Lesson 5: Faulty Comparison

Any comparison between two or more items must have three characteristics:
                   completeness        consistency            clarity

Completeness

At least two items are needed for a comparison.

    Example 1 - incorrect:

        

    The above comparison compares Blotto ice cream's fat content to nothing.

    Example 1 - correct:

       

    Example 2 - incorrect:

        

    The above example is incomplete:  He ran so fast that what happened?

    Example 2 - correct: 

        

    Now the "so" has been qualified, comparing his running speed with the record.
 

Consistency

A.  Items being compared must have a basis in similarity; in other words, the basis of comparison must be logical.

    Example 1 - incorrect:

           

    The example above compares rugs to a store (Macy's)
 

    Example 1 - correct:

        

    The correct version compares rugs to rugs.

    Example 2 - incorrect:

        

    The example above compares opinions to private citizens.

    Example 2 - correct options:

        

    The correct version compares opinions to opinions.

B.  A comparison needs at least two items to compare.

    Example 1 - incorrect:

        

    The "anyone I know" in the example above includes Jim.  Therefore, the above comparison illogically compares Jim to himself.

    Example 1 - correct

        

    The correct version compares Jim (whom I know) to others I know.
 

    Example 2 - incorrect:

        

    The "anyone we have heard" includes Megan.  Therefore, the above comparison illogically compares Megan to Megan.
 

    Example 2 - correct:

        

    The correct version compares Megan to others we have heard..

Clarity

    Example 1 - incorrect:

        

    In this example, the meaning is unclear.  The sentence could mean

         Jacqueline gave her sister more affection than she gave her brother.

                                                             OR

          Jacqueline gave her sister more affection than her brother gave to her sister.
 

    Example 1 - correct options:

        

        In each sentence above, the intended comparison is clear.

Lesson 4: Pronoun Issues

What's a Pronoun?
A Pronoun is a word that takes the place of  a noun or another pronoun.

• It can take the place of a subject word.
• It can take the place of an object word.
• It can take the place of a possessive word.
• All pronoun and their antecdents need to agree in person and number.

Agreement in Number
Use singular pronouns to refer to singular nouns and plural pronouns to refer to plural
nouns.
MISMATCH: A Gryffindor player went to the Quidditch pitch after midnight if they wanted
  to practice after hours.
OOPS!  The plural pronoun “they” refers to the singular “A Gryffindor player.”  We need either to change
the antecedent to make it plural like the pronoun, or change the pronoun to match the singular antecedent:
BETTER: Gryffindor players went to the Quidditch pitch after midnight if they wanted
  to practice after hours.


Agreement in Person
It’s best to maintain consistency in the person of pronouns as well.
PROBLEM: The students at Hogwarts soon learned that you had to watch out for Filch.
 This sentence is awkward because the pronoun “you” replaces the noun “students.”   Nouns are
always 3rd person words (only pronouns have 1st and 2nd person forms), so there’s a mismatch between the 3rd person noun “students” and the 2ndperson pronoun “you.”
 The problem is easy to fix, though:  just use a 3rd person pronoun – in this case plural “they” to agree with the plural noun “students”.
SOLUTION: The students at Hogwarts soon learned that they had to watch out for Filch.

Lesson 3: Dangling Modifiers

A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence. A modifier describes, clarifies, or gives more detail about a concept.

Example: Having finished the assignment, Jill turned on the TV.

Having finished" states an action but does not name the doer of that action. In English sentences, the doer must be the subject of the main clause that follows. In this sentence, it is Jill. She seems logically to be the one doing the action ("having finished"), and this sentence therefore does not have a dangling modifier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y088_oOZwCo

Lesson 2: Parallelism

The secret to parallelism: make sure everything is the same.

Example no.1: A good attitude, being on time, and speaking effectively are her attitudes. (WRONG)

               Having a good attitude, being on time, and speaking effectively are her attitudes. (RIGHT)

Example no.2: This proposal is profitable, timely, and it helps us.

                       This proposal is profitable, timely, and helpful.

This video might help you understand a bit better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBOyqOpkWj

Lesson 1: Subject-Verb Agreement

• Main Rule: Singular subject = singular verb.
• Indefinite pronouns such as Everyone and Everybody feel plural to some writers, but they are always singular, and take a singular verb; Such as: Someone, somebody, each, no one, nobody, anyone, anybody. 
• Everyone, everybody and each are always singluar and require a singular verb.
• Phrases such as together with, in addition to, along with, as well as seem to join subjects, but they don't work the same, and they are NOT conjunctions. The FIRST subject always determines the verb.

Example; Some of the hay in the barn, as well as some major pieces of farm equipment,was ruined in the flood.

This example does not have an error. Why?

We bring the first subject, which is ''hay'', and the verb, which is ''was'', together. So, it will be: Some of they hay in the barn was ruined in the flood.

• When either and neither appear as a subject alone (without their sidekicks ''or'' and ''nor''), they are singluar. This is true even though the subject seems to be two things. 
• BUT, unlike other sentences, when ''either'' and ''neither'' appear, the SECOND subject determines the verb.

Example:  Either Sam or his parents ARE travelling with us.