Post on 23-Feb-2016
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Faulty PredicationAhmed AlalawyFoad Nasser Victoria Banks
Predicate Defined
The predicate is the part of the sentence or clause, including the verb, that expresses what the subject is or does.
Predicate Redefined
A.K.A.The part of the sentence that says something about the noun, excluding the noun.
Instructor Newsom teaches class every Tuesday and Thursday.
Faulty Predication = Wrong!
Faulty predication occurs when the subject and the verb do not make sense together.
In other words, the subject can’t “be” or “do” the verb.
Examples of Faulty Predication
The purpose of movies was invented to entertain people. (The purpose was not invented. Movies were invented.)
Correct: The purpose of movies is to entertain people.
Correct: Movies were invented to entertain people.
Faulty predication can also occur when a writer uses the construction is when or is where.
Definitions require nouns on both sides of verbs that are forms of be.
Faulty Predication #1
Examples of Faulty Predication
A waterspout is when a tornado is over water. (A waterspout is not a time.)
Correct: A waterspout is a tornado occurring over water.
Examples of Faulty Predication
Correct: Anorexia nervosa is a disorder suffered by young women who refuse to eat and gradually starve themselves to death.
Anorexia nervosa is where young women refuse to eat and gradually starve themselves to death. (Anorexia is not a place.)
The construction the reason is because… is redundant. Because means for the reason that, so the reason is because means the reason is for the reason that.
Faulty predication #2
Examples of Faulty Predication
The reason for low sales is because prices are too high.
Correct: The reason for low sales is that prices are too high.
Correct: Sales are low because prices are too high.
Prepositional phrases cannot be the subject of a sentence.
Faulty predication #3
Prepositional phrases often begin with:
at, for, by, on, in, out, under, with
Examples of Faulty Predication
In the glacier’s retreat created a valley. Correct: The glacier’s retreat created a valley.
Exercise on Faulty Predication1. A_____ Dyslexia is a
reading disorder.
B_____ Dyslexia is where a person has a reading disorder.
Answer is A!
Answer A is correct.
Answer B is incorrect. Dyslexia is not a place.
Exercise on Faulty Predication2. A_____ A final examination is when students are tested on what they know.
B_____ A final exam is a test of what students know.
Answer is B!
Answer A is incorrect. A final exam is not a time.
Answer B is correct.
Exercise on Faulty Predication
3. A_____ In his determination to win helped him finish the race.
B_____ His determination to win helped him finish the race.
Answer is B!
Answer A is incorrect. In his determination is a prepositional phrase, and a prepositional phrase cannot be the subject of a sentence.
Answer B is correct.
4. A_____ Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
B_____ The temperature of water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
Exercise on Faulty Predication
Answer is A!
Answer A is correct.
Answer B is incorrect. The temperature does not boil.
Work Cited
http://www.methodist.edu/english/predication_answers.pdf
http://www.methodist.edu/english/dd_predication.htm