English Grammar Summary:
Textual Editing
1. Inconsistent Pronouns
Incorrect: When one hears of such things, you are disheartened
Correct: When one hears of such things, one is disheartened
2. Misrelated Participle Phrase
Incorrect: Hurrying across the playground (Phrase), my books fell in the mud
Correct: As I was hurrying across the playground (Clause), my books fell in the mud
Explanation: The books were not doing the hurrying. Misrelated means they do not
logically connect.
Turn the phrase into a clause by giving it subject. Do so without changing the
position of words or sentences.
*Remember: Phrases = no finite verb, Clause = has a finite verb
The object receives the action while the subject does the action
3. Misplaced adjectival Phrase
Incorrect: I have a parrot in a cage that can talk
Correct: In a cage I have a parrot that can talk
Explanation: The cage cannot talk! In the incorrect example, it sounds as if the cage
is the one talking. The adjective is placed in the wrong position – in a cage is
describing the parrot.
4. Misplaced adverbial phrase
Incorrect: Sweep up the leaves that are falling twice a week
Correct: Twice a week sweep up the leaves that are falling
Explanation: An adverbial phrase describes the verb. The leaves are not falling twice
a week. The leaves must be swept twice a week, twice a week is describing the
action of sweeping up.
5. Incorrect form of Pronoun
Incorrect: Between you and I, she is brilliant
Correct: Between you and me, she is brilliant
Explanation: Prepositions must be followed by the object form of pronoun. I is ruled
by the preposition, ‘between’ and therefore needs to be in object form.
Created by Tori Ichikowitz
, Subject Pronoun Object Pronoun Possessive Pronoun
I me My
you you Yours
He/she/it Him/her/it His/her/its
we us Our
they them their
6. Wrong position of qualifying verb
Incorrect: She not only stole the money but also the wallet
Correct: She stole not only the money but also the wallet
Explanation: ‘Not only’ should qualify the noun money, not the verb stole.
How to check: Is not only after or before the verbs?
1) Count number of verbs
2) If there are 2 verbs, keep ‘not only’ before the verb
3) If there is 1 verb, move ‘not only’ to after the verb
7. False ellipsis
Incorrect: They did not and could not have known
Correct: They did not know and could not have known
Explanation: Ellipsis = leaving out words or letters. You can only contract a sentence
if it prevents repetition of identical words. Know and known are not identical.
8. Ambiguity
Incorrect: When Jane saw Mary, she blushed
Correct: When Jane saw Mary, Jane blushed or When Jane saw Mary, Mary blushed
Explanation: When a statement has 2 different meanings it causes confusion.
9. Inconsistent Verb tense
Incorrect: He said that he will be coming to visit
Correct: He said that he would be coming to visit
Explanation: Past tense must follow past tense.
Change the second verb to match the tense of the first verb.
10. Concord Error
Incorrect: None of these men are eligible for promotion
Correct: None of these men is eligible for promotion
Explanation: The verb needs to match the subject. None (subject) is singular.
Subject and verb must both be either singular or plural.
The majority / minority = plural
Created by Tori Ichikowitz
Textual Editing
1. Inconsistent Pronouns
Incorrect: When one hears of such things, you are disheartened
Correct: When one hears of such things, one is disheartened
2. Misrelated Participle Phrase
Incorrect: Hurrying across the playground (Phrase), my books fell in the mud
Correct: As I was hurrying across the playground (Clause), my books fell in the mud
Explanation: The books were not doing the hurrying. Misrelated means they do not
logically connect.
Turn the phrase into a clause by giving it subject. Do so without changing the
position of words or sentences.
*Remember: Phrases = no finite verb, Clause = has a finite verb
The object receives the action while the subject does the action
3. Misplaced adjectival Phrase
Incorrect: I have a parrot in a cage that can talk
Correct: In a cage I have a parrot that can talk
Explanation: The cage cannot talk! In the incorrect example, it sounds as if the cage
is the one talking. The adjective is placed in the wrong position – in a cage is
describing the parrot.
4. Misplaced adverbial phrase
Incorrect: Sweep up the leaves that are falling twice a week
Correct: Twice a week sweep up the leaves that are falling
Explanation: An adverbial phrase describes the verb. The leaves are not falling twice
a week. The leaves must be swept twice a week, twice a week is describing the
action of sweeping up.
5. Incorrect form of Pronoun
Incorrect: Between you and I, she is brilliant
Correct: Between you and me, she is brilliant
Explanation: Prepositions must be followed by the object form of pronoun. I is ruled
by the preposition, ‘between’ and therefore needs to be in object form.
Created by Tori Ichikowitz
, Subject Pronoun Object Pronoun Possessive Pronoun
I me My
you you Yours
He/she/it Him/her/it His/her/its
we us Our
they them their
6. Wrong position of qualifying verb
Incorrect: She not only stole the money but also the wallet
Correct: She stole not only the money but also the wallet
Explanation: ‘Not only’ should qualify the noun money, not the verb stole.
How to check: Is not only after or before the verbs?
1) Count number of verbs
2) If there are 2 verbs, keep ‘not only’ before the verb
3) If there is 1 verb, move ‘not only’ to after the verb
7. False ellipsis
Incorrect: They did not and could not have known
Correct: They did not know and could not have known
Explanation: Ellipsis = leaving out words or letters. You can only contract a sentence
if it prevents repetition of identical words. Know and known are not identical.
8. Ambiguity
Incorrect: When Jane saw Mary, she blushed
Correct: When Jane saw Mary, Jane blushed or When Jane saw Mary, Mary blushed
Explanation: When a statement has 2 different meanings it causes confusion.
9. Inconsistent Verb tense
Incorrect: He said that he will be coming to visit
Correct: He said that he would be coming to visit
Explanation: Past tense must follow past tense.
Change the second verb to match the tense of the first verb.
10. Concord Error
Incorrect: None of these men are eligible for promotion
Correct: None of these men is eligible for promotion
Explanation: The verb needs to match the subject. None (subject) is singular.
Subject and verb must both be either singular or plural.
The majority / minority = plural
Created by Tori Ichikowitz
