Writing Better Sentences

Question 1

Misplaced Modifiers

Answer 1

Words or phrases in the wrong place. All modifiers should close to whatever they describe.

Witnesses reported that the woman was driving the getaway car with flowing black hair.

Question 2

Dangling Modifiers

Answer 2

Have no word or phrase to describe; they just or dangle.

Long ears dropping on the floor, Julies wondered how the dog could walk.

Question 3

Squinting Modifiers

Answer 3

Words that can logically modify something on either side of them, but the reader can’t be sure.

The instructor said after the semester ended that Mark was eligible to retake the test.

Question 4

Parallelism

Answer 4

When naming items, present them all in the same way. I washed, waxed, and them I was vacuuming. X
When using more than one clause, keep the same voice and type of introduction in each. I was worried that Bill would drive too fast(active voice), that the road would be too slipper, and that the would be stopped by the police(passive voice). X

Question 5

More Parallelism Rules

Answer 5

Place items in a series in similar locations. Mike is not only very kind but also very good-looking.X Mike is not only kind but also..

4. Order items in a series of chronology or degree of importance. Misuse of the drug can result in fever, death, or dizziness.X
5. Use preposition consistently. The ants are on the living room floor, the dining room table, and the sink.X (in the sink)

Question 6

Writing Logically

Answer 6

1. Faulty predication occurs when your subject and verb don’t make sense together. The breath mint assures cust… X The makers of the breath mint assure customers that the mint last..
2. Faulty coordination occurs if you join 2 clauses in an illogical way: I made my way to the head of the checkout line, yet I realized I had forgotten my wallet.

Question 7

Absolute Adjectives

Answer 7

Absolute adjectives are words that cannot be compared. Round (it’s ether round or not), blank, eternal, true, vacant, unique, empty, dead, permanent, favorite

Question 8

Faulty Comparison

Answer 8

Occurs if you compare two unlike people, places, or things:

The traffic mishaps in April were more numerous than May. It should be “in May.”
Dawn dislikes traveling more than Dave.

Question 9

Sweeping or Hasty Generalizations

Answer 9

using all-encompassing words like anyone, everyone, always, never, everything, all, only and none.

The country never recovers from an economic downturn in just one week. (Well, it could.)

Question 10

Non Sequitur

Answer 10

states an effect that doesn’t logically follow from its cause.

I turned in a paper; therefore, I’ll pass the class.

Question 11

Omitting Necessary Words in Comparisons

Answer 11

Aunt Lucy likes Louis more than she likes anyone in the family.

Aunt Lucy likes Louis more than she likes anyone else in the family.