Accurate grammar allows readers to enjoy and understand your story—without having to backtrack to try to figure out what you’re trying to say. (If readers have to do that, you may lose them.) Grammatical sentences convey your story clearly.
The following isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list of every grammar issue I proofread for, but it should give you a good idea of what I’ll be on the lookout for:
Modifiers
• Dangling Modifiers
A dangling modifier does not logically modify or describe anything in the sentence.
Incorrect: Working in the hot sun, a cool shower sounded nice.
The “cool shower” is not the one “working in the hot sun.”
Correct: Working in the hot sun, I thought a cool shower sounded nice.
• Misplaced Modifiers
A misplaced modifier is located in the wrong place in the sentence and appears to be modifying a different word or phrase than the author intended. The result may be confusing or humorous.
Incorrect: He praised the food he’d eaten with a thumbs-up.
“A thumbs-up” did not eat the food.
Correct: With a thumbs-up, he praised the food he’d eaten.
• Simultaneous Modifiers
A simultaneous modifier contains action occurring at the same time as another action in the sentence.
Incorrect: Putting on her shoes, she walked out the door.
She cannot walk out the door while putting on her shoes—at least, not without some crazy acrobatic feat. (Sorry for the unintended pun. 🙂 )
Correct: After putting on her shoes, she walked out the door.
Parallel Construction
Equal elements in a sentence should follow the same structure.
Incorrect: Today I plan to wash dishes, fold laundry, and too many diapers will need changing.
Correct: Today I plan to wash dishes, fold laundry, and change too many diapers.
“Person” Shift
Writing takes one of three perspectives, called points of view: first person (I), second person (you), or third person (he/she). Writing should not shift mid-sentence from one point of view to another.
Incorrect: When we eat too much, you sometimes get a stomachache.
Correct: When we eat too much, we sometimes get a stomachache.
Similarly, do not shift from singular to plural.
Incorrect: If one does not enjoy reading, they won’t enjoy the book club.
Correct: If people do not enjoy reading, they won’t enjoy the book club.
Pronouns
• Antecedent Agreement
An antecedent is the noun that a pronoun refers to. Logically, the pronoun must agree in number (singular or plural) and gender with that noun.
Incorrect: Neither one of the girls brushed their teeth.
Correct: Neither one of the girls brushed her teeth.
Also, readers will be confused by pronouns with no clear antecedent.
Unclear: Bob called Dan because he needed someone to talk to.
Who needed someone to talk to? Bob or Dan?
Clear: Bob needed someone to talk to, so he called Dan.
• Pronoun Case
Subjective case pronouns are used as subjects, while objective case pronouns are used as objects.
Incorrect: Sam and me went out for ice cream.
Correct: Sam and I went out for ice cream.
Incorrect: Her and her cat like to sleep in the sun.
Correct: She and her cat like to sleep in the sun.
• Who / Whom
Getting who and whom right is particularly tricky for many writers.
Incorrect: Whom was at the door?
Correct: Who was at the door?
• That / Which / Who
That should be used with essential clauses (not set off by commas) and refers to things or animals.
Example: Her doll that walks and talks is her favorite toy.
Which is used with nonessential clauses (set off by commas) and refers to things or animals.
Example: The carpet, which is new, was expensive.
Who should be used with essential or nonessential clauses referring to people or to an animal that has a name, such as a pet.
Example: I spoke to Caroline, who came over last night, and she agreed to host the party.
Run-on Sentences
A run-on sentence is two or more independent clauses (complete thoughts) that run together as one sentence. Punctuation can fix this.
Incorrect: Jill wrote a story she submitted it her agent loved it.
Correct: Jill wrote a story. She submitted it. Her agent loved it.
Also correct: Jill wrote a story and submitted it. Her agent loved it.
Also correct: Jill wrote a story, submitted it, and her agent loved it.
Sentence Fragments
A sentence fragment does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence. While there are certainly times an author may use fragments for effect or in dialogue, there are other times when fragments simply do not work. They may disrupt a story’s flow, jarring or confusing the reader.
Incorrect: The long, steep hill.
Incorrect: Because I know you will.
A sentence fragment can be corrected by completing the thought (adding the missing subject or verb).
Correct: The long, steep hill frightens me.
Correct: I won’t clean my room because I know you will.
Subject-Verb Agreement
Subjects and verbs must agree in number (singular or plural). When dealing with prepositional phrases, compound subjects, and certain nouns or pronouns, this agreement can get tricky.
Incorrect: The bag of marbles are heavy.
Correct: The bag of marbles is heavy.
Incorrect: The squirrels or the chipmunk are eating the nuts.
Correct: The squirrels or the chipmunk is eating the nuts.
Incorrect: Everyone are there.
Correct: Everyone is there.
Incorrect: Two dollars are not enough.
Correct: Two dollars is not enough.
Verb Tense Shift
Tense deals with time such as past, present, and future. An error occurs when a writer switches tenses for no reason. This can be very confusing for readers.
Incorrect: She fell asleep tired and wakes up refreshed.
Correct: She fell asleep tired and woke up refreshed.
Correct Word Choice
Similar as they may appear, the below words have very distinct meanings and cannot be interchanged at random.
among / between
anxious / eager
fewer / less
if / in case
it’s / its
lay / lie
try and / try to
who’s / whose
and many more!
Finally, rest assured that I’m familiar with grammar myths, and I recognize that some “rules” should, at times, be broken—particularly in fiction.
Sentence fragments and comma splices may convey a particular rhythm or effect that can’t be obtained any other way. Likewise, characters often speak in ways that are not grammatical. Such speech makes for authentic dialogue and is perfectly fine (as long as it doesn’t confuse readers).
Also, contrary to what you may have been taught, you can begin a sentence with a conjunction (such as and, but, if, or, so, yet). Just don’t overdo it. Similarly, don’t begin a sentence with a conjunction if it causes confusion or disrupts the flow of your story.
In conclusion, let logic and clarity reign (not rein 😉 ).
Categories: .
Tags: Christian editing, Christian editor, Christian fiction proofreader, Christian fiction proofreaders, Christian manuscript proofreader, Christian novel proofreaders, Christian proofreading, Christian proofreading services, common grammar mistakes, copy editor or proofreader, dangling modifiers, grammar proofreading, grammar tips, how to proofread, I need a proofreader, misplaced modifiers, parallelism, person shift, pronoun antecedent agreement, pronoun case, run-on sentences, sentence fragments, simultaneous modifiers, subject-verb agreement, that which who, verb tense shift, who or whom