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Guide to Common Usage Errors

The document provides a comprehensive guide to common usage errors in grammar, highlighting issues such as subject-verb agreement, pronoun errors, misplaced modifiers, and commonly confused words. It offers explanations and corrections for each type of error to enhance clarity and professionalism in writing and speech. Additionally, it addresses sentence fragments, run-ons, double negatives, and redundancy to improve overall communication.

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Dina Nicasio
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3 views

Guide to Common Usage Errors

The document provides a comprehensive guide to common usage errors in grammar, highlighting issues such as subject-verb agreement, pronoun errors, misplaced modifiers, and commonly confused words. It offers explanations and corrections for each type of error to enhance clarity and professionalism in writing and speech. Additionally, it addresses sentence fragments, run-ons, double negatives, and redundancy to improve overall communication.

Uploaded by

Dina Nicasio
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Guide to Common Usage Errors

1. Introduction to Common Usage Errors


●​ Grammar mistakes can affect clarity and professionalism in writing and speech.
●​ Recognizing and correcting these errors improves communication and credibility.
●​ This section covers frequent grammar mistakes, their explanations, and how to fix
them.

2. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors


A. Singular vs. Plural Agreement

●​ The verb must match the subject in number.


●​ Incorrect: The students was excited about the trip.
●​ Correct: The students were excited about the trip.

B. Agreement in Sentences with Phrases Between Subject and Verb

●​ Ignore prepositional phrases when determining subject-verb agreement.


●​ Incorrect: The basket of apples were on the table.
●​ Correct: The basket of apples was on the table.

C. Agreement with Indefinite Pronouns

●​ Singular pronouns (e.g., everyone, anybody, each) take singular verbs.


●​ Incorrect: Everybody love the new policy.
●​ Correct: Everybody loves the new policy.

3. Pronoun Errors
A. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

●​ A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number and gender.


●​ Incorrect: Each student must bring their book.
●​ Correct: Each student must bring his or her book.
B. Ambiguous Pronouns

●​ Avoid unclear pronoun references.


●​ Incorrect: When Mary talked to Sarah, she was upset. (Who was upset?)
●​ Correct: When Mary talked to Sarah, Mary was upset.

C. Who vs. Whom

●​ Who is used as a subject, whom as an object.


●​ Incorrect: Whom is calling?
●​ Correct: Who is calling?
●​ Incorrect: She gave the book to who?
●​ Correct: She gave the book to whom?

4. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers


A. Misplaced Modifiers

●​ Place modifying words near the word they describe.


●​ Incorrect: She served sandwiches to the children on paper plates.
●​ Correct: She served sandwiches on paper plates to the children.

B. Dangling Modifiers

●​ Ensure the subject being modified is clearly stated.


●​ Incorrect: Walking through the park, the flowers looked beautiful.
●​ Correct: Walking through the park, I saw beautiful flowers.

5. Commonly Confused Words


A. There, Their, and They’re

●​ There (location): The book is over there.


●​ Their (possession): That is their car.
●​ They’re (they are): They’re going to the park.

B. Your vs. You’re

●​ Your (possessive): Is this your jacket?


●​ You’re (you are): You’re very kind.

C. Its vs. It’s

●​ Its (possession): The cat licked its paw.


●​ It’s (it is): It’s raining outside.

D. Affect vs. Effect

●​ Affect (verb - influence): The cold affects my mood.


●​ Effect (noun - result): The new law had a great effect on traffic.

6. Sentence Fragments and Run-Ons


A. Sentence Fragments

●​ Every sentence must have a subject and a verb.


●​ Incorrect: Because I was tired.
●​ Correct: I went to bed early because I was tired.

B. Run-On Sentences

●​ Use proper punctuation to separate independent clauses.


●​ Incorrect: I love reading I go to the library often.
●​ Correct: I love reading, and I go to the library often.

7. Double Negatives
●​ Two negatives make a positive, so avoid unnecessary double negatives.
●​ Incorrect: I don’t have no money.
●​ Correct: I don’t have any money.

8. Redundancy and Wordiness


●​ Avoid unnecessary repetition.
●​ Incorrect: She woke up at 6 a.m. in the morning.
●​ Correct: She woke up at 6 a.m.

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