Common Errors: Dangling Modifiers Parallelism Subject-Verb Agreement

1. Common Errors:Dangling Modifiers Parallelism Subject-Verb Agreement Presented by Melanie Chen

2. Dangling Modifiers What’s wrong with the sentences below? • Faced with rising competition worldwide, the aspect of marketing gradually takes its advantage. (X) 2. To make a really good peanut-butter- and-jelly sandwich, each ingredient must be chosen carefully. (X)

3. Correction: • Faced with rising competition worldwide, the aspect of marketing gradually takes its advantage. (X) -- Faced with rising competition worldwide, we all know that the aspect of marketing gradually takes its advantage. (O)

4. Correction: 2. To make a really good peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich, each ingredient must be chosen carefully. (X) -- To make a really good peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich, we must choose each ingredient carefully. (O)

5. ParallelismWhat’s wrong with the sentences below? 3. I was interested and astounded by the story of his latest adventure. (X) 4. I neither know what kind of coffee he likes nor where one might buy it. (X)

6. Correction: 3. I was interested and astounded by the story of his latest adventure. (X) -- I was interested in and astounded by the story of his latest adventure. (O)

7. Correction: 4. I neither know what kind of coffee he likes nor where one might buy it. (X) -- I know neither what kind of coffee he likes nor where one might buy it. (O)

8. Subject-Verb AgreementWhat’s wrong with the sentences below? 5. The criteria for the position of managing editor was discussed at last night’s staff meeting. (X) 6. Either Joe or my father have my ticket to the game tucked safely in some pocket or other. (X)

9. Correction: 5. The criteria for the position of managing editor was discussed at last night’s staff meeting. (X) -- The criteria for the position of managing editor were discussed at last night’s staff meeting. (O) criteria plural criterion singular

10. Correction: 6. Either Joe or my father have my ticket to the game tucked safely in some pocket or other. (X) -- Either Joe or my father has my ticket to the game tucked safely in some pocket or other. (O)

11. Correction: 7. The Eiffel Tower used to be the highest tower ever built, but now it is not that high as the Tokyo Tower. (X) -- The Eiffel Tower used to be the highest tower ever built, but now it is not as high as the Tokyo Tower. (O)

12. Correction: 8. Like other mammals, marsupials vary considerably in shape, height, weigh, and way of movement. (X) -- Like other mammals, marsupials vary considerably in shape, height, weight, and way of movement. (O)

13. Correction: 9. Grandmother was melancholy all day long after the traffic accident was happened on her fiftieth wedding anniversary. (X) Grandmother was melancholy all day long after the traffic accident happened on her fiftieth wedding anniversary. (O)

14. Correction: 10. He used to persuade me to study hard. His words sounded like my father. (X) -- He used to persuade me to study hard. His words sounded like my father’s. (O)