Learning to use good, correct standard English grammar is more of a practice than an event or even a process. Grammar involves the written construction of meaning from words and involves customs that evolve and adapt to usage over time. Because grammar is always evolving, none of us can sit back and rest assured that we \u201cknow\u201d how to write with proper grammar. Instead, it is important to write and revise with close attention to grammar, keeping in mind that grammatical errors can undermine your credibility, reflect poorly on your employer, and cause misunderstandings.<\/p>\r\n
Jean Wyrick has provided a list of common errors in grammar to watch out for, which we have adapted here for easy reference (Wyrick, 2008). In each case, the error is in\u00a0italics<\/em>\u00a0and the\u00a0[correct form]<\/em> is italicized within square brackets.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The subject and verb should agree on the number under consideration. In faulty writing, a singular subject is sometimes mismatched with a plural verb form or vice versa.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Verb tense refers to the point in time where action occurs. The most common tenses are past, present, and future. There is nothing wrong with mixing tenses in a sentence if the action is intended to take place at different times. In faulty or careless writing, however, they are often mismatched illogically.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The infinitive form of the verb is one without a reference to time, and in its standard form it includes the auxiliary word \u201cto,\u201d as in \u201cto write is to revise.\u201d It has been customary to keep the \u201cto\u201d next to the verb; to place an adverb between them is known as splitting the infinitive. Some modern writers do this all the time (for example, \u201cto boldly go\u2026\u201d), and since all grammar is essentially a set of customs that govern the written word, you will need to understand what the custom is where you work. If you are working with colleagues trained across the last fifty years, they may find split infinitives annoying. For this reason, it\u2019s often best to avoid splitting an infinitive wherever you can do so without distorting the meaning of the sentence.<\/p>\r\n\r\n A double negative\u00a0uses two negatives to communicate a single idea, duplicating the negation. In some languages, such as Spanish, when the main action in the sentence is negative, it is correct to express the other elements in the sentence negatively as well. However, in English, this is incorrect. In addition to sounding wrong (you can often hear the error if you read the sentence out loud), a double negative in English causes an error in logic, because two negatives cancel each other out and yield a positive. In fact, the wording of ballot measures is often criticized for confusing voters with double negatives.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Most verbs represent the past with the addition of the suffix \u201ced,\u201d as in \u201cask\u201d becomes \u201casked.\u201d Irregular verbs\u00a0change a vowel or convert to another word when representing the past tense. Consider the irregular verb \u201cto go\u201d; the past tense is \u201cwent,\u201d not \u201cgoed.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n A comma is used to separate the items in a series, but in some writing styles, the comma is omitted between the final two items of the series, where the conjunction joins the last and next-to-last items. The comma in this position is known as the \u201cserial comma.\u201d The serial comma is typically required in academic writing and typically omitted in journalism. Other writers omit the serial comma if the final two items in the series have a closer logical connection than the other items. In business writing, you may use it or omit it according to the prevailing style in your organization or industry. Know your audience and be aware of the rule.<\/p>\r\n\r\n When comparing two objects by degree, there should be no mention of \u201cest,\u201d as in \u201cbiggest\u201d as all you can really say is that one is bigger than the other. If you are comparing three or more objects, then \u201cest\u201d will accurately communicate which is the \u201cbiggest\u201d of them all.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Modifiers describe a subject in a sentence or indicate how or when the subject carried out the action. If the subject is omitted, the modifier intended for the subject is left dangling or hanging out on its own without a clear relationship to the sentence. Who is doing the seeing in the first sentence?<\/p>\r\n\r\n Modifiers that are misplaced are not lost, they are simply in the wrong place. Their unfortunate location is often far from the word or words they describe, making it easy for readers to misinterpret the sentence.<\/p>\r\n\r\n <\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":" Learning to use good, correct standard English grammar is more of a practice than an event or even a process. Grammar involves the written construction of meaning from words and involves customs that evolve and adapt to usage over time. Because grammar is always evolving, none of us can sit back and rest assured that we \u201cknow\u201d how to write with proper grammar. Instead, it is important to write and revise with close attention to grammar, keeping in mind that grammatical errors can undermine your credibility, reflect poorly on your employer, and cause misunderstandings.<\/p>\n Jean Wyrick has provided a list of common errors in grammar to watch out for, which we have adapted here for easy reference (Wyrick, 2008). In each case, the error is in\u00a0italics<\/em>\u00a0and the\u00a0[correct form]<\/em> is italicized within square brackets.<\/p>\n The subject and verb should agree on the number under consideration. In faulty writing, a singular subject is sometimes mismatched with a plural verb form or vice versa.<\/p>\n Verb tense refers to the point in time where action occurs. The most common tenses are past, present, and future. There is nothing wrong with mixing tenses in a sentence if the action is intended to take place at different times. In faulty or careless writing, however, they are often mismatched illogically.<\/p>\n The infinitive form of the verb is one without a reference to time, and in its standard form it includes the auxiliary word \u201cto,\u201d as in \u201cto write is to revise.\u201d It has been customary to keep the \u201cto\u201d next to the verb; to place an adverb between them is known as splitting the infinitive. Some modern writers do this all the time (for example, \u201cto boldly go\u2026\u201d), and since all grammar is essentially a set of customs that govern the written word, you will need to understand what the custom is where you work. If you are working with colleagues trained across the last fifty years, they may find split infinitives annoying. For this reason, it\u2019s often best to avoid splitting an infinitive wherever you can do so without distorting the meaning of the sentence.<\/p>\n A double negative\u00a0uses two negatives to communicate a single idea, duplicating the negation. In some languages, such as Spanish, when the main action in the sentence is negative, it is correct to express the other elements in the sentence negatively as well. However, in English, this is incorrect. In addition to sounding wrong (you can often hear the error if you read the sentence out loud), a double negative in English causes an error in logic, because two negatives cancel each other out and yield a positive. In fact, the wording of ballot measures is often criticized for confusing voters with double negatives.<\/p>\n Most verbs represent the past with the addition of the suffix \u201ced,\u201d as in \u201cask\u201d becomes \u201casked.\u201d Irregular verbs\u00a0change a vowel or convert to another word when representing the past tense. Consider the irregular verb \u201cto go\u201d; the past tense is \u201cwent,\u201d not \u201cgoed.\u201d<\/p>\n A comma is used to separate the items in a series, but in some writing styles, the comma is omitted between the final two items of the series, where the conjunction joins the last and next-to-last items. The comma in this position is known as the \u201cserial comma.\u201d The serial comma is typically required in academic writing and typically omitted in journalism. Other writers omit the serial comma if the final two items in the series have a closer logical connection than the other items. In business writing, you may use it or omit it according to the prevailing style in your organization or industry. Know your audience and be aware of the rule.<\/p>\n When comparing two objects by degree, there should be no mention of \u201cest,\u201d as in \u201cbiggest\u201d as all you can really say is that one is bigger than the other. If you are comparing three or more objects, then \u201cest\u201d will accurately communicate which is the \u201cbiggest\u201d of them all.<\/p>\n1. Subject-verb Agreement<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n\r\n \r\n Sales have not been consistent and they\u00a0doesn\u2019t<\/span> [do not]<\/em>\u00a0reflect your hard work and effort.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n The president appreciates your hard work and\u00a0wish<\/span> [wishes]<\/em>\u00a0to thank you.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n 2. Verb Tense<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n\r\n \r\n Sharon was under pressure to finish the report, so she\u00a0uses<\/span> [used]<\/em>\u00a0a shortcut to paste in the sales figures.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n The sales department holds a status meeting every week, and last week\u2019s meeting\u00a0will be<\/span> [was]<\/em>\u00a0at the Garden Inn.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n 3. Split Infinitive<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n\r\n \r\n The Marketing Department needs assistance\u00a0to accurately understand our readers<\/span> [to understand our readers accurately]<\/em>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n David pondered\u00a0how to best revise<\/span> [how best to revise]<\/em>\u00a0the sentence.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n 4. Double Negative<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n\r\n \r\n John\u00a0doesn\u2019t<\/span> need no<\/span> [any]<\/em>\u00a0assistance with his sales presentation. [Or\u00a0John needs no assistance with his sales presentation<\/em>.]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Jeri\u00a0could not<\/span> find no<\/span> [any]<\/em>\u00a0reason to approve the request. [Or\u00a0Jeri could find no reason to approve the request<\/em>.]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n 5. Irregular Verbs<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n\r\n \r\n The need\u00a0arised<\/span> [arose]<\/em>\u00a0to seek additional funding.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Katy\u00a0leaped<\/span> [leapt]<\/em>\u00a0onto the stage to introduce the presentation.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n 6. Commas in a Series<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n\r\n \r\n Lisa is an amazing wife, mother, teacher,\u00a0gardener, and<\/span> editor<\/em>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Lisa is an amazing wife, mother teacher,\u00a0gardener and editor<\/em>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Lisa is an amazing teacher, editor, gardener,\u00a0wife and mother<\/em>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n 7. Faulty Comparisons<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n\r\n \r\n Between the twins, Mackenzie is the\u00a0fastest<\/span> [faster]<\/em>\u00a0of the two.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Among our three children, Mackenzie is the\u00a0tallest<\/em>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n 8. Dangling Modifiers<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n\r\n \r\n Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, celebrations were in order.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,\u00a0we decided<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>that celebrations were in order.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n 9. Misplaced Modifiers<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n Examples<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n\r\n \r\n Trying to avoid the deer,\u00a0the tree hit my car<\/em>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n My car hit the tree<\/em><\/span>\u00a0when I tried to avoid a deer in the road.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n 1. Subject-verb Agreement<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n Sales have not been consistent and they\u00a0doesn\u2019t<\/span> [do not]<\/em>\u00a0reflect your hard work and effort.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n The president appreciates your hard work and\u00a0wish<\/span> [wishes]<\/em>\u00a0to thank you.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n 2. Verb Tense<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n Sharon was under pressure to finish the report, so she\u00a0uses<\/span> [used]<\/em>\u00a0a shortcut to paste in the sales figures.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n The sales department holds a status meeting every week, and last week\u2019s meeting\u00a0will be<\/span> [was]<\/em>\u00a0at the Garden Inn.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n 3. Split Infinitive<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n The Marketing Department needs assistance\u00a0to accurately understand our readers<\/span> [to understand our readers accurately]<\/em>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n David pondered\u00a0how to best revise<\/span> [how best to revise]<\/em>\u00a0the sentence.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n 4. Double Negative<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n John\u00a0doesn\u2019t<\/span> need no<\/span> [any]<\/em>\u00a0assistance with his sales presentation. [Or\u00a0John needs no assistance with his sales presentation<\/em>.]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Jeri\u00a0could not<\/span> find no<\/span> [any]<\/em>\u00a0reason to approve the request. [Or\u00a0Jeri could find no reason to approve the request<\/em>.]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n 5. Irregular Verbs<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n The need\u00a0arised<\/span> [arose]<\/em>\u00a0to seek additional funding.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Katy\u00a0leaped<\/span> [leapt]<\/em>\u00a0onto the stage to introduce the presentation.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n 6. Commas in a Series<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n Examples<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n Lisa is an amazing wife, mother, teacher,\u00a0gardener, and<\/span> editor<\/em>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Lisa is an amazing wife, mother teacher,\u00a0gardener and editor<\/em>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Lisa is an amazing teacher, editor, gardener,\u00a0wife and mother<\/em>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n 7. Faulty Comparisons<\/h3>\n