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Common Common Syntax Errors Syntax Errors
Common Syntax Errors
syntax = [rules for] sentence building
Word Choice
Sentence Structure
Paragraph Structure
Word Choice
A paper will be more readable if words are used
economically. Writing concisely may be contrary
to common practice in some countries where
authors are paid by the number of words
published! Remember, your goal is to facilitate
communication, which is accomplished through
concise and lucid writing in a well-organized
manner.
Delete uninformative words and avoid redundancy
brief in duration (brief) The wound was of a serious nature.
(The wound was serious.) The rock is red in color.
(The rock is red.) We repeated the experiment again and again.
(We repeated the experiment.)
Exercise 1:
Try to eliminate unnecessary and redundant words
past history original source
globular in shape more preferable than
advance planning seem to appear
for a period of two days mix together
The work will be completed in the not-too-distant future.
The reaction rate was examined and found to vary considerably.
Use one word to replace a phrase
Many popular expressions can be expressed as a single word, or are better omitted altogether. at this point of time - now the reason was because - because in the near future - soon in most cases - mostly it would appear that - (delete) is suggestive of - suggests as to whether - whether in the vicinity of - near it was evident that - evidently
Avoid grandiloquence or grandiose phrasing
The word grandiloquence is itself grandiose. It
implies a pompous style that impresses no one and
provokes ridicule. Conciseness and clarity should
apply to scientific writing. Compare the following
sentences:
Computations were conducted on the data The data were calculated.
It may seem reasonable to suggest that the necrotic effect may possibly due to toxins
Necrosis may be caused by toxins. Necrosis (in Greek Νεκρός = Dead) is the name given to accidental death of cells and living tissue.
In studies pertaining to identification of phenolic derivatives, drying of the paper gives less satisfactory visualization.
Phenolic derivatives are easier to see if the paper is left wet. In organic chemistry, phenols, sometimes called phenolics, are a class of chemical compounds consisting of a hydroxyl group (-O H) attached to an aromatic hydrocarbon group. The simplest of the class is phenol (C6H5OH).
Avoid clichés and euphemisms
cliché - [fr] printing plate; negative; phototype; = « banalité »; chenqiang landiao
euphemism - eu (= well), phem (= to speak); weiwan de shuofa
e.g., eugenics, eulogy, euphony (pleasing sound), euthanasia (an-le-si)
Clichés and euphemisms are rarely helpful and often cryptic (secret, with a hidden meaning or a meaning not easily seen).
Some common euphemisms are simply awkward The patient expired The patient passed away The patient succumbed The patient breathed his last The patient has gone to his rest.
These can be replaced by « The patient died ».
The following terms are usually better omitted or rephrased:a majority of as a consequence of
are of the same opinion as a matter of fact
as seen from our study it is evident that
based on the fact that first of all
for the reason that has the capacity of
in a satisfactory manner owing to the fact that
it has long been known that there is reason to believe
the question as to whether
Use of synonymsA synonym is a word that has the same or nearly the
same meaning as another word. The principal reason to employ synonyms is to avoid monotony from using the same term repeatedly. For examples:
The subject demonstrated a marked sensitivity to the allergen. After receiving the medication, she showed marked improvement. This is a marked medical achievement.
The subject demonstrated a marked sensitivity to the allergen. After receiving the medication, she showed significant improvement. This is an extraordinary medical achievement.
Synonyms for common words can be found in
a thesaurus, a dictionary, and some word
processing programs. Understanding the
nuances of synonyms can be difficult for non-
native-anglophone people. The best way to
improve your grasp is to read English-language
authors and practice your own writing.
Sentence Structure
Agreement of subject and verb
Pronoun reference
Active and passive voice
Nouns from verbs
(The above has been taught in previous sessions)
American and British styles
American and British styles
British writing is different from American writing
in certain forms of punctuation and spelling.
Whatever style is used will not really affect the
reader’s understanding of the text, but you
should be consistent and employ the same style
throughout a work.
Spelling (American – British)connection - connexion inflection - inflexion
defense - defence center - centre
liter - litre behavior – behaviour
color – colour distill - distil
catalog - catalogue analyze – analyse
catalyze – catalyse judgment – judgement
aging – ageing
practice - practice (n.) practise (v.)
acknowledgment – acknowledgement
meter - metre (unit of measure) meter (instrument)
The digraphs ae and oe in words of Latin or Greek derivation are retained in British style:anesthesia - anaesthesiacesium - caesiumdiarrhea – diarrhoeahematite - haematiteleukemia – leukaemiafetus – fœtus
Punctuation: American - comma after e.g. and i.e.; none in British
Paragraph Structure
In its simplest form, a lucid paragraph contains a topic sentence and clearly related supporting sentences. The topic sentence comprises the main point or idea of the paragraph, while supporting sentences provide detail or ancillary (= supplementary) information. The following are basic guidelines for paragraph design.
1. Cover only one main point or idea in each paragraph.
2. Each sentence should establish or support the topic of the paragraph.
3. Include information that explains why actions were taken.
All of the patient data were kept in files. The absence of even one clerk
caused delays in the monthly reporting. Finally, management decided
to interview some system analysts.
(The connection between the three sentences is not clear. Although
the meaning can be inferred, it is better to state it outright). See below.
All of the patient data were kept in paper files, which took much staff
time to maintain. The absence of even one clerk would delay the
monthly patient reports. Management wanted to computerize record-
keeping, which would take less time and be more reliable, and finally
decided to interview some systems analysts to develop the new system.
4. Keep a consistent point of view
That is, maintain the same grammatical voice (active or passive) throughout the paragraph.
5. Use parallel construction to make the paragraph easier to understand.
In an attempt to avoid monotony, some writers vary the sentence construction and thereby hinder comprehension. For example:
A 10 mg dose produces no effect, a 20 mg dose produces a small effect, but patients show a noticeable effect from a 30 mg dose.
Bon Courage!Bon Courage!
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