Download Chapter 5: Using Correct Language

CHAPTER 5
Copyright © 2002 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
CHAPTER 5: Using Correct Language
• Modifiers describe the people, things, and
actions in a sentence.
• Adjectives are modifiers that describe nouns
and pronouns.
I live in the brick house down the street.
• Adverbs are modifiers that describe verbs,
adjectives, and other adverbs.
She spoke quietly.
Copyright © 2002 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
CHAPTER 5: Using Correct Language
• A modifying phrase is a group of words that
describes another word in a sentence. It
answers the following questions:
Who?
How?
What kind?
What?
How many?
When?
Where?
How much?
Which one?
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CHAPTER 5: Using Correct Language
(Continued)
There are several types of modifying phrases:
• A prepositional phrase is a word group that
starts with a preposition and ends with a noun
or a pronoun.
To get there on time, we have to leave now.
• A verbal phrase uses a verbal form to
describe a noun.
My paycheck, signed by the president, arrived
yesterday.
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CHAPTER 5: Using Correct Language
(Continued)
There are several types of modifying phrases:
• A renaming phrase (also called an
appositive) supplies more information about
a noun or pronoun in the sentence.
Kathy, the coordinator of our book club,
recommends everything written by Margaret
Atwood.
Copyright © 2002 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
CHAPTER 5: Using Correct Language
• A misplaced modifier is too far away from
the word it describes:
Galloping across the plains, Louise stood and
watched the horses.
• Move the modifier closer to the word it
describes:
Louise stood and watched the horses galloping
across the plains.
• Turn the modifying phrase into a dependent
clause:
As the horses galloped across the plains, Louise
stood and watched.
Copyright © 2002 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
CHAPTER 5: Using Correct Language
• A dangling modifier describes a word that
should be in the sentence but isn’t:
Listening to talk radio, a conspiracy seemed
almost plausible.
• Add a noun that makes sense and change
the wording of the sentence slightly:
Listening to talk radio, Bob thought that a
conspiracy seemed almost plausible.
When he listened to talk radio, Bob thought
that a conspiracy seemed almost plausible.
Copyright © 2002 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
CHAPTER 5: Using Correct Language
• When a sentence contains a series of nouns
or verbs joined by a conjunction, the
elements of the series should all have
parallel structure:
The company’s ads are directed at children,
teens, and young adults.
Children, teens, and young adults all have
the same form.
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CHAPTER 5: Using Correct Language
(Continued)
• To check for parallel structure, look for the
conjunction. Then decide what words or
phrases the conjunction joins and make sure
their forms are alike:
Mike wanted to watch TV, listen to CDs, or
going to the movies.  NOT PARALLEL
Mike wanted to watch TV, listen to CDs, or
go to the movies.  PARALLEL
Copyright © 2002 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
CHAPTER 5: Using Correct Language
• An antecedent is the word to which a
pronoun refers. Sometimes it isn’t clear what
antecedent a pronoun is referring to:
WHO?
The coach talked to Kobe because he was
WHO?
frustrated by his performance.
The coach talked to Kobe because the coach
was frustrated by Kobe’s performance.
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CHAPTER 5: Using Correct Language
(Continued)
• Sometimes a pronoun doesn’t have any
antecedent:
I’ve complained about my Internet browser’s
WHO?
speed, but they say the problem isn’t the modem.
I’ve complained about my Internet browser’s
speed, but the tech support people say the
problem isn’t the modem.
Copyright © 2002 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
CHAPTER 5: Using Correct Language
• A pronoun must agree with, or match, its
antecedent in number just as a verb must agree
with its subject.
• Watch out for agreement problems in
paragraphs as well as individual sentences.
• Singular pronouns are I, me, my, mine, you,
your, yours, he, she, it, him, her, his, hers, its.
• Plural pronouns are we, us, our, ours, you, your,
yours, they, them, their, theirs.
Copyright © 2002 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
CHAPTER 5: Using Correct Language
(Continued)
To check for agreement in number, follow
these three steps:
• Find the pronoun’s antecedent.
• Decide whether the antecedent is singular or
plural.
• Make sure the pronoun agrees with it in number.
SINGULAR
INCORRECT
PLURAL
The company posts rules of ethics on their website.
SINGULAR
CORRECT
SINGULAR
The company posts rules of ethics on its website.
Copyright © 2002 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
CHAPTER 5: Using Correct Language
Personal pronouns must agree in person with
their antecedent:
• First person: I, me, mine, we, us, our, ours
• Second person: you, your, yours
• Third person: he, she, it, one, him, her,
his, its, they, them, their, theirs
THIRD
INCORRECT
THIRD
CORRECT
FIRST
If a person got caught up on chores, you wouldn’t
know what to do.
THIRD
If a person got caught up on chores, he or she
wouldn’t know what to do.
Copyright © 2002 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
CHAPTER 5: Using Correct Language
THE END
Practice the skills you learned in this chapter by taking
the Chapter Review Quiz or the GED Practice Quiz.
Copyright © 2002 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.