Week 009-Presentation Correct Usage

WEEK 009 : CORRECT USAGE
WEEK 009: CORRECT USAGE
Use words carefully and precisely so that the receiver will understand
your message. The following words and expressions are frequently misused.
Lesson 1
Distinction of Meaning of
Most Commonly http://www.amazingfacts4u.com
Mistaken Words
A lot, a lot of
These expressions are overused and are too

informal in most contexts. Try using often or
frequently for a lot and using many, a great
deal, or much for a lot of. There is no such
word as alot.
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s4u.com/blood
Although, though
In most uses these words are interchangeable, but it may

be best to begin clauses with although, since it is more
emphatic, and to use though to connect elements within a
clause. (Although intelligent, he could not apply himself.
She was born of poor though well-educated parents.)
Assure, ensure, insure
 All three of these verbs mean to make secure or

certain.
 Ensure and insure are interchangeable, except
that insure is generally used in the sense of
guaranteeing life or property against risk.
 Assure is the only one of the three that has the
sense of setting a person’s mind at rest.
Between, among
Between is the only choice when two persons or objects are
involved. It is also proper to use between when more than two
are involved if you want to express relations taken one pair at
a time (Exchanges between the five colleges were not
uncommon).
Use among when three or more entities are considered

collectively and no close relationship is implied (Funds are
divided among the eight divisions).
Borrow, lend
Borrow means to obtain or receive something on loan.

Lend means to give out or allow the use of something
temporarily. You borrow from but lend to. (In formal
writing, always use lend rather than loan as a verb.)
Bring, Take
Use bring to indicate movement toward the speaker. It
implies come (here) with. Use take to indicate
movement away from the speaker. It implies go (there)
with.
You take food to a picnic and bring home leftovers.

Compose, Comprise
• Comprise expresses the relation of the larger to the smaller, not the other way
around (think of comprise as meaning to embrace or take in). The whole
comprises the parts; the whole is composed of its parts. The parts compose the
whole and are comprised in it. Do not use comprised of; instead, use compose,
constitute, or make up.
• Include is not a synonym for comprise, but comprise has the sense of inclusion.
Continual, Continuous
• Although these words have the same primary meaning, their precise meanings are
different.
• Use continual when you mean action that is intermittent or repeated at intervals
• Example: the continual reminder of gunfire in the distance
• Use continuous when you mean uninterrupted action in time or unbroken extent
in space.
• Example: a continuous stream of marchers
Convince, Persuade
• Use convince with that or of; use persuade with to.
• You may be convinced that or of something; you must

be persuaded to do something.
Different from, different than; Due to, Because of
• One thing differs from another. Different than is incorrect.
• The preferred one is different from.
Due to , Because of
Do not use due to for because of, owing to, or on account of.
Due to is correct after a linking verb, or as an adjective following a noun.
Example:
Because of heavy traffic, I was late.
My tardiness was due to heavy traffic.
Ecology, Environment
• Ecology is the study of the relationship of living things to each other and
their environment ( surrounding conditions).
• Example:
• Pollution affects the environment; ecology attempts to determine how.
Hardly, Scarcely
• Hardly means “ done with difficulty” or “ barely able to”.
• Scarcely refers to an insufficient quantity.
• Example:
I could hardly push the power mower; I had scarcely any energy left.
Lesson 2: Problems in Grammatical Constructions
Agreement Problems
Reminders on Subject – verb agreement:
1. When other parts of a sentence come between the subject
and the verb, these parts do not change the person or the
number of the verb.
Example: The boys who had a good time at the party are now
playing softball.
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Agreement Problems

2. Inverted subject : the verb does not affect agreement.
Example:
In the trunk were piles of money.
3. Some nouns are plural form but are singular in meaning and
therefore take singular verbs. Examples: economics, ethics, politics
Agreement Problems
4. Two or more subjects joined by and take a plural verb.

5. Singular subjects joined by or, nor take a singular verb.
6. A collective noun takes a singular verb when the group is
regarded as 1 unit. But a collective noun takes a plural
verb
when emphasis is placed on the individual members of the
group.
Pronoun Agreement
1. Pronouns used as subjects with their verbs and with their antecedents.
a. Indefinite pronouns considered singular and take singular verbs: each, either,
neither and all pronouns ending in –body or –one.
b. Plural indefinite pronouns: both, few, many, several
c. All, any, most, none, some may be either singular or plural, depending on their
meaning in the sentence.
Use singular verb when the pronoun subject refers to one thing or to a
quantity as a whole.
Use plural verb when the pronoun refers to a number of individual items.
Pronoun Agreement

2. With relative pronoun as subjects: who, which, that
– the verb should agree with the pronoun’s
antecedent.
3. A pronoun agrees with its antecedent in gender,
number and person.
Faulty Pronoun
References
Avoid CONFUSING REFERENCES
Confusing references: After Michael talked to Bill,
He was angry.
Clear References: After Michael talked to Bill, Bill

was angry.
or Bill was angry after he talked to Michael.
Faulty Pronoun
References
Avoid VAGUE REFERENCES
Vague references: I had not finished the report, which irritated Mr.
Brown.
Clear References: The fact that I had not finished the report irritated Mr.
Brown.
Vague: In the first act, it shows Hamlet’s character.

Clear Reference: In the first act, Hamlet shows his character.
Shifts in Approach
1. Avoid unnecessary shifts in number ( singular and

plural.
Incorrect: Plants are decorative, but it requires much care.
Correct: Plants are decorative, but they require much care.
2. Avoid unnecessary shifts in the subject.

Incorrect: If you do your research, it will be a good paper.
Correct: If you do your research, you will write a good paper.
Shifts in Approach
1. Avoid unnecessary shifts in tense. (present, past,

future)
Incorrect: Jack came home and took off his jacket. He walks to
his room and changes clothes. Ten minutes later, he was ready
for dinner.
Correct: Jack came home and took off his jacket. He walked to
his room and changed his clothes. Ten minutes later, he was
ready for dinner.
Shifts in Approach
1. Avoid unnecessary shifts in voice

(active and passive )
Incorrect: He did good work, but no raise was

received.
Correct: He did good work, but he received
no raise.
Faulty Sentences
1. Sentence Fragment – an incomplete
sentence
Fragment: Watching the election results all

night.
Correct: I was watching the election results all
night.
Faulty Sentences
1. A Run – on Sentence - two or more improperly connected sentences.

Run –on : Classes started on June 5, however, I did not register until June 20.
Ways to correct run-on sentences:

a. Make two separate sentences.
 Classes started on June5. I did not register until June 20.
b. Use a semi-colon between the clauses.
 Classes started on June5. However; I did not register until June 20.
c. Use a comma and a conjunction
d. Make one of the statement into a phrase or a subordinate clause.
Faulty Sentences
1. Split Constructions
a. Split infinitive
Awkward: We had to without any preparation pack our belongings.
Better: We had to pack our belongings without any preparation.
Faulty Sentences
Nonparallel Constructions
Nonparallel: To write was easier for her than talking.

Parallel: To write was easier for her than to talk.
Problems with
Modifiers
1. Misplaced Modifiers
Misplaced: Waiting for a fresh seal at Hudson bay, the
photographer made a
good shot of polar bears.
Correct: The photographer made a good shot of polar bears
waiting for a fresh seal at the Hudson bay.
Problems with
Modifiers
1. Dangling Modifiers
Dangling: Young and alone, the city can be a frightening
place.
Correct: Young and alone, she was frightened by the
city.
Thank
You

Week 009-Presentation Correct Usage

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WEEK 009 : CORRECT USAGE

WEEK 009: CORRECT USAGE

These expressions are overused and are too

In most uses these words are interchangeable, but it may

Assure, ensure, insure

 All three of these verbs mean to make secure or

Use among when three or more entities are considered

Borrow means to obtain or receive something on loan.

You take food to a picnic and bring home leftovers.

• Use convince with that or of; use persuade with to.

• You may be convinced that or of something; you must

Lesson 2: Problems in Grammatical Constructions

Lesson 2: Problems in Grammatical Constructions

Reminders on Subject – verb agreement:

Lesson 2: Problems in Grammatical Constructions

4. Two or more subjects joined by and take a plural verb.

Lesson 2: Problems in Grammatical Constructions

Lesson 2: Problems in Grammatical Constructions

Reminders on Subject – verb agreement:

Lesson 2: Problems in Grammatical Constructions

Clear References: After Michael talked to Bill, Bill

Lesson 2: Problems in Grammatical Constructions

Vague: In the first act, it shows Hamlet’s character.

Lesson 2: Problems in Grammatical Constructions

1. Avoid unnecessary shifts in number ( singular and

2. Avoid unnecessary shifts in the subject.

Lesson 2: Problems in Grammatical Constructions

1. Avoid unnecessary shifts in tense. (present, past,

Lesson 2: Problems in Grammatical Constructions

1. Avoid unnecessary shifts in voice

Incorrect: He did good work, but no raise was

Lesson 2: Problems in Grammatical Constructions

Fragment: Watching the election results all

1. A Run – on Sentence - two or more improperly connected sentences.

Ways to correct run-on sentences:

Nonparallel: To write was easier for her than talking.

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