UNIT - 3 (Identifying Common Errors in Writing)

#Subject-verb agreement:- Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammatical

concept that ensures that a sentence is structurally sound and makes sense. In English,
it means that the subject of a sentence (the person, place, thing, or concept the
sentence is about) must agree in number with the verb (the action or state of being
expressed in the sentence). This means that if the subject is singular, the verb should be
singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb should be plural.

Here are some examples of subject-verb agreement:

1. Singular subject and singular verb:

- She **is** going to the store.
- The cat **sleeps** on the couch.

2. Plural subject and plural verb:

- They **are** playing in the park.
- The dogs **bark** loudly.

3. Agreement with compound subjects:

- Both John and Mary **are** coming to the party. (plural subject)
- Either the cat or the dog **is** responsible for the mess. (singular subject)

4. Special cases:
- Collective nouns (e.g., team, family, committee) can be singular or plural depending
on context. For example, "The team **is** practicing" (considered a single unit) vs. "The
team **are** arguing" (individual members).

5. Indefinite pronouns:
- Some indefinite pronouns are always singular (e.g., everyone, nobody), and others are
always plural (e.g., both, few). For example, "Everyone **wants** a ticket" (singular) and
"Few **have** arrived" (plural).

Ensuring subject-verb agreement is crucial for clear and effective communication in

writing and speech. Incorrect agreement can lead to confusion and make sentences
sound awkward or incorrect.
#Noun-pronoun agreement:- Noun-pronoun agreement is a grammatical concept that
ensures that pronouns (words that replace or refer to nouns) agree in number and
gender with the nouns to which they are referring. This agreement is important for
maintaining clarity and coherence in sentences. Here are some key points to remember
about noun-pronoun agreement:

1. **Number Agreement:**
- Pronouns must agree with nouns in terms of number, which means that singular
nouns should be replaced with singular pronouns, and plural nouns should be replaced
with plural pronouns.
- For example:
- Singular noun: "The **boy** is playing with his toy." (The singular pronoun "his"
agrees with the singular noun "boy.")
- Plural noun: "The **girls** are playing with their toys." (The plural pronoun "their"
agrees with the plural noun "girls.")

2. **Gender Agreement:**
- In English, gender agreement is typically related to pronoun usage when referring to
people. You should use pronouns that match the gender of the person being referred to.
Common gendered pronouns include "he" (masculine) and "she" (feminine).
- For example:
- "John said **he** would be here soon." (The masculine pronoun "he" refers to the
masculine noun "John.")
- "Samantha mentioned that **she** is coming too." (The feminine pronoun "she"
refers to the feminine noun "Samantha.")

3. **Neuter Gender Pronouns:**

- When the gender of a person is unknown or when referring to inanimate objects, you
can use neuter gender pronouns such as "it" (singular) and "they" (plural).
- For example:
- "Someone left their book on the table. **They** should come back for **it**." (In this
case, "they" is a gender-neutral pronoun referring to an unknown person, and "it" refers
to the book, which is an inanimate object.)

4. **Antecedents:**
- The noun that a pronoun refers to is called its antecedent. Ensure that the pronoun
and its antecedent match in both number and gender.
- For example:
 - "The **team** played well, and **they** won the championship." (The plural noun
"team" is correctly matched with the plural pronoun "they.")

Noun-pronoun agreement is essential to avoid confusion and maintain clarity in writing.

Using the correct pronouns that agree with the nouns they replace helps readers easily
understand who or what the pronoun is referring to.

#Misplaced modifiers:- Misplaced modifiers are words or phrases that are not properly
positioned in a sentence, leading to confusion or ambiguity regarding the words they are
intended to modify. These modifiers can make sentences unclear or even humorous. It's
important to ensure that modifiers are placed next to the words they are meant to
describe to convey the intended meaning clearly. Here are some examples of misplaced
modifiers and how to correct them:

1. **Misplaced Adjectives:**
- Original: "She almost cooked the entire pizza."
- Revised: "She cooked almost the entire pizza."
- Explanation: In the original sentence, it seems like "almost" is describing the action of
cooking, while the intended meaning is that she cooked nearly all of the pizza.

2. **Misplaced Adverbs:**
- Original: "He only found a few dollars in the wallet."
- Revised: "He found only a few dollars in the wallet."
- Explanation: In the original sentence, "only" seems to modify "found" rather than "a
few dollars," which is the intended meaning.

3. **Misplaced Phrases:**
- Original: "Running down the street, the dog chased the cat."
- Revised: "The dog chased the cat, running down the street."
- Explanation: In the original sentence, it appears as if the street is running down the
street, not the dog. The revision clarifies that the dog is running.

4. **Dangling Modifiers:**
- Original: "Rushing to catch the bus, the sandwich fell on the floor."
- Revised: "Rushing to catch the bus, she dropped the sandwich on the floor."
- Explanation: In the original sentence, it suggests that the sandwich is rushing to
catch the bus, which is not the intended meaning. The revision specifies who is rushing
and what happened to the sandwich.
5. **Misplaced Time Phrases:**
- Original: "I visited the museum on Monday when it was closed."
- Revised: "I visited the museum when it was closed on Monday."
- Explanation: In the original sentence, it seems like the museum was closed on
Monday, but the intended meaning is that the visit occurred on a day when the museum
was closed.

To avoid misplaced modifiers, carefully consider the placement of descriptive words or

phrases in your sentences. Make sure they are positioned next to the words they modify
to convey the intended meaning clearly. Review your writing for such errors, and when in
doubt, consider rephrasing the sentence to enhance its clarity and readability.

#Articles:- An article is a word that precedes a noun/s or noun equivalents. When an

article is inserted before any noun, it informs us whether the noun in that sentence or
phrase is specific or generic. There are three articles in the English language: a, an, and
the, each of which is an important part of the phrase.
Example: After I went to the party, I fell ill.

Here, ‘the’ specifies the party.

Types Of Articles

The three articles: ‘a’, ‘an’, and ‘the’ can be divided into two groups.

Definite Articles

“The” is the article that falls into the category of definite articles. It restricts the meaning of a noun to
a single thing. Singular, multiple, and uncountable nouns use the definite article. “The” is used when
a noun needs to be associated with something specific.

Definite Article examples:

He threw the ball into the pond.

‘The’ specifies the ball.

I saw the boy puncturing the tyre.

Here, ‘the’ is emphasising the particular boy.

Where is the notebook that I gave you?

The usage of ‘the’ is here because of the particular notebook given.

Indefinite Articles

There are two indefinite articles—‘a’ and ‘an’—and their usage is determined by the first letter of the
word. The article ‘a’ is used when the following word begins with a consonant. If the following word
begins with a vowel, ‘an’ is used. The indefinite article indicates that a word is being considered in
general rather than specifically.

Indefinite Article examples:

She wore a pretty necklace.

No focus on a particular necklace.

I want to raise my son to be an honest and kind person.

No specification of which honest man the speaker is referring to.

Rules

After learning about the many types of articles and how they are used in different contexts, here are
some guidelines to follow for proper usage.

When utilising the indefinite articles a and an, use the following formula:

● Sounds of the first letters of the word

When using ‘a’ and ‘an’, there are certain exceptions to the norm. For example, the word honest starts
with an unpronounced consonant letter and sounds like it starts with a vowel sound. As a result, ‘an’
is employed here. This holds for acronyms as well.

For example:

Ram is an honest man.

An LCD display.

If we have to place an indefinite article before a word that begins with a vowel but has a consonant
sound in the beginning, then ‘an’ is used instead of ‘a’. This is also applicable for acronyms.

A UK-based company etc.

● When there are Uncountable and Countable Nouns

Countable nouns can be counted in numbers, whereas uncountable nouns can’t or are difficult to
count.

Indefinite articles can’t be used with these items because they can’t be numbered.

We never say, “Give me a juice”, as juice is an uncountable noun. You cannot count or call it ‘a’.

Please give me a glass of juice.

If the description of juice is in terms of countable units like glass, you can use the indefinite article.

Not using the definite article

The article ‘the’ must not be used before the following–

● names of continents like Australia, Asia

● countries, states or streets like China, India

● lakes, mountains, islands or bays, like the Himalayas, Chilika Lake

● languages like English, Hindi

● sports such as cricket, football

● subjects like mathematics, geography, or

● when talking about an abstract idea like creativity.

#Prepositions:- Prepositions are words that typically show the relationship between a
noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. They help clarify the position, direction,
time, or manner of an action or event. Prepositions are an important part of English
grammar and are used to create more complex and meaningful sentences. Here are
some common prepositions and their usage:
1. **Location or Place Prepositions:**
- "in" (inside a defined area): "The book is **in** the bag."
- "on" (in contact with a surface): "The cup is **on** the table."
- "at" (a specific point): "I'm waiting **at** the bus stop."

2. **Direction Prepositions:**
- "to" (toward a destination): "She is walking **to** the park."
- "from" (moving away from a point): "The bird flew **from** the tree."

3. **Time Prepositions:**
- "in" (general time frame): "She will arrive **in** an hour."
- "on" (specific days and dates): "We'll meet **on** Tuesday."
- "at" (specific times): "The meeting is scheduled **at** 3:00 PM."

4. **Manner Prepositions:**
- "with" (accompanying or using something): "He eats ice cream **with** a spoon."
- "like" (resembling): "She dances **like** a professional."

5. **Purpose Prepositions:**
- "for" (indicating the reason or purpose): "She is studying **for** the exam."
- "because of" (explaining a cause): "They canceled the event **because of** the rain."

6. **Possession Prepositions:**
- "of" (showing ownership or relationship): "The book **of** the teacher."

7. **Comparison Prepositions:**
- "than" (used in comparisons): "She is taller **than** her brother."

8. **Prepositional Phrases:**
- Prepositions are often part of prepositional phrases, which include the preposition,
its object, and any associated modifiers. For example, in the sentence "The cat is
**under the table**," "under the table" is a prepositional phrase.

9. **Phrasal Verbs:**
- Some verbs are followed by specific prepositions, creating phrasal verbs with unique
meanings. For example, "give up" (to quit), "run into" (to encounter unexpectedly), "put
off" (to delay).
Correct usage of prepositions is crucial for clear and accurate communication.
Misplacing a preposition can change the meaning of a sentence or make it
grammatically incorrect. Therefore, understanding how to use prepositions in different
contexts is an important aspect of English grammar.

#Redundancies:- Redundancy in language occurs when unnecessary words or phrases

are used, often repeating information that has already been expressed. Redundancies
can make sentences wordy, less concise, and can dilute the clarity of your message. To
improve your writing, it's important to identify and eliminate redundancies. Here are
some common examples of redundant phrases and how to correct them:

1. **ATM machine**: "ATM" stands for "Automated Teller Machine," so saying "ATM
machine" is redundant. Simply use "ATM."

2. **PIN number**: "PIN" stands for "Personal Identification Number," so saying "PIN
number" is repetitive. Use "PIN" alone.

3. **Past history**: "History" already refers to events from the past, so "past history" is
redundant. Use "history."

4. **End result**: The word "result" inherently implies an outcome or conclusion, so "end
result" is unnecessary. Just use "result."

5. **Basic fundamentals**: "Fundamentals" already convey the idea of basic principles,

so "basic fundamentals" is repetitive. Use "fundamentals."

6. **Added bonus**: A "bonus" is something extra, so "added bonus" is unnecessary.

Simply use "bonus."

7. **Close proximity**: "Proximity" means nearness, so "close proximity" is redundant.

Use "proximity" or "closeness."

8. **Joint collaboration**: "Collaboration" implies working together, so "joint

collaboration" is repetitive. Use "collaboration."

9. **Free gift**: A "gift" is something given without cost, so "free gift" is unnecessary.
Just use "gift."
10. **Over-exaggerate**: "Exaggerate" means to overstate or overemphasize, so
"over-exaggerate" is redundant. Use "exaggerate."

11. **Small in size**: "Size" already conveys the idea of being small or large, so "small in
size" is unnecessary. Use "small."

12. **Repeat again**: "Repeat" means to do something again, so "repeat again" is

redundant. Use "repeat."

13. **General consensus**: "Consensus" means general agreement, so "general

consensus" is repetitive. Use "consensus."

14. **Hopes and dreams**: "Hopes" and "dreams" are similar ideas, so "hopes and
dreams" is redundant. Use one or the other, depending on your intended meaning.

15. **Full and complete**: "Complete" means whole or full, so "full and complete" is
redundant. Use "complete."

Eliminating redundancies in your writing will make your communication more concise
and clear. It's important to review your sentences and look for opportunities to trim
unnecessary words or phrases while still conveying your intended message effectively.

#Cliches:- Clichés are overused expressions, phrases, or ideas that have become so
common that they have lost their originality and impact. While they might have been
vivid or creative at some point, they are now considered trite and unoriginal. It's
generally a good practice to avoid clichés in your writing and speaking to make your
communication more engaging and fresh. Here are some common clichés and
alternatives:

1. **"Bite the bullet"**: Instead of using this cliché, you can say "face the difficult
situation" or "tackle the problem head-on."

2. **"A penny for your thoughts"**: Use "What are you thinking?" or "Can you share your
thoughts?"

3. **"All that glitters is not gold"**: You can say "Things aren't always what they seem."
4. **"Read between the lines"**: Try "Look for hidden meanings" or "Pay attention to the
details."

5. **"In the nick of time"**: Use "Just in time" or "At the last moment."

6. **"The ball is in your court"**: Say "It's your move" or "You have the decision to make."

7. **"Don't cry over spilled milk"**: Use "Don't dwell on the past" or "Move on from
mistakes."

8. **"The elephant in the room"**: Say "The obvious issue" or "The unaddressed
problem."

9. **"It's a piece of cake"**: Use "It's easy" or "It's a breeze."

10. **"Every cloud has a silver lining"**: Say "There's a positive side to every situation."

11. **"The straw that broke the camel's back"**: Use "The final trigger" or "The tipping
point."

12. **"When pigs fly"**: Say "It's unlikely to happen" or "It's a long shot."

13. **"Hit the ground running"**: Use "Start quickly" or "Get to work immediately."

14. **"You can't judge a book by its cover"**: Say "Don't judge based on appearances" or
"Looks can be deceiving."

15. **"Two heads are better than one"**: Use "Collaboration is valuable" or "Working
together is more effective."

By avoiding clichés and opting for more original and precise language, you can make
your communication more engaging and convey your ideas with greater impact. Clichés
can make your writing or speech feel stale and uncreative, so using fresh and specific
expressions will help you stand out and connect with your audience more effectively.