Sentence Errors and How To Correct Them

Practical Exercises on Common Sentence Errors
Practical Exercises on Common Sentence Errors and How to

Correct Them
Contents
1. Fragment
2. Run-ons (Fusion and Comma Splice)
3. Misplaced Modifiers
4. Dangling Modifiers
5. Faulty Parallelism
6. faulty reference of pronoun
1. Fragments
 REMEMBER:
A sentence is a unit that has a subject, a verb, and other words to complete the thought. A
sentence fragment occurs when you forget one of these parts but still capitalize and punctuate
your words as a complete sentence.
For Example:
 I adore.
This sentence has a subject and a verb but no words (direct object of the verb ‘adore’) to
complete the thought and, therefore, it is a sentence fragment. You can make this fragment into a
sentence by completing the thought:-
 I adore staying up until 4 a.m. writing papers.
Sometimes we may omit the subject of the sentence unintentionally.
Has learned in hope college and will graduate this year.

This sentence lacks subject, and it can be corrected as: “She has learned in Hope College and
will graduate this year.”)
Most unacceptable sentence fragments are phrases or clauses that belong to the preceding or the
following sentence. Sometimes writers have trouble catching them because their minds supply
the connection that the reader doesn't have. For example:
Abeba and Sara worked on their art project. Instead of going to the meeting about
overpopulation.
Dr. Beyene Gebru Page 1

DIRECTION:- DECIDE WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING WORD GROUPS ARE SENTENCES
AND WHICH ARE FRAGMENTS.
Write ‘C’ if an item contains only complete sentences.
If an item contains a fragment, revise the fragment to make it a complete sentence.
Example: There are many interesting yet unrecognized jobs in the entertainment
industry.(C)
Fragment: Before a film or TV show is completed.

Corrected: Much happened behind the scenes before a film or TV show is completed.
1. Every object that an audience sees in a play, TV show, or movie is called a prop or property.
The property master is responsible for finding the props.
2. A property master has to be a good scavenger. Because props can be found in the strangest
places.
3. First, the property master must read the script. Then, he or she has to talk to the designer and
the director.
4. The budget always a concern in the theater. Part of the property master's job is to be aware of
the budget.
5. For science fiction movies, the property master sometimes has to build expensive props.
6. The property master has four lists. The "pull" list a list of props that the theater or studio
might already own.
7. The "buy" list is another kind of list. Includes things that have to be purchased.
8. In the theater, sometimes have to be placed or moved while in full view of the audience. In
these cases, the property master wears black to be unobtrusive.

DIRECTION:- Some of the following items are sets of complete sentences, while others contain
fragments. If an item has only complete sentences, write C for correct. If an item
contains a fragment, revise it to include the fragment in a complete sentence.
  Example:
Fragment:- Hollywood, California, is a center of the entertainment industry in the United States.
Along with New York City, New York, and Nashville, Tennessee ( The second part is
fragment)
Corrected: Hollywood, California, along with New York City, New York, and Nashville, Tennessee, is
a center of the entertainment industry in the United States. (Note the comma (,) after
Tennessee)
1. New York City is known mostly as the home of live theater in the United States. Television
shows are produced there. And a large number of movies, also.
2. Nashville, Tennessee, is home to the booming country-western music business. Many stars
record their music there.
3. In 1853, the first house was built in Hollywood. Which was northwest of the city of Los
Angeles.
4. Horace Wilcox laid out a subdivision in 1887. An immigrant from Kansas. Hoping to build a
special community.
5. After making the first movies on the East Coast. Producers and directors decided to move to
Hollywood.
6. These early moviemakers found Hollywood ideal because of its mild climate and abundant
sunshine. Also because of its diverse terrain.
7. In Hollywood's early days. Movie moguls such as D. W. Griffith and Samuel Goldwyn
started and managed the big studios.
8. With the growing popularity of television in the 1950s, fewer movies were made. Hollywood
adapted, becoming the center for television production. Today, the movie and television
businesses coexist in sunny Hollywood.

2. Run-ons
A run-on sentence occurs when independent clauses are joined incorrectly. The term run-on
sentence labels an error with several different names: the most common being fused sentence
and comma splice.
2.1 Fused Sentences
In a fused sentence, the two independent clauses are joined with no punctuation mark or
coordinating conjunction.
Example: The family drove to the beach it was a beautiful day.

In this sentence, the two independent clauses are combined without using the correct
punctuation or conjunction.
Corrections: The family drove to the beach; it was a beautiful day.

The family drove to the beach, and it was a beautiful day.
To correct these sentences, one may use either a semicolon or a comma with a coordinating
conjunction, or subordinate one close to the other.
2.2 Comma Splices
A run-on sentence that has two independent clauses joined by a comma is called a COMMA
SPLICE. Hence, a comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined together by a
comma.
Example
The oil rig blew up, the explosion killed twenty men.
As this example shows, in a run-on sentence, a separate subject and verb appear on both sides
of the comma. Conceptually, two related but distinct ideas are run together.
The comma splice may be corrected in many ways. As usual, the right correction depends on
the rhetorical situation. Most simply, the comma can be replaced by a period:
The oil rig blew up. The explosion killed twenty men.

This version emphasizes the separateness of the two sentences, which is fine if the two events
(ideas) are separate, or the writer wants to make them seen as separate as possible. If,
however, the two events (ideas) are closely related and the author wants to stress that
relationship, the period makes the passage choppy, or lacking coherence. A semicolon
emphasizes the relationship between the sentences:
The oil rig blew up; the explosion killed twenty men.
Still another approach to run-on sentences is to change one of the two into a dependent clause:
When the oil rig blew up, the explosion killed twenty men.
The oil rig blew up in an explosion that killed twenty men.

Finally, other improvements to the run-on sentence combine the two original sentences into
one sentence by changing one into a dependent phrase:
 The oil rig's blowing up killed twenty men.
 The oil rig blew up, killing twenty men.
 Twenty men were killed in the oil rig explosion.
Direction: Correct each of the following run-on (fused and comma-splice) sentences. Rewrite the
corrected sentence(s) in the space provided.
1. Shakespeare’s plays can be grouped as comedies, tragedies, and histories, Hamlet is a

tragedy.
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2. There was food left over, however, everyone had plenty to eat.
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3. Some educated people believe in witchcraft, I am not one of them.

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4. The zoo is a wonderful experience for everyone, you should go.

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5. Mother got a letter from Aunt Esther, she is coming next week.
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6. Eric is a brave boy, he doesn’t complain about his illness.

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7. Mom voted for Jimmy Carter Dad voted for Gerald Ford.
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8. The Secretary of State arrived in Geneva, he was supposed to sign a treaty.

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9. Hepatitis is serious, you should see your doctor.

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10. I baked oatmeal cookies they had raisins in them, too.

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11. Mark Twain wrote Tom Sawyer, it is a funny book.

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12. The war lasted ten years many young men were killed.
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13. Our elm tree must be cut down, it has Dutch elm disease.
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14. I lost my brother’s catcher’s mitt, he’s going to be angry.

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15. I like the Tolkien books, next, I will read the whole trilogy.
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16. Tracy Austin is a good tennis player, she doesn’t win every game, though.
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17. I go to bed at 10:00 otherwise I can’t get up in the morning.

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18. Jerry is in the hospital, let’s visit him.

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19. We named our dog Toto, that’s the name of the dog in The Wizard of Oz.
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20. I can’t find my math book, I’ll have to clean out my locker.
________________________________________________________________________
21. Tom Seaver was traded, I was surprised.

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22. My driver’s license was revoked I can’t drive to the game.

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23. Julie has a full-time job, she’ll have to go to night school.

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Direction:-Identify whether or not the sentence is a run-on. If it is, rewrite it in the correct way using one
of the methods given above.
1. I can’t wait I have to get to school now I’m going to be late.

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2. Let’s go to the park after the movie, and then we can watch the sunset.
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3. I’m going to make spaghetti, but I’m all out of pasta.

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4. Please stop bothering me you are really getting on my nerves.

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5. Ashley worked for more than eight hours she didn’t receive the overtime pay she deserved.
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6. Sarah asked the teacher if she could bring her pet frog to school, but the teacher said no.
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7. You can go to the park, after you put on your shoes.

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8. I didn’t want her at the party, so we asked her to leave.

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9. Alex needed to finish a paper he stayed at the library all night.

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10. The professor reminded her students of the importance of studying for the final she did not
want her students to fail.
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Direction: Some of the items below are fragments, and some are run-ons. Rewrite forming complete and
correct sentences.
1. The dog came into our yard. Through the bushes.

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2. Dad needs a haircut, he will go to the barber on First Street.

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3. The most expensive hotel in Boston.

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4. The gas tank was full. Ready for the trip.

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5. The children played together, their parents chatted.

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6. Getting an after-school job is important. Because I need the money.

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7. The dance was fun, everyone had a good time.

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8. The only problem was the band, it was too loud.

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9. After the tardy bell rang.

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10. I am expecting a letter, is the mail here yet?

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Direction: Decide if each item is a sentence fragment (F), a run-on sentence (R), or a complete
sentence as written (C).
____1. When we were young, naive, and full of untempered idealism about people and life.
____2. As I raced toward the finish line, I turned to check the runner behind me and saw him
pass me.
____3. To realize our dreams and fulfill our potential at work and at home.
____4. To own your own business, you must be motivated and organized.
____5. Money does not guarantee happiness, happiness comes from the heart.

____6. Books are our friends; they take us to foreign places, introduce us to interesting people,
and provide many hours of fun and relaxation.
____7. Having both parents of young children working outside the home presents a daily
challenge because the children must be dressed, fed, and transported before the official
work day begins.
____8. Like many Americans, we own two foreign cars we have had too many problems with
American-made cars.
____9. The house contained four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a sun room, a library, a formal
living room and dining room, and an eat-in kitchen.
____10. We purchased a sofa that had a high back and very contemporary lines.
3. Misplaced Modifiers
Sometimes we become careless and place descriptive phrases far away from the words they
modify, making our sentences unclear or inaccurate. We call these phrases misplaced
modifiers. They occur when they are unclear what they are modifying or when they are not
located properly in relation to the words/phrases they modify.
For example, in "I was told that I had been awarded the scholarship by my professor," does
the underlined phrase mean that the professor did the telling or the awarding? If the professor
did the telling, we could make the meaning of this sentence clearer by repositioning the phrase:
"I was told by my professor that I had been awarded the scholarship."
Look again the following example, and try to identify the modifier ‘misplaced’ and try to fix the
problem.
An apple pie sat on the table that Ruth had baked.
In this sentence, it is unclear what the modifier “that Ruth had baked” is modifying, yet it
appears to modify the table since it gives an immediate response for “which table?” However,
Ruth would likely bake the apple pie not the table. The following is the correct version.
An apple pie that Ruth had baked sat on the table.
Underline the misplaced modifier in each sentence. Then rewrite the sentence, placing related words
together and thereby making the meaning clear.
Example:- The parents sent their teenage child to the new school that was failing.

The parents sent their teenage child that was failing to the new school.
1. We observed a class of accounting students taking a tour of the school.

____________________________________________________________________.
2. The young girl envisioned the math test that she would take in her mind.
____________________________________________________________________.
3. The teacher watched the students take the test from her desk.
____________________________________________________________________.
4. Shao Ping carried his old school book in his bag which was wrapped in newspaper.
____________________________________________________________________.
5. I heard that the local preschool would be closed on the evening news.
____________________________________________________________________.
6. Student athletes almost filled the entire gymnasium.
____________________________________________________________________.
7. The ESL students were given the grammar test making groans of discontent.
____________________________________________________________________.
8. The boy confidently completed the math problem with a smile.
____________________________________________________________________.
9. Haji delivered his late homework to his teacher dressed in old, torn clothing.
____________________________________________________________________.
10. The principal needs new teachers to help the students badly.
____________________________________________________________________.
Direction :_Write “C” if the modifier is correctly placed; write “MM” if it is misplaced. In the “MM”
sentences, rewrite the sentences correctly.
1. The woman was stopped for speeding in the green sweater.

____________________________________________________________________.
2. I almost saw the whole movie, but I fell asleep towards the end of it.
____________________________________________________________________.
3. Daniel promised to mow the lawn running out the door.
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4. The names were those of the lovers carved on the tree.
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5. There are only three spaces left in the parking lot.
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6. Every two hours the nurse told him to take a pill.
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7. Sitting on the porch, I took my last sip of lemonade.
____________________________________________________________________.

8. The man walked toward us wearing a black fedora hat.
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9. The plane crashed into a mountain carrying 200 passengers.
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10. I hardly ate any food at the banquet dinner.
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11. I watched the mechanic fix the bus with intrigue.
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12. I earn a thousand dollars a month scarcely.
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13. Reaching into the cabinet, I found the bag of chips.
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14. We borrowed a leaf blower from a neighbor that was broken.
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15. Climbing up a tree, Maria saw a squirrel.
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16. Kevin, running quickly, disappeared around the corner.
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17. The dog was rescued after the house was set on fire by a fireman.
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18. We’ve almost found all the pieces of the shattered vase.
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19. She vowed on her birthday to go skydiving.
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20. We need gas badly.
____________________________________________________________________.
4. Dangling Modifiers
Other times we write descriptive phrases that point to or modify words that are not clearly
stated in our sentences, making our sentences illogical. We call these phrases dangling
modifiers. For example, in "Walking to college on a subzero morning, my left ear became
frozen," the underlined phrase modifies "my left ear." This doesn't make sense; some person
must have been doing the walking. We can clarify the sentence by putting a logical word after
the phrase: for example, "Walking to college on a subzero morning, I froze my left ear." Or, we
can change the phrase so that it has a logical subject and verb in it: "When I was walking to
college on a subzero morning, my left ear became frozen." are word groups that do not
immediately follow or precede the noun it describes.
Example:

Dangled:- Walking on the beach, the water touched my feet.
In this sentence, the modifier “Walking on the beach” appears to modify the water. (Meaning
the walker is the water)
Improved: While I was walking on the beach, the water touched my feet.
Direction :_Write “DM” if the sentence contains dangling modifier or “C” if the sentence is correct.
____ 1. Chasing his brother, Ryan fell and bruised his knee.
____ 2. Feeling nervous, stomachs were queasy.
____ 3. Running scared, the bear climbed the tree.
____ 4. Laughing hysterically, the story was repeated.
____ 5. Slipping on the wet pavement, her leg was broken.
Direction: All of the following sentences have dangling modifiers. Rewrite each
sentence correctly in the space provided below.
1. Reaching the finals, the game was won by the Lions.

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2. Playing skillfully, a touchdown was made by the visiting team.

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3. Raising his hand, the question was answered by Thomas.

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4. Planting tomatoes, her knees got filthy.

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5. Speaking for the committee, the issue was raised by Victoria.

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Direction: In the blank beside each sentence, indicate whether the sentence is a dangling
modifier (DM) or a misplaced modifier (MM). Rewrite each sentence correctly.
1. The truck on the bridge which is green is mine. _____

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2. Expecting confusion, our plans were made. _____
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3. Feeling hot, sweaters were taken off. _____

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4. I showed my cat to the veterinarian with the fleas. _____
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5. Bob told me he was getting married that afternoon at night. _____
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6. This typewriter is used by a staff member with a wide carriage. _____
____________________________________________________________________________
7. Swimming out into the sea, the current grew stronger. _____
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8. Walking along the shore, a cruise ship suddenly appeared. _____
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9. The Mazda was stalled on the highway out of gas. _____
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10. He kept a tiny black book of all the women he had dated in his desk. _____
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11. Upon entering the room, the messages are easily seen. _____
____________________________________________________________________________
12. While at the amusement park, the sun shone brightly on all the tourists. _____
____________________________________________________________________________
13. Landon should jump at whatever is demanded quickly. _____
____________________________________________________________________________
14. Jodi kept all her medicine in the medicine cabinet that had been prescribed to her. _____
____________________________________________________________________________
15. When only a toddler, Dad took me scuba diving. _____
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5. Faulty Parallelism
Parallel ideas should be expressed in parallel structure. Observe the following examples.
Awkward:- Hirut is pretty, with brown hair, and has a graceful manner.

Better:- Hirut is pretty,
brown haired, and
graceful.
Awkward:- As a young man he had been in Africa, fighting in Greece, and following his
general to India.
Better:- As a young man he had been in Africa
had fought in Greece, and
had followed his general to India.
Awkward:- I admire Tilahun for the ideas in his poems but not his style.
Better:- I admire Tilahun for the ideas in his poems
but not for his style.
Awkward:- He was not only kind but also knew when to help people in trouble. (Adjective
paralleled with verb)
Better:- He was not only kind

but also helpful to people in trouble.
DIRECTION:- Some of the following sentences are out of balance. Bring balance to them by
putting the ideas in a parallel form. You may need to delete, add, or move some
words. If a sentence is already correct, write C
EXAMPLE:
Faulty:- I think of myself as someone who enjoys good food and liking adventure.
Improved: - I think of myself as someone who enjoys good food and likes adventure.

1. I decide which foods to eat by evaluating their caloric content, their nutritional value, and how long
they take to prepare.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. It's always a good idea to exercise as well as monitoring your sugar and fat intake.
__________________________________________________________________________
3. Decide which healthful foods you enjoy and keep the ingredients in your pantry.
__________________________________________________________________________
4. Making an enchilada requires less effort than to bake a cake from scratch.
__________________________________________________________________________
5. To try exotic foods and seeing historical sights are reasons why some Americans plan international
vacations.
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6. For our international dinner, Jamal will prepare stuffed grape leaves or trying a new recipe is what
he'll do.
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7. Two habits we acquired in Costa Rica were to eat a large meal at noon and taking a siesta.
__________________________________________________________________________
8. In Spain, people eat a good meal in the middle of the day and then having dinner late in the evening.
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9. In many countries, visiting with neighbors and to buy food are main reasons for going to the market.
__________________________________________________________________________
10. Marinating and cooking foods in olive oil is common in many Mediterranean countries.
__________________________________________________________________________
DIRECTION:- Some of the following sentences are out of balance. Bring balance to them by
putting the ideas in a parallel form. You may need to delete, add, or move some words. If a
sentence is already correct, write C.
Example:-
Faulty: Understanding musical styles and to decide what you like best will enhance your
musical appreciation.
Revised:- Understanding musical styles and deciding what you like best will enhance your
musical appreciation.

1. Listening to a variety of music and to get to know different musical techniques are two ways
to fully appreciate music.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. usic lovers often cannot agree whether classical music or playing jazz music is more difficult.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Lovers of jazz understand that this music requires skill and demanding discipline from the
musicians.
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4. Jazz fans admire a great hom player's improvisational ability, technical skill, and to play well
with other musicians.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
5. Not only jazz trumpet players but also musicians who play classical violin profit from a
sound knowledge of music theory.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
6. In a symphony orchestra, the musicians must not only read music with great facility but also
follow the directions of the conductor.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
7. In a marching band, stamina is as important as to play an instrument well.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
8. Being the conductor of an orchestra requires both a great knowledge of music and that one
has excellent pitch.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
9. Critics praise a musician's technical skill and to applaud his or her charisma.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
10. Even people who don't play a musical instrument derive a lot of pleasure and benefit from
music.
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6. Agreement Error
Agreement is the correspondence in the form between subjects and verbs.
6.1 Subject-Verb Agreement:
Basic Principle: Singular subjects need singular verbs; plural subjects need plural verbs. My brother is a
nutritionist. My sisters are mathematicians.
1.The indefinite pronouns anyone, everyone, someone, no one, nobody are always singular and,
therefore, require singular verbs.

 Everyone has done his or her homework.
 Somebody has left her purse.
Some indefinite pronouns — such as all, some — are singular or plural depending on what they're
referring to. (Is the thing referred to countable or not?) Be careful choosing a verb to accompany such
pronouns.
 Some of the beads are missing.

 Some of the water is gone.
On the other hand, there is one indefinite pronoun, none, that can be either singular or plural; it often
doesn't matter whether you use a singular or a plural verb — unless something else in the sentence
determines its number. (Writers generally think of none as meaning not any and will choose a plural
verb, as in "None of the engines are working," but when something else makes us regard none as
meaning not one, we want a singular verb, as in "None of the food is fresh.")
 None of you claims responsibility for this incident?

 None of you claim responsibility for this incident?
 None of the students have done their homework. (In this last example, the
word their precludes the use of the singular verb.
2.Some indefinite pronouns are particularly troublesome. Everyone and everybody (listed

above, also) certainly feel like more than one person and, therefore, students are sometimes
tempted to use a plural verb with them. However, they are always singular. Each is often
followed by a prepositional phrase ending in a plural word (Each of the cars), thus confusing
the verb choice. Each, too, is always singular and requires a singular verb.
Everyone has finished his or her homework.
You would always say, "Everybody is here." This means that the word is singular and nothing will change
that.
Each of the students is responsible for doing his or her work in the library.
Don't let the word "students" confuse you; the subject is each and each is always singular — Each
is responsible.
3.Phrases such as together with, as well as, and along with are not the same asand. The phrase
introduced by as well as or along with will modify the earlier word (mayor in this case), but it
does not compound the subjects (as the word and would do).
 The mayor as well as his brothers is going to prison.
 The mayor and his brothers are going to jail.

4.The pronouns neither and either are singular and require singular verbs even though they
seem to be referring, in a sense, to two things.
 Neither of the two traffic lights is working.
 Which shirt do you want for Christmas?
Either is fine with me.
In informal writing, neither and either sometimes take a plural verb when these pronouns are followed
by a prepositional phrase beginning with of. This is particularly true of interrogative constructions:
"Have either of you two clowns read the assignment?" "Are either of you taking this seriously?"
5.The conjunction ‘or’ does not conjoin (as ‘and’ does): when ‘nor’ or ‘or’ is used, the subject

closer to the verb determines the number of the verb. Whether the subject comes before or
after the verb doesn't matter; the proximity determines the number.
 Either my father or my brothers are going to sell the house.
 Neither my brothers nor my father is going to sell the house.
 Are either my brothers or my father responsible?
 Is either my father or my brothers responsible?
Because a sentence like "Neither my brothers nor my father is going to sell the house" sounds peculiar,
it is probably a good idea to put the plural subject closer to the verb whenever that is possible.
6.The words there and here are never subjects.
 There are two reasons [plural subject] for this.
 There is no reason for this.
 Here are two apples.
With these constructions (called expletive constructions), the subject follows the verb but still
determines the number of the verb.
7.Verbs in the present tense for third-person, singular subjects (he, she, it and anything those
words can stand for) have s-endings. Other verbs do not add-endings.
He loves and she loves and they love_ and . . . .

8. Sometimes modifiers will get between a subject and its verb, but these modifiers must not
confuse the agreement between the subject and its verb.
The mayor, who has been convicted along with his four brothers on four
counts of various crimes but who also seems, like a cat, to have several
political lives, is finally going to jail.
9.Sometimes nouns take weird forms and can fool us into thinking that they're plural when
they're really singular and vice-versa. Consult the section on the Plural Forms of Nouns and
the section on Collective Nouns for additional help. Words such as glasses, pants, pliers, and
scissors are regarded as plural (and require plural verbs) unless they're preceded by the
phrase pair of (in which case the word pair becomes the subject).
 My glasses were on the bed.
 My pants were torn.
 A pair of plaid trousers is in the closet.
10. Some words end in -s and appear to be plural but are really singular and require singular
verbs.
 The news from the front is bad.
 Measles is a dangerous disease for pregnant women.
On the other hand, some words ending in -s refer to a single thing but are nonetheless plural and
require a plural verb.
 My assets were wiped out in the depression.

 The average worker's earnings have gone up dramatically.
 Our thanks go to the workers who supported the union.
The names of sports teams that do not end in "s" will take a plural verb: the Miami Heat have been
looking … , The Connecticut Sun are hoping that new talent … .
11. Fractional expressions such as half of, a part of, a percentage of, a majority of are
sometimes singular and sometimes plural, depending on the meaning. (The same is true, of
course, when all, any, more, most and some act as subjects.) Sums and products of
mathematical processes are expressed as singular and require singular verbs. The expression
"more than one" (oddly enough) takes a singular verb: "More than one student has tried this."
 Some of the voters are still angry.

 A large percentage of the older population is voting against her.
 Two-fifths of the troops were lost in the battle.
 Two-fifths of the vineyard was destroyed by fire.
 Forty percent of the students are in favor of changing the policy.
 Forty percent of the student body is in favor of changing the policy.
 Two and two is four.
 Four times four divided by two is eight.
12. If your sentence compounds a positive and a negative subject and one is plural, the other
singular, the verb should agree with the positive subject.
 The department members but not the chair have decided not to teach on Valentine's Day.
 It is not the faculty members but the president who decides this issue.
 It was the speaker, not his ideas, that has provoked the students to riot.
6. 2 Pronoun -Antecedent Agreement

Make a pronoun agree in number with its antecedent (i.e. the noun which a pronoun substitutes for or
refers to). A singular antecedent must be referred to by a singular pronoun, a plural antecedent must be
referred to by a plural pronoun.
 In Standard English use a singular pronoun to refer to such antecedents as man, woman, person, one,
anyone, anybody, someone, somebody, everyone, everybody, each, either, neither, no one, nobody
etc.
Colloquial: - Everybody stood on their chairs.

Standard: - Everybody stood on his chairs.
Colloquial: - Each of the sons had planned to follow their father’s occupation.
Standard: - Each of the sons had planned to follow his father’s occupation.
 Collective nouns are referred to by singular or plural pronouns depending on whether the collective
noun is considered singular or plural.
Wrong: - If the board of the directors controls the company, they may vote themselves bonuses. (Board
is first singular with controls, then plural with they)
Right: If the board of the directors control the company, they may vote themselves bonuses. (Made
plural throughout as demanded by the last half of the sentence)

Right: If the board of the directors controls the company, it may vote itself bonuses. (Last half of the
sentence changed to agree with the first)
7. Pronoun Antecedent Reference (Faulty Reference)
Terms to define
Antecedent:- The noun which a pronoun substitutes for or refers to.
Ambiguous Pronoun Reference:- A pronoun with multiple, possible antecedents.
Vague Pronoun Reference:- A pronoun without a specific antecedent.
THE RULE
A pronoun must refer to a single noun, which acts as its antecedent.
One cause of ambiguity in writing is the use of pronouns without clear antecedents. A pronoun has no
definite meaning in itself; its meaning is clear only when the reader knows what noun it stands for. This
word is called the antecedent of the pronoun. For instance, the pronoun she has no clear meaning in the
sentence The nurse told Mary that she had a fever. Although the context suggests that it is Mary who
has the fever, we cannot be sure. When we know that she stands for Mary, the pronoun has a definite
meaning. We could revise the sentence to read: The nurse said, "Mary, you have a fever" or “The nurse
said that Mary had a fever”.
Also consider this example:
Gelila told Ruth that she would take Jerry to the barn dance.
It is not clear whether the pronoun "she" in this sentence refers to Ruth or Gelila. Unless
pronouns refer unmistakably to distinct, close, and single antecedents, the reader will never be
sure who's going to the square dance with whom.

A pronoun must refer clearly to the right antecedent. Avoid AMBIGUOUS REFERENCE,
GENERAL REFERENCE, and WEAK REFERENCE.
7.1 Ambiguous Reference

Avoid ambiguous reference. Such reference occurs when a pronoun refers to two antecedents
so that the reader does not know at once which antecedent is meant. A pronoun should have
only one possible antecedent. If there is more than one possible antecedent for a personal
pronoun in a sentence, make sure that the pronoun refers only to one of them. Consider the
following two examples.
 [AMBIGUOUS]:- Mekonnen called Demeke twelve times while he was in Reno.
- The pronoun "he" could refer either to " Mekonnen " or to " Demeke."
The following sentences illustrate the differences in clarity of meanings between sentences with
ambiguous pronoun references and sentences with clear pronoun references.
AMBIGUOUS:- Mrs. Smith smiled at Mrs. Jones when she was awarded the silver cup. [In this
sentence we do not know whether Mrs. Smith or Mrs. Jones was awarded the silver
cup. We can clarify the sentence by rearranging it.]
CLEAR :- When Mrs. Smith was awarded the silver cup, she smiled at Mrs. Jones.
AMBIGUOUS :- The purser explained to the passenger the meaning of the regulation he had just read.
[Who read it?]
CLEAR :- After reading the regulation, the purser explained its meaning to the passenger.
AMBIGUOUS:- When the children brought the dusty rugs out to the garden, the maid beat them. [the
rugs or the children?]

CLEAR:- The maid beat the dusty rugs that the children had brought out to the garden.
As you can see, ambiguous references may be corrected in several ways. The object is always to make
your meaning clear.
Practical Exercise-1.32: Correcting Ambiguous Reference of Pronouns

Direction:-. Find the ambiguous references and the resulting ambiguous meanings in
each of the following sentences. Make the sentence clear by revising it.
EXAMPLE : 1. When the airplane struck the hangar, it burst into flames. [Airplane or hangar?]
1. When it struck the hangar, the airplane burst into flames.
1. The loyal forces fought the guerillas until they were almost entirely destroyed.
__________________________________________________________________________
2. The police officer told the sergeant that he had a button missing on his uniform.
__________________________________________________________________________
3. The guide explained to the tourist the value of the stone she had found.
____________________________________________________________________________
4. Marc informed Darrel that his social engagements would be more numerous when he went
to college.
____________________________________________________________________________
5. When Anna brought Lena to the conference, we asked her for her credentials.
____________________________________________________________________________
6. Since the show was scheduled for the same night as the election, it had to be postponed.
____________________________________________________________________________
7. The manager told the waiter that he would have to replace all broken dishes.
____________________________________________________________________________
8. When the ambassador said goodbye to the foreign minister, reporters thought he looked
confident.

____________________________________________________________________________
9. When the truck hit the wall, it was hardly damaged.

____________________________________________________________________________
10. Before the gate could fit the opening of the fence, it had to be made smaller.
_____________________________________________________________________
7.2 General Reference

 Avoid general (implied) reference. General reference occurs when a pronoun refers confusingly
to an idea that is vaguely expressed. The antecedent is expressed in terms which are too general to
be clear. A pronoun should not refer to an implied idea. Pronouns commonly used in this way are
which, this, that, and it.
Make sure that the pronoun refers to a specific rather than to an implicit
antecedent: When you leave the antecedent implied instead of stating it
explicitly, the reader has to try to guess your sentence's meaning:
 [General] John put a bullet in his gun and shot it.
The pronoun "it" can refer either to the noun "gun" or to the implied object of
the verb "shot."
 [General] If I told you had a beautiful body would you hold it against me?
The pronoun "it" can refer to the noun "body" or to the entire statement.
 [General] The craftspersons' union reached an agreement on Ruth's penalty, but it

took time.
The pronoun "it" can refer to the noun "union" or to the implied process of
decision making.
The following sentences illustrate the differences in clarity of meanings between sentences with
general pronoun references and sentences with clear pronoun references.
 [General] :- More than twenty percent of those who enter college fail to graduate,
which is a shame.

In this sentence the pronoun which refers to the fact that more than twenty percent of those who
enter college fail to graduate. Since the pronoun which has no antecedent, the reader is
confused. The sentence needs correction:
[Clear]:-It is a shame that more than twenty percent of those who enter college fail to
graduate.
In the following example, the pronoun this does not have a clear antecedent.
 [General]:- In the fall our school specializes in football, in the winter in basketball, and in
the spring in baseball, tennis, and crew. This makes for a balanced athletic program.
[Clear]:-Emphasizing all these sports makes for a balanced athletic program.
In the next example, the pronoun it does not have a clear antecedent. A definite noun makes the
meaning clearer.
 [General]:- The ancient Romans conquered more of the world than they could reach
readily with their troops. The troops themselves were frequently hired from a foreign
power. Meanwhile, at home, the existence of slavery made honest labor no longer
respectable. Eventually, it caused the great Roman Empire to collapse.
[Clear]:-All these conditions eventually caused the great Roman Empire to collapse.
Sometimes general reference can best be corrected by revising the whole sentence.
 [General]:- The wind rose, the trees showed the pale undersides of their leaves, dark
clouds appeared, and an ominous silver curtain moved in from the distant hills. This caused us to
finish bringing in the hay as quickly as possible.
[Clear]:- We brought in the hay as quickly as possible when we noticed how the wind
rose, the trees showed the pale undersides of their leaves, dark clouds appeared, and an
ominous silver curtain moved in from the distant hills.

Practical Exercise-1.33: CORRECTING GENERAL REFERENCE OF pronouns

Direction:-. The following sentences contain examples of the general reference of
pronouns. Revise the sentences or replace the unclear pronouns with nouns to
make the meaning clear.
1. The route to the top of the mountain led over deep chasms and vast sheets of ice. It made the
ascent extremely difficult for the exploring party.
_____________________________________________________________________
2. A large number of young people have left Hastings Corners to work in the city, which is
unfortunate for this town.
_____________________________________________________________________
3. The guidance counselor asked me whether I wanted Latin, French, or Spanish, which was
difficult to decide.
_____________________________________________________________________
4. My parents bought a new rug and new curtains, and we hired a man to paint the walls and
ceiling. That certainly improved the appearance of the room.
_____________________________________________________________________
5. After the storm, the trail to the top of the mountain was washed out in some spots and was
littered in many places with fallen branches. It made the ascent nerve-wracking.
_____________________________________________________________________
6. The first part of the test was on chemistry, the second on mathematics, the third on physics.
This made it very difficult.
_____________________________________________________________________
7. Wolf Brothers' sale included household furniture, men's and women's clothing, automobile
accessories, and sports goods. This was sure to bring in many customers.
_____________________________________________________________________
8. Some of the eyewitnesses described the man as short, others said he was tall, and yet others
said he was "about average." It confused the police investigators.
____________________________________________________________________
9. The principal said that the play would have to be given in the old auditorium unless by some
miracle the new auditorium were to be completed ahead of schedule, which will be a blow to
the Maude Adams Drama Club.

____________________________________________________________________
10. I received a notice that two of my library books were over due, which was a complete
surprise.
_____________________________________________________________________
7.3 Weak Reference:-
 Avoid weak reference. Weak reference occurs when the antecedent has not been expressed
but exists only in the writer's mind.
 [Weak]:- Every time a circus came to town, Alice wanted to join them.
In this sentence there is no antecedent for the pronoun them. Them refers to the people with the
circuses, but these people are not specifically mentioned in the sentence.
Clear]:- Every time a circus came to 'town, Alice wanted to become one of the troupe.
In the following sentence, you will see that there is no clear antecedent for the pronoun these.
 [Weak]:- He was a very superstitious person, and one of these was that walking under
a ladder would bring bad luck.
In this sentence the antecedent for the pronoun these should be the noun superstitions, but the
noun is only implied in the adjective superstitious. The error may be corrected by substituting
a noun for the pronoun or rewriting the first part of the sentence.
Clear]:- He was a very superstitious person; one of his superstitions was that walking under
a ladder would bring bad luck.
Better:- He had many superstitions, one of which was that walking under a ladder would
bring bad luck.
 [Weak]:- Mother is very much interested in psychiatry, but she doesn't believe they know
all the answers.
Clear]:- Mother is very much interested in psychiatry, but she doesn't believe that
psychiatrists know all the answers.

Weak reference may be corrected by replacing the weak pronoun with a noun or by giving the
pronoun a clear and sensible antecedent.
Practical Exercise-1.34: CORRECTING Weak reference OF pronouns

Direction:-. Correct the weak reference in each of the following sentences.
1. Arthur Conan Doyle began his career as a doctor and it explains his interest in careful
observation.
_____________________________________________________________________
2. The famous author has an enormous library, and she makes them available to her friends.
_____________________________________________________________________
3. They planned to eat dinner outdoors by candlelight, but a strong wind blew them out.
_____________________________________________________________________
4. For years after Mark Twain saw the steamboat in Hannibal, Missouri, he wanted to become
one of them.
_____________________________________________________________________
5. Even though it rained on the night of the concert, Ed went because his favorite ones were
being played.
_____________________________________________________________________
6. In Perugia the factory that made the world-famous candy was open, but we didn't buy any of
them.
_____________________________________________________________________
7. Although he is fond of poetry, he has never written one.

_____________________________________________________________________
8. Tia's uncle has a huge vegetable garden, and he keeps them supplied with fresh vegetables all
summer long.
_____________________________________________________________________
9. In Central City, Colorado, opera is performed in the summer at the Teller Theater, but we did
not see any of them.
_____________________________________________________________________
10. Trout-fishing is not much sport unless you catch one.

_____________________________________________________________________
7.4 Indefinite Use Of Pronouns

 In formal writing, avoid indefinite use of the pronouns it, they, and you.
In conversation people often use expressions such as "It says in this book
that ..." and "In my home town they say that ...” These constructions are useful
for information conversation because they allow you to present ideas casually,
without supporting evidence; for academic writing, however, these
constructions are either too imprecise or too wordy. Although the indefinite use
of these pronouns in sentences like the following may occur in ordinary
conversation, such use is not acceptable in most writing.
Indefinite:- On television it said that a new earthquake broke out in Italy.

Better:- The television news reported a new earthquake in Italy.
Indefinite:- In some histories they refer to the Civil War as the War Between the States.
Better:- Some historians refer to the Civil War as the War Between the States.
Indefinite:- In some nineteenth-century novels you are always meeting difficult words.
Better:- In some nineteenth-century novels, the vocabulary is quite difficult.
In the first of each of these pairs of sentences above, the pronouns it, they, you have no clear
antecedents.
 NOTE Expressions such as it is snowing, it is too early, and it seems are, of course, entirely
correct.
More Examples:
 [Indefinite] In Chapter four of my autobiography it says that I was born out of

wedlock. (In Chapter four, what says that the speaker was born out of
wedlock?)
 [Indefinite] In the restaurant they gave me someone else's linguini. (Who gave
the speaker someone else's linguini?)
It would be better to rewrite these two sentences as follow:

[Better:-] Chapter four of my autobiography states that I was born out of
wedlock.
[Better:-] In the restaurant, the server gave me someone else's linguini.

In these revised sentences, there is no doubt about who is doing what.
Practical Exercise-1.35: CORRECTING Indefinite Use of Pronouns


Direction:-The sentences in this exercise contain examples of the indefinite use of ‘ it’, ‘they’, and
‘you’. Strengthen the sentences either by replacing the faulty pronoun with a noun, or by revising the
entire sentence. Make the meaning unmistakably clear.
1. In The Diary of Anne Frank it shows a young girl's courage during two years of hiding.
__________________________________________________________________________
2. Everyone is excited about graduation because you have worked so hard for it.
__________________________________________________________________________
3. In South Africa they mine diamonds and sell them to jewelers to be cut.
__________________________________________________________________________
4. In the sports sections of the daily newspapers, it tells all about the day's events in sports.
__________________________________________________________________________
5. When grandfather was a child, you were supposed to be absolutely silent at the table.
__________________________________________________________________________
6. In the Bible it states many truths that have inspired people for centuries.
_________________________________________________________________________
7. Because modern artists have an idiom of their own, it leads to much misunderstanding.
__________________________________________________________________________
8. On the book jacket they say that the author herself experienced these thrilling adventures.
__________________________________________________________________________
9. They had whirled so fast it made them dizzy.

__________________________________________________________________________
10. In his famous painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, they say that Michelangelo
pictured his enemies among those being punished for their sins.
__________________________________________________________________________
7.5 Tricky Points of Pronoun Usage
This section covers some relatively tricky points which are no longer standard
in spoken English, though many people still insist upon them in formal writing.

I. Pronouns in Apposition
A pronoun should also be in the subject case when it is in apposition to a

subject or subject complement, and in the object case when it is in apposition
to the object of a verb, verbal, or preposition:
 [Right] Three craftspeople -- Mary, Albert, and he -- made the accessory for Jerry.
The phrase "Mary, Albert, and he" is in apposition to "craftspeople," the subject
of the sentence.
 [Right] The accessory was made by three craftspeople, Mary, Albert, and him.
The phrase "Mary, Albert, and him" is still in apposition to the noun "craftspeople,"
but that noun has become the object of the preposition "by," so the pronoun "him" is
in the object case.
 [Right] The three craftspeople involved were Mary, Albert, and she.
The pronoun "she" is part of the subject complement, so it is in the subject

case.
II. "Us" and "we" before a Noun
A first-person plural pronoun used with a noun takes the case of the noun. If
the noun functions as a subject, the pronoun should be in the subject case; if
the noun functions as an object, the pronoun should be in the object case:
We rowdies left the restaurant late.
The restaurant owner mumbled at all us slow eaters.
III. Using 'than' or 'as' in a Comparison
In elliptical comparisons, where the writer has left some words out of a
sentence, the case of the pronoun at the end of the sentence determines its
meaning. When a sentence ends with a subjective pronoun, the pronoun must

serve as the subject of the omitted verb. When a sentence ends with an
objective pronoun, the pronoun must serve as the object of the omitted verb:
Elliptical:- Ruth likes Jerry better than I.
Complete:- Ruth likes Jerry better than I like Jerry.
Elliptical:- Ruth likes Jerry better than me.
Complete:- Ruth likes Jerry better than she likes me.
7.6 Pronouns Referring to Adjectives
A pronoun should not refer to adjectives
 [WRONG] Jerry wore those blasted green knickers; it was his favorite color.
In this example, the pronoun "it" seems to refer to the noun "knickers,"
though it was probably meant to refer to the adjective "green."

Sentence Errors and How To Correct Them

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Sentence Errors and How To Correct Them

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Practical Exercises on Common Sentence Errors

Practical Exercises on Common Sentence Errors and How to

 I adore staying up until 4 a.m. writing papers.

Sometimes we may omit the subject of the sentence unintentionally.

Has learned in hope college and will graduate this year.

Dr. Beyene Gebru Page 1

Write ‘C’ if an item contains only complete sentences.

Fragment: Before a film or TV show is completed.

Dr. Beyene Gebru Page 2

Dr. Beyene Gebru Page 3

2.1 Fused Sentences

Example: The family drove to the beach it was a beautiful day.

Corrections: The family drove to the beach; it was a beautiful day.

2.2 Comma Splices

Dr. Beyene Gebru Page 4

The oil rig blew up in an explosion that killed twenty men.

 The oil rig's blowing up killed twenty men.

 The oil rig blew up, killing twenty men.

 Twenty men were killed in the oil rig explosion.

1. Shakespeare’s plays can be grouped as comedies, tragedies, and histories, Hamlet is a

3. Some educated people believe in witchcraft, I am not one of them.

4. The zoo is a wonderful experience for everyone, you should go.

Dr. Beyene Gebru Page 5

6. Eric is a brave boy, he doesn’t complain about his illness.

8. The Secretary of State arrived in Geneva, he was supposed to sign a treaty.

9. Hepatitis is serious, you should see your doctor.

10. I baked oatmeal cookies they had raisins in them, too.

11. Mark Twain wrote Tom Sawyer, it is a funny book.

14. I lost my brother’s catcher’s mitt, he’s going to be angry.

17. I go to bed at 10:00 otherwise I can’t get up in the morning.

18. Jerry is in the hospital, let’s visit him.

21. Tom Seaver was traded, I was surprised.

22. My driver’s license was revoked I can’t drive to the game.

23. Julie has a full-time job, she’ll have to go to night school.

1. I can’t wait I have to get to school now I’m going to be late.

3. I’m going to make spaghetti, but I’m all out of pasta.

4. Please stop bothering me you are really getting on my nerves.

7. You can go to the park, after you put on your shoes.

8. I didn’t want her at the party, so we asked her to leave.

9. Alex needed to finish a paper he stayed at the library all night.

Dr. Beyene Gebru Page 7

1. The dog came into our yard. Through the bushes.

2. Dad needs a haircut, he will go to the barber on First Street.

3. The most expensive hotel in Boston.

4. The gas tank was full. Ready for the trip.

5. The children played together, their parents chatted.

6. Getting an after-school job is important. Because I need the money.

7. The dance was fun, everyone had a good time.

8. The only problem was the band, it was too loud.

9. After the tardy bell rang.

10. I am expecting a letter, is the mail here yet?

Dr. Beyene Gebru Page 8

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1. We observed a class of accounting students taking a tour of the school.

1. The woman was stopped for speeding in the green sweater.

Dr. Beyene Gebru Page 10

Dr. Beyene Gebru Page 11

1. Reaching the finals, the game was won by the Lions.

2. Playing skillfully, a touchdown was made by the visiting team.

3. Raising his hand, the question was answered by Thomas.

4. Planting tomatoes, her knees got filthy.

5. Speaking for the committee, the issue was raised by Victoria.

1. The truck on the bridge which is green is mine. _____