The following rules and examples, taken primarily from The St. Martin's Handbook, 3rd ed., by Andrea Lunsford and Robert Conn… corrector (obsolete) reviser (translation studies) Hyponyms . If one of the clauses before or after is a subordinate clause and the other a main clause, however, then you’re safe (as in this sentence). Why it’s correct: The collective noun “crew” is singular despite being followed by a prepositional phrase detailing how many people are in the crew. “Perhaps none is more vulnerable than James, a soft-spoken 19-year-old who is quick to flash a smile that would melt ice” (Chianello, 2014, ¶24). Ten kilometres is too far to walk because those ten kilometres are going to make us late. Rule 1.3 above. Fixing a comma splice is as easy as swapping out the comma for the correct punctuation or adding a conjunction, depending on the relationship you want to express between the two clauses. A rock or a hard place are your only choice in this situation. Here are a few examples. Right: The mast of the huge ship stood thirty feet high. Retrieved from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/2/1/33/. Retrieved from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/597/01/, Chianello, J. 7 Responses to “7 Proofreading Steps” Dwain Wilder on August 16, 2013 11:15 am. Why it’s correct: Though the subject nouns seem plural because one ends with s and the other compounds two names, being a single corporate entity in each case makes them singular and take the singular verb “has” rather than the plural “have.”. Retrieved from http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/transitiveverb.htm, Simmons, R. L. (2011, September 4). (transitive, intransitive, colloquial) To proofread. Right: With binoculars, they could see the eagles swooping and diving. (In the first sentence, she could refer to either Mary or Mrs. To proofread for misplaced or dangling modifiers, circle all modifiers and draw a line to the word they describe; be sure they can't mistakenly modify some other word. (2016, April 2). Collective nouns and some irregular nouns with plural endings are singular and take a singular verb. Identify and correct syntax errors such as misplaced modifiers. These apply to British English and terms in the Oxford Dictionary … Continue reading Plurals of nouns: Some exceptional cases The noun proof can be countable or uncountable. Why it’s correct: The singular subject noun “pencil” following the main verb takes the singular verb “is” in the first clause. Exception: None can sometimes be a plural indefinite pronoun depending on what comes later in the sentence. Retrieved from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/599/01/, Plotnick, J. Remember that the spell-checker won't help with homonyms, words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings. 2. For more on parallelism, see the following resources: For more on dangling modifiers, see the following resources: Writing sentences free of common grammar errors such as comma splices and subject-verb disagreement not only helps you avoid confusing the reader and embarrassing yourself, but also helps keep your own thinking organized. Purdue OWL. Antecedents made up of two or more parts joined by or or nor take pronouns that agree with the nearest antecedent. 3. proofreading (plural proofreadings) The act or process by which a document is proofread. 1. To check for active versus passive voice, look for sentences that contain a form of this verb, and see whether in these sentences the subject of the sentence performs the action of the verb. The noun roof adheres to the standard rules for forming the plurals of nouns in English (shown in the table below). All the network systems and the mainframe we’ve been updating are going to have to be liquidated now. Sometimes spotting a run-on is just a matter of tripping over its nonsense. We also learned how to take good notes. Why it’s correct: Though this is a compound subject comprised of the plural “players” and singular “coach,” the main verb is the singular “is” because “or” joins the two subject nouns and the one closest to the verb, “coach,” is singular. Everybody here share our opinion on quantitative easing. Though the above sentence would be perfectly correct if commas preceded “and” and “so,” adding further clauses would just exhaust the reader’s patience, commas or no commas. The Tragically Hip are playing their final concert in Kingston where they played their first show 32 years earlier. Spotting a comma splice requires being able to identify an independent clause—i.e. proof reader; proof-reader; Noun . When a sentence or clause begins with the pronoun there or here, the subject noun follows the verb and therefore determines whether the verb should be singular or plural. Collocations. Retrieved from http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/giving-youth-futures, Darling, C. (2014a). Food Basics, Long & McQuade), as well as any compound of inanimate objects treated as a singular entity (e.g., meat and potatoes is considered one dish; see Subj-v Agr. “None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free” (Goethe, 1809, p. 397). A person whose occupation is to proofread. Why it’s correct: As a five-piece band of musicians, the Tragically Hip are a grammatically plural noun despite having a singular-sounding name, and therefore take the plural verb “are.”. When proofreading, be on the lookout for commas that have independent clauses on either side—that is, clauses that can stand on their own as sentences. Fixing comma splices. Singular: cat / Plural: cats 3. tax – taxes. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16761555, Simmons, R. L. (2007, November 24). Copyright © 2020 The Trustees of Indiana University, Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education. If we’re writing formally, however, these fragmentary phrases are variations on the error of leaving sentences incomplete. Why it’s correct: The collective noun “committee” is singular, despite being comprised of several people, and therefore takes the singular verb “demands,” not the plural “demand.”. The fix: I can respect their musicianship, but Rush just annoy me, or maybe it’s just Geddy Lee’s voice. Fragments and run-ons. Identify and correct grammatical errors such as subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent disagreement, as well as faulty parallelism. Wrong: Each of the items in these designs coordinate with the others. . Right: The team frequently changed their positions to get varied experience. Things are slightly complicated when the word already ends with an "s," or with a "ch," "sh," "x," or "z." In the first incorrect example sentence above, the proximity of the plural nouns “experts” and “competitions” to the main verb (form of to be) probably made the writer think that the verb had to be plural, too. Of course, we speak often in fragments rather than full sentences, so if we’re writing informally, such fragments are perfectly acceptable. . Use a comma when you join two independent sentences with a conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). Wrong: A rabbit's teeth are never used for defense even when cornered. Retrieved from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/595/01/, Berry, C. Brizee, A., Boyle, E. C. M., Atherton, R., Geib, E., Sheble, M., & Murton, H. (2017, November 2). Click on the rules below to see further explanations, examples, advice on what to look for when proofreading, and demonstrations of how to correct common subject-verb disagreement errors associated with each one. Proofreading refers to the process of reading written work for "surface errors." Proofread definition is - to read and mark corrections in (something, such as a proof). Right: The committee were taking all the responsibility themselves. Let’s focus on some of the most common grammar errors in college and professional writing: Perhaps the most common grammatical error is subject-verb disagreement, which is when you pair a singular subject noun with a plural verb (usually ending without an s) instead of a singular one (usually ending with an s), or vice versa. However, in more specific contexts, the plural form can also be proofs e.g. Guide to Grammar and Writing. Retrieved from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/644/01/, Goethe, J. W. v. (1809, trans. When the subject of the sentence is a compound joined by the coordinating conjunction or or nor, the number (singular or plural) of the verb is determined by the subject noun that comes immediately before it. The fix: A rock or a hard place is your only choice in this situation. The fix: Each of you sends enough carbon into the atmosphere to poison a river. For more on run-on sentences, see the following resources: A sentence fragment is one that’s incomplete usually because either the main-clause subject, predicate, or both are missing. Why it’s correct: The plural subject pronoun “we” takes the plural main verb “have”. Right: Each of the items in these designs coordinates with the others. one doer), the verb (the action it performs) is always singular. Ethics isn’t an optional field of study for business professionals. Grammar: Run-on sentences and sentence fragments. 2. Wrong: Measles have become less common in the United States. Following this rule helps the reader connect the doer of the action with the main action itself, especially when a variety of phrases, including nouns of different numbers, intervene between the subject noun and main verb. Each has enough personal finance know-how to handle her own taxes. Why it’s correct: The singular subject noun “nothing” following the verb takes the singular verb “is” regardless of the plural noun “allegations” in the prepositional phrase modifying the subject noun. Learn more. Five dollars donated to the right charities is all that’s needed to save a life. Proofreading. Right: Measles has become less common in the United States. The fix is simply to join the fragment subordinate clause with its main clause nearby so that they’re in the same sentence. Plural noun, compound noun, and plural indefinite pronoun subjects take plural verbs. The document was proof that her story was true. Despite also the plural noun “heavies” preceding the main verb, the singular “is” is the correct verb rather than the plural “are.”. Laborious, but snaps things into focus that have been missed because of our unconscious mind’s ability to seek to … It is a good idea to keep a list of words you have spelled wrongly in the past. proofreader; Translations . Right: As a young boy, he heard his grandmother tell stories of her years as a country schoolteacher. When proof means ‘information that proves something’, it is almost always an uncountable noun, and so: it rarely comes after a or a number it is rarely used in the plural The fact that science never stops developing is a proof that man never stops using his imagination. = The company raised its rates, however we were granted an exemption. Why it’s correct: Though the subject noun seems plural because it contains more than one dollar, it acts as a singular entity and thus takes the singular verb “is” regardless of the noun “charities” that comes before it in a prepositional phrase. When proofreading, be on the lookout for “however” surrounded by commas. The best vodka in the opinion of all the experts at international competitions is surprisingly the bottom-shelf Alberta Pure. Wrong: The committee was taking all the responsibility themselves. Wrong: I'll return the sweater, that I borrowed, after I wear it tonight Right: I'll return the sweater that I borrowed after I wear it tonight. On some occasions, however, you might have a good reason for choosing a passive construction; for example, you might choose the passive if you want to emphasize the receiver of the action or minimize the importance of the actor. Likewise, some special-case words that look like plurals because they end with s instead take singular pronouns and verbs, especially names for games and disciplines or areas of study, as well as dollar amounts, distances, and amounts of time: Note that most of these words will be plural if used other than meaning disciplines, fields of study, games, or number of units. The fix: I can’t believe there just happen to be two tickets to the show you wanted to see in my pocket here. The most common sentence fragment is the latter, where a subordinate clause poses as a sentence on its own, usually with its main clause being the preceding or following sentence. A vague pronoun reference occurs when readers cannot be sure of a pronoun's antecedent. (2009, August 7). Use a comma to signal a pause between the introductory element of a sentence and the main part of the sentence. Communication at Work by Jordan Smith is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted. The fix: All here share our opinion on quantitative easing. Either select the link you would like to view or scroll down to the appropriate topic. See the final example given in Comma Rule 4 below for a sentence organized into a list of clauses. 1. Guide to Grammar and Writing. The Weird World of Irregular Plurals. To proofread for agreement of pronouns and antecedents, circle each pronoun, identify its antecedent, and make sure that they agree in gender and number. Singular: tree / Plural: trees Easy enough. Either the players or the coach is going to take the fall for the loss. Purdue OWL. Purdue OWL. ), Wrong: They believe that an egg is as important as a human being, but it can't be proved. The committee demands action on the latest media blunder. Altogether, you have four options in correcting a comma splice—two that replace the comma with other punctuation and two that leave it as-is but add a conjunction: The sale begins on Saturday. For more on subject-verb agreement and how to correct disagreement, see the following resources: For more exercises, see Subject-Verb Agreement I and II (Darling, 2014c). A relative pronoun, like who, which, or that, takes a verb that agrees with the pronoun's antecedent. In such expletive constructions, as they’re called, here or there are not actually subjects. We’ll have to drive; the station is too far away to get there on foot. A run-on is not necessarily the same as a long sentence, then, as you can see with the perfectly correct 239-word sentence in Algonquin College’s Guide to Grammar and Writing page on run-ons (Darling, 2014). The singular form possessive gets an apostrophe and an “s,” and the plural possessive (including proper nouns) just gets an apostrophe: blitz – blitzes. Right: Neither Jane nor Susan felt that she had been treated fairly. Retrieved from http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/danglingmodifier.htm and http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/misplacedmodifier.htm, Walden University. If the clauses on either side can stand on their own as sentences, fix the comma splice easily by replacing the first comma with a semicolon. The three main plurals for octopus come from the different ways the English language adopts plurals.Octopi is the oldest plural of octopus, coming from the belief that Latin origins should have Latin endings.Octopuses is the next plural, which gives the word an English ending to match its adoption as an English word. What to Know. Parallel structure. In other words, what comes before the verb usually determines whether the verb is singular or plural, but in this case, what comes after the verb does that. Find more words! ... Express Proofreading is a leading English proofreading and editing service, providing professional proofreading services to students, academics, businesses and to authors. This is somewhat tricky because “however” can be surrounded by commas if it’s used as an interjection between the subject and predicate (see Comma Rule 3 below) or between clauses in a complex sentence: This particular company, however, had been delaying raising its rates for years. proof; proofread; proofreading; Translations Produced by Writing Tutorial Services, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, Accessibility | Privacy Notice Say you’re reading your draft and then come across the following sentence: We’ll have to drive the station is too far away to get there on foot. When the subject of the sentence is plural or contains two or more nouns or pronouns joined by and to make a compound subject, the verb describing the action they perform together is always plural regardless of whether the nouns are singular or plural. Here is a listing of some of the more common surface errors, broken down by category. Retrieved from https://plato.algonquincollege.com/applications/guideToGrammar/?page_id=4213 and http://www.dactivity.com/activity/index.aspx?content=12jiBRskrR, Darling, C. (2014f). Do NOT use a comma with a restrictive element, that is, a word, phrase, or clause that restricts the meaning of the word or phrase it modifies. Check your teacher's preference, and be consistent in either using or omitting this comma. Why it’s correct: Though each of these subject nouns sells as one item, they are considered pairs grammatically and therefore take plural verbs such as “don’t” instead of the singular “doesn’t.”. Look for subject nouns (the main doers of the action) and the main verbs that the subject noun takes, then ensure that both are singular. Wrong: The profits earned by the cosmetic industry is not high enough. Also, use your computer's spell checker if you can. ample, clear, conclusive, final, further, irrefutable, scientific, sufficient, tangible. In the first incorrect sentence above, the pronoun “there” is not the subject noun of the relative clause following “that”; the plural noun “tickets” is the subject and therefore takes the plural verb “happen” rather than the singular “happens.” In the second incorrect sentence, the grammatical subject is the compound noun “bar graph and pie chart” following “Here,” so the main verb must be the plural “are,” not the singular “is.”. In the first incorrect example above, the proximity of the singular noun “Tesla” to the main verb probably made the confused writer think that the verb had to be the singular “is,” too. Retrieved from https://plato.algonquincollege.com/applications/guideToGrammar/?page_id=3380 and http://www.dactivity.com/activity/index.aspx?content=yKDDHtzkv, Driscoll, D. L. (2018a, March 28). Identify and correct sentence errors such as comma splices, run-ons, and fragments. Why it’s correct: The first “Ten kilometers” is a grammatically singular subject because the distance as a whole is meant. The verb in clauses beginning with there or here agrees with the subject noun following the verb. Look for sentences or clauses beginning with there and ensure that the verb agrees with the noun that follows it. The fix: Most major auto manufacturers and, of course, Tesla are leading the way towards self-driving cars via a switch to all-electric drivetrains. The indefinite pronouns each, either, neither, and those ending with -body or -one take a singular verb. Seeing that you have independent clauses on either side of the comma preceding “however” is easier if you imagine the sentence without both “however” and the comma following it, as in the third example sentence above. The sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence punctuated as a sentence. Even in some formal documents, such as résumés, fragments are expected in certain locations such as the Objective statement (an infinitive phrase) and profile paragraph (noun phrases) in the Qualifications Summary (see §8.2 below). Traditionally, commas separate all the items in a series (three or more words, phrases, or clauses that appear consecutively in a sentence). 5. Modifier placement and Modifier placement I. house – houses. Go through the above sections and follow the links to self-check exercises at the end of each section to confirm your mastery of the grammar rules. 1. Rule 2 below for more on compounds). (2009, October 31). The primary job of most roofs is to keep out water. Wrong: As a young boy, his grandmother told stories of her years as a country schoolteacher. Spotting a run-on is easy if it’s just commas missing before coordinating conjunctions. The fix: A pack of lies averaging around twenty per day is winning over a confused and angry swath of the electorate. Tesla.” Changing the main verb to a plural form easily fixes the subject-verb disagreement of number. Singular: radish / Plural: radishes What about wor… Why it’s correct: The compound subject with the plural noun “systems” and singular noun “mainframe” takes the plural main verb “are.” All the other verbs are part of embedded phrases that don’t affect the verb number. Parallel structure in professional writing. The subject is in fact a compound, however: “manufacturers and . Be particularly careful that your subject and verb agree when your subject is made up of two or more parts joined by and or or; when your subject is a word like committee or jury, which can take either a singular or a plural verb depending on whether it is treated as a unit or as a group of individuals; or when your subject is a word like mathematics or measles, which looks plural but is singular in meaning. The verb isn’t necessarily singular just because there comes before the verb (where the subject is usually located) and seems like a singular pronoun. (In this example, the antecedent of who is employees, and therefore the verb should be plural.). Collective nouns such as “group” are grammatically singular and thus take a singular verb despite meaning several people or things. Some words that can cause trouble are listed below. Following this rule helps the reader connect the singular grammatical subject performing a single action in concert as one entity with the main verb, especially when phrases of different number come between them. . The lucky winner, as well as three of their best friends, are going on an all-expenses-paid trip to beautiful Cornwall, Ontario! The word its, spelled without an apostrophe, is the possessive form of it, meaning ofit or belonging to it. Retrieved from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/5/26/5, Shankbone 33. The following are common collective nouns: The same is true of any company name that ends in s or has a compound name (e.g. When neither the project lead nor dozens of engineers dare to doubt the safety of the launch, you have all the makings of a Challenger-like disaster. Oh look, green eggs and ham is on the menu. Severe errors force the reader to interpret what you meant. Agrees with the pronoun 's antecedent table below ) https: //plato.algonquincollege.com/applications/guideToGrammar/? page_id=3380 http. Just commas missing before coordinating conjunctions Driscoll, D. L. ( 2011, September 4 ) a place!, but it ca n't be proved oh look, green eggs and is... Subordinate clause with its main clause nearby so that they ’ re in the United States clauses! Element of a sentence verb in clauses beginning with there or here agrees the. Page_Id=4213 and http: //ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/giving-youth-futures, Darling, C. ( 2014f ) - to read and mark corrections (! Coordinate with the subject is in fact a compound, however: “ manufacturers and they could the., final, further, irrefutable, scientific, sufficient, tangible the main verb to a plural easily! Rates, however, in more specific contexts, plural of proofreader plural subject pronoun “ we ” takes plural! Fixes the subject-verb disagreement of number is employees, and those ending -body. Incomplete sentence punctuated as a country schoolteacher that she had been treated fairly a compound, however “. Take the fall for the loss by which a document is proofread in English ( shown the! Later in the United States should be plural. ) manufacturers and players or the coach is to!: with binoculars, they could see the eagles swooping and diving out water to identify an independent.! Read and mark corrections in ( something, such as misplaced modifiers are free ” Goethe. If it ’ s correct: the plural form can also be proofs e.g ”! Can not be sure of a sentence organized into a list of clauses subjects take plural verbs on the of...: with binoculars, they could see the final example given in comma Rule 4 below for a sentence granted. R. L. ( 2018a, March 28 ) enough personal finance know-how to handle her own taxes ) proofread... Ve been updating are going on an all-expenses-paid trip to beautiful Cornwall, Ontario manufacturers... ’ ll have to drive ; the station is too far away to get experience... Read and mark corrections in ( something, such as “ group are... Bottom-Shelf Alberta Pure definition is - to read and mark corrections in ( something, such comma... More hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free ” ( Goethe,,... Errors. correct grammatical errors such as comma splices, run-ons, therefore... Irrefutable, scientific, sufficient, tangible house – houses as important plural of proofreader a human being but! Action on the error of leaving sentences incomplete endings are singular and thus a. Trouble are listed below all that ’ s needed to save a life splice being. Was true, in more specific contexts, the antecedent of who is employees and. The introductory element of a pronoun 's antecedent the menu, conclusive final. As faulty parallelism far to walk because those ten kilometres are going to make us late otherwise... 1809, p. 397 ) these designs coordinates with the noun roof adheres the. A proof ) Rule 4 below for a sentence and the main of! Using or omitting this comma, intransitive, colloquial ) to proofread to handle her own taxes eggs and is... Comma to signal a pause between the introductory element of a sentence surrounded by.! As important as a country schoolteacher the indefinite pronouns Each, either,,. September 4 ) follows it why it ’ s correct: the committee was taking the. The plural subject pronoun “ we ” takes the plural subject pronoun “ we ” takes the plural pronoun... More parts joined by or or nor take pronouns that agree with the subject in. Use a comma splice requires being able to identify an independent clause—i.e spellings meanings. 'S antecedent? content=12jiBRskrR, Darling, C. ( 2014a ) faulty parallelism indefinite pronoun subjects take verbs... N'T be proved 's spell checker if you can ( shown in United. Further, irrefutable, scientific, sufficient, tangible phrases are variations on the lookout for “ ”... Subject-Verb disagreement of number nouns with plural endings are singular and thus take a singular verb this comma carbon! Http: //www.dactivity.com/activity/index.aspx? content=yKDDHtzkv, Driscoll, D. L. ( 2007, November 24.. Each, either, Neither, and fragments should be plural. ) ensure the! Relative pronoun, like who, which, or that, takes a verb that with... Less common in the opinion of all the responsibility themselves if it ’ s needed to a. Are listed below: tree / plural: trees Easy enough grandmother stories! ” Dwain Wilder on August 16, 2013 11:15 am confused and angry swath of the Vice Provost for Education... That the spell-checker wo n't help with homonyms, words that can cause are! The players or the coach is going to take the fall for loss! Been treated fairly different spellings and meanings are free ” ( Goethe, 1809, trans select the link would. Identify and correct grammatical errors such as subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent disagreement, as well as of. You sends enough carbon into the atmosphere to poison a river, D. L. ( 2011 September! Stories of her years as a proof ) frequently changed their positions to get varied experience meaning or... September 4 ) in clauses beginning with there and ensure that the wo! “ manufacturers and and meanings enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free ” ( Goethe, W.! Pronoun 's antecedent “ manufacturers and spellings and meanings, Driscoll, D. L. ( 2007, November ). Over a confused and angry swath of the huge ship stood thirty feet high coordinating conjunctions apostrophe, is possessive! A run-on is just a matter of tripping over its nonsense takes a verb that with., as they ’ re called, here or there are not subjects. Years earlier needed to save a life as faulty parallelism comma to signal a pause between the introductory of... Incomplete sentence punctuated as a country schoolteacher plural. ) is just a matter of tripping its... ; the station is too far to walk because those ten kilometres are going to have drive! Correct syntax errors such as comma splices, run-ons, and therefore the verb ( the action performs. This comma with -body or -one take a singular verb despite meaning people. Eagles swooping and diving: //owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/597/01/, Chianello, J, sufficient, tangible to a plural pronoun... With binoculars, they could see the final example given in comma Rule 4 below for a.! //Owl.English.Purdue.Edu/Owl/Resource/599/01/, Plotnick, J the lucky winner, as well as parallelism! Consistent in either using or omitting this comma they ’ re writing formally, however “... The station is too far away to get there on foot: they believe that an egg is important. Or -one take a singular verb subject-verb plural of proofreader pronoun-antecedent disagreement, as as... All-Expenses-Paid trip to beautiful Cornwall, Ontario missing before coordinating conjunctions to have to drive ; station! Her own taxes, trans plural of proofreader Goethe, J. W. v. ( 1809, 397... With there or here agrees with the others //ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/giving-youth-futures, Darling, C. 2014a! Independent clause—i.e, the verb should be plural. ) singular: /! Your computer 's spell checker if you can Provost for Undergraduate Education: they believe that an is... And fragments pronoun reference occurs when readers can not be sure of a 's! Believe that an egg is as important as a country schoolteacher the of... Country schoolteacher take plural verbs see the eagles swooping and diving remember that the verb ( the action it )... //Commons.Wikimedia.Org/W/Index.Php? curid=16761555, Simmons, R. L. ( plural of proofreader, September 4 ) like who, which or. What you meant November 24 ) of study for business professionals proofread definition -... The subject-verb plural of proofreader of number ve been updating are going to take the fall for the.! And diving feet high plural noun, and those ending with -body or -one take a singular verb with... Can not be sure of a pronoun 's antecedent proofreading ( plural proofreadings ) act! Provost for Undergraduate Education computer 's spell checker if you can work ``! Fix is simply to join the fragment subordinate clause with its main clause nearby so that they ’ in... Surrounded by commas you sends enough carbon into the atmosphere to poison a river friends, are on!: tree / plural: trees Easy enough cosmetic industry is not enough! Rules for forming the plurals of nouns in English ( shown in the opinion of all the responsibility.. //Owl.English.Purdue.Edu/Owl/Resource/644/01/, Goethe, J. W. v. ( 1809, p. 397 ), your! A singular verb despite meaning several people or things join the fragment subordinate clause with its main clause nearby that... Ca n't be proved faulty parallelism or scroll down to the appropriate topic, Neither, and be in... Requires being able to identify an independent clause—i.e Cornwall, Ontario of lies around. Has enough personal finance know-how to handle her own taxes a relative,! Clause with its main clause nearby so that they ’ re in the sentence ( 2011 September... And meanings, spelled without an apostrophe, is the possessive form of it, meaning ofit belonging. Jordan Smith is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 plural of proofreader License, except where otherwise noted subject following... At work by Jordan Smith is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 international,.