When you write a letter to your mother, you probably use casual language, which might include short phrases instead of complete sentences or clichés or phrases that have personal meaning for your family. When you write an email or text a friend, you might shorten words or even use a group of letters to represent a word or a statement. While these shortcuts or casual language are acceptable and even expected in these types of written communication, writing for the academic world requires a more formal approach.

As you develop your writing skills for the academic world, you should be aware of grammar concerns or words or phrases that should be avoided. If you work to eliminate grammar errors and to sharpen your diction, your academic work will become stronger and more powerful.

Grammar Concerns:
Grammar is the backbone of written communication. While there are more grammar elements than we have listed here, these represent the areas that students struggle with the most.
1. Agreement
a. Pronoun/ Antecedent Agreement
i. Definition: The pronoun and its antecedent do not agree in number (antecedent = the word that the pronoun refers to). ii. Example:
1. Everyone takes their books home. (incorrect)
2. Everyone takes his or her books home. (correct)
3. The students take their books home. (correct) iii. In order to eliminate awkward constructions, make the pronoun and its antecedent plural when possible. iv. Remember that if it is obvious that only one gender is being discussed then, of course, the “he or she” construction should not be used.
b. Subject Verb Agreement
i. Definition: The verb and subject do not match in number (the verb is singular while the subject is plural – or vice versa). ii. Examples:
1. Susie Q, together with her teammates, are an impressive opponent on the soccer field. (Incorrect)
2. Susie Q, together with her teammates, is an impressive opponent on the soccer field. (Correct - Susie Q is a singular subject, which means that the verb must also be singular.)
3. Either the teachers in this school or the principal are going to have to make a change. (Incorrect)
4. Either the teachers in this school or the principal is going to have to make a change. (Correct - In an either/or situation, the verb takes the number of the closest subject = principal is.)
2. Sentence Fragments
a. Not eve n “fragments for emphasis.”
b. Fragments are not appropriate in academic writing at this stage.

3. Dangling Modifiers
a. Definition: The modifier (usually a phrase) doesn’t refer to the noun closest to it.
b. Example: Dancing in the air, the field was filled with butterflies.
i. Problem: the field is not dancing. ii. Correction:
1. Dancing in the air, the butterflies filled the field.
2. The butterflies were dancing in the air above the field.
3. The air above the field was filled with dancing butterflies.
4. Misplaced Modifiers
a. Definition: The modifier is simply in the wrong place in the sentence.
b. Example: My dog stuck her nose in some spider webs sniffing around the chairs on the patio and could not get them off.
i. Problem: The spider webs are not sniffing around the chairs. ii. Correction: Sniffing around the chairs on the patio, my dog stuck her nose in some spider webs and could not get them off.
5. Misuse of Commas:
a. Commas in a Series:
i. A book, a cover, and a ruler ii. Some of you have been taught to eliminate the last comma (Oxford comma); however, we ask that you do use it as that last comma many times aids in clarity.
b. Comma Splices:
i. Definition: A comma separates two complete sentences
Example: The boys left town, they took the money with them. ii. Ways to fix a comma splice (There are more ways; these are just the easiest and most common):
1. Use a comma and a conjunction (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). There are only seven of them.
The boys left town, and they took the money with them.
2. Use a semi-colon
The boys left town; they took the money with them.
3. Use a semi-colon and a subjunctive adverb and a comma (subjunctive adverb = transition word or phrase: however, therefore, on the other hand)
The boys left town; in addition, they took the money with them.
4. Make them independent sentences
The boys left town. They took the money with them.
5. Make one of the independent clauses (sentences) a dependent clause by using subordinating conjunctions (dependent words). There are many of these words (since, although, because, while, etc.).
a. If the first independent clause is changed to a dependent clause then a comma goes between the clauses:
When the boys left town, they took the money with them.
b. If the second independent clause is changed to a dependent clause then NO comma between the clauses
The boys left town because they took the money with them.
6. Improper Parallelism
a. Definition: Parallel construction is needed when using a series. For example: I like to swim, bike, and run. This sentence has parallel forms of the infinitive (to swim, to bike, and to run) in the sentence.
b. Improper parallelism example:
i. Webster, a carefree freshman, enjoys sports, writing music, and is always chilling at the Tilley student center ii. Corrected: Webster, a carefree freshman, enjoys playing sports, writing music, and chilling at the Tilley student center.

Diction Issues:
Choosing the right word can be challenging, but we have created several groups that should help you understand why some words or sentence constructions should not be used.
Voice Issues:
Avoid using first person (I, me, my, we, our, etc.).
One of the marks of a good writer is the ability to step back from a situation or the discussion of a particular topic and address it objectively. Using third person (he, she, it, them, they, etc.) allows you to complete this objective.

Avoid using second person (you, yours): Using second person means that you – the writer – are talking to the reader of the essay.

Avoid passive voice: Using the passive voice in your writing can have some negative effects:
- Often weakens the impact of a sentence
- Often sounds awkward and vague

INFT helpful hints