non-erroneous usages

There are usages in English grammar commonly considered to be erroneous,but are however correct.

Ending a sentence with a preposition

This is an artificial "rule"that ignores standard usage and was started years ago by a book writer.Although some people have since accepted it as a fact,it is not an erroneous usage because some sentences would sound awkward if you avoid ending them with a preposition.A witticism attributed to sir Winston churchill makes the point well:"This is the sort of English up with which i will not put".

Beginning a sentence with a conjunction

        while a sentence beginning with a conjunction can be made a clause in compound sentences,it can also be an effective tool to begin sentences with a conjunction in order to emphasize a point,such as in a persuasive essay.Always check whether a sentence beginning with a conjunction would serve its purpose better as a separate sentence or as a clause in a compound sentence.

Forward or forwards?

             although some books prefer"forward" and "toward" to "forwards" and "towards,"none of these forms is really incorrect.The only difference is that the forms without the final  s are considered more formal.

Is "none"singular or plural?

   Some grammarians insist that since "none" is derived from"no one,"it should always be singular ,as in "None of us is gettting a massage."However,in the earliest form of Engligh,"none" is most often treated as a plural."none of us are getting a massage" is acceptable usage.

common concerns in english(Erroneous usages)

Erroneous usages

Fused Sentences

    when two sentences or independent clauses are place together in one sentence with no separating punctuation.
example          The books for school are thick and heavy they are too expensive to lose.


to repair fused sentences,put the appropriate punctuation mark at the end of the first sentence or independent clause.

Run on sentences and Comma Splices

A run -on sentence contains at least two independent clauses,but the two independent clauses have not been properly connected.When two independent clauses are connected only by a comma, they form a run-on sentence called comma splice.
example                           It is getting late,I have to go home.
 To repair run-on sentences,replace the comma with the appropriate punctuation mark.
example                          a period or a semicolon.

Misplace Modifiers

There is a misplaced modifier when a modifier is in the wrong place in the sentence.A misplaced modifier gives the impression that the word (or words) it is closed to is the one being modified. Simple modifiers,such as only,just,nearly,and barely are the most frequently misplaced modifiers.
example
         the bullet nearly missed him by an inch;it hit the wall instead.(if the bullet nearly missed,it would not have missed and hit the wall instead.)


To repair misplace modifiers,you have to move the modifiers to its proper position,that is,near the word or words it modifies.
example                    the bullet missed him by nearly an inch;it hit the wall instead.

Dangling Modifiers

You have what is called a dangling modifier when a modifier improperly describes something.This often happens with beginning participial phrases.


To repair dangling modifiers,rewrite the sentence so that the modifier and the word or word being modified are placed beside each other.
example                      Applauding enthusiastically,the cheering spectators raised the posters.

Sentence Fragments

             A sentence fragment is not a sentence because it cannot stand by itself.It does not contain a single independent clause.A group of words may contain a subject and a verb buy may not express a complete thought.The number of words in a sentence fragment may mislead the writer into thinking that he has written a complete sentence.
example             Some of the students enrolled in the English class that was dissolved last semester(this sentence fragment does not say what some of the students do or are.)


To repair sentence fragments,identify the verb that will complete the thought.In the first example above,ask,"what are some of the students enrolled in the English class that was dissolved last semester doing or being ?"Then add the answer to  the sentence fragment.
example                 some of the students enrolled in the English class that was dissolved last semester are taking another class this semester.(subject are [some of he students]and predicate[are taking].This is a complete sentence.)

Double Negatives

  some people erroneously use two negative words,a double negative words,a double negative,in one sentence when only one is necessary to express that they are denying something or saying no.
example             rodolfo did not give his daughter nothing


to repair a double negative,remove one of  the negative words and ,if necessary,replace it with the appropriate word.
example           rodolfo did not give his daugther    anything(or,rodolfo gave his daughter  nothing.)

Contraction

Is a shortened form of a phrase.It is used in informal speech and is made by taking two words(one of which is a verb)and dropping a letter or letters from either or both of the words,then using an apostrophe to replace the letter dropped.Note that the rule is different in the case of will not,which also drops the letters -ill in the word will and replace them with -o.


                           Standard contractions

                           Nouns or Pronoun + be

Iam                   we are                               when is 
(I'm)                  (we're)                               (when's)
you are              they are                               how is 
(you're)              (they're)                               (how's)
he is                     who is                                 there is
(he'is)                 (who's)                                ( there is)


                                 Pronoun + will
I will (I'll)                               we will(we'll)
you will (you'll)                      they will (they'll)
she will(she'll)                       who will(who'll)


                               Noun or Pronoun + would


I would (I'd)                               we would (we'd)
you would(you'd)                        they would(they'd)
she would(she'd)                          kenneth would(Kenneth'd)


                             Verb + not


are not (aren't)                           did not(didn't)
is not(isn't)                                do not (don't)
were not (weren't)                     would not(wouldn't)



There is no contraction for am not. The proper way is to make a contraction for I am,and add the word not,as in I'm not.

Capitalization

1. to begin a sentence.
    example           This is the first day of the rest of your life.
2.to begin the names of days of a week and months of a year.
  example          Monday          Wednesday        Friday
3. to begin a particular name of a person,place or thing,and other proper nouns.
   example          Raquel                  South Korea
                           a sony camera     
4. in writing the pronoun I.

Punctuation marks

Punctuation marks 
 are used to make the meaning of writen words clear to the reader.They tell you when to pause or stop,when to read in a questioning manner,and when to read with excitement.

Most commonly used punctuation marks are:

Apostrophe is used:

1. to indicate the possessive case of nouns.
              Raquel's                        Mr. Graham's
2. to show a contraction or omission of letters
              It's(it is)                       haven't(have not)

3. to form the plural of letters and symbols.
              w's                                    *'s
4. to indicate the plural of a word referred to as a word,without regard to its meaning.
              There are four but's in the phrase.
5. to denote the plural or some other form of an abbreviation.
              V.I.P.'s                          O.K.'d

Comma

1. to set off an appositive,that is , an expression that explains or gives additional information about a preceding expression.
   example     The film's lead actor,Bruce Less will arrive tomorrow.
2. to separate the name of a city from the name or a province or state,or to separate the name of the province or state from the rest of the sentence.
    example             Seoul,South Korea
3. to separate the independent clauses of a compound sentence.
     example           I'am thankful for God given me you,even though for a short period of time.
4.to separate the day of the month from the year.
example               april 05,2011

5.to indicate that one or more words,easily understood, have been omitted.
   The elected candidate got 50,000 votes in Visayas;in Luzon,103,000
6. to separate an introductory word from the rest of the sentence.
   example      NO, I can't control this.
7.between a name and Inc,.Sr.,Jr.,etc.
   example          Carlo Mallari, Jr.
8. when writing figures in thousands,but not in street,room,post office box,and telephone numbers.
    example      $5,000                          1205 Horna St.
9.to set off parenthetical words or pharases.
 example The terrorism situation is,I believe,getting worse.
10. before a word or words that are common to two or more pharses but are expressed only after the last phrase.
      example The books contained many,if not all,of the ideas presented by charle sheen.
11.to set off direct quotations.
    example "There's one thing I have to tell you,"the  grandfather  said
12. to separate word and phrases in a series.
     example   Rona brought over his laptop,hardisk,camera,and battery.


Colon   is used:
1.after a word,phrase or sentence or sentence that introduces list,a series,tabulations,extracts,texts and explanations to the introductory words.
example     These requisites must be present:case study closed.
2. to idicate clock time,unless the time indicated is exactly on the hour.
     example            10:59 a.m.                       12 p.m.

3.in a footnote or bibliography,to separate the name of the city of publication from the name of the publisher.
example              raquel horna   1st book. Basic Korean Language 2007
4.in biblical references,to separate the verse and chapter.
   example       john 3:16
5. after a salutation in a business letter.
  example    Dear President qhueng:
                    To whom it may concern:

Dash 

1. to set off explanatory clauses and to indicate abrupt changes in the continuity of expression.
    example       The last time i visited a friend - it must have been one month ago-i was already missed them.
2.before or after a clause that summarizes a series of words or phrases,instead of a colon
example           Theories and case study resulting to have a high grade-these requisites must be present.
3.to give emphasis.
example     She donate the blood - my blood - to the red cross.

Ellipsis

The ellipsis is used when you are quoting and want to omit words.
example     the program  conducted  was part of the agreement...duly signed by the governments.

Exclamation Point

1. after a sentence expressing strong emotion.
              Help! Help!
2.after exclamatory words or interjections.
             Jackpot!
3. after a command,for emphasis.
              act now!

Hyphen

1.to join words combined into a single adjective.
              need-to-do               part-time
2.in writing numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine.

Parenthesis

 1.to enclose explanatory expressions that are outside the general structure of the sentence.
   example           The movie(I think its title is "Titanic")was shown in the theaters ten years age.


2.to enclose a figure when it follows an amount written out in words.
   example             Two million five hundred a year(P2,500,000,00 )
3. to enclose letters or numbers is enumerations in the text.                    
  example        they publish two kinds of literature:
                       (1) fiction and (2) non-fiction.

Period

1 at the end of declarative or imperative sentences.
   example               We went to the Namsan Park last month.
2.after initials and abbreviations.
                              Mon.    Ph.D.     U.N.

Question Mark

1. at the end of a direct question.
        example                 Will you go in my hometown next semeester?
2. to indicate that the accuracy of a fact or figure is uncertain.
        example                 The agreement was signed on November 17,(?)2008

A question mark is not used:

1. after an indirect question.
     example               Mr. de Leon asked where my classmate was.
2.  after a polite request.
     example         Will you please lend me some cash.

Quotation Mark

1. to enclose the exact words of a speaker or writer.
   example                "will you take charge?")the lady asked.
2.to enclosed an unusual word or phrase.

3.to enclose the titles of essays,stories,films,etc.
    example       Steven Spielberg directed "Jurassic Park".

Semicolon

1. to separate two long clause that are punctuated by commas.
2. where two sentences are closely connected in meaning.
     example       the sky is dark and the breeze is cool looks like it's going to rain today.

Complements

Some sentences express a complete thought even though they contain just a subject and a verb,for example,nhorine wept.However,other sentences need other words in order for their meaning to be clear, for example,    The clothes cost.
These sentences,although they contain a subject and a verb,require complements in order to complete their meaning.

Kinds of Complements

1. Direct Object 
is a noun,pronoun,or group of words that acts as a noun and functions as a receiver of the action in a sentence.It answers the question whom? or what? after the verb.
example            The OFW bought shares of stock.
2. Indirect Object 
is a noun or pronoun that appears with a direct object and to or for whom or what the action of the verb is performed.It answers the to whom? or for whom? or to what? or for what? after the verb and direct object.
example          The woman will teach my brother the rules of the game.
3. Objective complement
  is an adjective or noun that appears with a direct object and describes or renames it.It is the answer you get when you say the verb and direct object and ask the question what?
example             The people elected the son of a former president
4.Subject complement 
 is a noun,pronoun,or adjective that follows a linking verb and tells something about the subject.

 Two kinds of subject complements.
1.Predicate nominative 
is a noun or pronoun that appears with a linking verb and renames,identifies, or explains the subject.
example               Gale's dream date is he.
2. Predicate adjective 
 follows a linking verb and describes the subject of the sentence.
   example             My husband seems tired and impatient.

Clauses

A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb.

Kinds of Clause

1. Independent clause

          An independent cluase contain a subject and a verb.It can stand by itself as a complete sentence.
example
                           The korean's visited philippines

2. Dependent clause

        An dependent clause contains a subject and a verbs It cannot,however,stand by itself as a complete sentence . It is only a part of a sentence.
example
                             Because the restroom was out of order

Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clauses

1.A restrictive clause
       It is one that adds information necessary to identify the subject or restrict it to a special case.
example
                              Many people watch the movie he wrote.

2.Nonrestrictive clause

       It is not essential to the meaning of the sentence and can be removed without changing the essential meaning of the sentence. It is set apart from the rest of the sentence by a comma.
example
            Meridith  is in love with  a man named john ,who has eyes as blue as the sky.

Relative Clauses

  1.   A relative clause
           is a dependent clause introduced by a relative pronoun. In can either be restrictive or nonrestrictive.

2.  Elliptical Clauses

      An elliptical clause is a clause that is missing either the subject or the verb or a relative pronoun.The missing parts are understood from the context.
example          Though old,her clothes still look new.

Adjective and Adverb Clauses

1.  An adjective clause

is a dependent clause that modifies a noun or a pronoun.
example
                        Aiza asked me to look for the magazines that she borrowed from gezille.

2.An adverb clause

         is a dependent clause that modifies a verb,an adjective,or an    adverb.
example
                          raquel was hungry because she did not eat breakfast.