Common Grammar Mistakes in Letter Writing and Examples

WritingSkills.my.id - The following is a grammar guide in writing letters. I will explain some grammar mistakes, their examples both correc...

WritingSkills.my.id - The following is a grammar guide in writing letters. I will explain some grammar mistakes, their examples both correct and incorrect, and the reason why they are not correct or mistakes.

These are 6 common grammar mistakes in letter writing:

1. Subject and verb disagreement
2. Noun and pronoun disagreement
3. Problematic pronouns
4. Dangling modifiers
5. Misplaced modifiers
6. Run-on sentences

Subject and Verb Disagreement

Examples of subject and verb disagreement:

1. In reference to your recent letter, your address in our files are correct. (INCORRECT)
2. An order form, as well as a post-paid envelope, are enclosed. (INCORRECT)

The correct sentences are as follows:

1. In reference to your recent letter, your address in our files is correct.
2. An order form, as well as a post-paid envelope, is enclosed.

The reason why:

• The subject of the sentence is "address", not "files".

Noun and Pronoun Disagreement

Examples of noun and pronoun disagreement:

1. Each supervisor must complete their personnel reviews by Friday. (INCORRECT)

The correct sentences are as follows:

1. Each supervisor must complete his or her personnel reviews by Friday.
2. Supervisors must complete their personnel reviews by Friday.

The reason why:

1. "Supervisor" is singular, so it takes a singular verb.
2. Make "supervisors" plural to avoid cumbersome "his" and "her".

Problematic Pronouns

Examples of problematic pronouns:

1. John, George, and me met to discuss the job. (INCORRECT)
2. We met with Mr. Brown, Mr. Smith, and yourself in New York. (INCORRECT)

The correct sentences are as follows:

1. John, George, and I met to discuss the job.
2. We met with Mr. Brown, Mr. Smith, and you in New York.

The reason why:

• Remove the first subjects and read the sentence: "me met?" Obviously not.

Dangling Modifiers

Examples of dangling modifiers:

• After finding the missing report, the search was ended by the secretary. (INCORRECT)

The correct sentence is as follows:

• After finding the missing report, the secretary ended the search.

The reason why:

• Since the "search" didn't do any finding, the secretary had to find the report.

Misplaced Modifiers

Examples of misplaced modifiers:

• The payroll teller recommended First Carrier over Federated, whose delivery service is very prompt. (INCORRECT)

The correct sentences are as follows:

• The payroll teller recommended First Carrier, whose delivery service is very prompt, over Federated.

The reason why:

• If First Carrier is recommended, it must be the prompt company, not Federated.

Run-On Sentences

Examples of run-on sentences:

• Your projected cost for fiscal 1991 is $650,000, however, this figure may vary because of a variety of factors. (INCORRECT)

The correct sentences are as follows:

• Your projected cost for fiscal 1991 is $650,000; however, this figure may vary because of a variety of factors.

The reason why:

• The "however" is the start of a whole new thought with its own subject and verb.

Also read: 17 Common Mistakes of Writing Business Letters