Style: Common Grammatical Stumbling Blocks

This section of the module deals with common grammatical stumbling blocks.  It covers only the basics, so if you need additional assistance, you should purchase a grammar handbook or visit a superb online site, such as Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab Links to an external site. (the famous OWL).

Grammatical problems are alphabetized.

Comma Splices

Comma splices (CS) occur when writers join two independent clauses or sentences that are complete on their own into a single sentence using only a comma. 

Comma Splice: Winter lasts six months in Wyoming, life gets hard at 20 to 40 degrees below zero.
Corrected: Winter lasts six months in Wyoming, and life gets hard at 20 to 40 degrees below zero. 

Comma Splice: The novel is remarkable, Mr. Wright has written over 50,000 words without using the letter “e.”
Corrected: The novel is remarkable, as Mr. Wright has written over 50,000 words without using the letter “e.” 


Comma Usage

Commas are among the most versatile and pesky punctuation marks in existence. If you omit them, they cause problems. If you add too many, they cause problems. If you add them in the wrong place. . . well, you get the picture.

There are 5 main uses for commas: 

  • To set off a phrase or clause before the subject: While she was cooking, her friends arrived.
  • To separate items in a list when no other internal commas are used:  They bought pens, pencils, notebooks, and computer disks.
  • To indicate inserted material:  Joseph, my first cousin, will visit this weekend.
  • To introduce or end a quotation:  She said, “I have no other friends but you” OR “I have no other friends but you,” she said.
  • To separate independent clauses joined with a coordinating conjunction:  I was grateful, so I sent him a birthday gift OR The route to the concert destination was long and arduous, and the group members were exhausted when they arrived. 

 

Fused Sentences

Fused sentences (FS; also called “run on” sentences) occur when writers join two independent clauses into a single sentence without a conjunction or proper punctuation. 

Fused Sentence: My dorm room is supposed to house two people comfortably actually it has only enough space for a six-year-old child.
Corrected: My dorm room is supposed to house two people comfortably, but actually it has only enough space for a six-year-old child. OR My dorm room is supposed to house two people comfortably; however, it has only enough space for a six-year-old child. 

Fused Sentence: Sometimes I craved fried foods floating in grease then I ate in the school cafeteria.
Corrected: Sometimes I craved fried foods floating in grease, so then I ate in the school cafeteria OR When I craved fried foods floating in grease, I ate in the school cafeteria. 

Please note that the term run-on sentence cannot be used to refer to a sentence that is merely long! Such a sentence might actually run on a bit long, but it is not really a “run-on.”


Modifiers, Dangling

Modifiers describe other words: they qualify, explain, intensify, or limit them. Basically, they tell how something was done, what it was like, etc. They can be as simple as a single word (the red car) or they can consist of several words (with a laugh, she returned the car keys).

Obviously, then, modifiers link to the words they modify, and this relationship must be clear so that readers can fully and correctly understand your meaning.

Dangling modifiers (DM) occur when the modifier in question does not have a clear relationship with another word in the sentence. Dangling modifiers leave out important facts, like who or what is being modified. It helps if you consider that in most cases the sentences they’re in will have missing information. They can result in some unintentionally funny meanings. 

Fix dangling modifiers by determining who or what they modify and making sure it is put in the sentence. 

Dangling Modifier: To have a successful camping trip, the right equipment must be packed. (is the equipment on the camping trip?)
Correct: To have a successful camping trip, campers must pack the right equipment.

Dangling Modifier: When covered with a fine white ash, the chicken should be placed on the grill. (sounds like the chicken is covered with ash!)
Correct: When the coals are covered with a fine white ash, the chicken should be placed on the grill.

Dangling Modifier: In deciding the case, illegally obtained evidence was used. (did the evidence decide the case?)
Correct: In deciding the case, the judge used illegally obtained evidence. 


Modifiers, Misplaced

Misplaced modifiers (MM) occur when simply due to its placement in the sentence, the modifier relates to the wrong thing. Humor and skewed meanings result.

Qualifiers like only, nearly, simply, almost, even, and just present special problems. They should be placed immediately before or as close as possible to the words they modify. 

Fix misplaced modifiers by moving them appropriately. 

Misplaced Modifier: He led me to a corner table with a sneer. (makes it sound like the table is sneering!)
Correct: With a sneer, he led me to the corner table.

Misplaced Modifier: We cooked fresh vegetables on an old wood stove that we had picked that morning (sounds like you picked the stove!)
Correct: On an old wood stove, we cooked fresh vegetables that we had picked that morning.

Misplaced Modifier: He only died yesterday (as opposed to he only had a bad cough or he only what?)
Correct: He died only yesterday (modifies when he died)


Modifiers, Squinting

Squinting modifiers (SM) are actually a sub-group of misplaced modifiers, but they are so common that they deserve separate note. They occur when they are placed in such a way that they can modify more than one thing.

Squinting Modifier: The courses he teaches frequently have been cancelled (courses he teaches frequently or cancelled frequently?)
Correct (depending upon the meaning you intend): The courses he frequently teaches have been cancelled OR The courses he teaches have been cancelled frequently.


Parallelism

Parallelism refers to the use of the same grammatical structure for items in a compound structure, like a series, a list, or an outline.

The best beer has both natural ingredients and natural fermentation.
The doctor has not only traveled to mid-sized cities and to college campuses but also to small communities.

Ensuring parallelism can be tricky. Check out these examples, with the words that must be parallel highlighted.

Not parallel:  The heat wave will increase the demand for electricity and causing power outages.
Parallel:  The heat wave will increase the demand for electricity and cause power outages.

Not parallel:  The reporter has covered the trial from the swearing in of the jury to when the judge sentenced the murderer.
Parallel:  The reporter has covered the trial from the swearing in of the jury to the sentencing of the murderer.

Not parallel:
Preparing annual reports.
Creating publicity brochures.
Web design. [missing verb]

Parallel:
Preparing annual reports.
Creating publicity brochures.
Designing web sites.


Possessive Form/Case vs. Simple Plural

Nouns have possessive forms, which indicate a variety of meanings.  The possessive case is the form of a noun or pronoun that indicates ownership, authorship, measurement, or description:

Sue’s job
Their vacation
Poe’s story
Her essay
A mile’s distance
A child’s bike

Some possessive nouns are formed by the addition of an apostrophe and an –s; others, by just an apostrophe after a final –s (James’s, Raiders’)

Possessive form should not be confused with simple plural form. You also have to consider whether you’re talking about singular possessive or plural possessive:

The universities (more than 1 university)
The university’s (something belonging to a single university)
The universities’ (something belonging to more than 1 university)

The doctors (more than 1 doctor)
The doctor’s (something belonging to 1 doctor)
The doctors’ (something belonging to more than 1 doctor)

 

Prepositions

A prepositional phrase includes a preposition and its object, usually a noun, noun phrase, or pronoun — the words the preposition itself modifies. 

Prepositions express relationships of place, direction, time, and other situations that aren’t as easily defined. 

Although prepositions are very common words and are often crucial to the meaning of a sentence, they are often difficult to learn because they aren’t governed by easily codified rules, as are nouns, verbs, and the like. Instead, you have to learn each preposition and the ways it can be used individually. Using the wrong preposition can result in a skewed or even nonsensical meaning.

Common prepositions include above, across, after, before, beneath, down, during, in, from, for, in, into, near, of, onto, out, over, past, since, through, toward, under, up, with, within, and without.

 

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

A pronoun (he, she, it, they) must agree in number with its antecedent — the noun or noun phrase to which the pronoun refers.

Remember the rules governing antecedents and pronouns:

Singular antecedents

A singular antecedent needs a singular pronoun: The amethyst is usually purple or blue-violet; it is a semiprecious stone made from a variety of quartz.

Plural antecedents

A plural antecedent needs a plural pronoun:  Amethysts are usually purple or blue-violet; they are semiprecious stones made from a variety of quartz.

Antecedents joined by and

Generally, antecedents joined by and require a plural pronoun: The wombat and the bandicoot carry their young in pouches.

In 2 instances, antecedents joined by and require a singular pronoun:

When the antecedents refer to a single person, place, thing, or idea:  The judge and executioner eyed his victim impassively OR The candidate supports law and order—as though it were debatable.

When each or every precedes the compound:  Each hot spell and rainstorm took its toll on my vegetable garden OR Every rider and calf roper in the Southwest paid his entry fee.

Antecedents joined by or/nor

When singular antecedents are joined by or/nor, use a singular pronoun:  The field judge or the back judge blew his whistle.

When plural antecedents are joined by or/nor, use a plural pronoun:  Neither the Russians nor the Chinese sent their delegations.

When one antecedent is singular and the other plural, the pronoun agrees with the nearest antecedent:  Neither my mother nor my grandparents would sign their names to the petition.

Collective noun as antecedent:

Collective nouns – audience, jury, orchestra, committee, family – are singular when they refer to a group as a unit:  The family incorporated itself for tax purposes.

They are plural when they refer to individual members:  The family are squabbling over their grandfather’s estate. (If this last sentence makes you squeamish, try instead The family members are squabbling over their grandfather’s estate.)

 

Sentence Fragments

Sentence fragments (SF; also called “incomplete sentences”) are incomplete structures that are punctuated as though they are actually sentences. Instead, they lack the necessary independent clause they need to be sentences. 

Sentence Fragment: Registration was a nightmare. Although I did get the courses I wanted.
Corrected: Registration was a nightmare, although I did get the courses I wanted. 

Sentence Fragment: While arthritis rarely threatens life. It can be a frustrating, painful experience.
Corrected: While arthritis rarely threatens life, it can be a frustrating, painful experience.