{"id":237,"date":"2025-04-17T16:35:19","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T16:35:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/chapter\/obvious-grammatical-errors\/"},"modified":"2025-06-26T21:45:12","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T21:45:12","slug":"obvious-grammatical-errors","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/chapter\/obvious-grammatical-errors\/","title":{"raw":"Editing and Proofreading: Learn It 2","rendered":"Editing and Proofreading: Learn It 2"},"content":{"raw":"[caption id=\"attachment_2990\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\"]<img class=\"wp-image-2990 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4975\/2020\/01\/02193731\/grammar-389907_1920-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"A dictionary entry for the word &quot;grammar&quot;.\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" \/> <strong>Figure 1<\/strong>. Analyze your own writing to identify in which areas your grammar mistakes most commonly occur.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<div class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col flex-grow\">\r\n<div class=\"min-h-8 text-message flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 whitespace-normal break-words text-start [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-5\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"ab7314c8-f0d5-4128-a1ef-92152f030b16\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-4o\">\r\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[3px]\">\r\n<div class=\"markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert dark\">\r\n<h2 data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"319\">Editing Grammatical Errors<\/h2>\r\n<p data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"319\" data-is-last-node=\"\">Writers often make the same kinds of grammatical mistakes without even realizing it. That\u2019s why editing is so important, whether you\u2019re reviewing your own work or getting feedback from someone else. The key is knowing what to look for so you can catch and fix these errors, making your writing clearer and more polished.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h3>Subject\/Verb Agreement<\/h3>\r\nThis is a common mistake that a peer reviewer or a teacher may write in the margins. This can usually be addressed by identifying each subject and verb in a sentence. You can ignore the other words in the sentence, and your goal is to make certain subjects and verbs match in number and sound.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>The word \u201cand\u201d linking two subjects makes them plural, so you need to use the plural verb. For example, \u201cGrammar and mechanics <em>are<\/em> related.\u201d<\/li>\r\n \t<li>When subjects are connected by \u201cor,\" the subject closer to the verb determines the verb\u2019s number, as in \u201cEither the punctuation marks or the usage <em>is<\/em> flawed.\u201d<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<section class=\"textbox interact\" aria-label=\"Interact\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1292200820105288838\/embed\" width=\"1088\" height=\"637\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" aria-label=\"Subject\/Verb agreement\"><\/iframe><\/section>\r\n<h3>Pronoun Reference<\/h3>\r\nPronoun reference errors also make the list because pronouns seem to give a lot of beginning writers some trouble. A pronoun reference error occurs when you use a pronoun like\u00a0<strong>he<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>she<\/strong> (or in cases where it is used singularly, <strong>they<\/strong>), and it\u2019s not clear what that pronoun refers to.\r\n\r\n<section class=\"textbox example\" aria-label=\"Example\">Here is an example:\r\n<div class=\"bad-example \">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li class=\"example\">When Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker were battling with their lightsabers, <strong>he became angry<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\nWho does\u00a0<strong>he<\/strong>\u00a0refer to? It isn\u2019t clear. A pronoun should clearly refer to its\u00a0<strong>antecedent\u00a0<\/strong>(the word it replaces), so if the antecedent is not clear, you need to revise. Here\u2019s an example of how you might correct the pronoun reference error:\r\n<div class=\"good-example \">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li class=\"example\">When Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker were battling with their lightsabers, <strong>Luke became angry<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<h3><strong>Verb Tense<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nYou want to be sure that you are always consistent with your\u00a0<strong>verb tense<\/strong>. When you shift verb tenses for no reason, and this is an easy mistake to make, you can really confuse your readers.\r\n\r\nIf you\u2019re writing in the present tense, be sure you stay in the present tense. If you\u2019re writing in the past tense, be sure you stay in the past tense. The exception would be if you need to shift tenses to tell a story, but that would be purposeful shifting. It\u2019s the random, accidental shifting that causes the problems.\r\n\r\n<section class=\"textbox example\" aria-label=\"Example\">Here is an example:\r\n<div class=\"bad-example \">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li class=\"example\">She grabs my hand then flipped me like I weighed nothing. This showed what a good self-defense course has done.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\nHere is what a corrected version of the sentence looks like:\r\n<div class=\"good-example \">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li class=\"example\">She grabbed my hand then flipped me like I weighed nothing. This showed what a good self-defense course has done.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section>It's important to check verbs both for consistency and context.\r\n\r\n<section class=\"textbox interact\" aria-label=\"Interact\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1292200820859587038\/embed\" width=\"1088\" height=\"637\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" aria-label=\"Verb Tense\"><\/iframe><\/section>\r\n<h3>Sentence Structure<\/h3>\r\nOne common issue occurs when a sentence starts with one idea but ends in a completely different direction, making it difficult to follow. This often happens when a writer loses their train of thought while writing, resulting in a lack of consistency.\r\n\r\nA well-structured sentence should have a clear subject and verb, maintaining a logical flow from beginning to end. When this structure breaks down, the sentence can become confusing for the reader.\r\n\r\n<section class=\"textbox example\" aria-label=\"Example\">Here is an example:\r\n<div class=\"bad-example \">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li class=\"example\">I occasionally get the urge to study late at night for instance my exams are going to take me longer than usual to study for because this works.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\nThis sentence lacks a clear structure, making it difficult to understand.\r\n\r\nHere is what a corrected version of the sentence looks like:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>I occasionally get the urge to study late at night because I focus better, especially when preparing for long exams.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>Another frequent mistake involves a lack of <strong>parallel structure<\/strong>, where items in a list are not presented in the same grammatical form.\r\n\r\n<section class=\"textbox example\" aria-label=\"Example\">Here is an example:\r\n<div class=\"bad-example \">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li class=\"example\">I start my day with breakfast, exercising, and checking out the latest blogs.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\nIn this sentence, <strong>breakfast<\/strong> is a noun, while <strong>exercising<\/strong> and <strong>checking<\/strong> are verb phrases. The items in the list are not in the same form.\r\n\r\nHere is a correction where the items listed are in the same form:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>I start my day by eating breakfast, exercising, and checking out the latest blogs.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nHere, all the items in the list follow the same structure, making the sentence clearer and more cohesive.\r\n\r\n<\/section>Paying close attention to sentence structure and parallelism will help make your writing more effective and easier to read.\r\n<h3>Run-ons and Fragments<\/h3>\r\nYou can address run-ons and fragments by identifying subjects and verbs. Sentence length can sometimes be a clue in helping you identify sentences that are too long.\r\n\r\n<section class=\"textbox interact\" aria-label=\"Interact\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1292200821548720878\/embed\" width=\"1088\" height=\"637\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" aria-label=\"Sentence Fragments and Run-ons\"><\/iframe><\/section>\r\n<h3>Apostrophe Errors<\/h3>\r\n<strong>Apostrophes<\/strong>\u00a0give many writers a lot of trouble. Sometimes, you might be tempted to put an apostrophe where it does not belong, such as when you are simply making a word plural. Other times, you need to make a word possessive, but you might forget to use the apostrophe.\r\n\r\nThen, of course, there is that whole\u00a0<strong>its \/ it\u2019s<\/strong>\u00a0thing that confuses most everyone. Remember, the rule is to use an apostrophe when you need to show possession or ownership. The exception is with\u00a0<strong>its<\/strong>.\r\n\r\n<strong>Its<\/strong>\u00a0shows ownership because\u00a0<strong>it\u2019s<\/strong>\u00a0means\u00a0<strong>it is<\/strong>. So, it\u2019s like\u00a0<strong>it\u2019s<\/strong>\u00a0is already taken, so\u00a0<strong>its<\/strong>\u00a0gets to be an ownership exception. To make sure you are using\u00a0<strong>It\u2019s<\/strong>\u00a0correctly, just say\u00a0<strong>it is<\/strong>\u00a0when you read it. If it makes sense, you\u2019re fine. However, if you\u2019re trying to show ownership, and\u00a0<strong>it is<\/strong>\u00a0would not work in the sentence, you need to make the change to\u00a0<strong>its<\/strong>. Otherwise, you might end up with a sentence like this:\r\n<div class=\"bad-example \">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li class=\"example\">Its abundantly clear, to me, that creature\u2019s of the night are just misunderstood and misguided beings who sometimes err in judgment and eat their neighbors\u2019 as well as their neighbors families.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\nAnd, you would want a sentence like this:\r\n<div class=\"good-example \">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li class=\"example\">It\u2019s abundantly clear, to me, that creatures of the night are just misunderstood and misguided beings who sometimes err in judgment and eat their neighbors\u00a0as well as their neighbors\u2019 families.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Commonly Confused Terms<\/h3>\r\n<\/div>\r\nWriters often also have trouble with some commonly confused terms. The chart below briefly describes a few.\r\n<div>\r\n<table class=\"lines\" style=\"height: 116px; width: 768px;\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 26px;\">\r\n<td style=\"height: 26px; width: 69.5px;\"><strong>affect<\/strong> vs. <strong>effect<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"height: 26px; width: 672.5px;\">\u201cAffect\u201d is usually a verb meaning \"to influence,\" while \u201ceffect\u201d is usually a noun meaning \"outcome\" or \"result.\"<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 12px;\">\r\n<td style=\"height: 12px; width: 69.5px;\"><strong>it\u2019s<\/strong> vs. <strong>its<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"height: 12px; width: 672.5px;\">\u201cIt\u2019s\u201d always means \"it is,\" while \u201cits\u201d always shows possession.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 26px;\">\r\n<td style=\"height: 26px; width: 69.5px;\"><strong>e.g.<\/strong> vs. <strong>i.e.<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"height: 26px; width: 672.5px;\">The abbreviation \u201ce.g.\u201d is Latin for exempli gratia and means \u201cfor example,\u201d while \u201ci.e.\u201d is Latin for id est and means \u201cthat is.\u201d<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 26px;\">\r\n<td style=\"height: 26px; width: 69.5px;\"><strong>imply<\/strong> vs. <strong>infer<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"height: 26px; width: 672.5px;\">The word \u201cimply\u201d means \"to suggest\" or \"to indicate,\" while \u201cinfer\u201d involves a person actively applying deduction.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 26px;\">\r\n<td style=\"height: 26px; width: 69.5px;\"><strong>that<\/strong> vs. <strong>which<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"height: 26px; width: 672.5px;\">The word \u201cthat\u201d is used to define and limit a noun\u2019s meaning, while \u201cwhich\u201d is used to provide descriptive information not central to the noun\u2019s definition.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<h3>Active and Passive Voice<\/h3>\r\nReaders prefer sentences constructed with the active voice because they are more concise and direct.\r\n\r\n<section class=\"textbox example\" aria-label=\"Example\">Consider the following revisions:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>Passive<\/strong>: Listeners are encouraged by the lyrics to cast aside their fear and be themselves.\r\n<strong>Active<\/strong>: The lyrics encourage listeners to cast aside their fears and be themselves.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>Passive<\/strong>: Alana\u2019s toes were crushed by the garage door.\r\n<strong>Active<\/strong>: The garage door crushed Alana\u2019s toes.<\/p>\r\nIn both cases, the writer was able to eliminate the \u201cbe\u201d verb (is, are, was, were), and the active sentences are less wordy.\r\n\r\n<\/section><section class=\"textbox interact\" aria-label=\"Interact\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1292085778696267438\/embed\" width=\"1089\" height=\"638\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" aria-label=\"Obvious Grammatical Errors- Can You Spot the Grammatical Error?\"><\/iframe><\/section><\/div>","rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_2990\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2990\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2990 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4975\/2020\/01\/02193731\/grammar-389907_1920-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"A dictionary entry for the word &quot;grammar&quot;.\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2990\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 1<\/strong>. Analyze your own writing to identify in which areas your grammar mistakes most commonly occur.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col flex-grow\">\n<div class=\"min-h-8 text-message flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 whitespace-normal break-words text-start [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-5\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"ab7314c8-f0d5-4128-a1ef-92152f030b16\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-4o\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[3px]\">\n<div class=\"markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert dark\">\n<h2 data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"319\">Editing Grammatical Errors<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"319\" data-is-last-node=\"\">Writers often make the same kinds of grammatical mistakes without even realizing it. That\u2019s why editing is so important, whether you\u2019re reviewing your own work or getting feedback from someone else. The key is knowing what to look for so you can catch and fix these errors, making your writing clearer and more polished.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Subject\/Verb Agreement<\/h3>\n<p>This is a common mistake that a peer reviewer or a teacher may write in the margins. This can usually be addressed by identifying each subject and verb in a sentence. You can ignore the other words in the sentence, and your goal is to make certain subjects and verbs match in number and sound.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The word \u201cand\u201d linking two subjects makes them plural, so you need to use the plural verb. For example, \u201cGrammar and mechanics <em>are<\/em> related.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>When subjects are connected by \u201cor,&#8221; the subject closer to the verb determines the verb\u2019s number, as in \u201cEither the punctuation marks or the usage <em>is<\/em> flawed.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<section class=\"textbox interact\" aria-label=\"Interact\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1292200820105288838\/embed\" width=\"1088\" height=\"637\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" aria-label=\"Subject\/Verb agreement\"><\/iframe><\/section>\n<h3>Pronoun Reference<\/h3>\n<p>Pronoun reference errors also make the list because pronouns seem to give a lot of beginning writers some trouble. A pronoun reference error occurs when you use a pronoun like\u00a0<strong>he<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>she<\/strong> (or in cases where it is used singularly, <strong>they<\/strong>), and it\u2019s not clear what that pronoun refers to.<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox example\" aria-label=\"Example\">Here is an example:<\/p>\n<div class=\"bad-example\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"example\">When Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker were battling with their lightsabers, <strong>he became angry<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>Who does\u00a0<strong>he<\/strong>\u00a0refer to? It isn\u2019t clear. A pronoun should clearly refer to its\u00a0<strong>antecedent\u00a0<\/strong>(the word it replaces), so if the antecedent is not clear, you need to revise. Here\u2019s an example of how you might correct the pronoun reference error:<\/p>\n<div class=\"good-example\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"example\">When Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker were battling with their lightsabers, <strong>Luke became angry<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<h3><strong>Verb Tense<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>You want to be sure that you are always consistent with your\u00a0<strong>verb tense<\/strong>. When you shift verb tenses for no reason, and this is an easy mistake to make, you can really confuse your readers.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re writing in the present tense, be sure you stay in the present tense. If you\u2019re writing in the past tense, be sure you stay in the past tense. The exception would be if you need to shift tenses to tell a story, but that would be purposeful shifting. It\u2019s the random, accidental shifting that causes the problems.<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox example\" aria-label=\"Example\">Here is an example:<\/p>\n<div class=\"bad-example\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"example\">She grabs my hand then flipped me like I weighed nothing. This showed what a good self-defense course has done.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>Here is what a corrected version of the sentence looks like:<\/p>\n<div class=\"good-example\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"example\">She grabbed my hand then flipped me like I weighed nothing. This showed what a good self-defense course has done.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>It&#8217;s important to check verbs both for consistency and context.<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox interact\" aria-label=\"Interact\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1292200820859587038\/embed\" width=\"1088\" height=\"637\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" aria-label=\"Verb Tense\"><\/iframe><\/section>\n<h3>Sentence Structure<\/h3>\n<p>One common issue occurs when a sentence starts with one idea but ends in a completely different direction, making it difficult to follow. This often happens when a writer loses their train of thought while writing, resulting in a lack of consistency.<\/p>\n<p>A well-structured sentence should have a clear subject and verb, maintaining a logical flow from beginning to end. When this structure breaks down, the sentence can become confusing for the reader.<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox example\" aria-label=\"Example\">Here is an example:<\/p>\n<div class=\"bad-example\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"example\">I occasionally get the urge to study late at night for instance my exams are going to take me longer than usual to study for because this works.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>This sentence lacks a clear structure, making it difficult to understand.<\/p>\n<p>Here is what a corrected version of the sentence looks like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I occasionally get the urge to study late at night because I focus better, especially when preparing for long exams.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<p>Another frequent mistake involves a lack of <strong>parallel structure<\/strong>, where items in a list are not presented in the same grammatical form.<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox example\" aria-label=\"Example\">Here is an example:<\/p>\n<div class=\"bad-example\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"example\">I start my day with breakfast, exercising, and checking out the latest blogs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>In this sentence, <strong>breakfast<\/strong> is a noun, while <strong>exercising<\/strong> and <strong>checking<\/strong> are verb phrases. The items in the list are not in the same form.<\/p>\n<p>Here is a correction where the items listed are in the same form:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I start my day by eating breakfast, exercising, and checking out the latest blogs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Here, all the items in the list follow the same structure, making the sentence clearer and more cohesive.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p>Paying close attention to sentence structure and parallelism will help make your writing more effective and easier to read.<\/p>\n<h3>Run-ons and Fragments<\/h3>\n<p>You can address run-ons and fragments by identifying subjects and verbs. Sentence length can sometimes be a clue in helping you identify sentences that are too long.<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox interact\" aria-label=\"Interact\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1292200821548720878\/embed\" width=\"1088\" height=\"637\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" aria-label=\"Sentence Fragments and Run-ons\"><\/iframe><\/section>\n<h3>Apostrophe Errors<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Apostrophes<\/strong>\u00a0give many writers a lot of trouble. Sometimes, you might be tempted to put an apostrophe where it does not belong, such as when you are simply making a word plural. Other times, you need to make a word possessive, but you might forget to use the apostrophe.<\/p>\n<p>Then, of course, there is that whole\u00a0<strong>its \/ it\u2019s<\/strong>\u00a0thing that confuses most everyone. Remember, the rule is to use an apostrophe when you need to show possession or ownership. The exception is with\u00a0<strong>its<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Its<\/strong>\u00a0shows ownership because\u00a0<strong>it\u2019s<\/strong>\u00a0means\u00a0<strong>it is<\/strong>. So, it\u2019s like\u00a0<strong>it\u2019s<\/strong>\u00a0is already taken, so\u00a0<strong>its<\/strong>\u00a0gets to be an ownership exception. To make sure you are using\u00a0<strong>It\u2019s<\/strong>\u00a0correctly, just say\u00a0<strong>it is<\/strong>\u00a0when you read it. If it makes sense, you\u2019re fine. However, if you\u2019re trying to show ownership, and\u00a0<strong>it is<\/strong>\u00a0would not work in the sentence, you need to make the change to\u00a0<strong>its<\/strong>. Otherwise, you might end up with a sentence like this:<\/p>\n<div class=\"bad-example\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"example\">Its abundantly clear, to me, that creature\u2019s of the night are just misunderstood and misguided beings who sometimes err in judgment and eat their neighbors\u2019 as well as their neighbors families.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>And, you would want a sentence like this:<\/p>\n<div class=\"good-example\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"example\">It\u2019s abundantly clear, to me, that creatures of the night are just misunderstood and misguided beings who sometimes err in judgment and eat their neighbors\u00a0as well as their neighbors\u2019 families.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Commonly Confused Terms<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p>Writers often also have trouble with some commonly confused terms. The chart below briefly describes a few.<\/p>\n<div>\n<table class=\"lines\" style=\"height: 116px; width: 768px;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"height: 26px;\">\n<td style=\"height: 26px; width: 69.5px;\"><strong>affect<\/strong> vs. <strong>effect<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"height: 26px; width: 672.5px;\">\u201cAffect\u201d is usually a verb meaning &#8220;to influence,&#8221; while \u201ceffect\u201d is usually a noun meaning &#8220;outcome&#8221; or &#8220;result.&#8221;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 12px;\">\n<td style=\"height: 12px; width: 69.5px;\"><strong>it\u2019s<\/strong> vs. <strong>its<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"height: 12px; width: 672.5px;\">\u201cIt\u2019s\u201d always means &#8220;it is,&#8221; while \u201cits\u201d always shows possession.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 26px;\">\n<td style=\"height: 26px; width: 69.5px;\"><strong>e.g.<\/strong> vs. <strong>i.e.<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"height: 26px; width: 672.5px;\">The abbreviation \u201ce.g.\u201d is Latin for exempli gratia and means \u201cfor example,\u201d while \u201ci.e.\u201d is Latin for id est and means \u201cthat is.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 26px;\">\n<td style=\"height: 26px; width: 69.5px;\"><strong>imply<\/strong> vs. <strong>infer<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"height: 26px; width: 672.5px;\">The word \u201cimply\u201d means &#8220;to suggest&#8221; or &#8220;to indicate,&#8221; while \u201cinfer\u201d involves a person actively applying deduction.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 26px;\">\n<td style=\"height: 26px; width: 69.5px;\"><strong>that<\/strong> vs. <strong>which<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"height: 26px; width: 672.5px;\">The word \u201cthat\u201d is used to define and limit a noun\u2019s meaning, while \u201cwhich\u201d is used to provide descriptive information not central to the noun\u2019s definition.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Active and Passive Voice<\/h3>\n<p>Readers prefer sentences constructed with the active voice because they are more concise and direct.<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox example\" aria-label=\"Example\">Consider the following revisions:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>Passive<\/strong>: Listeners are encouraged by the lyrics to cast aside their fear and be themselves.<br \/>\n<strong>Active<\/strong>: The lyrics encourage listeners to cast aside their fears and be themselves.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>Passive<\/strong>: Alana\u2019s toes were crushed by the garage door.<br \/>\n<strong>Active<\/strong>: The garage door crushed Alana\u2019s toes.<\/p>\n<p>In both cases, the writer was able to eliminate the \u201cbe\u201d verb (is, are, was, were), and the active sentences are less wordy.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"textbox interact\" aria-label=\"Interact\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1292085778696267438\/embed\" width=\"1089\" height=\"638\" frameborder=\"0\" 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