2.0 Quick Grammar Review

1.0 Curing Wordiness	2.1 Parallel Logic 2.2 Modifier Placement 2.3 Sentence Fragments 2.4 Split Infinitives 2.5 Pronoun Reference 2.6 A Generic Solution
3.0 Dissolving Writer's Block
4.0 Punctuation Guide
5.0 Troubleshooting Sentences
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2.1 Parallel Logic

2.1.1 Lists
When you include a list in your writing, make sure each item listed serves the same function in the sentence. If you start mixing nouns, participles, and infinitives, your reader may get lost.
- [x] We really like to swim, our children, and eating fresh strawberries.
  
  We really like swimming, spending time with our children, and eating fresh strawberries.
This principle also applies to words requiring prepositions:
- [x] We were staring and listening to her.
  We were listening to--and staring at--her.
2.1.2 Verb Tense
Unless your meaning changes its time frame, keep your verb tenses consistent.
- [x] I saw some friends by the waterfall and I'm walking toward them when suddenly my clothes go floating down the stream.
  
  I saw some friends by the waterfall, and was walking toward them when suddenly my clothes went floating down the stream.
2.1.3 Agreement
The subject and verb of your sentence should agree in number: singular subjects need singular verb forms; plural subjects, plural forms.
Generic pronouns, like "one", "no one", "nobody", and "everybody", are singular in number, so
"Everyone in the world likes my tarantula" is correct, but [x] "None of them dislike her" is incorrect.

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2.2 Modifier Placement

Change this:	to this:
Put your modifiers as close to their referents as possible.
[x] They could see the eagles swooping and diving with binoculars.	With their binoculars, they could see the eagles swooping and diving.
[x] Rising over the trees, the campers saw a bright red sun.	The campers saw a bright red sun rising over the trees.
[x] Towels are required to work out.	To work out, you must have a towel.

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2.3 Sentence Fragments

Change this:	to this:
[x] She reached for her espresso. As her truck went rolling down the hill.	As her truck went rolling down the hill, she reached for her espresso.
[x] I want three burritos. Because my childhood was devoid of tortillas.	I want three burritos because my childhood was devoid of tortillas.

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2.4 Split Infinitives

Change this:	to this:
If possible, keep your infinitives intact--but not at the expense of meaning or fluency.
[x] We aim to boldly go where no one has gone before.	We aim to go boldly where no one has gone before.
Exceptions usually involve extent (just, even, at least, really, totally, etc.): 'I don't even want to eat fajitas' doesn't mean the same thing as "I don't want to even eat fajitas' or "I don't want to eat even fajitas', so to preserve your meaning (and to observe the conventions of modifier placement), you'll need to split infinitives here and there.

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2.5 Pronoun Reference

Pronouns substitute for nouns, which antecede (go before) them. Make sure it's clear which noun is the pronoun's antecedent.
Pronouns do not stand in for entire thoughts or clauses:
[x] I brought my flower arrangement to the door which looked sort of like school, but it didn't bother me. It reminded me of the garden by my grandma's house. After the recipient closed it, I went home.
The officer said I was going 75, which she believes caused the accident.
Try:
I brought the flower arrangement that reminded me of my grandma's garden to the door, which looks like the doors at school, but the resemblance didn't bother me. After the recipient of the flowers closed the door, I went home.
The officer believes that I was going 75 and thinks my speed caused the accident.
Pronouns must follow the nouns they stand for.

2.6 A Generic Solution

Most of us make grammatical mistakes not because we're slow learners, but because our syntax gets too complicated too quickly. Here's a panacea: if you strip your sentence down to the bare bones, you can spot and prevent problems easily. Reading it aloud also helps.

Problem Sentence Core of the Problem Solution

[x] It really pleases my friend Laura and I. [x] It pleases I.
Solution: It really pleases my friend Laura and me.

[x] I'm not so quick a thinker that when students ask me questions that I instantly find the right answer. [x] I'm not so quick a thinker that that I find the right answer. I'm not so quick a thinker that when students ask me questions I instantly find the right answer.

[x] DAT decks come in two types: the professional models, which don't observe SCMS coding (copy-protection). The consumer kind is cheaper, but it uses SCMS. [x] DAT decks come in two types: the professional kind. DAT decks come in two types: the professional kind, which ignores SCMS (copy protection) coding, and the consumer kind, which prohibits serial copying.

[x] The department requires twelve units which only nine must be completed by M.A. students. [x] The department requires twelve units which only nine.... The department requires twelve units, only nine of which must be completed by M.A. students.

[x] Cats, relatives of desert-dwelling lions, aren't used to water and it becomes disturbing to them, a strange element to which they're not acclimated to. [x] Cats aren't used to water and it becomes a strange element to which they're not acclimated to. Cats, relatives of desert-dwelling lions, aren't used to water and it becomes disturbing to them, a strange element to which they're not acclimated.

Problem Sentence	Core of the Problem	Solution
[x] It really pleases my friend Laura and I.	[x] It pleases I.	Solution: It really pleases my friend Laura and me.
[x] I'm not so quick a thinker that when students ask me questions that I instantly find the right answer.	[x] I'm not so quick a thinker that that I find the right answer.	I'm not so quick a thinker that when students ask me questions I instantly find the right answer.
[x] DAT decks come in two types: the professional models, which don't observe SCMS coding (copy-protection). The consumer kind is cheaper, but it uses SCMS.	[x] DAT decks come in two types: the professional kind.	DAT decks come in two types: the professional kind, which ignores SCMS (copy protection) coding, and the consumer kind, which prohibits serial copying.
[x] The department requires twelve units which only nine must be completed by M.A. students.	[x] The department requires twelve units which only nine....	The department requires twelve units, only nine of which must be completed by M.A. students.
[x] Cats, relatives of desert-dwelling lions, aren't used to water and it becomes disturbing to them, a strange element to which they're not acclimated to.	[x] Cats aren't used to water and it becomes a strange element to which they're not acclimated to.	Cats, relatives of desert-dwelling lions, aren't used to water and it becomes disturbing to them, a strange element to which they're not acclimated.

If one of your sentences doesn't feel quite right, strip it down and rebuild it from a core agent and action.

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