Pronouns Type

         Pronouns are words that take a place of nouns ( people , places or things ) . In fact, the word pronoun means of a noun . Pronouns are shortcuts that keep you from unnecessary repeating words in writing .

 

  Ex : . When the motocyclists arrived at the company , they removed their helmets .

 

         This section presents rules that will help you avoid three common mistakes people make with pronouns .

         The rules are as follows :

 

     1/ A pronoun must refer clearly to the word it replaces .

     2/ A pronoun must agree in number with the word or words it replaces .

     3/ Pronoun should not shift unnecessary in point of view .

 

   I . Pronoun reference

                                         A sentence may be confusing and unclearly if a pronoun appears to refer to move then one word or if the pronoun doesn’t refer to any specific word .

 

     Ex : . We never buy fresh vegetable at that store because they charge too mush .

     → We never buy fresh vegetable at that store because sellers charge too much .

             . My older brother is a teacher , but I am not interested in it .

     → My older brother is a teacher , but I am not interested in that job .

 

   II . Pronoun agreement

                                              A pronoun must agree in number with the word or words it replaces . If a word a pronoun refers to is singular , the pronoun must be singular , if the word is a plural , the pronoun must be plural . ( Note that the word a pronoun refers to is known as antecedent )

 

     Ex : . Mr.Rady allows me to use his car .

             . The managers decided to use their strategies .

     → After the hikers arrived at the camp ,………. removed ………. heavy packs .

     → The breakfast cereal is delicious , but ………. Has almost no nutrients .

 

   A/ Indefinite pronouns

                                                        The following words , known as indefinite pronouns , are always singular .

 

     ( _one word )                             ( _ body word )

          One                                                Nobody                                      Each

          Anyone                                          Anybody                                    Either

          Everyone                                       Everybody                                 Neither

          Someone                                        Somebody                                 * Either of the apartment has its drawbacks . One of the girl lost her skateboard .

 

   III . Pronoun point of view

                                                                 Pronoun should not shift their point of view unnecessary . When writing a paper , be consistent in your use of first , second or third person pronouns .

 

         Types of pronoun                    Singular                            Plural

 

     First person pronouns                 I ( my,mine,me)         We ( our,us)

     Second person pronoun              You( your )                 You ( your )

     Third person pronoun                 He ( his,him )            They ( their,them)

She ( her )

                                                             It ( its )

 

             For instance , if you start writing in the first person I , don’t jump suddently to the second person You or if you are writing in the third person They , don’t shift unexpectedly to You .

 

     Ex : . One reason that I like living in the city is that you always have a wide choice of sports event to attend .

           → One reason that I like living in the city is that I always have a wide choice of sports events to attend .

             . Someone who is dieting should have the help of friends ; you should also have plently of will power .

           → Someone who is dieting should have the help of friends . He/She should also have plently of will power .

 

Additional Information About Vers

* Verb tense

 

Verb tells us the time of the action . The time that a verb shows is usually called tense . The most common tenses are the simple present , past and future .

 In additional , there are twelve others tenses that enable us to express more specific idea about time than we could with the simple tense alone .

     * Tenses

   . Present simple : sub + v ( present)

 . past simple : sub + v ( past )

 . Future simple : sub + will/shall + v ( present )

 . Present perfect : sub + have/has + v ( past part. )

 . Past perfect : sub + had + v ( past part… )

 . Future perfect : sub + will/shall + have/has + (past part.)

 . Present Continuous : sub + am/is/are + v.ing

 . Past continuous : sub + was/were + v.ing

 . Future continuous : sub + will/shall + be + v.ing

 . Present perfect continuous : sub + have/has + been + v.ing

 . Past perfect continuous : sub + had + been + v.ing

 . Future perfect continuous :        

sub + will/shall + have/has + been + v.ing

19 Rules

1. This is the cornerstone rule that form the background of the concept .

  Ex : The dog growls when he is angry . The dogs growl when he is angry .

     2. Do not get confused by the words that come between  the subject and verb ; they do not affect to the agreement .

  Ex : The dog that is chewing on my jeans , is usually very good .

     3. Prepositional phrase between the subject and verb usually do not affect to the agreement .

  Ex : The colors of the rainbow are beautiful .

     4. When sentences start with “ there ” or “ here ” , the subject will always be placed after the verb , so care needs to be taken to identify it correctly .

  Ex : There is a problem with the balance sheet . There are the papers that you requested .

     5. Subjects do not always come before verbs in questions . Make sure with your accurately identify the subject before deciding on the proper verb from use .

  Ex :  Does lefty usually eat grass ? Where are the pieces of the pizza .

     6. If two subjects joined by and , they typically require a plural verb form .

  Ex :  The cow and the pig are jumping over the moon .

     7. The verb is singular if the two separated by and refer to the same person or thing .

  Ex :  Red beans and rice is my favorite dish .

     8. If the words each , every , or no come between the subject , the verb is singular.

  Ex :  No smoking and drinking is allowed . Every man and woman is required to checking .

     9. If the subject are both singular and are connected by the words or , nor , neither/nor , either/or , and not only/but also the verb is singular .

  Ex : Jessica or Christian is to blame foe the accident .

     10. The only time when the object of the proposition factors into the decision of plural or singular verb forms half , none , more , all are followed by a prepositional phrase . In these sentences , the object of the preposition determines the form of the verb .

  Ex :  All of the chicken is gone . All of the chickens are gone .

     11. The singular verb form is usually used for units of measurement .

  Ex :  Four quarts of oil was required to get the car running .

     12. If the subjects are both plural and are connected by the words or , nor , either/nor , neither/nor , and not only/but also , the verb is plural .

  Ex:  Dogs and cats are both available at the pound .

     13. If one subject is singular and one plural and the words are connected by the words or , nor , either/or , neither/nor , and not only/but also, you use the verb form of the subject that is nearest the verb .

  Ex :  Do your sisters or your girlfriend want any pizza .

14. Indefinite pronouns typically take singular verbs .

  Ex :  Every body wants to be loved .

     15. Except for the pronouns ( few , many , several , both ) that always take the plural form .

  Ex :  Few were left alive after the flood .

     16. If two infinitives are separated by and . They take plural form of the verb .

  Ex :  To walk and to chew gum require great skill .

     17. When gerunds are used the subject of a sentence they take the singular verb form of the verb , but when they are linked by and take the plural form .

  Ex :  Standing in the water was a bad idea . Swimming in the ocean and playing drum are my hobbies .

     18. Collective nouns like herd , senate , class , crowd . Usually take a singular  verb  form .

  Ex :  The herd is stampeding .

     19. Title of the books , movies , novels are treated as singular and take a singular verb .

  Ex :  The hurbs is a movie staring Tom Hanks .  

Standard English Verbs

Underline that what you think is the correct form of the verb in each following sentence.

        . When john was a little boy , he ( hope , hoped ) to became a movie star . 

        . Now she ( hope , hopes ) to be accepted at law school.

   * Regular Verbs

                                                      Dialect and standard form

The chart below compare community dialect and standard English form of the regular verb talk.

 

 

   Community Dialect(nonstandard)                Standard English

  ( Don’t use in your writing )                ( Use for clear communication ) 

I talks , you talks , we talks                                        I , you , we , they talk

     , they talks                                                                     He , she , it talks

          He , she , it talk

* Past tense

        

        I talk , we talk , you talk                                                   I , you , we , they talked

        , they talk                                                                                   He , she , it talked

          He , she , it talk  

Fragment

       Every sentence must have a subject and a verb and must express a complete thought . Fragment is a word group lacks a subject or verb and that doesn’t express a complete thought .

I . Types of fragment

        1/ Dependent-word fragment → The same subordinator clause .

        2/ -ing and to fragment

3/ Added-detail fragment

        4/ Missing-subject fragment

     1. Dependent-word fragment

Some word groups that begin with a dependent word are fragment . The following are the dependent words :  After,if,even if,although,even though,in order,that,when,whenever,as,since,because,so that,which,before,unless,who,until,whose,what…..

 Ex : . After I stopped drinking beer . I felt very bad .

               . I want to meet vireak . Who is my friend in USA .

               . He wants to know her . Even though She doesn’t talk to him .

 * How to correct Dependent-word fragments

In most cases , you can correct the dependent-word fragment by attaching it to the sentence that comes after it or the sentence that comes before it .

 Ex : . After I stopped drinking beer . I felt very tired .

   →    After I stopped drinking beer , I felt very tired .

                . I want to meet vireak . Who is my friend in USA .

   →    I want to meet vireak who is my friend in USA .

                . He wants to know her . Even though she doesn’t talk to him .

   →    He wants to meet her even though she doesn’t talk him .

                . Before she starts taking exam  . She calls to me .

   →    Before she taking exam , she calls to me .

                . I don’t understand the lesson . Which my teacher taught me in the class .

   →    I don’t understand the lesson which my teacher taught me in the class .

                . Maria decided to throw away the boxes . That had been accumulated for years in the basement .

   →    Maria decided to throw away the boxes that had been accumulated for years in the basement .

2. –ing and to fragment

When an –ing fragment appears at or near the start of word group , fragments always result . Such fragments often lack a subject and part of the verb .

     Underline the word groups in the examples below that containing –ing and to fragment .

  Ex : . I spend all days in the office . Trying to find a good job .

                . George lays in bad after alarm rang . Wishing that he had 1000.

                . The dog eyed one the suspecion . Not knowing that its master was at home .

                . Mr. Rady tried to explain his students about the lesson . Wanting them to understand well about sentence skills .

                . I want you to come tomorrow . To get the money that your uncle sent you .

                . To remind the students about the lesson . He feels very happy .             

* How to correct –ing fragments

1/ Attach the fragment that comes before or that comes after the sentence . The comma is used .

          2/ Add subject and change the –ing word part to the correct form of the verb

3. Added detail fragments

        Added detail fragments are the fragments that lack a subject and verb . They often begin with one of the following words : Also,except,including,especially,for example,such as,among ( Using comma with except,such as,especially,among )

 See if you locate and underline the one added detail fragments in each of the following example :

Ex : . Tony has trouble accepting criticism . Exept from Lola .

                . My apartment has its drawback . For examples no hot water in the morning .

                . I have worked at many jobs while in school . Among them , bus boy painter , teacher and security guard .

 * How to correct added detail fragments

          1/ Attach the fragment to the complete thought that preceding it .

          2/ Add subject and verb to the fragment to make it a complete sentence .

          3/ Change word unesessary to make the fragment part of the preceding sentence .

 Ex : . Tony has trouble accepting criticism , exept from Lola .

                . My apartment has its drawback . For example , no hot water in the morning .

                . I have worked at many jobs while in school . Among them , I was bus boy , painter , security guard .

 4. Missing subject fragments

        Are the fragments that a verb is present but not the subject .

 Ex : . Fred went to the refrigerator to get milk for his breakfast cereal . Add discovered about  one tablespoon of milk left in the carton .

            . Larry’s father could not accept his son’s life style . Also, was constandly criticizing Larry’s choice of friend .

* How to correct missing subject fragments

          1/ Attach the fragment to the preceding sentence .

          2/ Add a subject ( Which can be a pronoun standing for the subject in the preceding sentence .

 Ex : . Fred went to the refrigerator to get milk for his breakfast cereal and discovered about one tablespoon of milk left in the carton .

                . Larry’s father could not accept his son’s life style . Also, he was constandly criticizing Larry’s choice of friend .    

Misplaced And Dangling Modifiers

I . Misplaced modifiers

* What misplaced modifiers are and how to correct them ?

Definition : Misplaced modifiers are words that , because of awkward placement , don’t describe the words the writer intended them to describe . Misplaced modifiers often confuse the meaning of a sentence . To avoid them place words as close as possible to what they describe .

 Ex : . We had a hamburger after the movie which was too greasy for my tast .  

→ We had a hamburger which was too greasy for my tast after the movie .

              . Mr. Rady returned the cake to the supermarket that was spoiled .

            → Mr. Rady returned the cake that was spoiled to the supermarket.

              . I really want to see the girl near the window talking to you last week .

            → I really want to see the girl talking to you last week near the window .

  II . Dangling modifiers    

 * What dangling modifiers are and how to correct them ?

Definition : A modifier that opens the sentence must be followed immediately by the word it is mean to describe .

Ex : . When watching TV , my phone is lost .

            → When watching TV , I lost my phone .

              . While sleeping in his backyard , a thief hit Bill on the head .

            → While sleeping in his backyard , Bill is hit by a thief .

   * How to correct

1/ Place the subject within the opening word group .

     2/ Place the subject right after the opening word group .

   . Having eaten the spicy food , my stomach begins to hurt .

   . Having eaten the spicy food , I begin to hurt my stomach .

   . While waiting for the bus , the sky begins to rain .

. While waiting for the bus , I think the begins to rain .

Run-Ons

Definition:  A run-ons is two complete thought that are ran together with no adequate sign given to mark the break between them. As a result of the run-on,

The reader is confused , unsure of where one thought ends at the next one begins. Some run-ons have no punctuation at all to mark the break between the thoughts. Such run-ons are known as Fused sentence.

I. FUSED SENTENCE

        EX:. Rita decided to stop smoking she didn’t want to die of lung cancer.

           . The exam was postponed the class was cancelled as well.  

  II. COMMA SPLICES      * In other run-ons , known as comma splice , a comma is used to connect or splice together the two complete thoughts . However , a comma alone is not enough to comment two complete thoughts .

        EX:. Rita decided to stop smoking , she didn’t want to die of lung cancer.

            . The exam was postponed , the class was cancelled as well.

                   @CORRECTING RUN-Ons   Here are four common mothods of correcting a run-ons .            

1/ Use a period and a capital letter to separate the two complete thought.

    . Rita decided to stop smoking. She didn’t want to die of lung cancer.

    . The exam was postponed. The class was cancelled as well.

2/ Use a comma plus a joining word (for, and, no, but, or, yet, so)

    . Rita decided to stop smoking, for she didn’t want to die of lung cancer.

    . The exam was postponed, and the class was cancelled as well.

3/ Use a semicolon to connect the two complete thought.

    . Rita decided to stop smoking; she didn’t want to die of lung cancer.

    . The exam was postponed; the class was cancelled as well.

4/ Use subordinator

    . Rita decided to stop smoking because she didn’t want to die of lung cancer.

    . The exam was postponed when the class was cancelled as well.