Download Grammar Basics - Dr. Art Fricke's tech comm teaching

in-Effective Grammar
for workplace writing
Engl 2311
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
What are the
most common mistakes you make?
Some detailed explanation for how to
spot and fix some of the most common
grammar errors that y’all make.
This slideshow will help you if:
You make a lot of grammar or clarity mistakes and
therefore need to edit more effectively to get the
results you want.
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
let’s talk GRAMMAR
Here are common grammar mistakes:
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Unclear undefined pronouns
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Shifting verb tenses
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Subject / verb disagreement in number or kind
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Incorrect spelling in context
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Incorrect possessives and contractions
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Run-ons, splices, and other comma punctuation problems
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
UNCELAR pronouns
Using simple sentences and avoiding pronouns
makes clarity VERY EASY
His father is a HR director, and he helped him write his.
My friend’s father is a HR director.
My friend’s father helped my friend write the resume.
Remember the goal is overall clarity and
efficiency. More sentences are therefore just
fine if they help readers skim faster.
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
SHIFTING verb tenses
Ex: This memo will summarize the project. This memo
also describes some project problems.
The “narrator” can have ONLY ONE position in time.
You can (and must) use different tenses to describe
different things that are happening at DIFFERENT
times, but you cannot randomly time travel.
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
SHIFTING verb tenses
Also be CAREFUL with should & would statements:
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These are “conditional” verb tenses
Actions dependent upon them must also be clearly conditional
If a thing is DEPENDENT on something else that MIGHT
happen, then that thing has to use a CONDITIONAL MODIFIER
Conditional modifiers are “should, would, could, might”, etc
Ex: We should practice, because then we will be great.
We should practice, because then we WOULD be great.
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
SUBJECT / VERB disagreement
Ex: The instructions is confusing. (plural = are, singular = is)
The instructions are confusing.
Ex: One of these geese fly at night. (“It fly at night”?)
One of these geese flies at night.
The number of subjects must match the form of the verb.
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
a FIX TIP for disagreement
You can catch most all of these mistakes if you take time
to READ YOUR MEMO OUT LOUD TO YOURSELF.
Even better, test by replacing the subject with a pronoun
(it or they) and read the sentence out loud.
Ex: The group of teachers are wearing sandals.
The group -------------- are wearing sandals.
IT [a group] -------------- are wearing sandals. [?]
IT [the group of teachers] IS wearing sandals.
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
SPELLING in context
Do not be over-reliant on an automatic spell check as
your soul editing tool. Computers are to unreliable
when it comes two checking for spelling in context.
Many words have too or more meanings.
“Their our know miss steaks inn this sent ants!”
READ WHAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN
before hitting “print” !
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
POSESSIVES and CONTRACTIONS
its = it belongs to someone or something
it’s = contraction for “it is”
singular possessive = the student’s book
plural possessive = the students’ book
Ex: The company does not feel that the problem is it’s responsibility.
The company does not feel that the problem is it is responsibility?
The company does not feel that the problem is its responsibility.
If contractions confuse you, then SIMPLY DO NOT
USE THEM
it is then harder to make mistakes AND easier to edit
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
POSESSIVES
Just know FOUR rules:
If it is a plural noun that does not end in “S”, then use “ ’s ”
EX: The people’s government was overthrown.
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If it is a plural noun that does end in “S”, then use “ ’ ”
EX: The employees’ stock options went down.
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If it is a singular noun that does not end in “S”, then use “ ’s ”
EX: London’s weather is bad.
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If it is a singular noun that does end in “S”, then use “ ’s ”
EX: Charles’s computer was stolen.
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Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
RUN-ON sentences and SPLICES
Ex: Poetry is not dead it is alive and well and it is good.
(independent clauses jammed together = run-on sentence)
Poetry is not dead. It is alive and well. It is good.
Ex: My friend is a genius, he is really good at math.
(two independent clauses with only a comma in the middle = splice)
My friend is a genius. He is really good at math.
My friend is a genius, and he is really good at math.
Sticking to a “one thought, one sentence” rule of thumb will prevent
most of your comma errors.
Following the three rules in the “comma basics” slideshow will also
prevent most of your comma errors.
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
Recap – EDIT for these things !
Your most common GRAMMAR mistakes:
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Shifting verb tenses for no reason
Subject / verb disagreement in number or kind
Incorrect spelling in context
Incorrect possessives and contractions
Run-on sentences, comma splices, comma probs
for DETAILED info, examples, tips, advice:
Use the textbook!
It is assigned for a reason!
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
Work on FOUR things
when you edit for style:
1.
Eliminate wordiness (use the fewest words necessary)
2.
Eliminate unclear grammar and undefined pronouns
3.
Put important info first in a sentence
4.
SIMPLIFY sentences (cut complex compound
statements up into simple sentences)
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
#1: eliminate WORDINESS
Ex: The purpose of this memo is to describe how I went
about making edits to the resume part of the
assignment which is due five days from today.
This memo describes how I edited my resume.
Unnecessary “filler” words:
the purpose is to / how I went about making
Information your audience already knows:
part of the assignment / which is due five days from today
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
WORDINESS cont’d
Ex: I think that, for the most part, Jack in a sense felt
pretty much betrayed by the President.
Jack felt betrayed by the President.
“Filler” words that communicate nothing:
I think that / for the most part / pretty much / in a sense
Use the FEWEST WORDS NECESSARY by cutting out
filler words, unnecessary words, and things the audience
already knows.
Use straightforward declarative statements.
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
#2: eliminate UNCLEAR GRAMMAR
Make it EASY to understand what you’re saying
Ex: I decided to type the entire thing instead of a bit at a time.
I decided to type the entire thing all at one time instead of
working a bit at a time.
CLEARLY define pronouns (her, them, his . . .)
Ex: I used a friend’s resume. His father is a HR director, and he
helped him write his.
I used a friend’s resume. My friend’s father, who is a HR
director, helped to write my friend’s resume.
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
#3: put IMPORTANT INFO FIRST
Think about what the reader MOST wants to know
Put this IMPORTANT info FIRST in the sentence
EX: My advisor helped me to make a resume last semester, so
I’m going to use my current resume.
I’m going to use my current resume, because my advisor
helped me make the resume last semester.
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
IMPORTANT INFO FIRST cont’d
Putting important info first simplifies grammar by
eliminating “introductory clauses”
Because technical writing should be clear, you should state
the main thought of a sentence first.
You should state the main thought of a sentence first,
because technical writing should be clear.
Putting the MAIN thought first helps readers to skim really
quickly. Burying the main thought at the end is really
annoying.
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
#4: SIMPLIFY SENTENCES
Ex: I found lots of different examples and I wasn’t sure what format to
follow, therefore I just brainstormed details and put everything into
a list that I will format later.
I found lots of different examples.
I was not sure which format to follow.
I therefore just brainstormed details.
I then put everything into a list.
I will format this list later.
The goal is OVERALL efficiency
Don’t make your audience deal with a complex sentence
jammed full of FIVE complete thoughts.
Readers can skim FIVE SIMPLE SENTENCES more quickly,
clearly, and easily (about 20% more quickly, in fact).
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
Recap – edit FOUR things for style:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Eliminate WORDINESS
Use CLEAR GRAMMAR
Put IMPORTANT INFO first
Use SHORT AND SIMPLE statements
Stick to SUBJECT / ACTION / OBJECT
Example: The students are editing their memos.
Copyright 2012 by Arthur Fricke
editing
TIPS and TRICKS
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USE ME (I’ll help you edit if you bring me a copy)
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Use the Writing Center (1st floor of this building)
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ATTACH the edited draft to your final submission!
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Read what you’ve written OUT LOUD
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Use the Microsoft Word grammar check
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It WILL NOT fix grammar automatically
It can help you to focus your editing work
It can help to identify potential problem sentences