10: EDITING THE NEWS

Question 1

What are the two most common grammatical errors writers make?

Answer 1

The two most common errors include the comma splice and the split infinitive.

Question 2

What is the comma splice?

Answer 2

It is a run-on sentence of incorrectly connected independent clauses.

Question 3

The following sentence is an example of what?

I am a big believer in personal independence, I moved out of my parents’ home when I was eighteen.

Answer 3

This is a sentence that contains a comma splice.

Question 4

What are the two ways to correct this sentence?

I am a big believer in personal independence, I moved out of my parents’ home when I was eighteen.

Answer 4

By either the replacing the comma with a period of semicolon. Whichever chosen way to correct the comma splice is decided, the two independent clauses need to be separated.

Correct: I am a big believer in personal independence. I moved out of my parents’ home when I was eighteen.

Correct: I am a big believer in personal independence; I moved out of my parent’s home when I was eighteen.

Question 5

What is the definition of an infinitive?

Answer 5

An infinitive is a verbal that includes the word “to.”

Question 6

The following are examples of what?

To sleep
To help
To ski

Answer 6

These are examples of infinitives.

Question 7

When does a split infinite occur?

Answer 7

The split infinitive occurs when another word comes between “to” and the verb.

Question 8

What are these examples of?

Answer 8

They’re examples of the split infinitive: Instances in which another word comes between “to” & the verb.

Question 9

How can the first wrong sentence with its split infinitive be corrected?

Answer 9

This sentence can be corrected by bringing the infinitive to its verb. This means removing the adverb “quickly” & perhaps placing the adverb at the end of the sentence.

The 1st wrong sentence with a split infinitive being corrected:

She had to finish the homework quickly.

Question 10

How can the second wrong sentence with its split infinitive be corrected?

Answer 10

It can be corrected by removing the interrupting phrase: “before bed.”

The infinitive and its verb need to be next to each other: “before bed” is then moved to the end of the sentence:

She needed to take her medicine before bed.

Question 11

How are restrictive clauses identified?

Answer 11

Restrictive clauses are those that are necessary for understanding the sentence.

Question 12

Which relative pronoun can only be used in a restrictive clause?

Answer 12

It is the relative pronoun: “that.”

Question 13

What is the relative pronoun that can be used in both restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses?

Answer 13

“Which” is the relative pronoun that can be used in both restrictive & nonrestrictive clauses.

Question 14

The following is an example of which pronoun being used in which clause?

They own the house, which used to be Martin’s, and was built next door.

Answer 14

The RP “which” being used in a nonrestrictive clause.

Question 15

The following is an example of which pronoun being used in which clause?

They own the house which used to be Martin’s.

Answer 15

The RP “which” being used in a restrictive clause.

Question 16

In this restrictive clause sentence - what can it be replaced with?

They own the house which used to be Martin’s

Answer 16

“Which” can be replaced with the relative pronoun: “that.”

Question 17

What are homophones?

Answer 17

Homophones are words that sound alike but have different meanings.

Question 18

What are the five most common homophones?

Answer 18

1. Affect vs. Effect
2. Principal vs. Principle
3. It’s vs. Its
4. Their vs. There vs. They’re
5. To vs. Too vs. Two

Question 19

What is the primary difference between “affect” & “effect”?

Answer 19

“Affect” is a verb. “Effect” is a noun.

Question 20

The following is an example of what?

Do you think the change in dates will affect the outcome?

Answer 20

It is an example of affect being a verb in a sentence.

Question 21

The following is an example of what?

The long nights at the restaurant had a bad effect on her grades.

Answer 21

“Effect” being a noun in a sentence.

Question 22

What needs to be remembered when it comes to the difference between “it’s” & “Its”?

Answer 22

It needs to be remembered that the apostrophe in “it’s” is standing in for the letter “i” in “is” in which “is” is different from “its” because “its” serves as a possessive pronoun as there is no apostrophe.

Question 23

What is the possessive pronoun “its” similar to?

Answer 23

“his” or “hers,” which do not have apostrophes.

Question 24

What is the definition of “their”?

Answer 24

“Their” is the possessive for “they.”

Question 25

This sentence is an example of what?

The barking dog is their pet.

Answer 25

“Their” is the possessive for they.

Question 26

What is the definition of “there”?

Answer 26

“There” is an adverb that means “in that place.”

Question 27

This is an example of what?

It’s over there!

Answer 27

“There” being an adverb.

Question 28

What is the definition of “they’re”?

Answer 28

“They’re” is a contraction for the words “they are.”

Question 29

What is the definition of “To”?

Answer 29

“To” is a preposition.

Question 30

The following is an example of what?

She is going to the party.

Answer 30

The preposition “to” being used.

Question 31

What is the definition of “Too”?

Answer 31

“Too” is an adverb that signifies in addition or more than what is wanted, needed, acceptable, possible.

Question 32

The following is an example of what?

1. She wanted to come to the party, too.
2. The dessert was too much.

Answer 32

The adverb “too” being used.

Question 33

Why does a run-on occur?

Answer 33

A run-on occurs when a writer is trying to fit more information than is comfortable into one sentence.

Question 34

This sentence is an example of what? How might this be corrected?

Answer 34

The same information above, but is split into two sentences - which is a tighter & better form & it keeps everything from “running”:

Question 35

According to the CMS, the rule of parallel structure says what?

Answer 35

The rule of parallel structure says that every element of a parallel series must be a functional match of the others (word, phrase, clause, sentence) and serve the same grammatical function in the sentence (e.g. noun, verb, adjective, adverb).”

Question 36

Parallel structure means what when it comes to having a list of some kind within your sentence?

Answer 36

It means that parallel structure requires all the items in the list needed to match functionally.

Question 37

This is an example of what?

Answer 37

An example of having parallel structure within a list.

Question 38

What is this parallel structure within this sentence?

Answer 38

Each grammatical function of the three verbs functionally match each other & to the “I” in the story.

Question 39

This sentence is an example of what?

Answer 39

It’s an example of incorrect syntax- where there isn’t a parallel structure.

Question 40

How come this sentence does not have a parallel structure?

Answer 40

It’s because there are two nouns and a verb.

Question 41

What are the two ways in which this sentence which has incorrect syntax can be corrected?

Answer 41

By either inserting a pronoun in order to keep the verb or by turning the verb into a noun.

The sentence being corrected by inserting a pronoun in order to keep the verb in the sentence:

She was a teacher and a writer, and she instructed aerobics classes at the gym.

The sentence being corrected by turning the verb into a noun:

She was a teacher, a writer, and an aerobics instructor at the gym.