A GRAM OF

GRAMMAR
D R . F E M . TA N G A L I N
D M M M S U- S LUC
AGOO, LA UNION

February 21th
Dear Alan Thompson
Thank you for your letter from February 18 and for your
interest in our products.
I am sorry to hear that you wont be able to attend our
presentation on March but I hope we can to arrange a later
date. We're planning another presentation for April 11. I
attach a copy of our latest catalogue and prize list Contact
me again if you need any more informations.
I look forward to hear from you. Your sincerely
Paul Jones

8 COMMON GRAMMAR ERRORS

IN TECHNICAL WRITING
Faulty Diction
Verb Forms and Tenses
Disagreement of Subject and Verb
Misplaced & dangling modifiers
Unparalleled structures
Inconsistency of tense, number, person
Fragment & Run-on Sentences
Punctuation marks

FAULTY DICTION
DICTION choice of words

ACCEPT VS. EXCEPT

Accept I accept the nomination. ( to
take, to receive)
Except - All the students except Rosita
passed the examination. (excluding)

AFFECT VS. EFFECT

Affect - We were affected by the change in the
administration (have an influence on)
Effect The new administration effected a few
changes in the policy. ( to cause, produce, results in)
What will be the effect of increased taxes upon the
people?

ALL READY VS. ALREADY

all ready - Are the children all ready to go to
school? (everything is set, everybody is
prepared)
already You have already seen this.
(previously, before the specified time)

ALL RIGHT VS. ALRIGHT

all right All right is overused to mean very
well and satisfactory
Everything is all right.
Alright is NOT recorded in any standard
dictionary and is to be avoided

BESIDE VS. BESIDES

Beside- The secretary sat beside her boss.
( prep. next to, close to)
Besides Several employees, besides their
supervisors, were given awards. ( prep. In
addition to)

BRING VS. TAKE

Bring Please bring me the reports on the
seminar.( to indicate movement toward that
speaker)
Take I asked the liaison officer to take the
papers to the main office. (to indicate a
movement away from the speaker)

COMPLEMENT VS. COMPLIMENT

complement The sauce complements the
meat dish. (to supply a deficiency, a
complete set)
compliment Let me compliment you on
your good cooking. (a formal expression of
courtesy, praise)

 Different than is not accepted

Different from - She is different from her
sister in many ways.

LESS VS. FEW

Less- There is less sugar in that bowl.
( refers to amount)
Few - There are fewer students in the library.
(refers to number)

LOSE VS. LOOSE

lose We cannot afford to lose this game.
( to be deprive of, be defeated)

loose Her dress is too loose for her.

(unbound, not fixed)

STATIONARY VS. STATIONERY

stationary That star seems to be
in a stationary position. ( fixed, not
moving)
stationery Kindly give me some
of your office stationery. (writing
materials)

GOOD VS. WELL

Mistake:We are pleased to report that the
mutual funds performed good this fiscal year.
Correction:We are pleased to report that the
mutual funds performed well this fiscal year.
"Good" is an adjective, and "well" in this context is
an adverb.

VERB FORMS
BASE

PAST

Arrive

Arrived

PAST
PARTICIPLE
Arrived

Go

Went

Gone

Hide

Hid

hidden

VERB FORMS
BASE VERB no change; no addition
a. To + base = to go ( not to went)
b. Will/would
can/could
+ BASE
will go
might arrive
may/might
c. Do
does
+ BASE
Where did the incident
happen?
did

VERB FORMS
PAST FORM used by itself
- when there are no auxiliary verbs
The meeting was presided over by the
Director.
It started at exactly 9 oclock in the morning
and was adjourned at 11:00.

VERB FORMS
PAST PARTICIPLE
a. Has/have/had + Past Participle
b. Is/am/are/was/were + Past Participle
.The meeting will be held at 8:30 on
Wednesday, July 2, 2015 in the Conference
Room.

TRY THIS!

Teenagers have change their outlook in life.

Many students failed last year because they did
not took their studies seriously.
People lose their respect for the government
officials who are find guilty of enriching
themselves while in office.
The car that gone into flames was bought only
last year.
Many persons have chose to suffer than give up
their principles.

 Their pleas fallen into deaf ears.

Sufferings are usually bear by Filipino
mothers without complaint.
The sun had rose when we woke up.
Food technology students are teach
how to set tables attractively.
Filipino soldiers were known to have
fight valiantly in the last world war.

Simple

Perfect

PRESENT

Simple Present

Present Perfect

PAST

Simple Past

Past Perfect

FUTURE

Simple
Future
0

Future Perfect

Present

Write/writes
Walk/walks

Has/have written
Has/have walked

Past

Wrote
Walked

Had written
Had walked

Future

Will write
Will walk

Will have written

Will have walked

have + -en

Progressive

Perfect
Progressive
Present
Present Perfect
Progressive
Progressive
Past Progressive
Past Perfect
Progressive
Future
Future Perfect
Progressive
Progressive
be + -ing
have + -en be +
-ing
Am/is/are writing Has/have been
Am/is/are
writing
walking
Has/have been
walking
Was/were writing Had been writing
Was/were
Has been
walking
walking
Will be writing
Will have been
Will be walking
writing
Will have been
walking

This is a follow up of the letter forwarded to your office

in August last year regarding my willingness and
interest to continue offering photocopying services in
this campus which has been going on for the last ten
years.
It is with much regret, however, that the existing
contract has not been renewed during the last three
consecutive years of operation. Nevertheless, in spite
of my failure to apply for the renewal of our contract,
my monthly rentals did never cease, except for a few
months failure to pay the rentals due to reasons I
presented to you last Monday. This I guarantee to
settle in a short period.

In regard to this, I would like to express my

earnest intention to enter into another contract
which will legitimize my photocopying services
in this campus, this time expanding the
operation and bringing it closer to the clienteles
in the ICHAMS and other units.

As usual, I would be much willing to negotiate

with your office regarding this matter on terms
and conditions beneficial and advantageous to
both this campus and my business interest.

We thank you very much for generously accommodating

our Elementary Laboratory School faculty members and
pupils during their educational trip to Vigan City.
The Laboratory High School faculty members and
students of DMMMSU-Agoo Campus would also like to
visit your campus, as it (be include) in our itinerary of
travel to Vigan City during our educational trip on
November 5, 2015.
We regret that we (not able) to come to visit you last
October 27 as per information we (send) you through
LBC, days before the scheduled trip.

UNP (be) our first destination point. In this

regard, we would like to request the use of
the facilities of your canteen pavilion as we
(have) our breakfast there.
We would
likewise request that we be provided with
at least 4 tour guides to see us through the
City tourist spots.

The College of Education, more particularly the

Elementary and Secondary Laboratory Schools
Faculty and Staff, the Graduating Class and
Academic Awardees of 2005, and their parents,
(request) the honor of your presence to be the
Guest Of Honor and Speaker during the 24th
Joint Elementary and Secondary Schools
Graduation
Exercises
and
Annual
Recognition Rites.

The Joint Graduation Exercises and Annual

Recognition Rites (hold) at eight oclock in the
morning on March 31 at the Jose D. Aspiras
Hall.
As a tradition, we always (give) our graduating
class and awardees one big surprise of a
priceless gifts of wisdom, guidance, and
inspiration they would cherish for life on such a
momentous occasion.
And we (make) that
possible --- through you.

Your notable achievements and dedication to your

chosen career, your integrity, your acumen, and zest
for life (make) you the best, the most competent, and
the fairest choice to exhort and inspire our graduates
and awardees in both levels, and to serve for them as
an epitome of a successful alumna worth emulating.
Besides your being our unanimous choice, the occasion
(also serve) as an opportunity for us to reminisce the
past and strengthen our commitment for a renewed
and lasting partnership and cooperation---all for the
sake of our Laboratory Schools.
Please be our most valued guest during the affair.

SUBJECT-VERB CONCORD
SINGULAR NOUN --- SINGULAR VERB (Vs)
PLURAL SUBJECT ---- PLURAL VERB (Vo)

1. Our plans, subject to approval, (is, are) now ready.

2. Neither (has, have) signed the contract.
3. The director, as well as his associates, (is, are) here.
4. A number of traffic accidents (has, have)
increased.
5. The most difficult part of a grammar lesson (is, are)
the forms and tenses of verbs.

6. A skull and crossbones (was, were) the emblem of

pirate ships.
7. A pencil and a pad paper (was, were) beside the
telephone.
8. Every corner and cabinet in his study room (was,
were) bulging with books.
9. A list of the investors with their contributions (was,
were) published.
10.The folder, together with the documents (has,
have) been misplaced.

11.The man to whom the invitations are offered

( refuse, refuses) to accept them.
12.The only thing that will be left in the folder (is,
are) the application letters.
13.Nobody except spiteful people (rejoice, rejoices)
at the misfortunes of others.
14.When I am on stage, neither my memory nor
my voice (is, are) reliable.
15.A series of lectures (was, were) held in the AVR.

MISPLACED AND DANGLING

MODIFIERS
In the lobby of a Moscow hotel:
You are welcome to visit the
cemetery where famous Russian and
Soviet composers, artists and writers
are buried daily except Thursday.

In a Tokyo bar:
Special cocktails for the ladies with
nuts.

In the window of a Swedish furrier:

Fur coats made for ladies from their own
skin.

DANGLING MODIFIERS
WRONG: Being an excellent typist, the office should be
her place.
RIGHT: Being an excellent typist, she should stay in the
office.

DANGLING MODIFIERS
WRONG: Torn and mutilated, the screening
committee did not accept his papers.
RIGHT: Torn and mutilated, his papers were not
accepted by the screening committee.

DANGLING MODIFIERS
WRONG: Deciding to purchase a piece of real
estate, an agreement was negotiated by
the buyer and seller.
RIGHT: Deciding to purchase a piece of real
estate, the buyer and seller negotiated an
agreement.

MISPLACED MODIFIERS
An adjective is placed closest to the word it
modifies.
A large number of undeposited checks were
found in the file cabinets worth over P50,000.
A large number of undeposited checks worth
over P50,000.00 were found in the file cabinets.

DANGLING MODIFIERS
While answering the phone, his calculator
fell to the floor.
While he was answering the phone, his
calculator fell to the floor.
While he was answering the phone, he didnt
realize that his calculator fell to the floor.

INCONSISTENCIES IN SENTENCE
CONSTRUCTION
INCONSISTENCY IN NUMBER
WRONG: If one wants to be promoted, they should manifest
their love and commitment to the company.
RIGHT: If they want to be promoted, they should manifest
their love and commitment to the company.

ERRORS IN SENTENCE
CONSTRUCTION
INCONSISTENCY IN PERSON
WRONG: If he wishes to succeed, you should
not give up.
RIGHT: If he wishes to succeed, he should not
give up.

ERRORS IN SENTENCE
CONSTRUCTION
INCONSISTENCY IN TENSE
WRONG: The client asked what he should do
next. So I tell him to fill out the form.
RIGHT: The client asked what he should do next.
So I told him to fill out the form.

PLS. CORRECT ME. IM WRONG!

1. When you wish your work to be done well, he
should do it himself.
2. It is probable that every one will do their best
to win.
3. The laborers went to work but little was
finished.
4. Every man must do their share in the
undertaking.
5. If a student wishes to get good grades, you
should study hard.

6. He said that we knew it, but we dont.

7. He did not get the job because he was not prepared
for them.
8. When one works hard, you will succeed.
9. After people have worked long and hard, we need
time for relaxation.
10.None of the delegates who were housed in our room
admitted their fault vandalizing.

11.What an opportunity he had, yet how poorly he use it

12.He was staring at the girl by the vending machine
wearing dark glasses.
13.I found a huge boulder taking a shortcut through the
woods.
14.One midnight we heard loud screams we peeked out
from behind the shades but could see nothing.
15.Being an excellent typist, the office should be her place.

PARALLELISM
Faulty Parallelism

Corrected Version

It was both a long ceremony and The ceremony was both long and
very tedious.
tedious.
A time not for words, but action

A time not for words, but for

action
Either you must grant his request You must either grant his request
or incur his ill will.
or incur his ill will.
My objections are, first, the
My objections are, first, that the
injustice of the measure; second, measure is unjust; second, that it
that it is unconstitutional.
is unconstitutional.

PARALLELISM
Faulty Parallelism

Corrected Version

My income is smaller than my wife.

My income is smaller than my wife's.

Despite the high esteem in which I

hold Ms. Jones, I believe that Mr.
Smith is more familiar with the
company's cash disbursements
than her.

Despite the high esteem in which I

hold Ms. Jones, I believe that Mr.
Smith is more familiar with the
company's cash disbursements
than she.

My job is as important as you.

My job is as important as yours.

FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ON SENTENCES

Regarding your letter of April 15 about the
recent revisions to the BIR and their
implications for the economy.
Thank you for your letter of April 15 about the recent
revisions to the BIR and their implications for the
economy.

FRAGMENTS
If the results are not available by the close of
business today.
While some people carefully consider the attributes
of the candidates running for the presidency and
often find the candidates lacking .

RUN-ON SENTENCE
Wrong: I love technical communication it is a great
class.
Correct: I love technical communication because it is a
great class.
Wrong: Technical communication requires study, it can
be difficult.
Correct: Technical communication requires study; it can be
difficult.
Or: Technical communication requires study, and it can be
difficult.

RUN-ON SENTENCE
We asked the director to look at the problem he
is an expert in the field.
Reggie is a licensed attorney he has chosen to
devote his life to his first loveteaching.
Cara was shy she usually refused all party
invitations.

PUNCTUATION MARKS

PUNCTUATION MARKS