LanguageTeach

San Jose City College

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Error Analysis
Sentences hold your thoughts. Craft them with care.

FIVE CATEGORIES OF SENTENCE ERRORS:
Sentence Order | Filler Subjects and Repeated Subjects | Adjective Clauses | Omitted and Unnecessary Words | Joining Ideas

	Error Type 2: Problems with Using Filler Subjects ← Click It is called a filler subject because it is in subject (initial) position in the sentence. As a filler subject, it is an empty pronoun. It has no meaning. The filler it is used for time, distance, weather, and description. Example: It is difficult descriptionto learn English, which means learning English is difficult. There is a filler subject because it holds the place of the real subject. Example: There are several ways to learn English. The real subject is ways. Filler subjects are often called dummy subjects. Click the icon under comments and scroll to the end of each window.	Comments
1.	Stress is not easy to get over it.	Stress is not easy to get over. correct incorrect It is not easy to get over stress. correct incorrect There are two ways to write the sentence correctly. The more idiomatic way is with the filler subject it.
2.	To achieve the happiness is necessary be honest with our partner.	Which filler subject does this sentence require? it there The filler should be placed before... is necessary be honest Is the article "the" necessary before the general noun "happiness"? yes no What part of speech should follow the adjective "necessary"? being honest (gerund) to be honest (infinitive) Click the book for the revision: To achieve happiness, it is necessary to be honest with one's partner.
3.	Although the tuition and fees at community colleges have increased gradually, they only need to be spend several hundred to a thousand dollars a year for a full time student.	In which clause could a filler subject be used? the first the second To replace the pronoun they, the writer should use... it there Need to be spent should be replaced by... cost costs Click the book for revision: Although tuition and fees at community colleges have increased gradually, it only costs several hundred to a thousand dollars a year for a full time student.
4.	An example of why is important to know your responsibilities is that one day I was having trouble with my computer doing the schedules of my coworkers, but I didn't tell anybody and I wasn't doing my job right for two days.	What is important? To know your job. Click here for sentence with filler subject.It is important to know your job. Was the computer doing the schedule or the writer? the computer the writer For clarity the writer could insert ... while as What verb would be parallel with a previous verb? wasn't doing didn't do Click the book for revision: It is important to know your job. One day I was having trouble with my computer while doing the schedules of my co-workers, but I didn't tell anybody and I didn't do my job right for two days. • Sometimes two sentences are better than one! If using a computer program was the problem (not the computer itself), the following is possible: One day I was having trouble doing the schedules of my co-workers on my computer, but I didn't tell anybody and did my job wrong for two days.
5.	Most students struggle to pay their loans and since these loans are huge in amount it takes them years to pay back. As a result the graduates suffer economic loss and take them time to stand with their two feet.	Which sentence has an omitted filler subject? the first the second. Look at the infinitive "to pay." In its first use, what is missing? the direct object the particle In its second use, what is missing? the direct object the particle Click the book for revision: It takes years for most students to pay back huge college loans. As a result, graduates suffer economically, and it takes a long time to stand on their own two feet. [The meaning of the idiom is to become financially independent or to get out from under debt.]
6.	It was raining season, and one day, the rain made difficult to work in the fields.	If something is difficult, it is because of something else. In this case, working in the fields was difficult because of the rain. [note the gerund subject] After a filler subject, the infinitive is used after the verb. [It was difficult to work in the fields because of the rain.] What happens to the filler subject in the following sentence pattern? The rain made [click]it difficult [click] to work in the fields.
7.	I was a high tempo person, and I was easy to get mad.	The writer probably means he was a hot-tempered person. "I was easy to get mad" is nonidiomatic. What would you say? Click the possibilities to see if you're correct. Possibility 1I got mad easily. Possibility 2 It was easy for me to get mad.
8.	Because I had to leave my mother, my sisters, my brother, also was very stressfully for me.	What was stressful? Leaving my mother, my sisters, and my brother was very stressful. Rephrase the sentence using the filler subject it. Click a ? in the frame if you need help. leaving my mother, my sisters, and my brother. The infinitive, to leave, would also be correct.
9.	Children are the easiest group to adapt to new concepts ~~and ideas~~.	Could this sentence be revised with a filler subject? yes no Could this sentence be revised by using adapt as the main verb? yes no Click for revision. It is easier for children to adapt to new ideas. Children adapt more easily to new ideas. Note that concepts and ideas are the same. Omit one.
10.	It seems to be not much people in touch with this value, however, in the U.S. exist a lot of people who believe in virginity.	There are several problems with this sentence. Many students use the word "exist" where the filler "there" would be more idiomatic. Click the book to see correct use of this filler subject and other corrections. Despite what people may think, in the U.S. there are a lot of people who value virginity.
11.	This is a value that had existed for many many years and if still men and women who believe that virginity is an important value; why not retain it?	There are many problems with this sentence. Note: We do not say: Many problems exist with this sentence. Where would the filler "there" naturally go? in the first clause in the second clause What verb tense would be correct in the first clause? past tense present perfect tense Is the semi-colon correct punctuation? Yes No Click the book for revision. This value has existed for centuries, and if there are still men and women who believe that virginity is an important value, why not retain it?
12.	There is common knowledge that people who attend into colleges are likely to be successful in their careers and lives.	There is common knowledge is nonidiomatic. The idiomatic expressions are it is common knowledge that... or it is widely known that... . Does a preposition follow the verb attend in this context? yes no Does this sentence have unnecessary words? yes no Click the book for revision: It is common knowledge that people who attend college are more successful.
13.	What I learned was that even if I make a lot of money still these were a lot of things missing in my life.	This sentence has multiple errors that cause confusion. Is the verb tense consistent throughout? yes no How many dependent clauses is the writer trying to use? two three Click the book to see possible revisions. Due to the inconsistent verb tense, meaning is unclear from context. Here are two possible revisions: 1. What I learned was that even if I make a lot of money (in the future), there may still be a lot of things missing in my life. What I learned was that even though I made a lot of money (in the past) there were a lot of things missing in my life. Does the writer mean even if for possibility or even though for concession?
14.	She used to go to the bathroom and throw up the food she had eaten putting a finger in her mouth. We did not notice that until one day in her house had a BBQ.	Does the first sentence clearly indicate that the subject made herself throw up? yes no 3. An important preposition is missing? What is it and where would you put it? for by In the second sentence is that a subordinator or a direct object? a subordinator a direct object Does the time clause beginning with until have a subject? yes no Is the sentence order in the time clause correct? yes no What filler subject could be used in the last clause? there it Click for revision She used to go to the bathroom and make herself throw up the food she had eaten by putting a finger in her mouth. We did not notice this until one day there was a barbecue at her house. ...or...until we had a barbecue at her house one day. Note that the direct object relative pronoun that is omitted...the food (that) she had eaten.
	Problems with Repeated Subjects Scroll to the bottom of each window.
1.	For instance, my uncle's family, he has two children, one son and one daughter.	Who has two children? the uncle his family What would be the correct subject of this sentence? He my uncle Click to see the revision. For instance, my uncle has two children, a son and a daughter. Another alternative: In my uncle's family there are two children, a son and a daughter.
2.	The first experience, it was when I was looking for a job.	What should be the subject of this sentence? it experience What was the experience? looking for a job when I was looking for a job The sentence structure would be... S+V+O S+LV+C Should the writer use an adjective to describe the experience? yes no Click for a possible revision. My first challenging experience was looking for a job....OR...to look for a job.
3.	Second, the person he should recognize how to be responsible, give love, love and care for his wife and children. Otherwise, the family life it is going to be dysfunctional.	How many repeated subjects are there in this example? one two If "person" is the subject, is it specific enough? yes no Click for possible revision. A good husband should be responsible and love his wife and children. Otherwise, family life will be dysfunctional. Alternative: A good husband should love and take care of his wife and children. Note: To be responsible is to care for or take care of. Avoid repetition.
5.	A person who doesn't make a good husband it's the one who doesn't believe in loyalty.	How many clauses are in this sentence? two three Write the verb for the subject, person. Then hit the enter key. Write the word that should be omitted. Click for revision. A person who doesn't make a good husband is one who doesn't believe in loyalty.
6.	Another behavior that it's not acceptable is if he doesn't think to plan for the future.	How many dependent clauses does this sentence have? two three Write the subject of the adjective clause and then hit enter. Write the word that is not the subject of the adjective clause and should be omitted. Does the verb phrase "doesn't think to plan" have unnecessary words? yes no Click for revision. Another behavior that is not acceptable is if he doesn't plan for the future. Alternative: Another unacceptable behavior is failure to plan for the future.
7.	Being competitive that means when people do something, they try to do it themselves to be better or more successful than others.	What part of speech is the subject of this sentence? a gerund a noun Write the verb for the gerund phrase "being competitive. Hit enter. What word should be omitted? Does this sentence have unnecessary words? yes no Click for possible revision. ; Being competitive means that people compete with others to be more successful than they are. They do not work cooperatively. What part of speech is the subject of this sentence? a gerund a noun Write the verb for the gerund phrase "being competitive. Hit enter. What word should be omitted? Does this sentence have unnecessary words? yes no Click for possible revision.Being competitive means that people compete with others to be more successful than they are. They do not work cooperatively.
8.	A person who don't respect others usually he or she doesn't care how others feel.	What is the subject of the main clause? person who Does the writer repeat the subject? yes no Write the words the writer should omit. What is the problem with the verb don't respect? it doesn't agree with the subject it's the wrong tense Revision: A person who doesn't respect others usually doesn't care how others feel.

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