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 4: Problems with omitting essential sentence elements Click the icon under comments and scroll to the end of each window.	Comments
1.	If we went to work, we did not time for doing homework even we only worked part time.	Does the main clause have a complete verb phrase? yes no Is even an adverbial intensifier or a subordinator? intensifier subordinator To make the clause conditional, the subordinator must follow even. To use a concession clause, the subordinator must follow even. Look at better alternatives for the phrase for doing homework: time to homework time homework Note that the gerund "doing" is unnecessary and nonidiomatic. Click for revision: If we went to work, we did not have time to do homework even if we worked part-time. The sentence implies they actually did go to work, so other alternatives are possible. *When we went to work, we did not have time to do homework even if we worked part-time. Or...even though we worked part-time.
2.	If the person is learning to be competitive will have problems with co-workers and the job environment would be very hostile.	How many clauses is the writer attemting to use? two three Which independent clause does not have a subject? the first the second Is the verb tense consistent in the two independent clauses? yes no Does the writer signal the end of the introductory dependent clause with punctuation? yes no Click for a possible revision: If a person is too competitive, s/he will have problems with co-workers, and the job environment may become very hostile.
3.	In conclusion, the value of a good family base on how good of their members.	Should the verb in this sentence be active or passive? active passive Should the end of the sentence, beginning with the word "how," be a noun clause or a noun phrase? noun clause noun phrase Click for revision: In conclusion, the value of a good family is based on how good its members are.
4.	If America really wants to be the best country in this planet doesn't have to give us weapons. America has to give us education to have a better live.	Does the first sentence have a complete main clause? yes no This sentence has a missing... subject object Is the last word a correct word form? yes no Click for a possisble revision. If political leaders want America to be the best country on this planet, they should spend less money on weapons and more on education.
5.	Anything that is free is not appreciated as much as having to pay for. For example, a student pays fifty dollars for a book and knows that he can sell it back after the semester if it is in good condition, he will use the book with care and try to keep it intact.	A term of comparison is missing. Anything that is free is not appreciated as much as WHAT? [ click heresomething a student pays for] In the second sentence, what subordinator is missing? if although Click the highlighted text: Anything that is free is not appreciated as much as having to pay for. something a student pays for. For example, ? if a student pays fifty dollars for a book and knows that he can sell it back ~~after the semester if it is in good condition~~, he will use the book with care and try to keep it intactit carefully and keep it in good condition.
6.	Many immigrants work miserable jobs as janitors and construction workers. Also they have to chose to pay their food or to get an education.	Also they have to chose to pay their food or to get an education. What form of the verb follows the modal have to? the base form the past participle The preposition indicates choice. After the preposition, what form is required? the infinitive the gerund Click the segments for revision. Also, they have to chose they have to choose between to pay their food or to get an education. paying for their food or getting an education. The omission of the preposition between and correct forms following it led to serious sentence structure errors.
7.	Student graduate from college earn more money than graduate from high school.	The writer is generalizing. Should the noun student be singular YES or pluralNO? Click on the right answer. the writer is comparing two groups of students. Those two groups are students graduate from college and . There's one slight problem. Students who graduate from college also graduate from high school. Click for possible revisions. Students who graduate from college earn more money than students who only graduate from high school. College graduates earn more money than high school graduates.
	Problems with using unnecessary words that cause confusion (wordiness)
1.	Last year a vast number of students gathered in Sacramento, the capital of California, to have a demonstration against the governor, called Arnold Schwarzennegger, because he just enacted a bill to increase tuition and fees in universities and community colleges in California.	*Click on the wordy segments* to see a cleaner version of the sentence. Last year, a vast number of students gathered in Sacramento, the capital of California,many students gathered in Sacramento, California to have a demonstration against the governor, called Arnold Schwarzennegger, to demonstrate against Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan** because he just enacted a bill to increase tuition and fees in universities and community colleges in Californiato increase tuition and fees at community colleges and universities.
2.	My job at that time was to direct a group of people - men - that were taking material out of a river - sand - and put it on big dump trucks to deliver it later.	Click the highlighted segments for a cleaner and more correct version: My job at that time was to direct a group of people - men - men that were taking material out of a river - sand - taking sand out of a riverbed and put it on big dump trucksputting it into big dump trucks to deliver it later.
3.	The team works make me feel working with other people is always the best way to achieve the goals and easier to get good result of my works.	~~The~~ team works ~~make me feel working with other people~~ is always the best way to achieve ~~the~~ goals and ~~easier to~~ get good results. ~~of my works~~.
4.	In my past working experiences, I had learned a lot of team works to help me being successful on my work.	Click the highlighted text for a succinct version and better word choice: In my past working experiences,Past work experience I had learned a lot of team workshas taught me that teamwork to help me being successful on my work. leads to greater success. ~~The~~ team works ~~make me feel working with other people~~ is always the best way to achieve ~~the~~ goals and ~~easier to~~ to get good results ~~of my works~~.
5.	First Dalits like immigrant farm workers are constantly facing the barrier of labor. The Dalits live in extreme poverty, without land of opportunities for better employment. They are constantly exploited by their employers by making them work really hard.	How do writers show similarity? Click for one example: First Dalits like immigrant farm workers are constantly facing the barrier of labor. Similar to immigrant farm workers, Dalits face many barriers. They live in extreme poverty, without ~~land of~~ opportunities for better employment. They are constantly exploited by their employers, by making them work really hard. who make them work very hard.
6.	My deep persuasion that I got from my own long life experience is; only cooperation leads to success in every fields of our life.	Click the segments for more succinct wording: My deep persuasion that I got from my own long life experience is; Many experiences have persuaded me only cooperation leads to success in every fields of our life. that cooperation leads to success in any field.
7.	Nowadays, tuition and fees at community college are complained highly, but the purpose of colleges doesn't take money away from students but benefits back to students from their valuable money.	This sentence has omitted and unnecessary words. Students complain high tuition and fees. Should the verb in the first clause be active or passive? active passive Click the first clause to see revision: Nowadays, tuition and fees at community college are complained highlyNowadays community college students complain about the high cost of tuition and fees, ... Click the highlighted phrases in the next clause to see changes. ...but the purpose of colleges doesn't take money away from students is not to take money away from students but benefits back to students from their valuable moneybut to provide better educational opportunities for them.
8.	In short we cannot list everything that will help you to have the best preparation in this small paper. However, learning to work with others and be cooperative is one of the best valued environment that you cannot ignore.	The prompt asked which was the better preparation for life: learning to work cooperatively or learning to be competitive. Note all of the unnecessary words and click the highlighted text for possible alternatives. In short, ~~we cannot list everything that will help you to have the best preparation in this small paper.~~ ~~However,~~ learning to work with others and bebeing cooperative is ~~one of~~ best valued environment that you cannot ignore. the best preparation for life.

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