faulty sentences - basic writing skills

December 29, 2015© ENDALEW MOLLA

Basic Writing Skills Presentation

© Endalew Molla (PhD Candidate)

WELCOME TO:

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Faulty Sentences

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1. SENTENCE FRAGMENT


• Sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence

which lacks either subject, verb or object.

• The correction mechanism is simply adding the

missed word or phrase.

Examples

1. Even if we wanted to watch football match.

2. A nervous, pressured feeling and a headache.

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Correction

1.Even if we wanted to watch football match,

there is no electric power.

2.Ahmed feels a nervous, pressured feeling

and a headache.

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Exercise

1. To catch a Taxi and hurry downtown.

2. Although she wanted to visit a restaurant.

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Correction

1.We decided to catch a Taxi and hurry

downtown.

2.Although she wanted to visit a restaurant,

she has an appointment with her husband.

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2. SUBJECT-VERB DISAGREEMENT


• In English language the subject and the

verb should agree in number. If there is

number mismatch between the subject and

the verb the correction mechanism will be

as follows.

• If the subject is singular, the verb should

also be singular and vice-versa.

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Examples

1. She fetch water everyday.

2. We wants to eat breakfast.

3. The commander with his secretary admit the fault.

Correction

1. She fetches water everyday.

2. We want to eat breakfast.

3. The commander with his secretary admits the fault.

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Exercises

1.Global warming have become a serious

problem.

2.Some one want to see you in the

afternoon.

3.Neither my friend nor his classmate knows

the answer.

4.In front of him, there was six soldiers.

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Correction

1.Global warming has become a serious problem.

2.Some one wants to see you in the afternoon.

3.Neither my friend nor his classmate knowthe answer.

4.In front of him, there were six soldiers.

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3. FAULTY PARALLELISM


• Again in the English sentence, words, phrases

or clauses in a series should be in the same

grammatical form.

• If a series of words, phrases or clauses is not in

the same grammatical form, the problem of

faulty parallelism will occur.

• The correction mechanism is changing the form

of the different word, phrase or clause to its

equivalent based on the tense of the sentence.

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Example 1

All night long the music from the next

apartment was banging, thumping and

pounded so loud.

Correction

All night long the music from the next

apartment was banging, thumping and

pounding so loud.

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Example 2

My sister likes wearing coloured hats,

dressing in tight clothes and to go to classic

movies.

Correction

My sister likes wearing coloured hats,

dressing in tight clothes and going to classic

movies.

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Exercises

1.While Yodit studied mathematics and

worked on psychology, her husband was

watching the baby.

2.Sky jumping and motor race are sports that

require to consider and manipulation of

velocity and wind resistance.

3.Walking and to swim are good exercises for

health.

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Correction

1.While Yodit studied mathematics and worked on psychology, her husband watched the baby.

2.Sky jumping and motor racing are sports that require consideration and manipulationof velocity and wind resistance.

3.Walking and swimming are good exercises for health.

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4. RUN-ON SENTENCES


• A run-on sentence consists of two or more complete

thoughts which are placed within the same sentence

without any punctuation to separate them.

How can we correct run-on sentences?

1. Creating two separate sentences.

2. Connecting the two or more thoughts by using semi

colon.

3. Joining them by using a comma and a coordinating

conjunction (and, but, so, yet…) or subordinate

conjunction (although, because, since…)

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Examples

My young sister will visit us this weekend I probably will not have much

time to study.

Correction

My young sister will visit us this weekend. I probably will not have

much time to study.

Or

My young sister will visit us this weekend; I probably will not have

much time to study.

Or

My young sister will visit us this weekend, therefore I probably will not

have much time to study.

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Exercises

1.Anatomy is a field of study in medical

science physiology is another field of study.

2.The civil war ended in 1983 the period of

reconstruction followed.

3.Nell Armstrong was the first human to walk

on the moon this event occurred in 1969.

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Correction

1.Anatomy is a field of study in medical science; physiology is another field of study.

2.The civil war ended in 1983, then the period of reconstruction followed.

3.Nell Armstrong was the first human to walk on the moon, and this event occurred in 1969.

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5. DANGLING MODIFIER


• It is obvious that a modifier and the thing to be modified

are inseparable parts of a sentence.

• Dangling modifier problem occurs when the sentence

contains the modifier without the thing to be modified.

• To check whether a sentence has dangling modifier

problem or not, we can ask a question “Who?”. If we

can’t get answer, surely the sentence has dangling

modifier problem.

• The correction is adding appropriate word to be

modified.

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Example 1

After getting off the bus, the driver pulled.

Who get off the bus? It is not clear.

Correction

After I get off the bus, the driver pulled.

Now, who get off the bus? I!

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Example 2

While sitting under the apple tree, ants started to

attack.

Who sits under the apple tree? We don’t know.

Correction

While Abebe sits under the apple tree, ants started

to attack.

Now, who sits under the apple tree? It is clear,

Abebe!

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Exercises

1.Watching the Olympic games eagerly, the

power went off.

2.After deciding to travel on foot, it begins to

rain.

3.Being nervous, the test seemed more

difficult than it was.

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Correction

1.While we watch the Olympic games

eagerly, the power went off.

2.After they decided to travel on foot, it

begins to rain.

3.When she becomes nervous, the test

seemed more difficult than it was.

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6. MISPLACED MODIFIER


• In the English language, a modifier should

come immediately before or after the word

that it modifies.

• If the modifier and the word to be modified

are written far apart, the problem of

misplaced modifier will occur.

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EXAMPLE


• Smashed and fired, my mother served the

meat to our table.

The modifier is “smashed and fired” and the word to be modified is “the meat”. But the modifier is not written immediately before or after the word it modifies.

Correction

• My mother served smashed and fired meat

to our table

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EXAMPLE 2


• I saw a dress in a magazine that costs

1,000 birr.

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CORRECTION


1. In a magazine, I saw a dress that costs

1,000 birr.

2. I saw a dress that costs 1,000 birr in a

magazine.

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EXERCISES


1. A national problem, the governors of all the

states meet to discuss homelessness.

2. The book was checked out by the librarian that

a student had returned late.

3. Angry with the delay, the bus driver finally

arrived and the passengers murmured.

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CORRECTIONS


1. The governors of all the states meet to

discuss homelessness: a national

problem.

2. The book that a student had returned late

was checked out by the librarian.

3. Angry with the delay, the passengers

murmured and finally the bus driver

arrived.30

7. CHOPPY SENTENCE


• Choppy sentence occurs when two or more

ideas that can be expressed within a single

sentence are written in separate sentences.

• To amend this problem, we can use the

following mechanisms.

Join them with a comma and

coordinating/subordinate conjunctions.

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Join the sentences by using a semi colon

and a conjunctive adverb (however,

therefore, thus…)

Join them with a semi-colon if they don’t

need any conjunction.

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EXAMPLE 1


• Chala invited us dinner. The invitation is at the new restaurant down the street. The restaurant is excellent with fair price.

Correction

Chala invited us dinner at the new restaurant down the street; and that restaurant is excellent with fair price.

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EXAMPLE 2


• The lecturer did not discuss the chapter on

centrifugal force. The exam included several

questions on centrifugal force. Every student

scored less than half.

Correction

The lecturer did not discuss the chapter on

centrifugal force; however the exam included

several questions from the topic as a result,

every student scored less than half.34

EXERCISES


1. Lalibela is an incredible sight. It was built in the

twelfth century. It serves as major source of

income for the country.

2. A field study observes subjects in their natural

setting. Only a small number of subjects can be

studied at one time.

3. The teacher returned our test papers. He did

not comment on them. We have done them

carelessly.35

CORRECTIONS


1. Lalibela, which was built in the twelfth century is an incredible sight; and it is the major source of income for the country.

2. A field study observes subjects in their natural settings; but only a small number of subjects can be studied at one time.

3. The teacher returned our test papers and he did not comment on them; because we have done them carelessly.

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8. PRONOUN REFERENCE


A pronoun refers a specific noun and it is

used to replace that noun. However, it must

be clear to which noun the pronoun refers.

To make sentences free from pronoun

reference problem, we need to focus on the

following rule.

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A pronoun must refer to a specific word or words. Avoid vague or unclear references.

Example

• They said on the evening news that the president would visit France.

Who are “they”? – not clear or vague

Correction

• Ministers said on the evening news that the president would visit France.

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If more than one noun is present, it must be

clear to which noun the pronoun refers.

Example

• Almaz told Kedja that she has passed the

exam.

Who has passed the exam? Almaz or Kedja?

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CORRECTION


1. Almaz told Kedja: “I have passed the exam”.

2. Kedja told Almaz: “I have passed the exam”.

3. Almaz told Kedja: “You have passed the

exam”.

4. Kedja told Almaz: “You have passed the

exam”.

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EXERCISE


1. The teacher punish the student as a result

his father becomes angry.

2. He ordered citizens to pay tax.

3. Lecturers told their students that they will

have meeting tonight.

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CORRECTIONS


1. The teacher punish the student as a result the

student’s father becomes angry.

2. The president ordered citizens to pay tax.

3. Lecturers told their students: “We have meeting

tonight”.

or

Lecturers told their students : “You have

meeting tonight”.42

9. PRONOUN ANTECEDENT DISAGREEMENT


• A pronoun (he, she, it) substitutes for a noun and must agree in person, numberand gender(male/female) with its antecedent.

• To write sentences that are free from pronoun antecedent disagreement, we need to focus on the following points.

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1. If the pronoun is singular, the antecedent

should be singular and vise versa.

2. Some indefinite pronouns are plural:

others are singular.

3. If a noun refers something that can’t be

counted, use a singular pronoun to refer it.

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4. Use plural pronoun to refer two or more

nouns linked by “and”.

5. If a pronoun substitutes for two or more

nouns joined by “or” or “nor”, the pronoun

agrees with the noun it is nearer to.

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EXAMPLES


• Fatuma wanted to lend me her class notes.

• Farmers produce cash crops; many of them made a lot of money.

• One of the team members couldn’t find hiskeys.

• Both of the teachers said they planned to leave for vacation in July.

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• Too much sugar is dangerous for health, so it has to be minimized from our table.

• Alemu and Sara lost their keys.

• Either Mr. Gemeda or his sons will drive their car.

• Neither the committee members nor the manager bought cloth for his children.

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EXERCISES


1. Hellen and I are going to pool (her/mine/our)money to buy a car.

2. Abel and Beza brought (his/her/their) worksheets.

3. Each student received (his/her/their) transcript by mail.

4. Either the sweater or the shirt will be returned to the store because (it/they) came from the wrong stockroom.

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1.Everyone opened (his/her/their) books on page 50.

2.When the play was over, the audience rose from (its/their) seat to give a standing ovation.

3.No one handed in (his/her/their) exam before the time was up.

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10. COMMA SPLICE


• This is miss use of Comma ( , ) in a sentence.

• The comma should be placed on its appropriate

place in a sentence.

Study the following sentences, they all have

comma splice problem.

If, I study hard I will pass the exam.

I would visit Gore, if I were you.

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faulty sentences - basic writing skills

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