Common+Grammar+and+Mechanics+Issues

= Common Grammar and Mechanics Issues =

Grammar doesn't have to be scary and complicated; after all, you've been using the English language for a long time. You know it pretty well already! Most "grammar issues" are really matters of careful proofreading. The following are some helpful strategies to help you spot and fix common errors.

Its vs. It's Their vs There To vs Too Using the Pronouns It, They, and This Using They and Their to Refer to Single Subjects Apostrophes Articles Comma Use Comma Splices and Run-on Sentences Semicolon Use Sentence Fragments Passive vs. Active Voice

=A Note on Using Your Computer's "Checker" Tools=

These days, most writers have never written without spelling and grammar checking within word processors. They can be extremely helpful sometimes, but it's important to remember that you are working with **a computer**. The computer is only as observant as the person using it. Spelling and Grammar Check are no substitute for careful proofreading by human eyes.

Here's an excellent example: when you misspell the word //definitely// as //definately//, your Spellcheck will give you a red line underneath the word. However, many times, the first choice for a correction is not the proper spelling, //definitely//--it's //defiantly//. This is a very different word with a very different meaning! For more amusing examples of what Spellcheck doesn't catch, check out Ode to a Spell Checker. (Read it aloud for full effect.)


 * Grammar Check** is not perfect. Again, remember that you are using a computer, and a computer does not understand language the same way that a human mind does. Never rely on it to make your grammar perfect, because it won't.

Proofreading Using the "Find" Function
Most of these strategies make use of the "Find" function (Ctrl + F) in word processors. All you need to do is type in what you're looking for, and the computer will find it for you. This is one way a computer can be extremely useful when proofreading!

//Its// vs //It's//
//Its// is a possessive of the pronoun //it//, while //it's// is a contraction for //it is//. Because English uses //'s// to signal possession in most cases, this can be very confusing. Here is an easy way to distinguish between these two words.

//**Its**// **needs a noun directly after it.** Example: "The rabbit washed //its// paws."

//**It's**// **never has a noun directly after it.** Examples: "//It's// raining today." "I wore a coat because //it's// cold."

//Proofreading strategy:// Use the Find function to search for //it's// and //it's//. Check the word directly after it.

//Their// vs. //There//
//Their// is a possessive form of the pronoun //they//, while //there// is a word indicating location. Here is an easy way to distinguish between these two words.

//**T__heir__**// **has //heir// buried in it to remind you that it relates to possession. //T__here__// has //here// buried in it to remind you that it relates to location.**

//Proofreading strategy:// Use the Find function to search for //their// and //there//. Make sure you are using the correct form of both words.

//To// vs //Too//
//To// is either a preposition indicating location or part of an infinitive verb. //Too// is an adverb indicating addition. Here is an easy way to distinguish between these two words.

//**To**// **needs either a noun or a verb directly after it.** Examples: "I'm going //to// __the store__." (Noun) "Joe said he was going //to// __mail__ a letter." (Verb)

//**To**// **needs either an adjective or an adverb directly after it.** Examples: "Mary was //too// __tired__ to go out tonight." (Adjective) "The car was driving //too// __quickly__ on the ice." (Adverb)

//Proofreading strategy:// Use the Find function to search for //to// and //too//. Check the word directly after it.

Using the Pronouns //It, They,// and //This//
The words //it, they,// and //this// are vague pronouns. Always make sure that your reader can figure out what nouns these pronouns refer back to. A good thing to remember is that a pronoun refers to the noun closest to it.

For example, you might write, "I did my homework, then the laundry. It was math." Your audience will understand intuitively that the homework was math and not the laundry, but it’s usually better to avoid this kind of confusion altogether and rephrase these two thoughts to better reflect your meaning. You could write, "I did the laundry, then I did my math homework." This avoids using the vague pronoun altogether. It's a good idea to do this whenever possible.

When using //this// or //these//, try to specify what you mean by using a noun after it. For example, you might write, "Proofreading and self-editing don't have to be challenging. However, //these// skills are very important to learn."

//Proofreading strategy:// Use the Find function to search for //it, they,// and //this//. Make sure that the reader can clearly understand what //it//, //they,// and //this// refer back to.

Using //They// and //Their// to Refer to Single Subjects
In casual speech, we often refer to a singular subject as //they//, especially if we don't specify gender. However, these pronouns are actually plural pronouns, and should only refer to plural subjects. When your noun is singular, you can use //he or// //she// or //his// //or her// for the pronoun. Only use //they// or //their// when referring to more than one person or thing. For example:

Each student should do //their// homework. Each student should do //his or her// homework. All students should do //their// homework.

Plural pronouns can also refer to multiple subjects. For example: John and Mary brought //their// dog to the vet.

//Proofreading strategy:// Use the Find function to search for //they// and //their//. Make sure these pronouns refer to plural subjects or multiple subjects.

Apostrophes
Apostrophes add a possessive to a noun, such as “John’s apples.” This means, of course, “The apples of John,” or “The apples belonging to John.” If the possessive is a regular plural noun, such as “cats,” the apostrophe goes after the -s: “Cats’ paws.” Apostrophes are never used for plural noun forms; for example, you wouldn’t say “The apple’s belonging to John.”

An easy way to distinguish this is to look at the word directly after it. If the word on the right is a noun, you need to use a possessive apostrophe. If it is a verb, you don’t need one.

//Proofreading strategy//: If you tend to overuse apostrophes, use the Find function to search for //'s//. Check the word directly after it. If you under-use apostrophes, check all words that end in -s. //Hint//: often, the computer's grammar check will indicate these words with a green or blue line underneath them.

Articles
English has a lot of tricky articles, but they can be broken up into two categories: specific and non-specific. For example, if you're talking about one particular cat, you could say, "the cat." If you're not talking about any specific cat, you could say "a cat." A trickier article is "an." You usually use "an" before a word that begins with a vowel, such as "an egg" or "an apple" or even "an article."

It's challenging sometimes to decide whether a word needs an article. Some nouns don't need them, and some only need them some of the time. Again, think general to specific. Let's use the "cats" example again.

I like cats. <---here, you're talking about cats in general, or all cats. I would like a cat. <---here, you're being a little more specific. You're talking about a singular cat, but you're not indicating a specific one. When I bathe the cat, he gets very angry with me. <finally, here, you're indicating one specific cat. You can also use "the" to indicate more than one cat.

//Proofreading strategy:// Check your nouns. Some might need articles added; some might need the correct article put in, instead. //Hint//: sometimes the computer's grammar check will indicate these words with a green or blue line underneath them.

Comma Use
The comma is probably the trickiest punctuation mark to use. Here are a few different ways to use a comma: //When I get up in the mornings, I make coffee. If I don’t get my coffee, I am grumpy.// The following words signal introductory phrases when they begin a thought: When With Whenever As Although Wherever If Because Prepositions, such as //on, in, around, after, before, during//, etc. also signal introductory phrases. A comma comes after that part of the thought is complete. Ask yourself, “//Although// what? //When// what? //After// what?” When you’ve answered that question, put in a comma.
 * Comma after introductory expression**

//I usually have eggs, bacon, and toast for breakfast.// - The last comma before //and// is called the //serial comma// or //Oxford comma//. Some fields (such as journalism) and some people consider this optional; the commas after other items in the list, however, must be included in the list.
 * Commas in a list**

//Steve, my younger brother, likes to have oatmeal.// - You could take out ‘my younger brother’ and the sentence would still make sense; thus, it is considered non-essential.
 * Commas to set off non-essential parts of a sentence**

1) //I walked to work this morning, and I ended up being late.// 2) //I almost got run over by a car and a bike.// - When a conjunction joins two complete thoughts, as in sentence 1, it needs a comma directly before it. If it does not join two complete thoughts, as in sentence 2, you do not need a comma. - Common coordinating conjunctions are FANBOYS—for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so.
 * Comma after coordinating conjunction**

1) I tend to get up early in the mornings, which isn’t so good on the weekends. 2) There are many ways to prevent sunburn, such as using sunscreen, limiting exposure to sun and wearing coverings. - You could take out the phrases set off by commas and still have a complete sentence.
 * Commas before adding additional information**


 * Never use a comma when:**
 * Splitting a main subject and verb (Example: //He, ran//)
 * Between two complete sentences (Example: //I like to swim, I think it's fun//)
 * Before a conjunction that does //not// contain complete sentences on either side of it (Example: //He went to the store, and the bank//)

//Proofreading strategy:// Use the Find function to find all commas in your document and make sure that your use can be justified.

Comma Splices/Run-on Sentences/Fused Sentences
There are many different ways to write a sentence, but most writers agree that complete sentences must be properly separated. When we speak, we use our voices to let our audience know when a sentence is ending and another is beginning; however, in writing, we only have punctuation. You may have heard the term //comma splice, run-on//, or //fused sentence// before. All of these indicate the same issue: complete sentences are not properly separated, which can lead to confusion for the reader. We'll refer to these as "run-on sentences."

A complete sentence, by the way, is simple to figure out. Just think of it this way: Could you say it to someone, and would it make sense?

For example, if you wrote: 1. __Because I fell asleep early last nigh__t, I didn’t finish my homework. 2. I hate driving in the rain, __it makes me nervous__. 3. When I wash my cat he gets very upset with me he tries to bite me.

In sentence #1, is the underlined portion a complete thought? What about #2? #3? Which of these are run-ons?

Here’s a little chart that might be helpful to you.
 * Complete sentence** . **Complete sentence**
 * Complete sentence** ; **Complete sentence**
 * Complete sentence**, and (but, for, or, nor, yet, so) **Complete sentence**

//Proofreading strategy:// Use the Find function to search for commas. Make sure there is not a complete sentence on either side of the comma. If there is, use the chart above to decide how to split the sentence best.

Semicolon Use
A semicolon can be a little confusing, but it is only used one of two ways: between two complete sentences and in a list that has internal punctuation. Take a look at these sentences.

//I like to swim; it’s really fun.// - In this example, the two sentences are very closely related. While you could separate them with a period, a semicolon is a shorter pause between the two sentences.
 * Between two complete sentences**

1) //I have lived in San Diego, CA; Dallas, TX; Springfield, MA; Baltimore, MD; and Atlanta, GA.// 2) //I need to buy Christmas presents for my younger brother, John; my older brother, Stan; and my uncle, Jim.//
 * In a list with internal punctuation**

- As you probably know, it’s necessary to put commas between city and state names. You also need commas when specifying who/what you’re talking about, like in the second example. You can’t leave these commas out, but it’s a little confusing for the reader to have repeated commas, so you can use a semicolon in this case.
 * So, we can assume that you can use a semicolon 1) wherever you would use a period, and 2) in a list of items that already contain commas.**

//Proofreading strategy:// Use the Find function to search for semicolons. Make sure that one of the above guidelines apply to your use of the semicolon.

Sentence Fragments
A sentence fragment is basically an incomplete thought that does not make sense when read or spoke on its own. A complete sentence is something that you could say to someone, and the listener would understand it. Just because a phrase is long does not mean it is a complete sentence. Here are a few examples:

1) Because my car broke down yesterday. 2) Although he had been an often decorated soldier during World War II and had fought many battles for the losing cause of liberalism in Congress. 3) The fact that no human has ever provided proof of a wild, hairy man living in the wilderness, in contrast to the fact that hundreds of people have claimed to have seen one.

//Proofreading strategy:// Read the essay aloud, slowly and carefully, pausing between sentences. When you spot a fragment, take a look at the sentence before and the sentence after to decide which sentence the fragment belongs with. You can usually just join them with a comma. //Hint:// Often, Grammar Check will underline sentence fragments with a green line.

Passive vs. Active Voice
Certain fields and citation methods require writers to use "active voice." It's usually a good idea to use active over passive voice whenever possible. Passive voice tends to make sentences wordier and more difficult to understand. In addition, the //doer// or //subject// of the action is often unclear, and this can also result in confusion.


 * Active voice:** Barry //kicked// the ball.
 * Passive voice:** The ball //was kicked// by Barry.


 * Active voice:** The doctor administered the medicine to the patient.
 * Passive voice:** The medicine was administered to the patient.


 * Active voice:** They waited for the concert.
 * Passive voice:** They were waiting for the concert.


 * Active voice:** Many scientists believe that global warming is a serious issue.
 * Passive voice:** There are many scientists who believe that global warming is a serious issue.

APA Style requires that authors write in active voice rather than passive. Passive voice can be tricky to spot. However, the more insidious form is actually fairly simple to check for:

1. Look for helping verbs, especially forms of “be”: is/are, was/were, could be, might be, etc. 2. Look for the words “there,” "they" and “that,” especially when followed directly by that “be” verb. 3. Look for –ing verbs after “be” verbs.

1. Keep your subject and verb as close to one another as possible. 2. Keep your subject and verb as close to the front of the sentence as possible. Try to eliminate instances of “there is” and “that is.” 3. Keep your subject and adjective as close together as possible, without any helping verbs between them.
 * Just remember these simple rules**: