a mason.
Capitalize proper nouns!
The movie, including all the previews, (take, takes) about two hours to watch.
Takes not take
The movie takes...
. The student said “I must study these comma rules.”
. The student said, “I must study these comma rules.”
Use commas with direct quotations. (Note the variations.)
As if that weren't surprising enough Ethan is not the only teenage gubernatorial candidate this year.
A. Change that to these
B. surprising to surprises
C. Insert a comma after enough
Rule: Commas after introductory phrase or clause
The (Johnson’s or Johnsons) wish you a happy holiday season.
Johnsons
Used like this their name does not show possession.
It seemed to Wanda that her daughter had more than enough crayons they were strewn across the bedroom floor and some of them were broken worse still, someone had used the stub of a red crayon to mark a sinister smiley face on the wall.
A. Fragment
B. Run-on
C. Comma Splice