Sentence Problems

Question 1

What is a participle?

Answer 1

A form of a verb that can be used as an ADJECTIVE or combined with auxiliaries to form different tenses.

Question 2

What is a PARTICIPIAL PHRASE, and how does it function in a sentence?

Answer 2

participial phrases are phrases that look like a verb, but actually functions as an adjection, modifying a noun in a sentence.

Walking down the street, he saw a bookstore and went in.

Question 3

Identify the participial phrase and the function it’s performing in…

The text, written in French, was later translated into English.

Answer 3

WRITTEN IN FRENCH

ADJECTIVE

Question 4

Identify the fault and the fix:

Walking down the street, he went into a store.

Answer 4

Mind the tenses—these actions are supposed to be sequential, not simultaneous (as implied).

▪ Walking down the street, he saw a store and he went in.

▪ He walked down the street and went into a store.

Question 5

Identify the fault and the fix:

Racing for the bus, she jumped on just before it pulled away.

Answer 5

Mind the tenses—the sentence needs to be rewritten to make the actions sequential, not simultaneous (as implied).

▪ She raced for the bus and then jumped on just before it pulled away.

▪ Racing for the bus, she was able to catch it. She jumped on just before it pulled

away.

Question 6

What is the #1 pitfall of participial phrases?

Answer 6

The tenses. Pay close attention to agreement between the phrase and the rest of the sentence.

Racing for the bus, she jumped on just before it pulled away.

This doesn’t work because she can’t be racing at the same time as she jumped.

Possible fixes:

▪ She raced for the bus and then jumped on just before it pulled away. ▪ Racing for the bus, she was able to catch it. She jumped on just before it pulled away.

Question 7

Find the fault and propose the fix:

Racing for the bus, she jumped on just before it pulled away.

Answer 7

This doesn’t work because she can’t be racing at the same time as she jumped.

Possible fixes:

▪ She raced for the bus and then jumped on just before it pulled away.

▪ Racing for the bus, she was able to catch it. She jumped on just before it pulled away.

Question 8

How do you determine whether a participle is dangling?

Answer 8

Look at what it’s actually modifying. If it’s got nothing to modify, then it’s dangling!

• Walking down the street, there was a bookstore.*
• Running to answer the phone, the rug slipped and I fell.*

Question 9

Fix this dangler:

I saw a shark snorkeling.

Answer 9

Snorkeling, I saw a shark.

Question 10

Placement of a phrase in a sentence tells us a lot about what?

Answer 10

What it’s modifying.

Question 11

What type of phrases are frequently misplaced?

Answer 11

prepositional phrases

• We heard that Bob was married during his last visit.*
• “I shot an elephant in my pajamas. What he was doing in my pajamas, I’ll never know.”*
• —Groucho Marx*

Question 12

Where should adverbs be placed?

Answer 12

closest to the word it’s modifying (for clarity)

• Dale only dated Chris after high school. (They didn’t date until after high school.)
• Dale dated only Chris after high school. (Dale didn’t date anyone else after high school.)

Question 13

Which adverbs present to greatest pitfalls?

Answer 13

Limiting adverbs–eg, only, rarely, …

Question 14

What is the issue here and what is it an example of?

“Children who laugh rarely are shy.”

Answer 14

SQUINTING MODIFIER: when it’s ambiguous what the adverb modifies; it seems to modify both the words before and after.

Question 15

All pronouns must have an…

Answer 15

ANTECEDENT

Think of the antecedent as the PARENT of the pronoun.

Jen gave Robert her pen.

Question 16

Reflexive pronouns–myself, yourself, herself—do what?

Answer 16

Refer back to other pronouns.

Question 17

What is a run-on sentence?

Answer 17

The stringing together of thoughts that do not need to be linked together in a sentence.

He went to the mall and he ate some nachos and he bought new socks.

Don’t use and or other conjunctions to link clauses unless they are clearly and necessarily related.

Question 18

What is parallelism?

Answer 18

The structural and grammatical balance—symmetry—between like elements in a sentence.

It’s about making sure that like elements—coordinated by conjunctions or punctuation—match up.

Question 19

Where to look for parallel construction?

Answer 19

Keep an eye on COMPOUNDS joined by coordinating conjunctions or coordinating punctuation (commas).

• compound subjects
• compound predicates
• compound sentences

Also, keep an eye on LISTS (bulleted or otherwise)

Question 20

Find the fault, and fix it:

The babysitter’s responsibilities included making dinner for the kids and to put them in bed.

Answer 20

• “making dinner” and “to put them”
• “making” and “putting”

Question 21

Find the fault, and fix it:

Do you think I should go to the movies or that I should just stay home?

Answer 21

“That”—use it in both places or neither.

Question 22

Find the fault, and fix it:

John wants to either go to Hawaii or to go to Aspen.

Answer 22

placement of “either”

John wants to go either to Hawaii or to Aspen

Question 23

Use parallel construction for sentence elements and …

Answer 23

LISTS

Lists, whether within a sentence or separated (as w bullets), need to be parallel.

Question 24

Find the fault, and fix it:

Some of Kenny’s duties include ringing up purchases, cleanliness of store shelves, and greeting customers.

Answer 24

Lists must be PARALLEL.

Need gerunds throughout.

ringing up…, cleaning, and greeting

Question 25

What is the difference between the FUTURE and CONDITIONAL tenses?

Answer 25

FUTURE conveys (more) certainty about outcomes: I will…

CONDITIONAL conveys doubt or wish. It is SPECULATIVE and is therefore paired with the SUBJUNCTIVE!

Question 26

What does the subjunctive mood resemble for most verbs?

Answer 26

The simple past tense.

Simple Past: I was, you were, he was

Subjunctive: I were, you were, he was

Question 27

The subjunctive is used for what kinds of situations?

Answer 27

• situations that are UNCERTAIN, UNREALISTIC, OR A WISH
  
  • If I were a rich man…
  • If I were to win the lottery, I would buy you a house.
• but
  
  • If I was rude, I am sorry.

Question 28

Name 5 of the most common model auxiliaries:

Answer 28

• would
• could
• should
• might
• must

Question 29

What do all MODEL AUXILIARIES need?

Answer 29

a verb to help!

• I WOULD LIKE some cake.*
• COULD you GIVE me the book?*

Question 30

Neither the sisters nor their brother [deserve, deserves] to inherit their parents’ estate.

Answer 30

• deserves*
• When the correlative conjunction neither/nor joins mixed subjects (one plural, one singular), make the verb agree with the nearer subject

Question 31

Smith, along with her daughter, a coworker, and a friend, (leave, leaves) for London today.

Answer 31

Answer: LEAVES

“Smith” alone is the subject of the verb. The intervening phrase “along with” does not affect the number fo the verb.

Question 32

The governor, along with several other leading Democrats, (has, have) asked him to resign.

Answer 32

HAS

The intervening phrase does not affect the number of the verb.

Question 33

Edwards (who, whom) we have not been able to reach, likely is having a similar experience.

Answer 33

WHOM

The verb in the clause already has a subject (“we”). The pronoun is the object of the infinitive “to reach.” Use “whom.”

Question 34

ID and fix sentence problem:

While writing the memo, the phone rang and interrupted me.

Answer 34

dangling participle

the independent clause does not begin with the subject doing the action denoted by the participle.

Fix by putting correct subject in (1) the opening clause, or (2) the beginning of the main clause.

While I was writing the memo, the phone rang…

or

While writing the memo, I was interrupted by the ringing of the phone

Question 35

Find and fix fault:

Although watched by 25 million viewers, the program’s ratings disappointed the advertisers.

Answer 35

Dangling participle

the independent clause does not begin with the subject doing the action denoted by the participle.

Fix by putting correct subject in (1) the opening clause, or (2) the beginning of the main clause.

Although the program was watched by …, the ratings…

Question 36

Find and fix sentence fault:

Relieved of responsibility for the Woodrow project, there is no reason for us to delay the end-of-quarter review.

Answer 36

Dangling participle

Rule: Dangling is inevitable when the main clause begins with there is [are] or it is

Solution: introduce correct subject in first clause:

Now that we have been relieved of responsibility for the Woodrow Wilson project, there is no reason for us…

or at start of main clause:

Relieved of responsibility for the Woodrow project, we have no reason for us to delay the end-of-quarter review.

Question 37

Find and fix sentence fault:

Having been reprimanded for tardiness, buying a clock was her first priority.

Answer 37

dangling participle

Rule: Dangling is inevitable when the main clause is headed by a verb.

Solutions: (1) Add a subject that will serve as the subject for both verbs.

Having been reprimanded for tardiness, she made buying a clock her first priority.

Or (2) place the subject in the first clause:

Because she had been reprimanded for tardiness, buying a clock was her first priority.

Question 38

Find and fix fault:

Driving down the street, the Empire State Building was seen.

Answer 38

Dangling participle.

Rule: Dangling is almost inevitable when the main clause is in the passive voice.

Fix: Rewrite in active voice.

Driving down the street, we saw the Empire State Building

Question 39

ID the participial phrase and its function:

Given the limits of this plan, the alternative proposal seems more practical.

vs

Given a block of wood and a knife, he carved a small deer.

Answer 39

ABSOLUTE PARTICIPLE; sentence adverb

RULE: Absolute participles do not dangle, because they function as prepositions or adverbs and therefore do not have a grammatical subject.

Question 40

A spokeman for Matteo Salvini, the leader of the anti-immigrant League, said the two would have liked to have met, but did not.

Answer 40

“would have liked TO MEET.”

“Would have liked” should be followed by a present-tense infinitive, not perfect-tense.

Question 41

Mexico produces more of the fruit than any country in the world–about a third of the global total–and most of its crops is grown in the rich volcanic soil of Mihoacan, upland from the beaches of Acapulco.

Answer 41

Mexico is a country in the world. Make it

“more … than any OTHER country in the world.”

Question 42

The current minimum wage in California is $10.50, and will reach $15 by 2022.

Answer 42

The same subject (“the current minimum wage”) is supposed to go with both verbs. But that doesn’t work here–it’s not true that “the current minimum wage” will reach $15 by 2022.

One fix:

The minimum wage in California is currently $10.50, and will reach $15 by 2022.

Question 43

Sara only comes to California under protest.

Answer 43

Sara comes to California ONLY under protest.

Misplacement of the adverb “only” is a common mistake, chiefly when writers place “only” between the subject and the verb or between the auxiliary and the main verb. (MEU, p.691)

Question 44

Mr. Zwann’s decision to plead guilty to a felony charge could intensify pressure on both Mr Gates and on Paul Manafort, Mr. Gates’ longtime business partner and the president’s former campaign chairman.

Answer 44

…to intensify pressure on both Mr. Gates and Paul Manafort.

To be parallel, the construction after “and” needs to match the construction after “both.” So delete the “on” before “Paul Manafort” (or move “both” before “on”)

Question 45

Mara said the Giants wanted their new coach to have N.F.L. experience, either as a head coach or a coordinator.

Answer 45

…as either a head coach or a coordinator.

Fault: Miscoordination.

Make parallel by sliding quantifier forward so both coordinates noun phrases–“a head coach” … “a coordinator.”

Question 46

The teacher, Jerome Alter, and his wife, Rita, both died at 81, him in 2012, and her earlier this summer.

Answer 46

“HE in 2012, and SHE earlier this summer.”

The pronouns are in apposition with “both,” the subject of “died,” and should be in the nominative case.

Question 47

But the calendar doesn’t stop at the end of the century, and continued warming beyond that will begin to make parts of the planet uninhabitable for mammals like ourselves, because of the dangers of heat stress.

Answer 47

Make it for mammals like US (not “ourselves”).

The self words–himself, herself, myself–are used for emphasis (She will do it herself) and to turn the action of the sentence back on the subject (He composed himself quickly). Do not use these words as substitutes for him, her, and me in sentences like He gave the book to my brother and myself. Make it ME.

Question 48

The Roman Catholic Church, one of the few institutions in the country that provides reliable statistics, estimates that at least 3,300 people have been killed in the region since October.

Answer 48

Make it One of the few institutions in the country that PROVIDE reliable statistics.

The relative clause is describing “the few institutions,” not just “one.” So the relative pronoun “that” – referring to “institutions” – is plural, and should have a plural verb.

Question 49

With the expansion of the suburbs and a push to conserve wooded areas, deer and mice populations are thriving.

Answer 49

Make it deer and MOUSE populations.

For use as a modifier like this, we wanted the singular: “deer and mouse populations.” (It’s easier to tell with a noun that uses a traditional plural – you would say “tiger population,” not “tigers population.”

Question 50

Watching over it all was her daughter, a medical social worker, and her son-in-law, a financial planner.

Answer 50

Make it were her daughter…

A plural subject, even if it follows the predicate, takes a plural verb.

Question 51

“I can’t comment on the president’s tax situation since I don’t have access to that, OK?” Mr Mnuchin said when asked how large of a tax cut the president would receive under his own plan.

Answer 51

There should be no “of” in the expression how large of a tax cut.

Question 52

The two men are close friends and have appeared side-by-side frequently since Trump took office.

Answer 52

side by side

A hyphen would be called for only if this phrase appeared a modifier before a noun, e.g. a side-by-side comparison.

Question 53

The arresting officer was black, as was the city’s chief of police, its mayor, and the majority of the city council that had writtent the stringent gun and drug laws his client had violated.

Answer 53

The normal word order is reversed in this construction, but subject and verb still need to agree in number.

Make it “as WERE the city’s chief of police, its mayor, and the majority of the city council …”

Question 54

It looks like a sweet slice of heaven until the arrival of a new minister, a grim reaper with a jagged scar and bad vibe, whom everyone calls the Reverend (Guy Pierce) but seems straight out of hell.

Answer 54

…whom everyone calls the Reverend…but WHO seems straight out of hell.

The verb “seems” needs a subject, and the objective-case “whom” can’t do double duty as the object of “calls” and the subject of “seems.” Make it “but who seems straight out of hell.”

Question 55

A former sportswriter, Musberger’s fame took off through his work on NFL today, the pro football pregame show.

Answer 55

The appositive phrase at the beginning, “a former sportswriter,” is a so-called dangler. In careful usage, the appositive should describe the same person or thing as the noun or pronoun immediately following it. Here, the noun that comes next is “fame,” which is not “a former sportswriter” (the possessive “Musberger’s” is a modifier).

Question 56

While Apple came later than many technology companies, it now generates nearly a quarter of its revenues from sales in China and has some of the fattest profit margins in the business. As such, the Zhengzhou operation provides an especially illustrative look at China’s importance to American technology companies—especially iPhone production and more recently, Apple’s consumer sales.

Answer 56

This “as such” construction doesn’t work here because there’s nothing in the preceding sentence for “such” to refer to. (We could probably just delete the phrase here.)

The Times’s stylebook says this:

as such. In this construction, such is a pronoun, requiring a noun for its antecedent. Thus: She is an editor; as such, she assigns reporters. But not He works for The Times; as such, he covers medicine.

Question 57

All presidents have the power to commute sentences and pardon people for past acts. But Mr. Obama’s use of the power far exceeds many of his predecessors.

Answer 57

A subtle slip. The precise comparison is between Obama’s actions and his predecessors’ actions — not between Obama’s actions and his predecessors. So make “predecessors” possessive by adding an apostrophe, or say “exceeds that of many of his predecessors.”

Question 58

On a recent evening the animals snacked on organic gummy bears, tossed at them one-by-one by a toddler from her stroller; potato chips; and a piece of hot dog. Occasionally, they get a bonanza. A local baker frequently comes to hurl three-dozen stale bagels in their direction.

Answer 58

…tossed at them one by one by a toddler from her stroller… A local baker frequently comes to hurl three dozen stale bagels in their direction.

Neither of these phrases should have hyphens. Hyphenate a phrase like this only as a compound modifier before a noun, when it would otherwise be unclear that the words go together.

For example: We took a one-by-one approach to dealing with the crowd. I’m so hungry I could eat a three-dozen-egg omelet.

Question 59

Firefighters had most of the dozens of fires under control by Friday, allowing thousands of people to return to their homes in the northern port city of Haifa, one of the areas that was hit hardest.

Answer 59

…one of the areas that were hardest hit.

Make it “areas that were hit hardest.” The relative clause beginning with “that” describes the plural noun “areas,” so the relative pronoun “that” — the subject of the clause — is plural and needs a plural verb.

To test the grammar, turn the syntax around: “Of the areas that were hardest hit, Haifa was one.” Of course, we could also rephrase without the relative clause: “one of the hardest-hit areas.”

Question 60

Donald J. Trump on Monday called for strengthening the nation’s defences against cyberattacks, saying that as president he would create a joint law enforcement task force to handle both cybersecurity as well as offensive cyberwarfare.

Answer 60

Make it “both … and,” not “both … as well as.”

Question 61

Milder walks with a painful limp. Neither he nor his brother now work.

Answer 61

Error in number:

Neither he nor his brother now works.

When subjects are linked by or or nor, the predicate is singular if the subject after the conjunction is singular, and plural if the second part of the compound subject is plural.

Question 62

There was highland dancing and the playing of ten marching bands.

Answer 62

Error in number: There were…

The subject is compound. Don’t be fooled by the inverted sentence order.

Question 63

Muhammad Ali announced yesterday, “one more fight. That’s all. Then I will retire.”

Answer 63

Capitalize One.

Even though it is a sentence fragment, it is punctuated as a sentence because because it is distinctly separate from the sentence that contains the attribution.

Question 64

Buck’s band is popular in Texas and on the brink of national success because, as he
reasons, “They’ve used everybody else up.”

Answer 64

Lowercase they’ve

LC because the quoted passage is logically a part of the sentence containing the attribution. The fact that it could stand as a sentence is of no consequence. It is significant that the attribution could be omitted and the sentence would still make sense.

Question 65

Forty percent of women who have children under age 6 are working (twice the
percentage of mothers who worked 10 years ago.)

Answer 65

Move period to outside the closing paren, but, better…

The rule: If the parenthetical material consists of one or more whole sentences, close parens on the outside; if the parenthetical material is only part of a sentence, close parens on the inside.

Question 66

The Producers is the winner of more Tony Awards than any show in history.

Answer 66

…the winner of the most Tony Awards of any show in history

OR

…the winner of more Tony Awards than any other show in history.

Question 67

It has the advantage over other alkalies in that its unused excess breaks up into water and ammonia gas.

Answer 67

…the advantage that…

–Faulty use of preposition

Rule: Do not use a preposition before a noun clause used as an appositive. (WIT)

Question 68

The name of artificial silk, first applied and later dropped, was incorrect.

Answer 68

The name “artificial silk” …

–Issue: unnecessary preposition

–Rule: Do not use a preposition before a restrictive appositive. (WIT)

Question 69

His term of office is for ten years.

Answer 69

… is ten years.

–Unnecessary preposition

–Caution: Be watchful for the preposition that inadvertently slips into a sent;;;ence between a verb and its object. (WIT)