Sentence correction Flashcards
What does long underline imply?
Issue with entire sentence structure, meaning, modifiers, or parallelism
What does short underline imply?
compare answers in full before reading original
What if the first underlined word is “has”?
Testing subject-verb agreement or verb tense
When I see “and”, I’ll think
Parallelisum: X and Y; X, Y, and Z
Could be a list, a modifier, compound subject or verb, two independent clauses
If the choice uses the adjectival form of the word, the adjective must be modifying a … Example: The ENGINEER running this meeting fixed the problem.
noun. An “-ing” mod without a comma is a noun mod.
If the choice uses the adverbial form, the adverb must be modifying something… Example - The ENGINEER FIXED THE PROBLEM, earning herself a promotion.
other than a noun - adverbial. A “comma -ing” mod is an adverbial mod. The comma could be before the mod (as here) after, or both.
Nonessential modifiers are usually separated out from the rest of the sentence
by commas.
Marker: prep phrase. Example - Three companies have made offers to buy the PLOT of land. What is it modifying? What does it describe?
Noun: What does "of land" describe A plot (plain noun).
Marker: prep phrase. Example - In some countries, MERGERS between the top two companies in an industry ARE NOT ALLOWED. What is it modifying? What does it describe?
Adverbial: What does “in some countries” describe? Where “mergers are not allowed” (not just a noun).
If the modifier should refer to a noun, use
“comma which”
If the modifier should refer to an action, use
“comma -ing”
Place a noun and its modifier…
as close together as the sentence allows.
Noun modifier markers
Which, that, who, whose, whom
…the CANAL through which water flows - correct?
Yes, because “water flows through the canal”
Since text is separated out by a comma from the rest, it’s an adverbial modifier. Adverbial mods need to address…
…the clause to which it is attached.
Fewer than = dollar bills.
Less than = value.
Use between only with…
When talking about 3+ things or people use…
…two things or people
among
Watch out for redundancy in sentences with…
increase and decrease; e.g., “The price of silver FELL by a more than 35 percent DECREASE”
Step 1: Identify the
Parallelism Marker “and”
Step 2: Identify the
Elements Y = steal, X = ?
Step 3: Identify the
Root Phrase, and distribute it to each element. the campers attempt to sneak… AND steal
Like, unlike
Jane, like her parents, has green eyes. Can be “X, like Y” or “like X, Y”
As
John is smart, AS is Liz
Mira is AS likely AS Sam to win the award.
Different from
Similar to
My current job is DIFFERENT FROM my last one.
In contrast to/with
Canada’s housing market did not suffer many difficulties during the economic downturn, IN CONTRAST TO the housing market in the U.S.
X such as / Such X as…
Recent environmental regs have banned such items as … is correct, so is… have banned items such as…
FANBOYS (for and nor but or yet so)
Everything before and after comma “but” has to be a complete sentence.
Attribute something…
…attribute TO
Persuaded…
persuaded TO
Since 1986…
“have begun” (NOT began)
Lead intro modifier, “Published in Harlem…”
Lots of commas - put the modifiers and make sure they are modifying the right things.
“turned the tide” AND “persuaded TO”
to do something
