eng 102fa15.9.17. verbs prepositions shifts proofing

8/20/2019 Eng 102FA15.9.17. Verbs Prepositions Shifts Proofing

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ENG 102FA15

Active VerbsPrepositions

Shifts

Proofreading Marks


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A CTIVE VERBS

Whenever possible avoid the passive

voice and use the active voice

Makes writing crisper, more lively,

more concise

Avoid or replace be verbs be, am, is, are, was, were, being, been

The fly ball was caught by Hernando.

Hernando caught the fly ball.


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A CTIVE V ERBS

Use the active voice unless you have a

good reason for choosing the passive.

In active, the subject does the action

In passive, the subject receives the

actionMostly scientific writing

The settlers stripped the land of timber.

The land was stripped of timber by the

settlers.


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A CTIVE V ERBS

Replace be verbs that result in dull or

wordy sentences

As a rule, choose a subject that names the

person or thing doing the action.


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A CTIVE OR PASSIVE? IF IT’S PASSIVE, MAKE

IT ACTIVE. IF IT’S ACTIVE, MAKE IT PASSIVE.

1. Thomas fed his dog.

2. The dog is fed by Thomas.

3. The family went to the beach.

4. The letter was written by Marshall.5. The game had been won by the blue team.

6. The problem was solved.

7. The stunt man risked his life.

8. The fire was extinguished.

9. The car was being cleaned by its owner

10. It gets cold here during the winter.


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P ARTS OF SPEECHPreposition

indicates the relationship between the noun orpronoun that follows it and another word in the

sentence

At, by, for, from, in, of, on, to , with

The road to the summit travels past craters from

an extinct volcano.


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PREPOSITIONS

Can you end a sentence with a preposition?

Where are you at?

Where are you?

She displayed the good humor she’s known for.

She displayed the good humor for which she is known.

I want to know where he came from. I want to know from where he came.


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PREPOSITIONS

She is a person I cannot cope with.

She is a person with whom I cannot

cope. If the restructured sentence sounds contrived and

unnatural, simply rewrite the sentence:

It is behavior I will not put up with.

It is behavior up with which I will

not put.

It is behavior I will not tolerate.


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ELIMINATE DISTRACTING SHIFTS

These distract or confuse readers

Point of view

Verb tense

Mood or voice Indirect to direct questions/quotations (statements

to questions)


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M AKE THE POV CONSISTENT IN PERSON

& NUMBER

First person emphasizes writer

Good for informal letters and writing based on

personal experience

Second person emphasizes reader

Good for giving advice or explaining how to do

something

Third person emphasizes subject

Best for formal academic and professional writing


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M AKE THE POV CONSISTENT IN PERSON

& NUMBER

Our class practiced rescuing a victim trapped in

a wrecked car. We learned to dismantle the car

with the essential tools. You were graded on

your speed and your skill in freeing the victim.

Our class practiced rescuing a victim trapped ina wrecked car. We learned to dismantle the car

with the essential tools. You were graded on

your speed and your skill in freeing the victim.


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M AINTAIN CONSISTENT VERB TENSES

When writing about literature, use present tense

(especially fiction)

The scarlet letter is a punishment sternly placed

on Hester’s breast by the community, and yet it

was a fanciful and imaginative product of Hester’s own needlework.

The scarlet letter is a punishment sternly placed

on Hester’s breast by the community, and yet it

is a fanciful and imaginative product of Hester’s own needlework.


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M AKE VERBS CONSISTENT IN MOOD &

VOICE

Three moods in English Indicative is used for facts, opinions,

questions

Imperative is used for orders or advice

Subjunctive is used to express wishes orconditions contrary to fact

The counselor advised us to spread out our corerequirements over two or three semester. Also, pay attention to pre-requisites for elective

courses.The counselor advised us to spread out our core

requirements over two or three semester. Shealso suggested that we pay attention to pre-requisites for elective courses.


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M AKE VERBS CONSISTENT IN MOOD &

VOICE

Each student completes a self-assessment. The

self-assessment is then given to the teacher and

a copy is exchanged with a classmate.

Each student completes a self-assessment, gives

it to the teacher, and exchanges a copy with aclassmate.


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A VOID SUDDEN SHIFTS FROM INDIRECT

OR DIRECT QUESTIONS OR QUOTATIONS

Indirect question: We asked whether we could

visit Miriam

Direct question: Can we visit Miriam?

1. I wonder whether Karla knew of the theft and,

if so, whether she reported it to the police.


if so, did she report it to the police?


if so, whether she reported it to the police.


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A VOID SUDDEN SHIFTS FROM INDIRECT

OR DIRECT QUESTIONS OR QUOTATIONS

1. The patient said she had been experiencing

heart palpitations and could the doctor please

run as many tests as possible to find out what’s

wrong.

2. The patient said she had been experiencingheart palpitations and asked me to run as

many tests as possible to find out what was

wrong.

2. The patient said she had been experiencingheart palpitations and asked me to run as

many tests as possible to find out what was

wrong.


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PROOFREADING M ARKS

Period

Insert space

Capitalize

Lowercase

Spell out

Close-up

Transposed letters

delete

Start new paragraph

Insert


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GRAMMAR T ASK

Write five sentences that use active verbs.

Write five sentences that use passiveverbs.

Restructure or rewrite five sentences that

end in a preposition. Make sure toinclude the original sentence.

Give an incorrect example of each shift

rule. Then, correct the example.

Create an illustration to aid in

remembering each proofreading mark

(there are 10).


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FOR TUESDAY …

Read Chapter 2 (pgs. 51-77) about critiques

eng 102fa15.9.17. verbs prepositions shifts proofing

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