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Saturday, September 13, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Portfolio ITEM 2: Grammar Mistakes
W5T2
ITEM 2: Grammar Mistakes
The most common grammar mistake that I always make is parallelism or parallel structure.
Definition:
Parallelism means expressing each item or idea in a sentence in the similar grammatical form.
How to use parallelism correctly:
1) Words and Phrases
a) Parallelism with –ing form (gerund) of words:
If the first item is in –ing form, the rest items must be in –ing form.
Parallel: He likes playing soccer and watching movie.
Non-parallel: He likes playing soccer and to watch movie.
b) Parallelism with infinitive phrases:
Parallel: He likes to play soccer and to watch movie.
OR
He likes to play soccer and watch movie.
Non-parallel: He likes to play soccer and watching movie.
2) Clauses
If the first item is clause, the rest items have to be clause. Replacing with another form or altering the voice of the verb (from active to passive or vice versa) will violate the principle of parallelism.
Parallel: The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too much, and that they should do some warm-up exercises before the game.
OR
The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, not eat too much, and do some warm-up exercises before the game.
Non-Parallel: The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too much, and to do some warm-up exercises before the game.
3) Lists after a colon
Make sure all the items in a list are in the similar form; otherwise, it breaks the parallelism.
Parallel: The dictionary can be used for these purposes: to find word meanings, pronunciations, correct spellings, and irregular verbs.
Non-parallel: The dictionary can be used for these purposes: to find word meanings, pronunciations, correct spellings, and looking up irregular verbs.
4) Parallelism with an article (a, an or the) or preposition
It applies to all the items in the sentence.
It must either appear before the first item only or be repeated before each item.
Parallel: Jimmy has a gold coin, a silver coin, and a platinum coin in his pocket.
Non-parallel: Jimmy has a gold coin, a silver coin and platinum coin in his pocket.
Parallel: Alan tends to skip his lecture on Monday, on Thursday and on Friday.
OR
Alan tends to skip his lecture on Monday, Thursday and Friday.
Non-parallel: Alan tends to skip his lecture on Monday, Thursday and on Friday.
5) Parallelism with phases or clauses of comparison
Examples of words of comparison:
…than…
…as…
Parallel: I would rather eat noodle than eat rice.
Non-parallel: I would rather eat noodle than to eat rice.
6) parallelism with coordinators
examples of coordinators:
… and …
… or …
… but …
If the items (words, phases, and clauses) are connected by a coordinator, they have to be in parallel structure.
Parallel: Sue has trouble doing algebra, learning physics, and understanding grammar.
Non-parallel: Sue has trouble doing algebra, physics, and understanding grammar.
Parallel: When Friday rolls around, do you go to the mall, head for a bar, or go to work?
Non-parallel: When Friday rolls around, do you go to the mall, head for a bar, or are you going to work?
7) Parallelism with correlative (paired) conjunctions
Examples of paired conjunctions:
both… and …
either … or …
neither … not …
not only … but also …
whether … or …
Each item is placed directly after the paired conjunction in the sentence.
Parallel: I like both skiing and skating.
We will travel either by car or by bus.
Many people in the world can neither read nor write.
The boys have not only cut the grass but also weeded the garden.
I can not decide whether to read a book or to watch television.
Proofreading Strategies for parallelism:
1) Skim your paper, pausing at the words "and" and "or." Check on each side of these words to see whether the items joined are parallel. If not, make them parallel.
2) If you have several items in a list, put them in a column to see if they are parallel.
3) Listen to the sound of the items in a list or the items being compared. Do you hear the same kinds of sounds? For example, is there a series of "-ing" words beginning each item? Or do your hear a rhythm being repeated? If something is breaking that rhythm or repetition of sound, check to see if it needs to be made parallel.
Exercise:
http://courses.nus.edu.sg/courseware/ITSELF/downloadexercise/gpai.doc
User Name: nusstu\ (your id)
Password: your password
Sources:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_parallel.html
http://bellevuecollege.edu/writinglab/PDF%20Docs/Parallel%20Structure.pdf
http://homepages.cambrianc.on.ca/tutorial/thetutorialcentre/writing/parallel_structure.htm
http://www.evergreen.edu/writingcenter/handouts/grammar/parallel.pdf
http://aliscot.com/bigdog/parallel_exercise.htm
ITEM 2: Grammar Mistakes
The most common grammar mistake that I always make is parallelism or parallel structure.
Definition:
Parallelism means expressing each item or idea in a sentence in the similar grammatical form.
How to use parallelism correctly:
1) Words and Phrases
a) Parallelism with –ing form (gerund) of words:
If the first item is in –ing form, the rest items must be in –ing form.
Parallel: He likes playing soccer and watching movie.
Non-parallel: He likes playing soccer and to watch movie.
b) Parallelism with infinitive phrases:
Parallel: He likes to play soccer and to watch movie.
OR
He likes to play soccer and watch movie.
Non-parallel: He likes to play soccer and watching movie.
2) Clauses
If the first item is clause, the rest items have to be clause. Replacing with another form or altering the voice of the verb (from active to passive or vice versa) will violate the principle of parallelism.
Parallel: The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too much, and that they should do some warm-up exercises before the game.
OR
The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, not eat too much, and do some warm-up exercises before the game.
Non-Parallel: The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too much, and to do some warm-up exercises before the game.
3) Lists after a colon
Make sure all the items in a list are in the similar form; otherwise, it breaks the parallelism.
Parallel: The dictionary can be used for these purposes: to find word meanings, pronunciations, correct spellings, and irregular verbs.
Non-parallel: The dictionary can be used for these purposes: to find word meanings, pronunciations, correct spellings, and looking up irregular verbs.
4) Parallelism with an article (a, an or the) or preposition
It applies to all the items in the sentence.
It must either appear before the first item only or be repeated before each item.
Parallel: Jimmy has a gold coin, a silver coin, and a platinum coin in his pocket.
Non-parallel: Jimmy has a gold coin, a silver coin and platinum coin in his pocket.
Parallel: Alan tends to skip his lecture on Monday, on Thursday and on Friday.
OR
Alan tends to skip his lecture on Monday, Thursday and Friday.
Non-parallel: Alan tends to skip his lecture on Monday, Thursday and on Friday.
5) Parallelism with phases or clauses of comparison
Examples of words of comparison:
…than…
…as…
Parallel: I would rather eat noodle than eat rice.
Non-parallel: I would rather eat noodle than to eat rice.
6) parallelism with coordinators
examples of coordinators:
… and …
… or …
… but …
If the items (words, phases, and clauses) are connected by a coordinator, they have to be in parallel structure.
Parallel: Sue has trouble doing algebra, learning physics, and understanding grammar.
Non-parallel: Sue has trouble doing algebra, physics, and understanding grammar.
Parallel: When Friday rolls around, do you go to the mall, head for a bar, or go to work?
Non-parallel: When Friday rolls around, do you go to the mall, head for a bar, or are you going to work?
7) Parallelism with correlative (paired) conjunctions
Examples of paired conjunctions:
both… and …
either … or …
neither … not …
not only … but also …
whether … or …
Each item is placed directly after the paired conjunction in the sentence.
Parallel: I like both skiing and skating.
We will travel either by car or by bus.
Many people in the world can neither read nor write.
The boys have not only cut the grass but also weeded the garden.
I can not decide whether to read a book or to watch television.
Proofreading Strategies for parallelism:
1) Skim your paper, pausing at the words "and" and "or." Check on each side of these words to see whether the items joined are parallel. If not, make them parallel.
2) If you have several items in a list, put them in a column to see if they are parallel.
3) Listen to the sound of the items in a list or the items being compared. Do you hear the same kinds of sounds? For example, is there a series of "-ing" words beginning each item? Or do your hear a rhythm being repeated? If something is breaking that rhythm or repetition of sound, check to see if it needs to be made parallel.
Exercise:
http://courses.nus.edu.sg/courseware/ITSELF/downloadexercise/gpai.doc
User Name: nusstu\ (your id)
Password: your password
Sources:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_parallel.html
http://bellevuecollege.edu/writinglab/PDF%20Docs/Parallel%20Structure.pdf
http://homepages.cambrianc.on.ca/tutorial/thetutorialcentre/writing/parallel_structure.htm
http://www.evergreen.edu/writingcenter/handouts/grammar/parallel.pdf
http://aliscot.com/bigdog/parallel_exercise.htm
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