Download Here - Confident Grammar

Embarrassing Grammar Mistakes
You Must Avoid
By C. B. Louis
Copyright © 2007 Confident Grammar
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Contents
Introduction: Why bother with grammar .........................................4
Lesson 1: Learn the rules of the game .............................................5
Parts of speech............................................................................... 5
Parts of a sentence ......................................................................... 6
Test yourself .................................................................................. 8
Lesson 2: Avoid the apostrophe catastrophe..................................10
Possessives pronouns vs. contractions ............................................. 12
Test yourself ................................................................................ 12
Lesson 3: Eliminate common pronoun errors .................................15
Subject Pronouns.......................................................................... 16
Object Pronouns ........................................................................... 16
Possessive Pronouns ..................................................................... 17
Who versus Whom?....................................................................... 17
Conjoined Pronouns ...................................................................... 18
The trouble with “me”.................................................................... 19
Test yourself ................................................................................ 20
Lesson 4: Practice pronoun agreement ..........................................22
Pronouns must agree in number ..................................................... 22
Pronouns must agree in person....................................................... 24
Test yourself ................................................................................ 25
Lesson 5: Succeed in subject-verb agreement ...............................27
The singular and plural rules .......................................................... 28
Become a matchmaker .................................................................. 29
Tricky cases ................................................................................. 30
Test yourself ................................................................................ 33
Summary .................................................................................... 34
Lesson 6: Master confusing words .................................................35
Affect vs. Effect ............................................................................ 35
Confused words ............................................................................ 36
Suppose vs. Supposed................................................................... 37
Test yourself ................................................................................ 38
Lesson 7: Use prepositions precisely..............................................40
Don’t fall for the “Prep trap” ........................................................... 40
Word Choice – of/have .................................................................. 42
Word Choice – between/among....................................................... 42
Test yourself ................................................................................ 43
Lesson 8: Don’t cramp your style ...................................................45
Words and phrases to avoid ........................................................... 45
Redundant words and phrases ........................................................ 47
Test yourself ................................................................................ 49
Test Yourself Answers....................................................................51
Copyright © 2007 Confident Grammar
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Congratulations – you’ve taken the first step
Congratulations on taking the first step towards improving your grammar and
becoming a better communicator. You now have access to some of the best
grammar advice available.
Confident Grammar’s targeted strategy is an easy way to rapidly improve
your grammar. This course is the result of years of extensive research from
some of the best grammar experts. Through analysis of hundreds of authority
grammar sources, the most important information has been distilled into a
concise and powerful learning system.
You don’t need to waste your time filtering through hundreds of pages of
grammar definitions and rules to develop good grammar. That’s why we have
developed this concise and digestible guide that will maximise your time
without boring you to tears. Confident Grammar’s system will teach you how
to avoid the most embarrassing mistakes and eliminate them from your
communication. You’ll be given tips and tricks that will aid your memory and
really deliver improved results.
How to use this book
Here is a suggested study pathway:
You should read one lesson of this course and complete the test questions
every day for the next 9 days.
Each lesson should take approximately 10 minutes to read.
On day 1 read the “Introduction” and “Lesson 1: Learn the Rules of the
Game”. This covers the only ground rules you really need to know. Our team
has found that you’ll benefit from this initial refresher when more complex
examples are covered in later chapters.
On days 2 – 8 spend 2 minutes reviewing the lesson from the previous day’s
reading. Then spend 10 minutes reading the next lesson.
On day 9 - refresh your knowledge by writing your own summary of
Confident Grammar’s tips and rules along with some examples. This will aid
your memory retention. Review all the “Test Yourself” questions.
It’s that simple!
Remember you’ll get maximum value from this guide if you find a quiet place
to work without distractions. Learning to improve your grammar has never
been easier.
Copyright © 2007 Confident Grammar
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Introduction: Why bother with grammar
"The greater part of the world's troubles are due to questions of grammar."
- Michel de Montaigne
Montaigne, one of the greatest thinkers and writers of the Renaissance,
realized the importance of good grammar. Grammar is important because it
allows you to express yourself clearly and precisely – to communicate your
ideas in the best way possible. Many people overlook the importance of
grammar and decide that it’s just not worth bothering about. Nothing could be
further from the truth.
You’re probably reading this guide because you want to improve your
communication. You’ve made a good decision. In seven grammar lessons we
will show you how to correct and enhance your writing style so that you can
communicate with more persuasion and confidence.
Poor grammar is like a pair of bad shoes that ruin a great outfit. While you
may have brilliant ideas and all the creativity of Einstein, if you can’t express
yourself clearly and concisely using correct and confident language, your
credibility is at stake. Whether you like it or not, people judge you by the
words you use and the way that you speak and write. Good grammar is
necessary if you are to reach your potential whether it is in your career,
grades or personal communication.
Think about the different styles of language that you use in different
situations. Let’s call them informal chat, conversational style and formal
English. This guide will teach you about formal English grammar - the type of
grammar that is most important. You need good formal grammar to get
ahead – for example in job applications, letters to officials, business
presentations and assignments. If you have a solid foundation in formal
grammar you will find that your writing and speech will dramatically improve.
This guide will teach you how to improve your grammar so that you can
express yourself with more confidence. You should find it stimulating by
focusing on the ‘common blunders’ that, with a bit of attention, can be
avoided. Each lesson will focus on a common problem area and provide you
with useful tips and advice. There are lots of real examples, which will help
you recognize errors and correct them. Get answers to questions that you’ve
always wondered about, like when to use affect or effect.
Develop a confident grammar and eliminate embarrassing mistakes from your
communication.
Copyright © 2007 Confident Grammar
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Lesson 1: Learn the rules of the game
Learning grammar does not require memorizing lots of rules. However, there
are a few important rules and definitions that you need to be familiar with to
be good at spotting errors. The definitions covered might refresh your existing
knowledge or be something new. Whatever the case, covering these basics is
essential.
Parts of speech
Parts of speech are the basic building blocks of language. You need to be able
to recognize the eight parts of speech that are summarized in the table below.
You might find it helpful to refer to this later on.
Part of speech
Nouns
Pronouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Adverbs
Prepositions
Explanation - examples are in bold
Refer to people, places, things, ideas, concepts or events.
Concrete nouns refer to definite objects (apple, chair).
Abstract nouns refer to concepts or ideas (love, justice).
Eg: Bill enjoyed the comedy.
Take the place of nouns in a sentence.
Eg: He enjoyed the comedy.
Express action or a state of being.
Action verbs show action (run, laugh).
Linking verbs express a state of being (seem, sound).
Eg: Bill enjoyed the comedy. (action)
Eg: Bill seems happy. (linking)
Provide precision and add interest by describing nouns. They
are words that tell you about “what kind”, “how many”, ”which
one”, “how much”.
Eg: Bill arrived in a red car.
Modify verbs, adjectives and adverbs to tell “when”, ”where”,
“how” or “how much”. Many can be identified by their
characteristic "ly” suffix.
Eg: Bill quickly bought a ticket for the next show. (when)
Are words that show the relationship between a noun and
some other word. They give information about things like time,
place and direction (to, at, in).
Conjunctions
Eg: The tickets are in his wallet.
Are the “joining words” that link words or other constructions
(and, but, if).
Interjections
Eg: Bill enjoyed the first act and the second.
Exclamation typically expressing emotion that is inserted
without grammatical connection (oh, wow, ouch, hey).
Eg: Oh, I like this show.
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Parts of a sentence
Sentences always have a subject and nearly always contain an object. There
are many useful grammar errors you can avoid by correctly identifying the
subject and the object of a sentence. Learn how to do this.
Recognize the subject of a sentence
Think of the subject as the most important part of the sentence – it is the
topic of the sentence. We call this main noun or pronoun the simple subject.
Think about this sentence:
At the party, Bill sang karaoke.
It is easy to see that Bill is the subject or topic of the above sentence.
In a sentence, every verb must have a subject and a good tip is to find the
verb first and then find the simple subject. What is the verb in the above
sentence?
Sang is the verb. Bill is who sang.
Tip 1: To find the subject of the sentence, first identify the verb and then
ask "Who?" or "What?" in front of the verb. The answer is the subject!
Who?
What?
Subject
Find
Verb
1.
2.
Find the simple subject in the sentences below:
Example
Verb
Who? What?
The car crashed into a tree.
crashed
The new theory amazed the
community.
In a house next door lives a
family with a big dog.
amazed
What crashed into a
tree?
What amazed the
community?
Who lives in a house
next door?
lives
Answer:
the subject
car
theory
family
Tip 2: The subject is usually a noun or a pronoun.
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Tip 3: The subject usually comes before the verb, but sometimes
after.
Generally, but not always, the subject comes before the verb. In cases where
it comes after the verb it will still answer the "Who?" or "What?” question.
Look at the example sentence “In a house next door lives a family with a
large dog”. The subject “family” comes after the verb “lives”.
Tip 4: The subject can be implied.
Sometimes the subject is not directly in the sentence. Consider this sentence:
“Complete the report by tomorrow”. The subject of the sentence is “you” and
although it is not in the sentence it is understood or implied.
Recognize the object of a sentence
In a sentence, the object is the thing or person that is the recipient of the
action of the verb. Think about this sentence:
The children watched a parade.
Watched is the verb. A parade is what the children watched and is the
object of the sentence.
You don’t always call the third part of the sentence the object. Action verbs
(run, laugh) generally have objects, while linking verbs (seem, sound) have
complements rather than objects.
Tip 1: It is good to keep the basic sentence structure in mind:
subject, verb, object (S-V-0); or subject, verb, complement (S-V-C).
Tip 2: To find the object of the sentence, first identify the verb, then the
subject. Next ask "Who/Whom?" or "What?". The answer is the object or
complement!
Subject
2.
Who?
What?
Find
Verb
Who/whom?
What?
1.
Copyright © 2007 Confident Grammar
Object or
Complement
3.
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Find the object in the example sentences below:
Example
Subject
She picked a rose.
She
My friend sent me a box
of chocolates.
Paul seems nervous.
friend
Paul
Who/Whom?
What?
She picked a
what?
My friend sent
what?
What does Paul
seem to be?
Object or Complement
rose (object)
chocolates (object)
nervous (complement)
Tip 3: The object is usually a noun or pronoun.
Tip 4: The object usually comes after the verb, but sometimes before.
Test yourself
Note: Answers to this test are provided on the Answer Sheet at the end of the course.
1. Classify the nouns below as abstract or concrete.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
America
equality
chair
winter
democracy
2. Identify the verbs in the sentences below.
a) I will practice grammar each day.
b) The excited speaker sang to the audience.
c) Denise seems curious.
3. Decide which words are adverbs and which are verbs.
a) find
b) easily
c) fast
d) quickly
e) carry
f) calmly
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4. Identify the verb, subject and object (or complement) in the sentences
below.
a) I will practice grammar each day.
c) The telephone rang with annoying persistence.
b) Thunder boomed, and gave the children a fright.
c) My aunt popped a chocolate into her mouth.
d) Give me the keys.
e) The committee members were satisfied with the resolution.
f) There was a well-known author at the meeting.
g) Over the water, glides a small canoe.
h) He seems like a friendly person.
Check your answers on the Answer Sheet.
Summary
You have refreshed your knowledge of the eight parts of speech. Go through
the meaning of each term in your mind again. Try to think of examples.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Nouns
Pronouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Adverbs
Prepositions
Conjunctions
Interjections
You understand and can identify the subject and object or complement in a
sentence. Remember that the first step is to identify the verb.
To find the subject of the sentence, first identify the verb and then ask
"Who?" or "What?" in front of the verb.
To find the object of the sentence, first identify the verb, then the subject.
Next ask "Who/Whom?" or "What?" after the verb.
Copyright © 2007 Confident Grammar
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Lesson 2: Avoid the apostrophe catastrophe
In English apostrophes are everywhere. Bad habits repeat themselves and
incorrect use of apostrophes can easily result in a grammar catastrophe! In
this lesson you will learn how to eliminate apostrophe mistakes.
Consider the apostrophes in this sentence:
Who’s attending the students’ graduation?
Apostrophes are used in two ways in this sentence – in a contraction (who’s)
and in a plural possessive noun (students’). Let’s start with the second
apostrophe example – possessive nouns.
Possessive nouns
Possessive nouns end in s and indicate ownership or relationship (students’,
woman’s). Knowing when to use ‘s or s’ tricks many people. Using the
incorrect apostrophe looks amateur and damages credibility.
The good news is that once you know the rules it’s easy to avoid the error.
You simply start by identifying whether you are using a singular or plural
noun.
Remember singular nouns stand for a single person or thing; for example,
"chair". Plural nouns stand for several people or things; for example,
"chairs".
Rule: For all singular nouns, add the apostrophe before the s (‘s).
Singular noun
boy
student
woman
Possessive form
The boy’s Nintendo. (one boy)
The student’s English grades. (one student)
The woman’s idea was creative. (one woman)
Rule: For all plural nouns that end in s or es, add the apostrophe after
the s (s’).
Plural noun
girls
bosses
Possessive form
The girls’ computers. (more than one girl)
The bosses’ annual meeting. (more than one boss)
Rule: For all nouns that form plural in any other way (such as
‘children’ add the apostrophe before the s (‘s).
Plural noun
children
women
Possessive form
The children’s toys. (more than one child)
The women’s idea was creative.
(the idea belonging to more than one woman)
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Tip: Use the singular or plural test.
To decide whether you should place the apostrophe before or after the s
restate the sentence with an of phrase and decide if the noun is singular or
plural. Consider this sentence:
The (scientist’s/scientists’) comments were taken seriously.
Restated with the of phrase:
Correct apostrophe
comments of the scientist’s (one scientist)
comments of the scientists’ (more than one scientist)
scientist’s comments
scientists’ comments
Correct sentences:
The scientist’s comments were taken seriously. (one scientist)
The scientists’ comments were taken seriously. (more than one scientist)
Tip: There is a special exception with singular names ending in s.
There is one exception with singular possessive nouns. According to the rules
you know that singular possessives are formed by adding ‘s (e.g. dog’s bone,
aunt’s hat). There is one special exception with names.
Names that end in s can be written two ways.
For example consider the name Ms Jones.
Ms Jones’s writing is elegant and concise.
Ms Jones’ writing is elegant and concise.
Both of these options are correct. Why are there two options – Ms Jones’s and
Ms Jones’?
The answer is simply to do with how it sounds when pronounced. If you say
the first sentence aloud you’ll be pronouncing many s sounds, which may well
result in some hissing and spitting! For this reason formal grammar rules have
allowed the exception for last names that end in s (having a z sound) being
written with a single s’ instead of s’s. The reason is that the names sound
better and are easier to pronounce. Feel free to use either option, but for
style reasons it’s probably better to stick with the apostrophe after the s –
Ms Jones’ writing is elegant and concise.
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Warning! Not all plural nouns have apostrophes.
Remember that apostrophes with nouns are only used to show ownership or
possession. Don’t use apostrophes when this is not the case.
For example:
Correct: Books can open your mind.
Incorrect: Book’s can open your mind.
Incorrect: Books’ can open your mind.
These types of errors are very common. Remember plurals that are not
possessives NEVER take an apostrophe. Take a look a these common
apostrophe errors (real life examples):
Apple’s for Sale –should read Apples for Sale
New DVD’s in stock – should read New DVDs in stock
Menu’s printed on tables – should read Menus printed on tables
Possessives pronouns vs. contractions
People often confuse possessive pronouns with other words that sound the
same (its, it’s, whose/who’s). Follow the simple rules below and you can be
confident you’re using the correct apostrophe.
Rule: Pronouns never take an apostrophe.
Pronoun
its
yours
theirs
whose
Possessive form
The cat licked its fur.
Yours is the best.
That idea was theirs.
Whose computer was stolen?
Rule: Contractions always take an apostrophe.
Contraction
it’s (it is)
you’re (you are)
they’re (they are)
who’s (who is)
Example
It looks like it’s going to rain.
You’re absolutely right.
They’re always eating out.
Who’s attending the event?
Tip: Remember, contractions are considered inappropriate for formal writing.
So, do not use them in thesis papers, business writing, term papers, lab
reports, or anything academic submitted for publication.
Test yourself
Copyright © 2007 Confident Grammar
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1. The rule for singular possessive nouns is that you add the apostrophe:
a) after the s
b) before the s
2. The rule for plural possessive nouns ending in ‘s’ is that you add the
apostrophe.
c) after the s
d) before the s
3. True or false:
Pronouns never take an apostrophe.
4. Punctuate the following sentences with correct apostrophes.
Its such a beautiful day that Ive decided to take a walk.
Its important that the kitten learns to find its way home.
Whos going to take care of Johns dog?
Jennys friend listened to the childrens story carefully.
5. Place the apostrophes (either before or after the s) in the correct position.
Did you enjoy the musicians performance? (more than one musician)
Did you enjoy the musicians performance? (one musician)
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Summary
Possessive nouns end in s and are used to show ownership or possession. You
can easily avoid problems with apostrophes by using the singular or plural
test:
For all singular possessive nouns, add ‘s.
For all plural possessive nouns that end in s or es, add s’.
For all possessive nouns that form plural in any other way (e.g. children’s)
add ‘s.
Remember the difference between possessive nouns (whose) and contractions
(who’s).
Remember the exception that singular names ending in s can be written with
s’ (Ms Jones’ writing).
You should be confident in your ability to correctly use apostrophes. You’re on
your way to improving your grammar.
Copyright © 2007 Confident Grammar
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Lesson 3: Eliminate common pronoun errors
Have you ever heard people say “You and me can go shopping”, when they
should have said “You and I can go shopping”? Do you ever wonder whether
it’s more correct to use “who” or “whom”? Pronoun errors are one of the most
common grammar mistakes. In this section you will learn how to avoid them.
First, you need to be able to recognize pronouns in a sentence.
A pronoun is a special type of noun because it can take the place of a
noun in a sentence.
Remember that the definition of a noun is a word or phrase that refers to a
person, place, thing, concept, idea or event – for example “courage” is a noun
and so is “Sarah”.
Pronouns are used instead of nouns.
For example in the sentence "The Director spoke to Sarah and offered her a
promotion," "her" is the pronoun; it takes the place of "Sarah."
Pronouns help you improve your style because they allow you to eliminate the
repetition and clumsiness that would result with having to use nouns
repeatedly. Imagine if there were no pronouns…
“Sarah presented Sarah’s report to Sarah’s boss. Sarah’s boss is happy with
Sarah’s performance and offered Sarah a promotion.”
How irritating!
Pronouns are essential for good communication.
To use pronouns correctly, it is important that you understand the difference
between three types of pronouns:
•
•
•
Subject pronouns
Object pronouns
Possessive pronouns
In chapter one “Rules of the game”, you learned how to identify the subject
and object of a sentence. This is the key to using pronouns correctly because
the different types of pronouns occur in different positions in a sentence. If
you can identify the three types of pronouns, then you should find it easy to
use pronouns correctly in sentences.
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Here are some examples of the different types of pronouns:
SUBJECT PRONOUNS
OBJECT PRONOUNS
POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS
I
You
He
She
We
Who
They
It
Me
You
Him
Her
Us
Whom
Them
It
My
Your
His
Her
Our
Whose
Their
Its
Subject Pronouns
Subject pronouns take the place of noun phrases in the subject position of a
sentence. The subject position usually precedes the main verb to which the
pronoun relates.
Here are some example sentences:
I gave the present to the guests.
You gave the present to the guests.
She gave the present to the guests.
They gave the present to the guests.
Who gave the present to the guests?
Object Pronouns
Object pronouns take the place of nouns in the object position of the
sentence. Remember that the object position usually come after the main
verb to which the pronoun relates or after a preposition.
Here are some example sentences:
The guests gave her the present.
The guests gave the present to her.
The guests gave you the present.
The guests gave the present to you.
The guests gave us the present.
The guests gave the present to us.
The guests gave whom the present?
The guests gave the present to whom?
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Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns take the place of words such as “the” or “a” to show
ownership of something.
Here are some example sentences:
Her sister gave our presents to their brother.
Whose sister gave my presents to your brother?
Our sister gave her presents to whose brother?
His sister gave his presents to her brother.
Who versus Whom?
The question of whether to use who or whom troubles many people.
In modern usage the trend has been to drop the more formalised whom and
to use who in all cases. Nevertheless, now that you understand the difference
between subject, object and possessive pronouns, you know which one to use
if you so choose.
Rule: Whom is only ever used in the object position in a sentence. It
is never used as the subject.
Tip: There is a simple rule-of-thumb for knowing when to use “who” and
“whom”. Use "who" when "he" would also make sense and use "whom" when
"him" would also make sense. Restate your sentence with he and him.
he = who/whoever (subject pronoun)
him = whom/whomever (object pronoun)
When to use "whom"
For _____ did you vote? (I voted for him. Therefore, whom is correct.)
Correct: For whom did you vote?
With _____ do you climb? (I climb with him. Therefore, whom is correct.)
Correct: With whom do you climb?
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When to use "who"
_____ went to the parade? (He went to the parade. Therefore, who is correct)
Correct: Who went to the parade?
_____ cooked dinner? (He cooked dinner. Therefore, who is correct.)
Correct: Who cooked dinner?
Conjoined Pronouns
Conjoined means “joined together”. Many people are confused with the
combined or “conjoined” forms of pronouns such as “You and I”, “You and
me” or “You and she”. Consider this scenario:
John, a smart and driven junior executive with high hopes, is invited to a
company function by his boss. At the staff meeting he says:
“Thank you for inviting my wife and I to the function”.
The boss cringes. John has already compromised his chances of promotion.
He should have said “Thank you for inviting my wife and me to the function”.
Smart people everywhere agonize of the use of “me” and “I’. It’s one of the
most common mistakes in word usage.
Now that you can identify the three common types of pronouns (subject,
object and possessive) it will be easier for you to avoid embarrassing pronoun
mistakes.
You can be confident that your are using the correct conjoined pronouns if
you remember the following rule:
Rule: The subject forms of pronouns are used in the subject positions
and the object forms of pronouns are used in the object positions.
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What pronouns should be used in the sentences below? Choose from the
options under each sentence. Although you might be able to instinctively
guess, try to think about the rule.
Example – what option is correct?
Pronoun
Position
subject
Answer
The performer chose you and ___.
Options: she/her
object
The performer chose you and her.
You and ___ will go shopping.
Options: me/I
subject
You and I will go shopping.
She would like to go shopping with
you and ___.
Options: me/I
object
She would like to go shopping with
you and me.
You and ___ will pass the exam.
Options: he/him
You and he will pass the exam.
Tip: You can work out which pronoun is correct by restating the
sentence with only one pronoun.
Consider this example: You and ___ will pass the exam. (Options: he/him)
You can quickly tell whether to use he or him by removing the first pronoun
and restating the sentence with the options:
You and he will pass the exam.
You and him will pass the exam.
You can see that “he will pass the exam” contains the subject pronoun and is
the only correct option.
Correct: You and he will pass the exam.
The trouble with “me”
The trouble with “me” occurs when people are joining together two or more
objects in a sentence. “I” is not an object pronoun, but people try to use it as
an object because they think it sounds smarter. In fact it’s wrong! Remember
that “me” is the object pronoun. People seem to fear using the word “me”
because they are afraid it sounds amateur. You need to understand when to
use “me” and “I” correctly.
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Here’s a tip to use to make sure you never use me or I incorrectly:
Tip: Take out the first object in the sentence.
Consider an example:
Would you explain that to John and __.
Taking out the first object you get:
Would you explain that to __.
The answer is clear!
Correct: Would you explain that to me?
Correct: Would you explain that to John and me?
Incorrect: Would you explain that to I?
Incorrect: Would you explain that to John and I?
Test yourself
1. What are the correct pronouns in the sentences below? (circle the correct
pronoun). Also identify the type of pronoun (subject, object, possessive).
a)
b)
c)
d)
He gave it to ___. (me/I)
___ believe that also. (me/I)
___ is unsure ___ the recipient is. (she/her, who/whom)
___ book is that? (who/whose/whom).
2. Select the correct sentence:
He can go shopping with you and me.
He can go shopping with you and I.
3. Complete the sentences below by inserting the correct pronouns.
He gave a copy of the memo to Jerry and __. (me/I)
Bill and __ are old friends. (me/I)
She addressed the invitation to Sarah, John and ___. (me/I)
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4. Which of these sentences is correct?
a) Whom did you go hiking with?
b) Who did you go hiking with?
Summary
You should now be able to correctly use pronouns. Remember:
•
The subject forms of pronouns are used in the subject positions and the
object forms of pronouns are used in the object positions.
You can work out which pronoun is correct by restating the sentence with only
one pronoun. For example: “You and he will pass the exam” can be restated
as “he will pass the exam”, revealing that the correct pronoun is “he” not
“him”.
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Lesson 4: Practice pronoun agreement
If there is one important concept you must remember about pronouns - it is
that pronouns must agree! Agreement means that pronouns must match.
In the last lesson you learned how pronouns agree in terms of subject
pronouns, object pronouns and possessive pronouns. In this lesson you will
learn about other ways pronouns must agree:
•
•
Pronouns must agree in number
Pronouns must agree in person
Why do pronouns need to agree? It is important for pronouns to correctly
represent the noun or nouns in a sentence so that the reader does not
become confused.
Consider this sentence:
If a student study grammar then you can hope to do well.
You probably realize that this sentence breaks pronoun agreement! In this
lesson you will learn how to spot pronoun agreement errors and avoid them.
Pronouns must agree in number
What is wrong with this sentence?
Michael cannot figure out how to read his email messages so he has sent it to
his secretary, and she faxes it to him.
The sentence should read:
Michael cannot figure out how to read his email messages so he has them
sent to his secretary, and she faxes them to him.
In grammar number indicates how many – whether something should be
singular or plural. In the above sentence “messages” is plural and needs to
be paired with the plural pronoun “them”, rather than the singular pronoun
“it”.
Remember singular nouns stand for a single person or thing; for example,
"chair". Plural nouns stand for several people or things; for example,
"chairs".
Rule: Pronouns must agree in number. For example a singular pronoun
should be used with a singular noun and a plural pronoun with a plural noun.
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Consider these sentences:
The lawyer (singular noun) finished her (singular pronoun) argument.
The lawyers (plural noun) finished their (plural pronoun) arguments.
What is the correct pronoun (singular or plural) to use in the following examples?
Example
Answer
Susan achieved the highest results because ____ studied the The pronoun "she"
hardest.
represents the singular
person.
The students won the debate because ____ were most
The pronoun "they"
convincing.
represents the plural
students.
Everybody brought a treat for ____ dog.
The pronoun "his or
her" represents the
singular everybody.
Neither of the girls called ____ parents after the movie.
The pronoun "her"
represents the singular
neither
The last two examples trick many people. The key to using the correct pronoun
is realizing that everybody and neither are singular – these types of pronouns
are called indefinite pronouns.
Tip: Indefinite pronouns such as everybody, anybody, someone,
something, neither and each are singular and require singular
pronouns.
Indefinite pronouns often cause confusion because they sound like they
should be plural. Here are the indefinite pronouns:
“ones”
one, everyone, someone, anyone, no one
“things”
everything, something, anything, nothing
“bodies”
everybody, somebody, anybody, nobody
a few others
each, either, neither
Remember to use them correctly with singular pronouns.
Consider these common mistakes:
Everyone needs to take their dog to the vet.
Everybody was enjoying their vacation.
These may not sound correct when talking, but they are grammatically
incorrect in writing.
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The correct sentences are:
Everyone needs to take his or her dog to the vet.
Everybody was enjoying his or her vacation.
Consider some more examples of singular pronouns:
Because indefinite pronouns are always singular they need to be followed by
by “is” rather than by “are”.
Incorrect: Nobody are waiting in line.
Correct: Nobody is waiting in line.
Some more examples:
Incorrect: Everyone wants to take their work home.
Correct: Everyone wants to take his or her work home.
Incorrect: The jury reached their decision
Correct: The jury reached its decision.
Pronouns must agree in person
When you use pronouns you need to think about who you are referring to.
Pronouns can be described according to whether they refer to the speaker
(first person), the listener (second person) or to a third person or thing.
Note the differences in person in the following examples:
Person
First person
I, me, my, we, our
Example sentences
I will come on Tuesday.
Harry showed the report to us.
Second person
you, your
You should not forget to vote.
Where is your hat?
Third person
he, she, they, their, a
person, his, hers, him,
her, it, them
It arrived yesterday.
How can you stand working with them?
If you are writing in the "first person" (I), don't confuse your reader by
switching to the "second person" (you) or "third person" (he, she, they).
Rule: Whichever person you use you must be consistent.
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What is wrong with the sentence below?
“If a person wants to succeed in corporate life, you have to know the rules of
the game.”
This sentence is confusing because it mixes the persons.
Incorrect sentence
If a person wants to succeed in corporate life, you have to
know the rules of the game.
Person
Mixed third and second
person
Correct sentence
If a person wants to succeed in corporate life, he or she
has to know the rules of the game.
Person
All third person
If you want to succeed in corporate life, you have to know
the rules of the game.
All second person
Test yourself
1. Complete the sentences below by inserting the correct pronoun:
Michael wants to improve ___ grammar.
Neither of the girls brought ___ umbrella.
The band showcased ___ new album.
Everyone needs to consider the impact of ____ actions on others.
2. “You need to edit and proof read your work carefully.” This sentence uses:
a) first person
b) second person
c) third person
3. Which sentence is correct?
When a candidate runs for office, they must expect to have their personal life
scrutinized.
When candidates run for office, they must expect to have their personal lives
scrutinized.
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Summary
You should now be able to correctly use pronouns. Make sure the pronoun
matches the noun, not the object, in terms of number and person.
Remember:
Make sure that each pronoun agrees in number (singular or plural)
with the noun to which it refers.
•
Pronouns should always agree in number. Use singular pronouns with
singular nouns and plural pronouns with plural nouns. For example:
“The winners celebrated their victory”
“Alan celebrated his victory”.
Make sure that each pronoun agrees in person (first person, second
person or third person).
•
Whatever person you use (first, second or third) be consistent.
For example:
“The students improved their grammar”
“You improved your grammar”.
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Lesson 5: Succeed in subject-verb agreement
In the last lesson you learned how pronouns must agree with nouns.
Agreement is also very important for subjects and verbs. Subject-verb
agreement errors are a dead give-away of poor grammar.
Rule: The subject in a sentence needs to agree with the verb.
Which sentence below is correct?
1. There is no carrots in the pie.
2. There are no carrots in the pie.
You may have been able to instinctively tell that “There are no carrots in the
pie” is the correct sentence – but do you know why?
Do you ever notice how other people's writing contains these types of
embarrassing errors? You think to yourself: "How can this person, make so
many mistakes?" And when that happens, don't you then stop and ask
yourself, "Do I make any stupid errors like that?" Of course you do! Someone
could be reading something you wrote right now and noticing that you failed
to match a subject with a verb. A smug smile is spreading over his face, and
he is thinking, "This person can’t write." Can you stand that? I can’t – so I am
going to teach you about subject-verb agreement and the mistakes you must
STOP making now. In this lesson you’ll learn how to succeed in subject-verb
agreement so that you will be able to master even the trickiest cases.
Consider the following:
Which sentence is correct?
1. The drawers or the closet is the place to look.
2. The drawers or the closet are the place to look.
This lesson will show you how to correctly match the subject with the verb –
including the most difficult cases where subjects and verbs are often
mismatched. (By the way sentence 1 is correct).
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The singular and plural rules
Subjects must agree with verbs in terms of number (singular or plural) and in
person (first, second, third). Here are some rules to help you remember:
Singular Rule: A singular subject requires a singular verb.
Consider these examples:
He is excited.
The boy is excited.
Larry is excited.
The singular subjects need to be matched with the singular verb “is”.
Remember are = plural (carrots are) and is = singular (carrot is).
Plural Rule: A plural subject requires a plural verb.
Consider these examples:
They are excited.
The girls are excited.
Larry and Susan are excited.
The plural subjects need to be matched with the plural verb “are”.
How can you tell the difference between many singular and plural verbs? In
sentences that that refer to someone or something this tip will help you tell
the difference:
Tip: The singular verb ends in an s.
Consider these examples:
Singular verb (ends in s)
Plural verb
Mary Jane dances.
They dance.
The child laughs.
The children laugh.
He looks tired.
The boys look tired.
Tip: The plural noun often ends in an s.
The opposite is true for nouns. The plural forms often end in s (boys, carrots).
Although this is generally true, remember that the English language has many
exceptions. For example some nouns are singular even though they always
end in s – for example, gymnastics, politics and economics. These words must
match singular verbs:
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Incorrect: Politics are an issue in Orwell’s novel.
Correct: Politics is an issue in Orwell’s novel.
If you are unsure whether a word is singular or plural make sure you look it
up in the dictionary.
Become a matchmaker
If you completed lesson one you already know how to correctly identify the
subject in a sentence – remember you first find the verb. You will now build
on this to correctly match the subject and the verb.
Follow these steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Find the verb
Find the subject
Determine if the subject is plural or singular
Match the verb to the subject
Try an example to determine the correct verb (like or likes) to use below:
The clumsy clown with wings____ (like/likes) parties.
Subject = singular
Verb = singular
The singular subject “clown” requires the singular verb “likes” (don’t let the
plural “wings” distract you).
The correct sentence is:
The clumsy clown with wings likes parties.
Consider some more examples:
The wise elephant wanders in the wild.
(elephant – singular subject, wanders - singular verb)
The flowers are a gift for the happy couple.
(flowers – plural subject, are – plural verb)
On the wall were several posters.
(posters = plural subject, were – plural verb)
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Tricky cases
You should now be able to match the subject-verb pair in simple cases.
Extend your knowledge to more complex examples – the ones that so many
people get WRONG.
When the subject comes after the verb instead of before it, you need
to pay extra care to match it to the verb.
Waiter, there is a fly in my soup.
singular
singular
There are two flies in my soup.
plural
plural
When the subjects are joined by "and" use a plural verb. This is true
even if each of the subjects is singular.
The two subjects joined by “and” are considered plural and must be matched
with a plural verb. Here are some example sentences:
Max and his friend train every day. (train = plural verb)
Max and his friends train every day. (train = plural verb)
Rain and snow were falling on the treetops. (were = plural verb)
There are pizza and snacks on the table. (are = plural verb)
Exception: Always use the plural verb with “and” except when the
subject is considered a whole or “unit” such as “research and
development”. Then use the singular subject.
Research and development is reviewing the plans.
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Singular verbs should also be used with collective nouns that refer to
a group. This emphasizes that collective nouns are a “unit”.
Examples of collective nouns: band, minority, majority, class, community,
dozen, family, public, team.
Which sentence is correct?
1. The whole family are intelligent.
2. The whole family is intelligent.
Sentence 2 is correct. Family is a collective noun and needs the singular verb
is.
When the subjects are joined by “or” or “nor” the subject agrees with
the verb nearer to it.
When both the singular and plural subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb
should agree with the part of the subject that is nearer the verb.
Either the director or the producers need to be present.
singular
plural
plural
Neither Jess nor Jane was there.
Neither Jess nor the others were there.
All things aside – don’t get distracted
In complex sentences the task of identifying the correct subject-verb pair is
more difficult. Because there are often extra descriptors or “asides” between
the subject and verb many people get confused and match the subject with
the extra words rather than the verb.
Tip: For complex sentences containing extra descriptors or “asides”
the best strategy is to ignore or cross out (at least mentally) the extra
words and correctly match the subject-verb pair.
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Which sentence below is correct?
1. The flowers, not the bottle of wine, are a gift for the happy couple.
2. The flowers, not the bottle of wine, is a gift for the happy couple.
Sentence 1 is correct. A common error is to be distracted by the extra
information “not the bottle of wine” and match it incorrectly to the verb is
resulting in sentence 2.
Mentally removing the extra information can help you see the answer:
The flowers, not the bottle of wine, are a gift for the happy couple.
Tip: The most common distractions are prepositional phrases
containing (of, to, for, by etc). Ignore these and identify the subject-verb
pair.
What is the correct verb to use in this sentence?
The chest of clothes ______ in the attic. (belong/belongs)
Ignoring the prepositional phrase reveals the answer:
The chest of clothes belongs in the attic.
Consider some more examples:
The woman with all the dogs walks in the park.
One of the pieces is missing.
My house, unlike those houses, is painted blue.
Many flowers, including the rose, are popular presents.
Indefinite pronouns
Remember from the “Pronoun agreement” tutorial that indefinite pronouns
such as anyone, anything, anybody and each are singular and require
singular verbs.
Anyone looks good in red.
Anything tastes good with chilli.
Each contestant plays a song.
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Test yourself
1. What are the correct verbs to use in the sentence below.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
She ___ coffee. (like/likes)
___ work there also. (Susan/They)
The team ___ celebrating. (is, are)
There ___ many possible candidates. (is/are)
None of the evidence about the girls ___ true. (was/were)
The girl at the front of the line, along with the boys behind her, __
selling tickets. (is/are)
g) Neither the doctors, nor the nurse, ___ available. (is/are)
h) A can of lima beans ___ in the cupboard. (is/are)
i) The majority of students ____ English as their major. (select/selects)
2. Select the correct sentence:
There are one book and two paintings on the table.
There is one book and two paintings on the table.
3. Complete this sentence:
Singular verbs that refer to something or someone end in an ___.
4. Select the correct sentence:
Research and development need more funding.
Research and development needs more funding.
5. Select the correct sentence:
The team is training on Friday.
The team are training on Friday.
6. Complete the sentences below by inserting the correct pronouns.
The best part of the article ___ written by John. (was/were)
The best parts of the article ___ written by John. (was/were)
7. Which statement is true?
Subjects joined by “and” generally require a plural verb.
Subjects joined by “and” generally require a singular verb.
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8. Insert the correct verb and identify it as singular or plural.
Milk and cookies ___ a delicious snack. (make/makes)
Mark and his friends ___ basketball. (play/plays)
Flowers and chocolate ___ her favourite gifts. (is/are)
Summary
You should now understand how to identify and correctly match the subject
with the verb.
Rules: A singular subject requires a singular verb and a plural subject
requires a plural verb.
The can of carrots is in the cupboard.
singular
singular
The carrots are in the fridge.
plural
plural
Singular verbs that refer to someone or something end in an “s” while
plural verbs don’t.
Singular verb
Plural verb
Mary Jane dances.
They dance.
Here are the rules to remember in tricky cases:
1. When the subject comes after the verb instead of before it, you need to
pay extra care to match it to the verb.
2. When the subjects are joined by "and" use a plural verb.
3. When the subjects are joined by “or” or “nor” the subject agrees with the
verb nearer to it.
4. Extra information, such as a prepositional phrase does not change the
subject-verb agreement and should be ignored.
5. Indefinite pronouns (anyone, somebody) are singular and require singular
verbs.
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Lesson 6: Master confusing words
Affect vs. Effect
Two of the most commonly confused words are “affect” and “effect”. This
blunder is a dead giveaway of poor grammar. Learn this one and you’ll be
ahead of most people.
The majority of the time you use affect with an a as a verb and effect with an
e as a noun. If you stick with this rule you will be 95% right most of the time.
Confusion results because effect can also be used as a verb, but I will discuss
this after you’re confident with the main usage.
Affect is a verb meaning to influence or change something.
Effect is a noun meaning the “end result” or impression.
Tip: Think affect – a for action something is “acting” on something else.
Think effect – e for end result.
Here’s a mnemonic that will help you remember the difference:
The aroma affected Alan.
The effect was enticing.
If you visualise the coffee’s aroma influencing Alan and the end result
being enticing, it may help you remember.
Another strategy is to use the acronym RAVEN to remember when to use
“affect” versus “effect”.
Remember
Affect
Verb
Effect
Noun
Exceptions to the rule
Effect can be used as a verb that means "to bring about" or "to accomplish."
For example, you could say, "The student hoped to effect change within the
university."
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There are many commonly confused words. You should know the difference
between those in the table below.
Commonly confused words:
Confused words
accept
except
The jury could not accept his reasons.
Everybody, except Henry found him guilty.
amiable
amicable
A man with an amiable smile greeted me.
He is generally an amicable person.
access
excess
We could not access your files.
The number of applicants was in excess of two hundred.
affect
effect
The aroma affected Alan.
The effect was enticing.
The organization aims to effect change in the community.
adolescents
adolescence
The adolescents formed a study group.
Adolescence should be a time of adventure.
allusion
illusion
An allusion to greed was made.
The company’s profits were an illusion.
device
devise
Have you seen the new communication device?
She will devise a new plan of success.
between
among
It is difficult to decide between the first two performances.
Lucy divided the money among her five friends.
breath
breathe
Take one deep breath.
He told her to breathe deeply.
compliment She was happy with the compliment on her new haircut.
complement The blue cushions complement the yellow couch.
counsel
counsil
He needs a friend to counsel him about his problems.
The council has decided to increase parking fines.
elicit
illicit
He was able to elicit the information through questioning.
The illicit substances were confiscated.
ensure
insure
I will ensure that the materials arrive on time.
I decided to insure my car.
formerly
formally
The artwork formerly belonged to a collector.
I formally accepted the invitation.
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forth
fourth
He put forth a suggestion.
He is the fourth child in the family.
incidence
incidents
The incidence of crime is decreasing.
Both incidents took place on the same day.
lay
lie
You can lay the books on the table.
You can lie down for a rest.
loose
lose
He decided to donate his loose change.
He made sure he didn’t lose his keys.
personnel
personal
All personnel must attend the safety training.
Take your personal belongings with you.
principle
principal
The principle of equal opportunity is important.
The principal speakers will lead the discussion.
presence
presents
She has an elusive presence.
She received many presents.
site
cite
There is a new excavation site.
It is important to cite examples in your essay.
stationary
stationery
Wait until the car is stationary.
Pencils, pens and books are all items of stationery.
suppose
supposed
I suppose she thought it was a wise decision.
Sam is supposed to walk the dog daily.
Suppose vs. Supposed
Do these sentences look familiar?
Louise was suppose to study, but she procrastinated and watched television
instead.
Sam was suppose to walk the dog daily.
Each of these sentences is wrong! What people try to say and what they
actually mean are often different! The correct word to use is supposed.
Here are the correct sentences:
Louise was supposed to study, but she procrastinated and watched television
instead.
Sam was supposed to walk the dog daily.
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Suppose and supposed to are used very frequently in English. Make sure
you know the difference between them.
Suppose means to think/believe/imagine/expect. Suppose or supposing can
also be used to mean What if…?
I suppose she thought it was a wise decision.
Suppose I visit you next Thursday rather than Wednesday, will that be ok?
Supposed most commonly means should. In the past tense, supposed is
used to mean that something was planned or intended to happen, but did not
happen. Should have can be used as an alternative to was supposed to:
Louise was supposed to study.
Sam was supposed to walk the dog daily.
Test yourself
1. Decide whether you should use “affect” or “effect” in the sentences below.
The fall in productivity will _____ our profits this quarter.
How did the workshop ____ your work performance?
The workshop had a good ____ on performance.
What _____ will the fall in productivity have on our profits?
The new laws are intended to _____ change in the community.
2. Which sentence is correct?
a) I suppose I should go to the party.
b) I supposed I should go to the party.
3. Which sentence is correct?
a) He was supposed to remember the present.
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b) He was suppose to remember the present.
Summary
You are now aware of some of the most commonly confused words.
Remember:
Affect is a verb meaning to influence or change something.
Effect is a noun meaning the “end result” or impression.
Think affect – a for action something is “acting” on or “influencing” something
else.
Think effect – e for end result.
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Lesson 7: Use prepositions precisely
Sometimes it’s the little things that count. Prepositions are words like “in, on,
to, by” and are some of the shortest words in the English language. You need
to use prepositions precisely.
Prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun or
pronoun and some other word.
For example the prepositions are in bold below:
“There is a grain of truth in that”.
Here are some more examples of prepositions. Notice how they can be used
to express different ideas.
Read the book about George Orwell.
Read the book by George Orwell.
Read the book for George Orwell.
Tip: Prepositions always appear with an object.
Don’t fall for the “Prep trap”
Without realising it many people get lured into overusing prepositions. They’re
very tempting and so small and easy to use. Jut add an “of, to, up, at” and
you’re caught. Consider these mistakes:
“Where did that remote control get to?”
“Take your feet off of the table.”
The sentences above demonstrate superfluous and unnecessary use of
prepositions. I call this error the “prep trap”. It’s a trap that many fall into
with speech and writing - a common bad habit that you need to pay attention
to. Many get caught in the trap because adding these little words seems to
make sense at the time. However, the prep trap doesn’t do anything but send
a message of stumbling clumsiness.
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Here are some of the most common prepositions:
with
at
by
to
in
of
on
for
from
up
off
with
about
over
under
near
beside
during
since
above
into
like
since
after
Tip: Avoid the “Prep trap”
Don’t overuse prepositions – less is really more in this case. Can you find the
unnecessary prepositions in the sentences below?
Examples
Incorrect: Where did the tourists go to?
Correct: Where did the tourists go?
Incorrect: Where did that DVD get to?
Correct: Where is that DVD?
Incorrect: Take your feet off of the table.
Correct: Take your feet off the table.
Incorrect: Cut the pizza up into eight pieces.
Correct: Cut the pizza into eight pieces.
Incorrect: She threw the receipts out into the trash.
Correct: She threw the receipts into the trash.
Incorrect: Where are my glasses at?
Correct: Where are my glasses?
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Tip: In formal writing and business communication avoid putting the
preposition at the end of the sentence.
Examples
Avoid: I am not sure which college I should apply to?
Better: I am not sure to which college I should apply.
Avoid: Ask whom the letter is addressed to.
Better: Ask to whom the letter is addressed.
Word Choice – of/have
Many people confuse “of” and “have”.
The following sentences show common errors.
Examples
Incorrect: He could of listened.
Correct: He could have listened.
Incorrect: She should of saved her work.
Correct: She should have saved her work.
Word Choice – between/among
Another common grammar mistake is the use of “among” and “between”.
Which sentence do below you think is correct?
1. Max divided the flyers between Susan and Harry.
2. Max divided the flyers among Susan and Harry.
Sentence 2 is correct. Here is a helpful tip to help you to remember which one
to use.
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Tip: To choose the appropriate preposition look at how many people
or things the sentence is about. If there is:
Two – use between
More than two - use among
Here are some more examples:
Lucy found it difficult to decide between chocolate and strawberry ice cream.
Lucy shared the ice cream among her five friends.
The keys were found among the clothes.
The money was found between two pages.
Test yourself
1. Which sentence below is correct?
a) She should of practiced her speech.
b) She should have practiced her speech.
2. Cross out the unnecessary prepositions from the sentences below.
She will not stand for poor excuses.
They will arrive at the airport later on.
Where are you going to?
We tried out a new approach.
Which staircase did she climb up?
Cut the orange up into eight pieces.
Would you like to try this new bike out?
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3. Decide whether you should use “among” or “between” in the sentences
below.
There were ______ 200 and 300 people at the concert.
Harry tossed the vouchers _____ the crowd.
Summary
In this chapter you have learned about prepositions. Remember to:
•
Avoid using unnecessary prepositions – less is more.
•
Use ‘between’ when referring to only two things and ‘among’ when
talking about more than two.
Use prepositions precisely – and you can be confident that your style and
written communication will improve!
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Lesson 8: Don’t cramp your style
“The most valuable of all talents is never using two words when one will do.”
- Thomas Jefferson
Have you ever read an email that was arduous? Where, after reading the first
few sentences you were confused about the meaning? A great deal of the
writing we encounter is full of unnecessary words and awkward phrases.
Have a look at this sentence:
At the present moment in time the company’s policy, due to the fact that the board indicated
unanimous agreement, is essentially no different than it was last year, thus it can be seen that
there is no change.
Now consider:
The board has agreed that the company’s policy will not change.
The first example of clumsy, padded writing is poor style. You should avoid
this at all costs. If you want to be thought of as someone who writes with
clarity and purpose then you need to develop a good written style. Avoiding
the words and phrases in this section will improve not only your grammar, but
also your command over the English language.
Many words and phrases rarely add anything to a sentence. We’ve identified a
list of common offenders and how you can avoid them. Eliminating these
words is the first step to developing good style.
Words and phrases to avoid
the fact that
being that
the case that
it can be seen that
in the event that
it has been indicated that
it should be remembered that
it should be noted that
it is imperative that
at the present moment in time
irregardless
extremely
basically
as it were
moreover
essentially
totally
completely
the question as to
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Some of these are fine in their place, but more often than not they creep into
your writing with the ominous purpose of tempting you into padding your
sentences.
Consider the sentences below that contain unnecessary words and phrases.
How can they be reworded more concisely?
the fact that
Avoid: I cannot attend the conference due to the fact that I will be on
leave.
Better: I cannot attend the conference because I will be on leave.
Avoid: She was unaware of the fact that he was leaving.
Better: She was unaware that he was leaving.
Avoid: Please bring to your attention the fact that you must be finished
by 5pm.
Better: Please remember that you must be finished at 5pm.
Avoid: The fact that he always forgot annoyed her.
Better: His forgetfulness annoyed her.
which was
Avoid: The tsunami, which was an event that occurred suddenly,
devastated the community.
Better: The tsunami, an event that occurred suddenly, devastated the
community.
Avoid: The picnic, which was planned for next Saturday is cancelled.
Better: The picnic planned for next Saturday is cancelled.
case/the case that
Avoid: It is not the case that a mistake has been made.
Better: A mistake has not been made.
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Avoid: In many cases, the events are cancelled.
Better: Many of the events are cancelled.
Redundant words and phrases
Redundant words and phrases will become easier for you to spot and
eliminate once you know what to look for. Consider these examples:
Avoid: Acts of an unkind nature will not be tolerated.
Better: Unkind acts will not be tolerated.
Avoid: They will consider the question as to whether he should go.
Better: They will consider whether he should go.
Avoid: The flower is bright orange in colour.
Better: The flower is bright orange.
Avoid: It should be noted that mobile phones should be turned off.
Better: Mobile phones should be turned off.
Avoid: In the event that it rains, we will meet in the library.
Better: We will meet in the library if it rains.
Avoid: This is a topic which is sometimes difficult to discuss.
Better: This topic is sometimes difficult to discuss.
Avoid: She is engaged in the study of English.
Better: She is studying English.
Avoid: Refer back to Chapter 2.
Better: Refer to Chapter 2.
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Avoid: They reverted back to the old method.
Better: They reverted to the old method.
Avoid: The vote was completely unanimous.
Better: The vote was unanimous.
Avoid: They will repeat the performance again tomorrow.
Better: They will repeat the performance tomorrow.
When you are writing consider any redundant or wordy phrases and try to
eliminate them.
Here are some examples of common wordy phrases and concise alternatives
that should be used in their place.
Wordy
Concise
the fact that
refer back to
it should be remembered that
due to the fact that
the question as to whether
in many cases
at this point in time
completely unanimous
square in shape
bright in color
in spite of the fact that
on a monthly basis
during the course of
until such time as
appreciate in value
this is a subject that
engaged in a study of
in a brief manner
few in number
meet together
because
refer
remember
because
whether
many
at this time
unanimous
square
bright
although
monthly
during
until
appreciate
this subject
studying
briefly
few
meet
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Test yourself
1. The sentences below contain redundant words and phases. Rewrite the
sentences in the spaces so that they are concise.
The music is loud in volume.
He is engaged in the study of English grammar.
This is true only in the case in which three or more tests are performed.
In all cases, the outcomes are clear.
I celebrated my birthday, which was yesterday.
I will arrive at 1pm due to the fact that I have an appointment.
There are two alternative choices to consider.
Summary
In this lesson you have learned about the importance of a good written style.
Redundancy is needless repetition and has no place in effective written
communication. With some care and attention unnecessary words and
awkward phrases can be avoided.
In particular be aware of and try to avoid the following expressions:
•
•
•
the fact that
which was
the case
With your new knowledge you’ll start noticing instances of poor style. When
you do think about a concise alternative.
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Congratulations – you’ve made it!
Congratulations on completing Confident Grammar’s learning program. With
your new knowledge and understanding you are in a position to improve even
further. Remember to look back over each lesson and take notes on the
important areas you need to pay attention to. Make sure you have completed
the “Test yourself” questions at the end of each lesson. Above all remember
that good grammar takes practice. You should use every time you
communicate as an opportunity for improvement.
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Test Yourself Answers
Lesson 1
1. Classify the nouns below as abstract or concrete.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
America – concrete
equality – abstract
chair – concrete
winter – concrete
democracy - abstract
2. Identify the verbs in the sentences below.
a) I will practice grammar each day. (verb - practice)
b) The excited speaker sang to the audience. (verb - sang)
c) Denise seems curious. (verb - seems)
3. Decide which words are adverbs and which are verbs?
a) find - verb
b) easily - adverb
c) fast - adverb
d) quickly- adverb
e) carry - verb
f) calmly - adverb
4. Identify the verb, subject and object (or complement) in the sentences
below.
a) I will practice grammar each day.
(verb – practice, subject – I, object – grammar)
c) The telephone rang with annoying persistence.
(verb – rang, subject – telephone)
b) Thunder boomed, and gave the children a fright.
(verb – boomed, subject – thunder, object – children)
c) My aunt popped a chocolate into her mouth.
(verb – popped, subject – aunt, object – chocolate)
d) Give me the keys.
(verb – give, implied subject – you, object – keys)
e) The committee members were satisfied with the resolution.
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(verb – satisfied, subject – committee members, object – resolution)
f) There was a well-known author at the meeting.
(verb – was, subject – author, object – meeting)
g) Over the water, glides a small canoe.
(verb – glides, subject – canoe, object – water)
h) He seems like a friendly person.
(verb – seems, subject – he, complement – person)
Lesson 2
1. The rule for singular possessive nouns is that you add the apostrophe:
a) before the s
2. The rule for plural possessive nouns ending in ‘s’ is that you add the
apostrophe.
b) after the s
3. True or false:
Pronouns never take an apostrophe. (true)
4. Punctuate the following sentences with correct apostrophes.
It’s such a beautiful day that I’ve decided to take a walk.
It’s important that the kitten learns to find its way home.
Who’s going to take care of John’s dog?
Jenny’s friend listened to the children’s story carefully.
5. Place the apostrophes (either before or after the s) in the correct position.
Did you enjoy the musicians’ performance? (more than one musician)
Did you enjoy the musician’s performance? (one musician)
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Lesson 3
1. What are the correct pronouns in the sentences below? Also identify the
type of pronoun (subject, object, possessive).
e)
f)
g)
h)
He gave it to me. (me = object pronoun)
I believe that also. (I = subject pronoun)
She is unsure whom the recipient is. (She = subject, whom = object)
Whose book is that? (Whose = possessive pronoun)
2. Select the correct sentence:
He can go shopping with you and me.
He can go shopping with you and I.
3. Complete the sentences below by inserting the correct pronouns.
He gave a copy of the memo to Jerry and me.
Bill and I are old friends.
She addressed the invitation to Sarah, John and me.
4. Which of these sentences is correct?
a) Whom did you go hiking with?
b) Who did you go hiking with? (Tip: He went hiking, therefore “who” is
correct).
Lesson 4
1. Complete the sentences below by inserting the correct pronoun:
Michael wants to improve his grammar.
Neither of the girls brought her umbrella.
The band showcased its new album.
Everyone needs to consider the impact of his or her actions on others.
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2. “You need to edit and proof read your work carefully.” This sentence uses:
a) first person
b) second person
c) third person
3. Which sentences is correct?
When a candidate runs for office, they must expect to have their personal life
scrutinized.
When candidates run for office, they must expect to have their
personal lives scrutinized.
Lesson 5
1. What are the correct verbs to use in the sentence below.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
She likes coffee.
They work there also.
The team is celebrating.
There are many possible candidates.
None of the evidence about the girls was true.
The girl at the front of the line, along with the boys behind her, is
selling tickets.
g) Neither the doctors nor the nurse is available.
h) A can of lima beans is in the cupboard.
i) The majority of students select English as their major.
2. Select the correct sentence:
There are one book and two paintings on the table.
There is one book and two paintings on the table.
3. Complete this sentence:
Singular verbs that refer to something or someone end in an s.
4. Select the correct sentence:
Research and development need more funding.
Research and development needs more funding.
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5. Select the correct sentence:
The team is training on Friday.
The team are training on Friday.
6. Complete the sentences below by inserting the correct pronouns.
The best part of the article was written by John.
The best parts of the article were written by John.
7. Which statement is true?
Subjects joined by “and” generally require a plural verb.
Subjects joined by “and” generally require a singular verb.
8. Insert the correct verb and identify it as singular or plural.
Milk and cookies make a delicious snack.
Mark and his friends play basketball.
Flowers and chocolate are her favourite gifts.
Lesson 6
1. Decide whether you should use “affect” or “effect” in the sentences below.
The fall in productivity will affect our profits this quarter.
How did the workshop affect your work performance?
The workshop had a good effect on performance.
What effect will the fall in productivity have on our profits?
The new laws are intended to effect change in the community.
2. Which sentence is correct?
a) I suppose I should go to the party.
b) I supposed I should go to the party.
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3. Which sentence is correct?
a) He was supposed to remember the present.
b) He was suppose to remember the present.
Lesson 7
1. Which sentence below is correct?
a) She should of practiced her speech.
b) She should have practiced her speech.
2. Cross out the unnecessary prepositions from the sentences below.
She will not stand for poor excuses.
They will arrive at the airport later on.
Where are you going to?
We tried out a new approach.
Which staircase did she climb up?
Cut the orange up into eight pieces.
Would you like to try this new bike out?
3. Decide whether you should use “among” or “between” in the sentences
below.
There were between 200 and 300 people at the concert.
Harry tossed the vouchers among the crowd.
Lesson 8
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1. The sentences below contain redundant words and phases. Rewrite the
sentences in the spaces so that they are concise.
The music is loud in volume.
The music is loud.
He is engaged in the study of English grammar.
He is studying English grammar.
This is true only in the case in which three or more tests are performed.
This is true when three or more tests are performed.
In all cases, the outcomes are clear.
The outcomes are clear.
I celebrated my birthday, which was yesterday.
I celebrated my birthday yesterday.
I will arrive late due to the fact that I have an appointment.
I will arrive late because I have an appointment.
There are two alternative choices to consider.
There are two alternatives to consider.
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