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SUPPLEMENT TO COURSE SYLLABUS

This supplement contains.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON MATERIAL IN THE SYLLABUS (Page 2)Beginning on the next page there is a checklist for the various requirements for your paper and more detailed information about topics mentioned in the syllabus proper.

COMMON SENTENCE PATTERS (Page 7)This is particularly helpful in illustrating the basic rules about punctuation. If you understand and learn these patters, you will be able to deal with all the common uses of the comma, colon, and semicolon.

TWENTY COMMON ERRORS (Page 9)As the title implies, these errors are very common. I run across them all the time. You should go over this list several times. Each error is accompanied by a helpful explanation of what is wrong to help you avoid it in your own writing.

FIFTY COMMON ERRORS WITH COMMENTS USED IN THE MARGINS OF STUDENT PAPERS (Page 15)This is a longer list of common errors (mostly ESL) from a different web site. The comments in red between the “wrong” and “right” versions of the sentence, illustrate the kind of comments you will find in the margins of your paper when I am done grading it.

A BRIEF EXCERPT FROM WILLIAM STRUNK’S THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE (Page 20)

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CHECKLIST FOR REQUIRED ELEMENTS FOR THE ESSAYSA PAPER WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR A REWRITE IF THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT MET

1. Was the subject line of the email correct?2. Was the paper sent as a proper attachment?No file sharing services (e.g. DropBox, GoogleDocs, etc.) may be used to submit papers.3. Was the file submitted in Microsoft Word, LibreOffice, or OpenOffice format?The file must have one of the following extensions: .doc, .docx, .odtThe extension is the two or three characters following the last dot [.] in the filename.4. Was the attached file named according to syllabus instructions?The required format is:CourseNumber_LastName_FirstName_AssignmentThe following examples use an imaginary course number (REL999) and the name of an imaginary student (Thomas Jones). The example refers to the Essay which is submitted by e-mail. Obviously, it cannot apply to the assignment that are written online in Blackboard.REL999_Jones_Thomas_Essay_Submission.doc5. Is the required information included on the first page?The following information must be in the upper left-hand corner of the page:Student’s NameCourse Name and NumberNumber of WordsStudent’s Email addressName of the Assignment being submittedDate of submission6. Does the paper/assignment include at least one in-text citation referencing one or more of the required course readings on Blackboard?7. Does the works cited page accurately reflect all in-text citations?For example, if your paper includes scriptural quotations (e.g. from the Qurʼān, the Bible, the Tipitaka, the Vedas, etc.), you must provide appropriate bibliographic information so your reader will know the translation (and, in the case of print sources, the edition) you are using.8. Is the page numbering done correctly? [This does not apply to the assignments written online in Blackboard.]The paper must use the word processor’s heading or page-numbering function. This is explained in any reference source for MLA style.9. Are the topic sentences of every paragraph clearly indicated by the use of bold type?10. Is the paper double spaced? 11. Is the Works Cited page preceded by a hard page break so it will always begin on a new page? [This does not apply to the assignments written online in Blackboard.]In most word processors, you can use CTRL+ENTER to insert a hard page break. The break will occur exactly where you place the cursor when you hit CTRL+ENTER. If you introduce extra lines into your paper, you could end up with blank pages(s) when comments are added to paper as I make my corrections.11. Does the works cited entry for online resources include a URL (Universal Resource Locator) or DOI (Digital Object Identifier)? This element is required both by the syllabus and by the newest MLA guidelines.

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Since the syllabus requires to cite the material as found on Blackboard, you will need at one reference that involves online resources. I am putting two PDFs on Blackboard from the official MLA site. One deals with the proper format for citing Blackboard in particular, and the other deals with citing internet sources in general and gives guidelines that also apply to Blackboard.

ALTERNATIVE WORD PROCESSORSIf you do not have access to Microsoft Word, there are some free alternatives available online. One of the best is OpenOffice (http://www.openoffice.org/). The one I personally use, however, is LibreOffice (https://www.libreoffice.org/). These two are very similar and offer a complete suite of office software (spreadsheet, database, word processor, and an equivalent to PowerPoint). Both of these can read Microsoft Office files and save in that format. The most recent versions can even read the new .docx format that Microsoft has used since Word 2007.

ADDITIONAL WRITING AIDS ON THE INTERNET

DICTIONARIESAn excellent on-line dictionary is the Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary. It may be found at the following URL: http://www.learnersdictionary.com/. We will illustrate its use in class.

I also recommend https://www.collinsdictionary.com/ I use this to check whether a foreign term is considered English or not and what the correct spelling of the word in English is. Words that are not listed in an English dictionary (e.g. prajña, fiqhī) require special treatment. Words that are included in an English dictionary (e.g. dhamma, salat) do not require special treatment (provided they are spelled correctly according to an English dictionary). Since the Collins online dictionary includes a larger selection of such words than most English dictionaries do, I use it to determine whether a word needs to be treated as foreign or not.

If you prefer to own a book, there are several good learner’s dictionaries available. These are sometimes called ESL dictionaries and are sometimes located in the ESL section of the bookstore. It is strongly recommended that you learn to use the online dictionary or purchase one of the books for this class (and all writing classes). Some of these also come with a CD-ROM. This means you can access it electronically on your computer or in book form. You may need to consult such a dictionary frequently if you want to get a good grade on the language section of the grading rubric. This section accounts for 20% of the grade for written work. Only dictionaries like those recommended here will show why it is incorrect to write, for example, “The author emphasized on the importance of prayer.”

Longman Advanced American Dictionary, 2nd Edition (Book & CD-ROM). Pearson Education ESL; 2nd edition (April 2, 2007)

Oxford ESL Dictionary for Students of American English. Oxford Univ Press (April 1991)

Oxford American Dictionary for learners of English. Oxford University Press, USA; Pap/Cdr edition (December 12, 2010)

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary with CD-ROM. Cambridge University Press; 4th edition (May 31, 2013)

Cambridge Dictionary of American English Paperback with CD-ROM. Cambridge University Press; 2nd edition (December 10, 2007)

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✔ The following are two excellent print resources:Hacker, Diana. Rules for Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009. Print.Raimes, Ann, and Susan K. Miller-Cochran. Keys for Writers. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. Print.

The most recent editions tend to be pricey, but you can find older editions online very inexpensively. The only parts of the older editions that are not serviceable are the sections on MLA and APA style. The early editions do not include the most recent changes from the newest style manuals. However, there are many online resources for MLA style (including OWL mentioned above). All the other material in the older editions is still perfectly valid and useable.

HELP WITH GRAMMAR, PUNCTUATION, AND MLA STYLEThe following two websites are rich resources for information on writing. They include excellent handouts on many aspects of writing papers, including grammar. Between the two sites you will find excellent information, including areas where many students make grammatical errors such as the use of English articles (e.g. a, an, the) and the use of commas. There are many excellent websites available for help with the mechanics of writing. I strongly recommend the following sites (especially the Purdue site) in addition to the information in Raimes. They also include up-to-date information on MLA style. http://owl.english.purdue.edu http://rwc.hunter.cuny.edu/

CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT OF WRITTEN WORK

Written work is graded according to the following criteria arranged in six categories. When papers are returned, the final grade will be broken down into these six categories.

I. (15 points) Does the written work respond fully to the assignment? You will lose points if it is (in whole or in part) a research paper, critique, synopsis, etc. Does it indicate that the student has thoughtfully considered the material? Does it provide clear evidence of how the reading influenced the student’s thinking about the topic and/or led to consideration of further relevant questions about the topic?

II. (20 points) Does the paper display a basic understanding of the reading(s) discussed? Are the arguments logically constructed? Are the facts accurate? Are appropriate sources provided where necessary to back up the argument? Are they well-chosen and integrated into the argument?

III. (25 points) Is the submission well organized? Does it have a clear beginning, middle and end (i.e. introduction, body, and conclusion). Are there unified paragraphs with clear topic sentences, coherent transitions and links? Is the writing style clear, concise, and correct? Is the language used appropriate to an academic paper? You should use standard, formal English and avoid colloquial and slang terms except, of course, in direct quotations. Are the topic sentences clearly marked with bold type? Is the assignment free from unnecessary repetition, redundant expressions (like singularly unique), formulaic phrases and wordiness? Again, if you are looking for more specific criteria, you should check the OWL website (http://owl.english.purdue.edu) and the book Elements of Style (URL provided below).

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IV. (15 points) Does the paper make proper use of the MLA Author/Date in-text citation system? Are sources appropriately acknowledged? Does the paper follow the written instructions contained in the syllabus or given in class? Information on how to cite material that is placed on Blackboard may be found here:Information on how to cite material provided on Blackboard is available here:https://style.mla.org/web-sites-as-containers/

Again, the OWL website (http://owl.english.purdue.edu) is are particularly useful here.

V. (20 points) Grammar, punctuation, spelling, word usage, and style. You should make sure you are familiar with English grammar, including questions of word order (e.g. direct vs. indirect questions), verbs, tenses, nouns, and, especially, the use or non-use of prepositions with verbs, adjectives, and nouns. Most of this is covered on OWL (http://owl.english.purdue.edu). However, you will need an ESL dictionary to check the usage of prepositions (or their absence) with particular words; ordinary English dictionaries, including some editions of Random House, Webster, and American Heritage dictionaries, do not give this information.

In terms of punctuation, you will be expected to be familiar with the information contained in the rest of this supplement.

For matters of style, you should become familiar with parts III-V of Strunk and White's Elements of Style. The fourth edition (1999) may be downloaded from https://courses.washington.edu/b572/public/StrunkWhite.pdf . It may also be downloaded from https://archive.org/details/theelementsofsty37134gut. There is also a pdf of Strunk's original version, published in 1919, at (https://archive.org/details/theelementsofsty37134gut); it is also available on the project Gutenberg website. There are some obvious OCR errors in both of these files, but they are still very useful.

For questions on the correct use of prepositions and other problems of word choice and grammatical structure, the criteria will be based on information in an ESL dictionary.

VI. (5 points) Punctuality based on the date your email with the paper attached was sent.

TOTAL GRADE FOR PAPER 100 points

If you have a sound academic reason, you may, with the advance permission of the professor, submit one (1) of the written assignments in one of the following languages: French, Spanish, German, Russian, Italian. The same criteria will be applied to papers written in these languages as to papers submitted in English. Before you ask, you should be prepared to explain why you believe this option would help you academically.

I will accept late papers up to one week after the due date. However, they will be penalized.

All papers must be submitted electronically, as an attachment to your email. This does not apply to the writing assignments that are written online in the assignment section of Blackboard. The essays are to be submitted in Microsoft Word (NOT Works). If you do not have Word, a free compatible word processor may be downloaded from one of the links above. These are free office suites and include a word processor that is compatible with Word and will easily read and save Word files. Both are available in two versions, one that will install on your machine and one that can be run as a portable application from a USB drive.

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This is a writing intensive course, and your written work must count for at least 50% of your final grade. I ✔am primarily looking for well-written essays. Good writing is clear, concise, correct, and credible.

Clear: This means your writing should be clear to your reader. It is not enough if it is clear to you. The final decision about whether your writing is clear or not must be made by the reader, not by the writer.

Concise: This is related to clarity. Your writing should be as concise as possible. Most readers will lose interest if your writing is wordy. Would you willingly read 10 pages of text if you knew that the same amount of information could be found in a 3-page version?

Correct: Your writing should be grammatically correct, including spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation. Writing that is clear and concise also tends to be more grammatically correct.

Credible: Any facts you use to support your argument need to be either commonly accepted or supported with appropriate documentation. Your essay should be constructed such that your conclusion follows from the arguments in your essay. In most cases, you should be able to state your thesis in terms of one or more logical syllogisms. If you don’t know what that means, you should definitely read the recommended book A Rulebook for Arguments.

A long paper is not necessarily better than a short one. I am looking for papers that are clear, concise, correct, and credible—well written, well constructed, and well argued. You lose points for padding, redundancy or wordiness. You will also lose points for spelling errors and grammatical errors. Papers must be written using the MLA in-text style of documentation (footnotes and endnotes may NOT be used for references or citations). If you are not familiar with this, there are instructions for how to do this on the OWL website and also in many manuals for writers (e.g. Raimes or Turabian).

Since the paper is not a research paper, you will not need to do research beyond the assigned readings. Of course, the thoughts or questions raised for you by the readings may lead you to do further research. However, make sure the research supports your intellectual journal. You will lose 8 points if you turn the paper into a research paper. Please note that Wikipedia is NOT an acceptable source for academic work. You might begin a project there, but you should use the information to seed your research on more appropriate web sites. The following web site provides a basic knowledge of how to do credible research online: http://www.eliteediting.com/blog/post.aspx?id=26

5. “Typography.” The font used should be either Times Roman (or other font in the Times family), a member of the Arial group of fonts, or Calibri (the default font in MS Word 2010 and later). The font size should be 12 points. If your default font and font size are different from these, you will need to choose the appropriate setting from the font menu.

The margins are to be one inch (1”) on each side. You may use Microsoft Word’s default setting, which is slightly different, if you prefer.

IMPORTANT: If your computer or your copy of Microsoft Word is set to a language other than English, make sure you change the language setting in Word. If you do not, I might not be able to grade your paper.

6. “Saving Your Document with an Appropriate Name.” IMPORTANT- you will lose an extra 5 points if the name of the file you submit to me does not follow these instructions: The file name (with which you save the file to disc) must have the following format -- “REL###_LastName_FirstName_Essay#.doc” (where the final # is the assignment number of the paper you are submitting). For example, if I submitted a paper for Religion 253, I would save the file with the following name: REL253_Breiner_Bert_Essay1.doc(x). Do not send me a paper called something like "Islam_paper.doc" or "Journal-one.doc."

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COMMON SENTENCE PATTERNS

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/). When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice at bottom.

Contributors: Dana Lynn Driscoll, Allen Brizee.

This handout describes eight sentence punctuation patterns with examples.

Sentence Punctuation PatternsTo punctuate a sentence, you can use and combine some of these patterns. For more information on independent and dependent clauses plus independent and dependent markers, see our handouts on those subjects.

Pattern One: Simple sentenceThis pattern is an example of a simple sentence: Independent clause [ . ]Example: Doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma.

Pattern Two: Compound SentenceThis pattern is an example of a compound sentence with a coordinating conjunction:Independent clause [ , ] coordinating conjunction independent clause [ . ]

There are seven coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.Example: Doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma, but they don't know the

reasons for it.

Pattern Three: Compound SentenceThis pattern is an example of a compound sentence with a semicolon.Independent clause [ ; ] independent clause [ . ]

Example: Doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma; they are unsure of its cause.

Pattern Four: Compound SentenceThis pattern is an example of a compound sentence with an independent marker.Independent clause [ ; ] independent marker [ , ] independent clause [ . ]

Some examples of independent markers are the following: therefore, moreover, thus, consequently, however, also.

Example: Doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma; therefore, they have called for more research into its causes.

Pattern Five: Complex SentenceThis pattern is an example of a complex sentence with a dependent marker.Dependent marker dependent clause [ , ] Independent clause [ . ]

Some examples of dependent markers are as follows: because, before, since, while, although, if, until, when, after, as, as if.

Example: Because doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma, they have called for more research into its causes.

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Pattern Six: Complex SentenceThis pattern is an example of a complex sentence with a dependent marker.Independent clause dependent marker dependent clause [ . ]

Some examples of dependent markers are as follows: because, before, since, while, although, if, until, when, after, as, as if.

Example: Doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma because it is a common, treatable illness.

Pattern SevenThis pattern includes an independent clause with an embedded non-essential clause or phraseFirst part of an independent clause [ , ] non-essential clause or phrase [ , ] rest of the independent clause [ . ]

A non-essential clause or phrase is one that can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence or making it ungrammatical. In other words, the non-essential clause or phrase gives additional information, but the sentence can stand alone without it.

Example: Many doctors, including both pediatricians and family practice physicians, are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma.

Pattern EightThis pattern includes an independent clause with an embedded essential clause or phraseFirst part of an independent clause essential clause or phrase rest of the independent clause [ . ]

An essential clause or phrase is one that cannot be removed without changing the overall meaning of the sentence.

Example: Many doctors who are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma have called for more research into its causes.

Copyright ©1995-2013 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

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TWENTY COMMON ERRORS

The following list, with examples, of common errors comes from Bedford / St. Martin’s Student Center for Easy Writer 4ᵗʰ edition. The references are to the book. However, many other writing manuals and websites explain the grammar involved. These errors often appear in students’ papers.

1. Wrong word

Wrong-word errors can involve using a word with the wrong shade of meaning, using a word with a completely wrong meaning, or using a wrong preposition or another wrong word in an idiom. Selecting a word from a thesaurus without knowing its meaning or allowing a spell checker to correct spelling automatically can lead to wrong-word errors, so use these tools with care. If you have trouble with prepositions and idioms, memorize the standard usage. (See Chapter 32 on word choice and spelling and Chapter 37 on prepositions and idioms.)

2. Missing comma after an introductory element

Readers usually need a small pause—signaled by a comma—between an introductory word, phrase, or clause and the main part of the sentence. Use a comma after every introductory element. When the introductory element is very short, you don't always need a comma, but including it is never wrong. (See 19a.)

3. Incomplete or missing documentation

The source mentioned should be identified (this online source has no page numbers).

Cite each source you refer to in the text, following the guidelines of the documentation style you are using. (The preceding examples above follow MLA style—see Chapter 42; for other styles, see Chapters 43-45.) Omitting documentation can result in charges of plagiarism (see Chapter 40).

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4. Vague pronoun reference

What does which refer to? The editing clarifies what employees resented. A pronoun should refer clearly to the word or words it replaces (called the antecedent) elsewhere in the sentence or in a previous sentence. If more than one word could be the antecedent, or if no specific antecedent is present, edit to make the meaning clear. (See Chapter 11.)

5. Spelling (including homonyms)

The most common misspellings today are those that spell checkers cannot identify. The categories that spell checkers are most likely to miss include homonyms, compound words incorrectly spelled as separate words, and proper nouns, particularly names. After you run the spell checker, proofread carefully for errors such as these—and be sure to run the spell checker to catch other kinds of spelling mistakes.

6. Mechanical error with a quotation

Follow conventions when using quotation marks with commas (19h), colons, and other punctuation. Always use quotation marks in pairs, and follow the guidelines of your documentation style for block quotations. Use quotation marks for titles of short works (23b), but use italics for titles of long works (27a).

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7. Unnecessary comma

Do not use commas to set off restrictive elements that are necessary to the meaning of the words they modify. Do not use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet) when the conjunction does not join parts of a compound sentence (error 13). Do not use a comma before the first or after the last item in a series, between a subject and verb, between a verb and its object or complement, or between a preposition and its object. (See 19i.)

8. Unnecessary or missing capitalization

Capitalize proper nouns and proper adjectives, the first words of sentences, and important words in titles, along with certain words indicating directions and family relationships. Do not capitalize most other words. When in doubt, check a dictionary. (See Chapter 25.)

9. Missing word

Proofread carefully for omitted words, including prepositions (37a) and parts of two-part verbs (37b) and correlative conjunctions. Be particularly careful not to omit words from quotations.

10. Faulty sentence structure

A sentence that starts out with one kind of structure and then changes to another kind can confuse readers. Make sure that each sentence contains a subject and a verb, that subjects and predicates make sense together (14b), and that comparisons have clear meanings (14d). When you join elements (such as subjects or verb phrases) with a coordinating conjunction, make sure that the elements have parallel structures (See Chapter 17).

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11. Missing comma with a nonrestrictive element

A nonrestrictive element gives information not essential to the basic meaning of the sentence. Use commas to set off a nonrestrictive element (19c).

12. Unnecessary shift in verb tense

Verbs that shift from one tense to another with no clear reason can confuse readers (18a).

13. Missing comma in a compound sentence

A compound sentence consists of two or more parts that could each stand alone as a sentence. When the parts are joined by a coordinating conjunction, use a comma before the conjunction to indicate a pause between the two thoughts (19b).

14. Unnecessary or missing apostrophe (including its/it’s)

To make a noun possessive, add either an apostrophe and an -s (Ed's book) or an apostrophe alone (the boys' gym). Do not use an apostrophe in the possessive pronouns ours, yours, and hers. Use its to mean belonging to it; use it's only when you mean it is or it has. (See Chapter 22.)

15. Fused (run-on) sentence

A fused sentence (also called a run-on) joins clauses that could each stand alone as a sentence with no punctuation or words to link them. Fused sentences must either be divided into separate sentences or joined by adding words or punctuation. (See Chapter 12.)

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16. Comma splice

A comma splice occurs when only a comma separates clauses that could each stand alone as a sentence. To correct a comma splice, you can insert a semicolon or period, connect the clauses with a word such as and or because, or restructure the sentence. (See Chapter 12.)

17. Lack of pronoun-antecedent agreement

Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in gender (male or female) and in number (singular or plural). Many indefinite pronouns, such as everyone and each, are always singular. When a singular antecedent can refer to a man or a woman, either rewrite the sentence to make the antecedent plural or to eliminate the pronoun, or use his or her, he or she, and so on. When antecedents are joined by or or nor, the pronoun must agree with the closer antecedent. A collective noun such as team can be either singular or plural, depending on whether the members are seen as a group or as individuals. (See 11b.)

18. Poorly integrated quotation

Quotations should fit smoothly into the surrounding sentence structure. They should be linked clearly to the writing around them (usually with a signal phrase) rather than dropped abruptly into the writing. (See 40a.)

19. Unnecessary or missing hyphen

A compound adjective that appears before a noun needs a hyphen. However, be careful not to hyphenate two-word verbs or word groups that serve as subject complements. (See Chapter 28.)

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20. Sentence fragment

A sentence fragment is part of a sentence that is written as if it were a complete sentence. Reading your draft out loud, backwards, sentence by sentence, will help you spot sentence fragments. (See Chapter 13.)

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FIFTY COMMON ERRORS WITH COMMENTS USED IN THE MARGINS OF STUDENT PAPERShttp://www.engvid.com/english-resource/50-common-grammar-mistakes-in-english/

Below are some of the most common English mistakes made by ESL students, in speech and in writing. Go through the examples and make sure you understand the corrections. Then try the grammar test at the end to check your progress.

Wrong: I have visited Niagara Falls last weekend. problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.) Right: I visited Niagara Falls last weekend.

Wrong: The woman which works here is from Japan.Wrong: The woman that works here is from Japan. problem with word choice (vocabulary, grammar, logic, register, set phrases, idioms) OR problem with noun, adjective, or pronoun phrase or usageRight: The woman who works here is from Japan.

Wrong: She’s married with a dentist. problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.) OR problem with the use of prepositionsRight: She’s married to a dentist.

Wrong: She was boring in the class. problem with inflected forms (nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs) OR problem with word choice (vocabulary, grammar, logic, register, set phrases, idioms)Right: She was bored in the class.

Wrong: I must to call him immediately. problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.)Right: I must call him immediately.

Wrong: Every students like the teacher. agreement (subject/verb, pronoun/antecedent, number, gender, case)Right: Every student likes the teacher.

Wrong: Although it was raining, but we had the picnic. problem with clause and phrase combination (coordination, subordination, conjunctions)Right: Although it was raining, we had the picnic.

Wrong: I enjoyed from the movie. problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.) OR problem with the use of prepositionsRight: I enjoyed the movie.

Wrong: I look forward to meet you. problem with inflected forms (nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs) OR problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.) OR error in part of speech (noun form for verb, adjective for adverb, etc.)

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Right: I look forward to meeting you.

Wrong: I like very much ice cream. dangling or misplaced modifier OR problem with word orderRight: I like ice cream very much.

Wrong: She can to drive. problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.)Right: She can drive.

Wrong: Where I can find a bank? problem with word order OR indirect vs. direct question or speechRight: Where can I find a bank?

Wrong: She asked where is the bank.problem with word order OR indirect vs. direct question or speechRight (always): She asked where the bank was.Right (but only in certain contexts): She asked where the bank is.

Wrong: I live in United States. problem with the use of the definite or indefinite articleRight: I live in the United States.

Wrong: When I will arrive, I will call you. problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.)Right: When I arrive, I will call you.

Wrong: I’ve been here since three months. Wrong: I am here since three months.problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.) OR problem with the use of prepositionsRight: I’ve been here for three months.

Wrong: My boyfriend has got a new work. problem with word choice (vocabulary, grammar, logic, register, set phrases, idioms)Right: My boyfriend has got a new job. (or, better, just "has a new job")

Wrong: She doesn’t listen me. problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.) OR problem with the use of prepositionsRight: She doesn’t listen to me.

Wrong: You speak English good. error in part of speech (noun form for verb, adjective for adverb, etc.)Right: You speak English well.

Wrong: The police is coming. agreement (subject/verb, pronoun/antecedent, number, gender, case)

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Right: The police are coming.Note: In some cases, there is a difference here between American and British usage.

Wrong: The house isn’t enough big. problem with word orderRight: The house isn’t big enough.

Wrong: You should not to smoke. problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.)Right: You should not smoke.

Wrong: Do you like a glass of wine? problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.)Right: Would you like a glass of wine?

Wrong: There is seven girls in the class. agreement (subject/verb, pronoun/antecedent, number, gender, case)Right: There are seven girls in the class.

Wrong: I didn’t meet nobody. problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.) OR problem with word choice (vocabulary, grammar, logic, register, set phrases, idioms)Right: I didn’t meet anybody.

Wrong: My flight departs in 5:00 am. problem with the use of prepositions OR problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.)Right: My flight departs at 5:00 am.

Wrong: I promise I call you next week. problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.) OR word(s) missingRight: I promise I’ll call you next week.Right: I promise to call you next week.

Wrong: Where is post office? problem with the use of the definite or indefinite articleRight: Where is the post office?

Wrong: Please explain me how improve my English. problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.) OR problem with noun, adjective, or pronoun phrase or usage OR problem with the use of prepositionsRight: Please explain to me how to improve my English.

Wrong: We studied during four hours. problem with the use of prepositionsRight: We studied for four hours.

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Wrong: Is ready my passport? problem with word order OR indirect vs. direct question or speechRight: Is my passport ready?

Wrong: You cannot buy all what you like! problem with noun, adjective, or pronoun phrase or usage OR problem with word choice (vocabulary, grammar, logic, register, set phrases, idioms) OR problem with noun, adjective, or pronoun phrase or usageRight: You cannot buy all that you like!

Wrong: She is success. error in part of speech (noun form for verb, adjective for adverb, etc.)Right: She is successful.

Wrong: My mother wanted that I be doctor. problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.)Right: My mother wanted me to be a doctor.

Wrong: The life is hard! problem with the use of the definite or indefinite articleRight: Life is hard.

Wrong: How many childrens you have? problem with inflected forms (nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs)Right: How many children do you have?

Wrong: My brother has 10 years. problem with word choice (vocabulary, grammar, logic, register, set phrases, idioms)Right: My brother is 10 (years old).

Wrong: I want eat now. problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.)Right: I want to eat now.

Wrong: You are very nice, as your mother. problem with word choice (vocabulary, grammar, logic, register, set phrases, idioms)Right: You are very nice, like your mother.

Wrong: She said me that she liked you. problem with word choice (vocabulary, grammar, logic, register, set phrases, idioms)Right: She told me that she liked you.

Wrong: My husband engineer. word(s) missing OR problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.)Right: My husband is an engineer.

Wrong: I came Australia to study English.

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problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.) OR word(s) missing OR problem with the use of prepositionsRight: I came to Australia to study English.

Wrong: It is more hot now. problem with inflected forms (nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs) OR problem with noun, adjective, or pronoun phrase or usageRight: It’s hotter now.

Wrong: You can give me an information? problem with noun, adjective, or pronoun phrase or usage OR problem with the use of the definite or indefinite articleRight: Can you give me some information?The difference here is based on the distinction between count nouns and non-count (or mass) nouns. The online ESL dictionary always explains which category a noun belongs to in its different meanings.

Wrong: They cooked the dinner themself. singular / plural / possessiveRight: They cooked the dinner themselves.

Wrong: Me and Johnny live here. problem with inflected forms (nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs) AND problem with word orderRight: Johnny and I live here.

Wrong: I closed very quietly the door. problem with word orderRight: I closed the door very quietly.

Wrong: You like dance with me? problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.)Right: Would you like to dance with me?

Wrong: I go always to school by subway. problem with word orderRight: I always go to school by subway.

Wrong: If I will be in London, I will contact to you. problem with verb phrase (tense, agreement, government, word order, subject, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and collocations, etc.)Right: If I am in London, I will contact you.

Wrong: We drive usually to home. dangling or misplaced modifier OR problem with word order AND problem with the use of prepositionsRight: We usually drive home.

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A BRIEF EXCERPT FROM WILLIAM STRUNK’STHE ELEMENTS OF STYLE

13. Omit needless wordsVigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell.

Many expressions in common use violate this principle:

the question as to whether → whether (the question whether)there is no doubt but that → no doubt (doubtless)used for fuel purposes → used for fuelhe is a man who → hein a hasty manner → hastilythis is a subject which → this subjectHis story is a strange one. → His story is strange.

Especially the expression “the fact that” should be revised out of every sentence in which it occurs.

owing to the fact that → since (because)in spite of the fact that → though (although)call your attention to the fact that → remind you (notify you) OR notice thatI was unaware of the fact that → I was unaware that (did not know)the fact that he had not succeeded → his failurethe fact that I had arrived → my arrival

See also under case, character, nature, system in Chapter V.

“Who is,” “which was,” and the like are often superfluous. His brother, who is a member of the same firm → His brother, a member of the same firmTrafalgar, which was Nelson’s last battle → Trafalgar, Nelson’s last battle

A positive statement is more concise than a negative one, and the active voice more concise than the passive, many of the examples given under Rules 11 and 12 illustrate this rule as well.