National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST)

School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS)

Department of Humanities & Sciences

Technical and Business Writing

HU-212

Week 2:
Lecture # 1

Course Instructor: Dr Samia Tahir

1
 Today’s Lecture
• Mechanics of Technical Writing.
• Why focus on Grammar?
• The ten common grammar mistakes and
how to avoid them.
 Mechanics of Technical Writing
• Literal meaning of mechanics?

• What is meant by mechanics of technical

writing?

“Keeping in mind how to structure a sentence,

while focusing on subject verb agreement,
active/passive voice, tenses, punctuations,
commas and so on.”
 Why focus on grammar?
• Any grammar and punctuation mistakes in your
writing will undermine even your best ideas.
• Readers will make judgments about you and
your work based on your grammar and
punctuation.
• If you send a document littered with
grammatical errors to your supervisor or your
company’s clients, they will question your
attention to quality, your commitment to the
project, and even your intelligence.
 Ten Common Grammar
Mistakes and how to avoid them
1. Comma Splice
2. Run-On Sentence
3. Fragment
4. Dangling Modifier
5. Subject-Verb Disagreement
6. Pronoun-Antecedent Disagreement
7. Faulty Parallelism
8. Pronoun Case Error
9. Shifted Tense
10.Vague Pronoun
 1. Comma Splice
A significant percentage of grammar errors are
comma splices. A comma splice occurs when two
complete sentences are joined together with a
comma.
Incorrect
•The machine kept running, we pulled the plug.
•We moved the telescope just a little to the left, the
new star immediately came into view.
 1. Comma Splice
Correct
•The machine kept running, so we pulled the plug.
•We moved the telescope just a little to the left, and the new star immediately came
into focus.
(Add a conjunction [so, and, but, yet] after the comma.)

•The machine kept running; we pulled the plug.

•We moved the telescope just a little to the left; the new star immediately came into
focus.
(Replace the comma with a semicolon.)

•The machine kept running. We pulled the plug.

•We moved the telescope just a little to the left. The new star immediately came into
focus.
(Replace the comma with a period and create two grammatically correct sentences.)
 Comma Splice Continued
More Correct Versions
•The machine kept running; therefore, we pulled the plug.
•We moved the telescope just a little to the left; consequently, the new
star immediately came into view.
(Replace the comma with a semicolon and add a conjunctive adverb
[therefore, consequently, however, thus].)

•Since the machine kept running, we pulled the plug.

•As we moved the telescope just a little to the left, the new star
immediately came into view.
(Insert a subordinating conjunction [since, as] at the beginning of the
sentence.)
 2. Run-On Sentence
The run-on sentence error is a close cousin of the comma
splice. In a run-on sentence, two or more sentences have
been crammed into one.
Incorrect
•The computer suddenly crashed it had a virus.
Correct
•The computer suddenly crashed because it had a virus.
•The computer suddenly crashed; we guessed it had a
virus.
•The computer suddenly crashed. It had a virus.
 Run-On Sentence Continued
Incorrect
•The Orion nebula lies about 1500 light-years from the sun
the nebula is a blister on the side of the Orion molecular
cloud that is closest to us.
Correct
•The Orion nebula lies about 1500 light-years from the sun.
The nebula is a blister on the side of the Orion molecular
cloud that is closest to us.
•The Orion nebula lies about 1500 light-years from the sun;
moreover, the nebula is a blister on the side of the Orion
molecular cloud that is closest to us.
 3. Fragment
• A fragment, as the name suggests, is an incomplete sentence. A
fragment typically occurs when the sentence is missing a subject or
a verb, or it lacks a complete thought.
Incorrect
Because the new motherboard was not working.
(This fragment contains a subject and a verb but does not express a
complete thought.)
Correct
The new motherboard was not working.
(Remove the conjunction [because].)
As the new motherboard was not working, we returned it to the
manufacturer.
(Join the fragment to a complete sentence [an independent clause].)
 Fragment Continued
Incorrect
The report missing important data.
(This fragment contains a subject but no verb.)

Correct
The report was missing important data.
(Insert [was].)
The report, missing important data, was corrected
immediately.
(Insert a verb [was corrected] and an adverb [immediately].)
 4. Dangling Modifiers
A dangling modifier occurs when a phrase does not
properly explain the subject.
Incorrect
•While eating lunch, the acid boiled over and
destroyed Lisa’s testing apparatus.
(The acid is apparently eating lunch while it does
damage to the testing apparatus. That’s some acid!)
Correct
While Lisa was eating lunch, the acid boiled over
and destroyed her testing apparatus.
 Dangling Modifiers Continued
Incorrect
•After driving to Cleveland, our faithful cat
was a welcome sight.
(The cat apparently drove the car to
Cleveland. Funny kitty!)
Correct
•After driving to Cleveland, we were glad to
see our faithful cat.
 5. Subject-Verb Disagreement
Subject-verb disagreements occur when the subject of the
sentence does not match the verb. Singular subjects
should go with singular verbs, while plural subjects should
have plural verbs.
Incorrect
•The windows, we discovered after some investigation, was
the reason for heat loss in the house.
Correct
•The windows, we discovered after some investigation,
were the reason for heat loss in the house.
Subject-Verb Disagreement Continued

Incorrect
•The robin, unlike sparrows and cardinals, do not like
sunflower seeds.
Correct
•Robins, unlike sparrows and cardinals, do not like
sunflower seeds.
Incorrect
•Either my DVD player or my stereo were blowing the fuse.
Correct
•Either my DVD player or my stereo was blowing the fuse.
6. Pronoun-Antecedent Disagreement

Pronoun-antecedent disagreement usually occurs when a

writer forgets whether the subject is plural or singular.
Incorrect
•Anyone who thinks Wii is better than Sony PlayStation
should have their head examined.
Correct
•Anyone who thinks Wii is better than Sony PlayStation
should have his or her head examined.
Or
•People who think Wii is better than Sony PlayStation
should have their heads examined.
 Pronoun-Antecedent Disagreement
Continued
Incorrect
Like the scientists, we were sure the rocket was going to
blast off, but it wasn’t long before you knew it was faulty.
Correct
Like the scientists, we were sure the rocket was going to
blast off, but it wasn’t long before I knew it was faulty.
Or
Like the scientists, we were sure the rocket was going to
blast off, but it wasn’t long before we knew it was faulty.
 7. Faulty Parallelism
• Lists can be difficult to manage in sentences. A good
rule of thumb is to remember that each part of the list
needs to be parallel in structure to every other part of
the list.
Incorrect
• After the interview, we went out for dinner, had a few
drinks, and a few jokes were told.
Correct
• After the interview, we went out for dinner, had a few
drinks, and told a few jokes.
 Faulty Parallelism Continued
Incorrect
•Our survey shows that people want peace,
want to own a home, and that many are
worried about their jobs
Correct
•Our survey shows that people want peace,
most want to own a home, and that many
worry about their jobs.
 8. Pronoun Case Error
Often, people are confused about when to use I or me and
we or us. Here is a simple way to make the right decision
about which one to use: If you are using the word as the
subject of the sentence or a phrase, use I or we. Anywhere
else, use me or us.
Incorrect
•Jones’s team and me went down to the factory floor to see
how things were going.
Correct
•Jones’s team and I went down to the factory floor to see
how things were going.
 Pronoun Case Error Continued
Incorrect
•When the roof fell in, the manager asked
Fred and I to start developing a plan for
cleaning up the mess.
Correct
•When the roof fell in, the manager asked
Fred and me to start developing a plan for
cleaning up the mess.
 9. Shifted Tense
Sentences can be written in past, present, or future tense.
In most cases, neighboring sentences should reflect the
same tense. Shifting tenses can make readers feel like
they are hopping back and forth in time.
Incorrect
•Few countries possess nuclear weapons, but many
countries tried to build them.
Correct
•Few countries possess nuclear weapons, but many
countries are trying to build them.
 Shifted Tense Continued
Incorrect
•Parts flew everywhere on the factory floor
as the robot finally breaks down.
Correct
•Parts flew everywhere on the factory floor
as the robot finally broke down.
 10. Vague Pronoun
• Occasionally, a writer uses a pronoun, seeming to
know exactly who or what the pronoun refers to,
while readers are left scratching their heads, trying
to figure out what the writer means.
Incorrect
• Fred and Javier went to the store, and then he
went home.
Correct
• Fred and Javier went to the store, and then Javier
went home.
 Vague Pronoun Continued
Incorrect
•They realized that the inspection of the
building was not going well. It was
fundamentally unsound.
Correct
•They realized that the inspection of the
building was not going well. The inspection
was fundamentally unsound.
 Try this!
Q. Read the following paragraph through, and determine the main tense.
Then reread it and circle the three verbs that shift incorrectly from the main
tense.

For the past seven years, I have called myself a swimmer. Swimming, my one
sport, provides a necessary outlet for my abundant energy. I have always drawn
satisfaction from exertion, straining my muscles to their limits. I don't know why
pushing forward in the water, as my muscles cried out in pain, sets off a booming
cheer in my head. Many times when I rounded the turn for the last lap of a race,
my complaining muscles want to downshift and idle to the finish. My mind,
however, presses the pedal to the floor and yells, "FASTER!" The moment that I
touched the wall my muscles relax; the pain subsides. I am pleased to have passed
the point of conflict. (adapted from Brendon MacLean, "Harder!")
 This one too!
In the following sentences, cross out the incorrect words and write in
the correct form in the blanks. If the sentence is correct as it is, write
"correct" in the blank.

1. Terrence plays quarterback as well as Brian._______________

2. The game hadn't hardly begun before it started to
rain.____________
3. This was sure a mild winter.__________________
4. Jane behaves more pleasant than Joan.________________
5. When you are a parent, you will think different about
children.___________