Download Grammar Diagnostic and Definitions - Linn

Grammar Diagnostic Please read through each of the following sentences. Read each
sentence carefully, looking for errors in grammar or punctuation. Identify the error using the
editing symbols provided below. Finally, if the sentence is incorrect, correct it.
You’ll be looking for the following errors:
Fragments (frag)
Run-ons / fused sentences (fs)
Run-ons / comma splices (cs)
Subject-Verb Agreement errors (sub-verb agr)
Pronoun reference errors (pro ref)
Comma errors ©
Apostrophe errors (apos)
Spelling errors (sp)
Example: Until I realized that I had three full weeks to develop my project for the Biology final and my
roommate is a Biology major. (frag)
Revision: When I realized that I had three full weeks to develop my project for the Biology final and that
my roommate is a Biology major, I relaxed.
1. Because I worked this summer, I will have additional income for tuition this will allow me to
go to school full-time.
2. After all the stress of looking for a new car I found that actually buying the car was a relief.
3. In the eleventh grade, I received a soccer scholarship for summer camp, that was my first
summer away from home.
4. If a soccer player disagrees with the referee’s decisions, he or she risks a yellow card.
5. Playing any team sport, such as soccer, give children a sense of belonging, confidence, and
physical stamina.
6. The first term in college tests a students ability to adapt to life away from home, especially
when the student lives off campus.
7. If you’re looking for an apartment in early September, you’ll need to check all the local
newspapers.
8. My best friend lived in five apartments when she attended college, she had some difficulty in
finding a good roommate even though she cooked great meals for my sisters and me.
9. A really good roommate can make the difference between a happy life and one filled with
stress. Which involves more than having someone to pay the rent.
10. When Paul opened the letter and discovered that his cousins had sent him their new address
in Hawaii.
11. A college with several financial aid resources give students chances to apply for more
scholarships, often directly related to its programs.
12. Ramon, who was always available whenever I needed someone to talk to.
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13. People who are concerned about cholesterol try to eat less fat, avoid red meat, and cut down
on using sugar.
14. Shifting to a healthier diet is often very difficult, but the advantages are remarkable.
15. Ten years from now, all are medical records will be computerized.
16. After working hard all day Jokasta decided to spend an evening at the zoo.
17. Her friends said that she defiantly deserved a break.
18. John continued to hike past the “No Trespassing” sign, his grandparents lived on this land 50
years ago.
19. Its said that voters, not politicians, should decide public issues; that is the heart of a
democracy.
20. Some people believe that we deserve the best government, and the best representatives that
we can imagine.
21. A child should not go to bed hungry or fearful; every child deserves to have a sense of
security, unconditional love, and a good education.
22. Both Esperanza Vera and Kiki Davis are good candidates for the job but she has the lead.
23. Perhaps Vera is leading because she is bilengual.
24. After a short overview, the loan office suggested that I except the terms of the loan.
25. One of the differences between being single and having a family are a sense of financial
responsibility.
26. Now that I’ve registered for classes that require essay writing, I realize that I should of
brought my sister’s computer with me to college.
27. Computer labs are available on campus each lab is equipped with 25 computers.
28. The writing assistant collaborated with the writing instructor, and he offered extra credit for
the additional revision work.
29. There are many resources on campus to help all students succeed.
30. Copy editing is serius work.
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I.
A SENTENCE FRAGMENT fails to be a sentence in the sense that it cannot stand by itself. It
does not contain even one independent clause (main clause). There are several reasons why a
group of words may seem to act like a sentence but not have the wherewithal to make it as a
complete thought.
a. It may locate something in time and place with a prepositional phrase or a series
of such phrases, but it's still lacking a proper subject-verb relationship within an
independent clause:
In Japan, during the last war and just before the armistice.
This sentence accomplishes a great deal in terms of placing the reader in time
and place, but there is no subject, no verb.
b. It describes something, but there is no subject-verb relationship:
Working far into the night in an effort to salvage her little boat.
This is a verbal phrase that wants to modify something, the real subject of the
sentence (about to come up), probably the she who was working so hard.
c. It may have most of the makings of a sentence but still be missing an important
part of a verb string:
Some of the students working in Professor Espinoza's laboratory last semester.
Remember that an -ing verb form without an auxiliary form to accompany it can
never be a verb.
d. It may even have a subject-verb relationship, but it has been subordinated to
another idea by a dependent word and so cannot stand by itself:
Even though he had the better arguments and was by far the more powerful
speaker.
This sentence fragment has a subject, he, and two verbs, had and was, but it
cannot stand by itself because of the dependent word (subordinating conjunction)
even though. We need an independent clause (main clause) to follow up this
dependent clause (subordinate clause): . . . the more powerful speaker, he
lost the case because he didn't understand the jury.
II.
A RUN-ON SENTENCE has at least two parts, either one of which can stand by itself (in other
words, two main clauses), but the two parts have been smooshed together instead of being
properly connected.
If no punctuation connects the two main clauses we call it a fused sentence.
The sun is high put on some sunblock.
I like to dance would you like to dance with me?
When two independent clauses are connected by only a comma, they constitute a run on
sentence that is called a comma-splice.
The sun is high, put on some sunblock.
I like to dance, would you like to dance with me?
Hint: When you use a comma to connect two independent clauses, it must be accompanied by a
conjunction (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so).
Correct: The sun is high, so put on some sunscreen.
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Run-on sentences happen typically under the following circumstances*:
a. When an independent clause gives an order or directive based on what was
said in the prior independent clause:
This next chapter has a lot of difficult information in it, you should start
studying right away.
We could put a period where that comma is and start a new sentence. A
semicolon might also work.
b. When two independent clauses are connected by a transitional expression
(conjunctive adverb) such as however, moreover, nevertheless.
Mr. Nguyen has sent his four children to ivy-league colleges, however, he has
sacrificed his health working day and night in that dusty bakery.
Again, where that first comma appears, we could have used either a period —
and started a new sentence — or a semicolon.
c.
When the second of two independent clauses contains a pronoun that
connects it to the first independent clause.
This computer doesn't make sense to me, it came without a manual.
Although these two clauses are quite brief, and the ideas are closely related,
this is a run-on sentence. We need a period where that comma now stands.
Most of those computers in the Learning Assistance Center are broken
already, this proves my point about American computer manufacturers.
Again, two nicely related clauses, incorrectly connected — a run-on. Use a
period to cure this sentence.
III.
SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT means simply: singular subjects match singular verbs and plural
subjects match plural verbs.
The boys run to the store.
The boy runs to the store.
The shark in the movie Jaws is the scariest shark in any film.
No, the sharks in the movie Deep Blue Sea are scarier.
Here are a few of the sneaky rules to remember about Subject/Verb Agreement.
a. Compound subjects joined by and are always plural.
Billy and Jane are hilarious together.
b. With compound subjects joined by or/nor the verb agrees with the subject
nearer to it.
Neither the director nor the actors are following the lines closely.
Neither the actors nor the director is following the lines closely.
c. Singular indefinite pronouns take singular verbs. (singular: each, either, neither,
one, no one, nobody, nothing, anyone, anybody, anything, someone, somebody,
something, everyone, everybody, everything)
Each does a good deal of work around the office.
Everybody pays taxes in this town.
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IV.
When a pronoun lacks a clear and explicit antecedent, you have a PRONOUN REFERENCE
ERROR. Below are a few problems that create pronoun reference errors.
a. They said at the bank that my account was overdrawn.
The pronoun they has no antecedent, so the reader doesn't know who they are. In this
case, a noun needs to be substituted for the pronoun:
Correction: The teller at the bank said that my account was overdrawn.
b. It says in this book that a katydid is a kind of grasshopper.
Although the reader understands that the pronoun it probably refers to the book, the
antecedent is unclear. Reduce wordiness by specifying the noun rather than using a
pronoun:
Correction: This book says that a katydid is a kind of grasshopper.
c. Susan has changed her major twice this semester. This might mean she is unsure of
her career goal.
Try to draw an arrow from the pronoun this to its logical antecedent. The sentence does
not contain a noun which equals this, so the pronoun has no explicit antecedent.
Correction: The sentence should specify that this change or this fact suggests Susan's
uncertainty.
d. After interviewing several nurses, I realized that it was not the career for me.
The pronoun it refers to nursing--a word which never appears in the sentence. Revise
the sentence by replacing the pronoun with a noun:
Correction: After interviewing several nurses, I realized that nursing was not the career
for me.
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