Name : Desmita feronika Djou

NPM : 06211711066

Class : VII B

CHAPTER 5

Grammar (Grammar)

People who are afraid of making mistakes often have tremendous difficulty writing. Grammar can seem
like a minefield of potential errors and therefore, to many, it is the most daunting element of writing.
You can fight this fear. Relax and try to write as naturally as possible. You will usually find grammar
mistakes when you do a careful double-check.

Wrong Pronouns (Wrong Pronouns

Some writers have a tendency to write "T" instead of "me, even though the latter is correct. For
example, the sentence:

- He gave the book to Eddie and I.

is incorrect. The sentence properly should be written:

- He gave the book to Eddie and me.

(He gave the book to Eddie and me

not true. The correct sentence must be written:

He gave the book to Eddie and me.)

The above error usually occurs when two or more people are the recipients of an action. If you are
having trouble with such a case, simply speak the sentence to yourself as if you were the only recipient
of the action.

Pronouns and Antecedents (Pronouns and Antecedents)

The most common mistakes about pronouns and their antecedents occur when it is not clear what or
who they refer to. To avoid confusion in your letter, make sure that when you start a sentence or clause
in a sentence with "he," "she," "it," or other pronouns, it's clear to whom or what the pronoun refers to.
Some simple examples of obscure references involving pronouns and antecedents are as follows:

Loren Gary and Guy Martin prepare advertising presentations and visit the customer's new office
building. It's a good job. [What good work? Advertising presentation? Office building?] Brian Palay
talks to Robert Long about a possible collaboration

. He thought it was a good idea. [Who thought that was a good idea? Brian? Robert?]
 Hanging Modifier

When a phrase does not clearly refer to a modified word, it is said to "hang." His words Busy with
business negotiations, his assistant startled him. not clear. What has changed the phrase "busy with
business negotiations"? It's a hanging modifier. It seems to modify "assistant" because it's the closest
noun to it too, but most likely it was meant to modify "him" in the sentence. A word that the modifier
can reasonably refer to in the sentence is required:

Split Infinitives

You may remember your English teacher telling you: "Now remember, don't split infinitive," maybe
sometime in middle school. But separating the infinitive isn't always wrong. Some people will go to
great lengths to make sure the infinitive doesn't break up so the sentences they write are awkwardly
crafted. As a rule of thumb, you shouldn't split the infinitive when the splitting results in an awkwardly
crafted sentence. For example, the infinitive "to pass" is shared awkwardly in the following sentence:

Parallel Structure

Perhaps the most common error involving parallel structures occurs with elements in a circuit. When
you write a sentence that includes a series of items, make sure that all the elements are written in the
same grammatical form. Using a parallel structure makes your writing more consistent and clearer to
your readers. Wrong parallel structure: To sell his proposal, the marketing director presents his
marketing plan, asks for reactions to his presentation, and many other things to engage his audience.
Better

Punctuation

Punctuation marks are used in writing to distinguish or separate one group of words from another to
convey a meaning to the reader. The use of punctuation creates the pause and stress that the writer
thinks needs to be done. Appendix II covers various aspects of punctuation that will help you to use
them properly and effectively in your letter writing.

Capitalization

Capitalization is another area that requires consistency. Of course, you should capitalize the first word
of each sentence as well as nouns and words

the right trait. However, there are many habits in using proper capitalization. When in doubt, it is
usually best to use lowercase or check references such as a dictionary. For a discussion of proper
capitalization in various letter formats, see Chapter 4.

Spelling
 Many books have been written to help writers with spelling problems. Most often, however, the best
help is a dictionary. To avoid careless spelling mistakes, you should look for words that you have the
slightest doubt about. Two of the best tools to guard against misspellings in your letter are writing and a
dictionary on your side.

Jargon

Jargon is the bane of any writer looking to convey a clear and precise message to readers. The word
"jargon" has two meanings. The first is "incoherent language". The second is "the technical language of
a profession".

Cliché

Cliches are words or expressions that have become stale from overuse. Cliches often take the form of
metaphors or comparisons, such as "as big as an ox" or "sleeping like a log." They are trite and show a
lack of originality in writing. In business, phrases like "put on the back burner," wedged between a rock
and a hard place, and "think outside the box" have been used so often that they can be taken as cliches.

Hassle

In Chapter 2, I warned you that if you don't write what you mean, your writing will be full of ambiguity.
I cannot stress this point too much. Write what you mean, not what you think sounds good. The
following hints may be helpful in guiding you away from the curse of the verbal. Keep in mind the
following "five avoidances" and you'll soon be writing in a clear and direct style:

1. Avoid pretense. Don't overcomplicate your writing by trying to impress the reader with your great
vocabulary or literary style. Write simply, clearly, and directly.

2. Avoid redundancy. Don't use excessive or repetitive words. Write down what your reader needs to
know and he or she will likely get the message. No need to repeat your message over and over.

3. Avoid bearings. Be direct in writing your letter. Cross out any unnecessary words or sentences. If
you write more than you should, your readers may become impatient. Strive for clarity and accuracy.

4. Avoid weak intensiveiers. Words like "very," "just," and "completely" usually add little or nothing to
the meaning of your sentence.

5. Avoid unnecessary definitions or explanations. Describe only what is absolutely necessary

described. Don't insult your reader by explaining something that is obvious or he already knows.
Revisions can help you eliminate any problems you may be experiencing.

In the revision process you must:

1. Reread the letter to make sure you said what you wanted to say.

2. Edit all unnecessary words and phrases.

3. Clarify until your letter is precise enough to convey the right message.