Pronoun Agreement

Definition: the pronoun must agree in number and person with the noun or pronoun that it replaces.

Example: Each girl fights for what they believe and make a stand.

Explanation: The noun, each girl, is singular and the pronoun, they, is plural.

Fix: Each girl fights for what she believes and makes a stand.

Example: The story line shows young girls that we can fight, but need a man still.

Explanation: The pronoun we (1st person plural) does not agree in person with the noun young girls (3rd person plural).

Fix: The story line shows young girls that they can fight, but need a man still.

Subject-verb Agreement

Definition: the verb must agree in number with the subject. A singular subject takes a singular verb. A plural subject takes a plural verb.

Example: The story line show young girls that we can fight but need a man still.

Explanation: story line is a singular noun and show is a plural verb. A rule of thumb for regular verbs is that the s goes on either the noun or the verb, not on both.

Fix: The story line shows young girls that they can fight, but need a man still.

Definition: you have part of a sentence, fragment, instead of the complete sentence.

Subordinate Clauses

Definition: These types of fragments will have a subject and verb in the sentence but will begin with a subordinating word: although, because, since, when, which, who, etc.

Example: Over time, society, which has been much influenced by media and has created this idea of the perfect female figure and been come to called, the princess.

Explanation: The word which in this sentence makes it and all the words after it a fragment because there is no verb and complete thought for the subject society. Also, there is faulty wording, been come to called.

Fix: Over time, society has been much influenced by media and has created this idea of the perfect female figure, which has come to be called the princess.

Example: The pertinent battle of obtaining women's rights suddenly did not seem so relevant after it was won; because this victory brought to light the very fears that women had hidden away.

Explanation: because is a subordinating word, but with the semi-colon the student is treating it as an independent clause. Remove the semi-colon.

Fix: The pertinent battle of obtaining women's rights suddenly did not seem so relevant after it was won because this victory brought to light the very fears that women had hidden away.

Verbal Phrases

Definition: While the phrase may begin with an infinitive or past participle, the most common error is the gerund, -ing form of verb and no independent clause.

Example: Decades ago, the movement, known commonly as second-wave feminism, sought equality between men and women in a fiercer manner. Seeking reproductive rights as well as economic, social, and legal equality for women.

Explanation: The highlighted is a fragment and where the error occurs. Most of these should be attached to the sentence before or the sentence after. When you edit your paper, you can catch these by reading your paper from last sentence to first.

Fix: Decades ago, the movement, known commonly as second-wave feminism, sought equality between men and women in a fiercer manner, seeking reproductive rights as well as economic, social, and legal equality for women.

Lists that begin with such as or for example

Example: Princesses are all over the world in different forms of things. Such as on clothing or food or even dolls.

Explanation: if you have a list of nouns and begin with such as or for example, you should attach your list to the sentence before it.

Fix: Princesses are all over the world in different forms of things, such as on clothing or in food or even on dolls.

Lack of Subject or Verb

Example: Today, women have become more independent and with that independence comes the single life or the difficulties in maintaining a relationship. In contrast, causes loneliness and more single mother households.

Explanation: complete sentence have subjects and verbs. The above has no subject. What causes loneliness?

Fix: Today, women have become more independent and with that independence comes the single life or the difficulties in maintaining a relationship. Also, being independent causes loneliness and more single-mother households.

Definition: when your brain is going one way and the word processor is going another, you end up with a sentence that does not make sense.

Example: That is an insane amount that were willing to that were prepared

Fix: This is a jumble and the instructor has no idea about what the student is trying to say. These errors can be caught with the editing technique of reading your essay from last sentence to first.

Definition: these errors occur when it is not clear what noun the pronoun refers to.They can occur with it, this, that, which, and you.

Example: The princess persona doesn't have to indicate being dependent on someone catering to you and making decision for you.

Explanation: student uses the second person you to refer to third person nouns or pronouns.

Fix: The princess persona doesn't have to indicate being dependent on someone catering to females and making decision for them.

Definition: the verb is in the incorrect form.

Example: Women should enjoy the privileges of having the door open and held for them, bills paid, took on a nice dinner date without being criticize.

Explanation: took is non-standard and open and criticize need the -ed and -d.

Fix: Women should enjoy the privileges of having the doors opened and held for them, bills paid, and being taken on a nice dinner date without being criticized.

A list of common irregular verbs is in LBH, pages 277-79.

Definition: This error occurs when you try to separate two sentences with just a comma.

Example: These rumors caused people to get very upset, one man went so far as to fire a gun inside the restaurant.

Explanation: First sentence: These rumors caused people to get very upset, Second sentence: one man went so far as to fire a gun inside the restaurant.

Fixes:

• Period: These rumors caused people to get very upset. One man went so far as to fire a gun inside the restaurant.
• Semi-colon: These rumors caused people to get very upset; one man went so far as to fire a gun inside the restaurant.
• Comma with coordination conjunction: These rumors caused people to get very upset, for one man went so far as to fire a gun inside the restaurant.

Example: Not only can anyone post but also people have the ability to repost what somebody else said, therefore, word spreads fast.

Explanation: First sentence: Not only can anyone post but also people have the ability to repost what somebody else said,
Second sentence: therefore word spreads fast. If you have two sentences separated with a comma and a subordinating conjunction (however, therefore, moreover, thus, indeed, etc.), then it is a comma splice error. A semi-colon goes before the subordinating conjunction.

Fix: Not only can anyone post but also people have the ability to repost what somebody else said; therefore, word spreads fast.

Definition: you have two sentences with no punctuation to separate them.

Example: In the end Orenstein wasn't bothered by the princesses she was bothered by the message the princesses give to children like her daughter.

Explanation: First sentence: In the end Orenstein wasn't bothered by the princesses Second sentence: she was bothered by the message the princesses give to children like her daughter. The two sentences run on or run together.

Fixes for this example:

• Period--In the end Orenstein wasn't bothered by the princesses. She was bothered by the message the princesses give to children like her daughter.
• Semi-colon--In the end Orenstein wasn't bothered by the princesses; she was bothered by the message the princesses give to children like her daughter.
• Colon--In the end Orenstein wasn't bothered by the princesses: she was bothered by the message the princesses give to children like her daughter.