100 Golden Rules of Sentence Correction

 

100 golden rules of Sentence Correction A. SUBJECT- VERB AGREEMENT

1. TwoormoreSingularSubjectsconnectedbyandusuallytakeaVerbin thePlural. For eam!le" #ncorrect$ %ari and &amis here. Correct$ %ari and&am arehere. '. #f twoSingular (ouns refer tothe same!ersono r thing" the Verbmust be Singular. #ncorrect$ TheSecretary andPrinci!al arecoming. Correct$ TheSecretary and Princi!alis coming. )%erethe same !ersonis .Secretary as well asPrinci!al* +. #f theSingular Subjects are!receded byeach or e,ery"the Verbis usually Singular. For eam!le" #ncorrect$ -,ery boy and girlwere ready. Correct$ -,ery boy and girl was ready. . Twoor moreSingular Subjects connectedbyor" nor"either ..... or"neither .... nor takeaVerb inthe Singular. For eam!le" #ncorrect$ (either henor # werethere. Correct$ (either he nor # was there. /. henthe Subjects joinedby or2nor areof different numbers" theVerb must bePlural" and thePlural Subject must be !lacednet tothe Verb. For eam!le" lncorrect$ (either the 3ssistant 4astersnor the %eadmaster was !resent. Correct$ (either the %eadmaster nor the 3ssistant 4asters were !resent.  5. henthe Subjects joinedby or"nor areof different !ersons" theVerb agreesin!erson withthe one nearest toit. For eam!le" #ncorrect$ -ither heor # is mistaken. Correct$ -ither he or #" ammistaken. 6. 3Collecti,e (ountakes aSingular Verb whenthe collection is thought of asawhole" a Plural Verb whentheindi,iduals of whichit is com!osed arethought of. For eam!le" Correct$ TheCouncil has chosenthe President. Correct$ Themilitary werecalled out. 7. Some(ouns whicharesingular inform but !lural inmeaning" takea PluralVerb. For eam!le" #ncorrect$ 4athematicsarea branchof study ine,ery school. Correct$ 4athematicsisa branchof study ine,ery school. 8. ords joined toa Singular Subject by with" together with" inaddition to" or"as well as" etc. are !arenthetical" and thereforedo not affect the number of the Verb. For eam!le" #ncorrect$ TheChief" withall his men"weremassacred .9Correct$The chief" withall his men" was massacred. 10. henthe Subject of the Verbis a&elati,e Pronouncare should betakent osee that theVerb agrees in(umber and Personwith the 3ntecedent of the relati,e. For eam!le" #ncorrect$ #"who is your friend".will guardyou"r interests. Correct$ #"who am your friend will guardyour interests.

B. USES OF PARTICIPLES AND INFINITIVES 11. 3sk" ad,ise" allow"command" force" forbid" in,ite" encourage" com!el" beg" order9" imagine" instruct" !ermit" !ersuade" tell" re:uire" remind" teach" etc. are followedby ;bject < To now is followedby how2 where2when2why and #nfi niti,e. For eam!le" #ncorrect$ #know towritea letter. Correct$ #know how towrite aletter. 1+. 3fter let" bid" behold" watch" see" feel" makeetc. we use =are$#nfiniti,e andnot To$infiniti,e. For eam!le" #ncorrect$ #heardhim to s!eak onse,eralsubjects. Correct$ # heardhim s!eak onse,eral subjects. 1. =are#nfiniti,e is used after 4odal3uiliaries )can" could" may" might" shall" should" will" would" must" darenot" need not*. For eam!le" #ncorrect$ ?ouneed not towork hard. Correct$ ?ouneednot work hard. 1/.%adbetter"hadrather"hadassoon... as..." hadsooneretc.arefol$lowedby=are#nfiniti,e. e. For eam!le" #ncorrect$ %e hadbetter togo now. Correct$ %e hadbetter gonow.15. Conjunctionthan is alsofol@lowedby =are#nfiniti,e. For eam!le" #ncorrect$ %ehad better readthanto write. Correct$ %e hadbetter read thanwrite. 16. henbut is used as aPre!ositionand!recededby anyformof the Verbdo" thenbut is followedwith=are#nfiniti,e. #ncorrect$ %e did nothing but towander. Correct$ %e did nothing but wander. 17. -,ery Partici!ile must ha,e aSubject of &eference. For eam!le" #ncorrect$ =einga rainy day Vijay decidedto stay at home. Correct$ #tbeing a rainy day Vijay decided tostay at home. 18. For com!letedaction %a,ing < Vais usedin 3cti,eVoice" whereas %a,ing