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INTRODUCTION

Sources • Dos, Don’ts, and Maybes, by T. Bernstein • Words Into Type, compiled by Skillin, Gay et al. • Woe Is I, by Patricia T. O’Connor • A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage, by B. Garner • The Copyeditor’s Handbook, by A. Einsohn VERBS!

I. Agreement II. Danglers III. Mood & Myth

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AGREEMENT AGREEMENT

Every part of Sam needs a massage. In a sentence, every part should agree part = singular verb logically with every other related part. So, a verb should agree in number with its Sam’s shoulders, arms, and legs need a massage. shoulders, arms, and legs = plural verb subject. ~ easy ~

AGREEMENT AGREEMENT

Since the closest word, feet, is plural, it might be tempting to pick the plural verb form, need. Every part of Sam—his legs, his neck, his shoulders, his feet— {need or needs} a massage. However, the subject (part) hasn’t changed, so the verb is still needs.

Singular or plural? Every part of Sam—his legs, his neck, his shoulders, his feet—needs a massage.

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AGREEMENT

The first group of cases discuss the applicability of the doctrine of collateral estoppel to administrative- agency decisions and the second group discuss the Noerr- Pennington doctrine and the sham exception. (Garner, p. 521) The number of the subject is sometimes obscured by words coming between it and the CORRECT? verb.

AGREEMENT AGREEMENT

The first group of cases discuss the applicability of the doctrine Sec. 252.002, Texas Insurance Code of collateral estoppel to administrative- agency decisions and (b) The commissioner shall annually adjust the rate of the second group discuss the Noerr-Pennington doctrine and the sham exception. assessment of the maintenance tax so that the tax imposed that year, together with any unexpended funds produced by the tax, produce the amount the The subject is group: commissioner determines is necessary to pay the expenses … The first group of cases discusses the applicability … and the second group discusses the Noerr-Pennington doctrine … . CORRECT?

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AGREEMENT AGREEMENT

The number of the subject and verb is also not affected by intervening words introduced by: … so that the tax imposed that year … produces together with the amount the commissioner determines … as well as in addition to plus and similar expressions.

AGREEMENT: COLLECTIVE NOUNS A collective noun is a noun that denotes a group of individuals.

COLLECTIVE NOUNS

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AGREEMENT: COLLECTIVE NOUNS AGREEMENT: COLLECTIVE NOUNS

Texas Code of Criminal Procedure faculty jury Art. 38.04. JURY ARE JUDGES OF FACTS. The jury, in all cases, is the exclusive judge of the facts proved, and of the weight to staff be given to the testimony … . board class

A collective noun could take a singular or plural verb, depending on context.

AGREEMENT: COLLECTIVE NOUNS AGREEMENT: COLLECTIVE NOUNS

The faculty has determined that all faculty meetings Total, all, majority, number, any, and all will occur outside of working hours. can also be interpreted as singular or plural.

The faculty were arguing about what to do about the The before the word is usually a hint that it is increasing plagiarism on the part of the students. singular. A before the word most often indicates it’s plural, especially if the word is followed by of.

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The majority is in charge. AGREEMENT: COLLECTIVE NOUNS Still, a majority of voters are unhappy. Subjects plural in form but singular in effect get a singular verb.

Penal Acts was the legal name, Intolerable Acts what the colonists called them.

Politics is a dangerous game. (WIT, p. 354)

AGREEMENT: INVERTED SUBJECT

In the employee handbook is a sample expense voucher.

Also in the handbook are procedures for submitting expense vouchers.

INVERTED SUBJECT (Copyeditor’s Handbook, p. 343)

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AGREEMENT TAKEAWAYS

• The key to making a subject and its verb agree is to correctly identify the subject. • A collective noun takes a singular verb unless the individuals forming the group are to be emphasized, in which case the verb is plural.

DANGLERS DANGLERS A dangling participle is one type of dangler. It is also What is a dangler? called an unattached, hanging, or misrelated participle.

A dangler is a sentence element that modifies an unintended subject, usually taking for granted that the reader will know what the subject of the sentence is.

What is a participle, you may ask?

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DANGLERS DANGLERS Participial phrase = a group of words used as a Participle = verb acting as an adjective (ends in modifier and consisting of a participle with its –ing, –ed, –d, –t, or –n) modifiers and complements

developing nations Strolling along the path … watched pot Born into poverty … frozen tundra Strengthened in his resolve …

Buried in grad school Buried in grad school debt, finding a job was debt, Kim made her a high priority for Kim. first priority finding a job.

Correct? Buried in debt modifies Kim

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DANGLERS DANGLERS Walking down Congress Avenue, the Capitol came into view. Walking down Congress Avenue, Albert got a good view of the Capitol.

DANGLERS As a legislative staff member, his office is his home Other types of danglers— away from home.

1. Modifying phrases other than participial phrases.

Correct?

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DANGLERS As a legislative staff member, James considers the office his home away from home. Misplaced modifiers are not always located at the head of a sentence:

The stage drama is a gripping saga of betrayal by one of the greatest playwrights of the region.

Staff member = James, not office

DANGLERS DANGLERS 2. Gerunds may also dangle precariously. After clarifying the instructions, the bill was easy to write.

When the participle in a dangling gerund is the object of a preposition, it functions as noun.

(Chicago, p. 5.111)

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DANGLERS DANGLERS

After clarifying the instructions, Sarah found bill 3. Dangling infinitive easy to write.

Infinitive = basic form of a verb, preceded by the word to

DANGLERS DANGLERS

To get a bill passed, the draft request is first To get a bill passed, the member must first submitted to the legislative council. submit a draft request to the legislative council.

Is this ok? Most bill drafting avoids the passive voice

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DANGLERS DANGLERS

IS DANGLING EVER ACCEPTABLE? Examples of acceptable danglers are easy to come by— they usually stand apart from (as if to comment on) the content of the sentence and are commonly introduced with words such as concerning, considering, judging, owing, regarding, speaking, according, barring, etc.

(Garner, p.167)

Considering the current atmosphere in the legislature, it is unlikely that the legislation will pass. Generally speaking, an alien may become trustee of property (Garner, p. 166) that the alien can own beneficially.

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ANACOLUTHON ˌanəkəˈlooTHän/͞ a sentence or construction that lacks grammatical sequence, such as while in the garden, the door banged shut.

Greek: anakolouthos means “lacking sequence”

DANGLERS TAKEAWAYS

• Always suspect an –ing word of dangling if it’s at the beginning of a sentence. Ask yourself who or what is performing the action. • Dangling is almost inevitable when the independent clause is in the passive voice. • Revise the sentence so the expression is clearly related to the word it is intended to modify. (Woe, p. 191)

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MOOD MOOD The subjunctive is almost extinct in spoken English and is passing away MOOD = The form of a verb indicating the even in written English. manner of doing or being Certain phrases are still used, such as: be that as it may Indicative (expresses facts and asks questions) so be it Imperative (expresses commands and direct requests) if I were you Subjunctive (expresses an imagined state, wish, far be it from me command, or desire) The following examples are also viable uses of the subjunctive but could be rewritten:

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MOOD MOOD

WHEREAS, Eagle Scout Dillard's dedication to excellence and his perseverance in the pursuit of his goals have proven him worthy to stand He gave orders that the bills be paid. among scouting's elite, and he may indeed reflect with pride on a job He gave orders for the bills to be paid. well done; now, therefore, be it It is important that he breathe fresh air. RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby congratulate Stephen Dillard on achieving the rank of Eagle He needs to breathe fresh air. Scout and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success and How can one insure that the power of science be used for the happiness; and, be it further benefit of humanity? RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Eagle How can one insure the use of the power of science for the benefit Scout Dillard as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of of humanity? Representatives. (WIT, p. 342)

MOOD MOOD Clauses introduced by as if or though usually express an However, many clauses introduced by if do not express a unreal condition and require a past subjunctive. condition contrary to fact, but merely a condition or contingency. In this case, the subjunctive is incorrect.

Before I turned left, I looked to see if the road were clear.

?? Some patients feel as if they were falling. (WIT, p. 343)

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MOOD MOOD TAKEAWAYS • Use be instead of was or were after someone (b) The law and rules governing the provisional license suggests, insists, asks, requires, or demands that program under Section 101.203 apply to a practitioner as something be done. if the practitioner {was} {were} a provisional license holder • If it sounds unnatural, imagine an unspoken should in when the practitioner is completing the requirements of front of it. the provisional license program. (He urged that the parties negotiate.) • The subjunctive is required in that clauses following verbs of command, demand, wish, request, necessity, etc.

MYTH Myth #1 Never split an infinitive (or any verb phrase for that matter).

The infinitive, the simplest form of a verb, is one word in Latin and thus can't be split. Grammar police of the 18th and 19th centuries imposed it on writers and editors of English.

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MYTH MYTH More often than not the natural position for the adverb is just Myth #2 ahead of the main part of the verb it modifies. Never use a preposition to end a sentence. The following example illustrates an unfortunate placing of the adverb: Okay, you shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition when the sentence would mean the same thing if you left off the preposition. A plan for reducing unemployment slowly has been evolving in Congress. The “rule” was an ill-founded superstition, according to the Chicago Manual of Style. ~Yikes~

MYTH MYTH Myth #3 I.e. and e.g. mean the same thing.

i.e. means that is e.g. means for example

“That is the type of arrant pedantry up with which I shall not put.”

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MYTH CONCLUSION i.e. is used for clarifying a statement: Connect the 5-pin output to the DIS port, i.e., the display adapter.

e.g. is used for listing examples: Consider planting evergreens, e.g., pines, firs, and cedars.

(Copyeditor’s Handbook)

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