BASIC SYNTAX ERRORS
1. Concord Error
Subject must agree with verb
Singular verb=singular subject e.g. Ladies have good manners
2. Incorrect use of pronouns
Reflexive pronouns (ending in -self e.g. myself) become me, him..
e.g. ✘John went to the beach with Nick and myself
✓ John went to the beach with Nick and me
Subject pronouns (I, you, he, she, we)
Object pronouns (me, you, him, her)
e.g. ✘ Us girls are going swimming
✓ We girls are going swimming
3. Misrelated Participle
Verbs must be attached to subject to avoid any ambiguity
e.g. ✘ Climbing to the top of the building
✓ He climbs to the top of the building
4. Split infinitive
Infinitive= verb with NO number, tense or subject
e.g. ✘ John wants to quickly write a letter
✓ John wants to write a letter quickly
5. Inconsistent tenses
Tense must be consistent throughout writing
6. Incorrect use of degrees of comparison
Two or more things being compared= MOST
Two things being compared = MORE
7. Redundancy / Tautology
Unnecessary repetition of information
✘ I reversed backwards
✓ I reversed
8. Circumlocution / Verbosity
Unnecessary complicated language
✘Kindly enter the abode of learning
✓ Enter the classroom
9. Spoonerism
Letters or words are swapped
1. Concord Error
Subject must agree with verb
Singular verb=singular subject e.g. Ladies have good manners
2. Incorrect use of pronouns
Reflexive pronouns (ending in -self e.g. myself) become me, him..
e.g. ✘John went to the beach with Nick and myself
✓ John went to the beach with Nick and me
Subject pronouns (I, you, he, she, we)
Object pronouns (me, you, him, her)
e.g. ✘ Us girls are going swimming
✓ We girls are going swimming
3. Misrelated Participle
Verbs must be attached to subject to avoid any ambiguity
e.g. ✘ Climbing to the top of the building
✓ He climbs to the top of the building
4. Split infinitive
Infinitive= verb with NO number, tense or subject
e.g. ✘ John wants to quickly write a letter
✓ John wants to write a letter quickly
5. Inconsistent tenses
Tense must be consistent throughout writing
6. Incorrect use of degrees of comparison
Two or more things being compared= MOST
Two things being compared = MORE
7. Redundancy / Tautology
Unnecessary repetition of information
✘ I reversed backwards
✓ I reversed
8. Circumlocution / Verbosity
Unnecessary complicated language
✘Kindly enter the abode of learning
✓ Enter the classroom
9. Spoonerism
Letters or words are swapped
