Stylistic problems.doc

7/27/2019 Stylistic problems.doc

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Stylistic problems

1) Redundancy

Using more words than necessary or using more words that give same meaning is called

redundancy.

He is a new novice employee. He is new employee.

They share common interest in music. They share interest in music. They have interest in

music.

They have mutual dislike for each other. They have dislike for each other.

He was forced to sing the paper against his will. He was forced to sing the paper.

I have lived here for about 10 years and so. I have lived here for about 10 years.

They are not sufficiently clever enough to catch him out. They are not clever enough to catch

him out.

The decisions will be confirmed to our labor relations. The decisions will be confirmed to

our relations.

They arrived here at 9 a.m. in the morning. They arrived here at 9 a.m.

Two friends competed together for the prize. Two friends competed for the prize.The army advanced forward to attack enemy. The army forward to attack enemy.

The carpenter joined the two beams together. The carpenter joined the two beams.

This reform is no panacea to cure all ills. This reform has to cure all ills.

He is a nice gentle man. He is a gentle man.

While arranging the sentence we must arrange them according to the meaning. We can’t to

convey or according to the sense it gives. Otherwise it is said to be misplacement of words.

1) what meaning I want to convince

2) sensible / senseless

We (subject) shall discuss (verb) his behavior (object) in the office (place adverbial). – Thetopic of the discussion is how he behaves in the office.

In the office (place adverbial), we (subject) shall discuss (verb) his behavior (object). The

place of discussion is office.

We will talk about the problem in the car.

In the car, we will talk about the problem.

The parachute failed completely to open. The parachute failed to open complexly.

The actress tried to kill herself for 3

rd

time. For 3

rd

time, the actress tried to kill herself.

At 18 weeks I was told baby suck it thumb. I was told baby suck it thumb at 18 weeks.

She admitted what she had done to the priest at confession.

At confession, she admitted to the priest what she had done.

Being a lawyer, we may assume that he knows some law.

We may assume that being a lawyer he knows some law.

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After the meeting the M.P discussed the cost of living with several women.

After the meeting with several women the M.P discussed the cost of living.

I could see the jet plane taking off through the hotel window.

Through the hotel window I could see the jet plane taking off.

No dissatisfied customer is ever allowed to leave this supermarket.

No customer is ever allowed to leave this supermarket dissatisfied.

At 18 months his mother was told he was deaf. His mother was told he was deaf at 18

months.

At 70 years of age, his music is playing through the world.

At 70 years of age he played the music through the world.

A native of India, Hindi is her national language.

A native of India, her national language is Hindi.

As a valued customer, we are offering you a discount.

As a valued customer you are offered this discount.

There are two class rooms large enough to accommodate a hundred students one above the

other.

There are two class rooms one above the other large enough to accommodate a hundred

students.

At 80 years, 18 songs she sings per a day.

At 80 years she sings songs 18 per a day.

2) False comparison

The films of Amitab Bachchan are more popular than Dilip Kumar.

The films of Amitab Bachchan are more popular than those of Dilip Kumar.

The duty of teacher is as important as parent.

The duty of teacher is as important as that of parent.

Lath’s songs are more melodious than Usha’s.

Lath’s songs are more melodious than those of Usha’s.

Latha is the best dancer among all her friends.

Latha is the best among all other dancers.

She loves the cat more than her husband.

She loves the cat more than her husband does.

Like a child, his anger erupted form fear.

Like a child he became anger because of fear. Child’s his anger erupted from fear.

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Like any winners dressing room, the champagne flood freely.

Like in any winner’s dressing room, he champagne flood freely.

Unlike French we drive on the left. Unlike France, we drive on the left.

His drawings are as good as any professional cartoonist.

His drawings are as good as any those professional cartoonist.

Violence in films today is different form forties.

Violence in films today is different form those in forties

The weather in India is hotter than Brittan.

The weather in India is hotter than that of Brittan

More than any writer, john’s books express optimism.

More than any writer’s, john’s books express optimism.

You should enjoy it more than last year.

You should enjoy it more than you did in last year.

The prices are higher than 2001.

The prices are higher than those of 2001.

His latest film had the best review of all his other films.

His latest film had the best review of all the reviews of his other films.

Son earns more than his father.

Son earns more than his father does.

The repose to your latest speech is greater than your earlier speeches.

The repose to your latest speech is greater than those of your earlier speeches.

The victims of the Gulf war were more than the USA-Afghan war.

The victims of the Gulf war were more than those of the USA-Afghan war.

3) Antecedents of pronouns

While using nouns and pronouns in the sentence we should see that right number of nounsrepresents equal number of pronouns. If not it can lead to an error of antecedent of pronoun.

It can be avoided using nouns or suitable prepositional phrases.

Sita visited her friend while she was on vocation.

Sita was on vocation, she visited her friend.

Renu, who was going to library, saw her friend.

Renu saw her friend who was going to library.

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While Renu was going to library, she saw her cousin.

While going to library, Renu saw her cousin.

Rahul told Amitab that you would have to work everyday.

According to Rahul, Amitab would have to work everyday.

Ram and Shayam hate flying because they make noise.

Ram and Shayam hate flying kites because they make noise.

The police officer criticized for their trespassing.

The trespassing of the police officer was criticized.

He told his friend that he would be responsible.

The friend was told about his responsibility.

Swathi finds tour India by train because it is interest.

Swathi finds it interesting to tour India by train.

Foreigners are easily impressed by the bullfighters as they march into the stadium.

As the bullfighters march into the stadium, the foreigners find interesting.

4) Ambiguous

We should see that one sentence should covey only one meaning. Otherwise it can be

considered ambiguity. It should be avoided. If it can’t be avoided, some times it is done

deliberately for the save of pun.

Reporter: what do you like?Faster: none / nun.

Kicking animals can be dangerous.

Above board on a hill beside the road: women’s college.

Down board on a hill beside the road: dangerous curves are ahead. Drive slowly.

John could see only his wife through window.

Not any other’s wife or father, son, daughter et cetera.

I believe eyes only.

Not legs, hands, lips etcetera.

John had offended his friend and he was obviously upset.

Rahul needs some more suitable clothes.

I don’t like that boy playing drums.

From the roof top of every building, red, blue, and green colored flags were flying.

Rahul and swetha were married last year.

We didn’t celebrate New Year because of your absence.

I like her singing.

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Rahul didn’t marry her because she was poor.

The criticism of the C.M embarrassed his ministers.

Don’t relive on the advice of single salesman.

A: shall we get married?

B: why not? You select a girl and I will select a boy.

We will get married on same day and same stage.

5) False agreement, false attachment and placement - Concord

I) With collective nouns

a) Description aspect - Single verb is used

b) Functional aspect- Plural verb is used

Staff is decent. –description aspect

Staff are coming regularly. - Functional aspect

Team is very arrogant.

Team behave very well.

India win – treated as team.

The family is quite conservative.

This family are encouraging me a lot.

The couple have argued with each other. – a unit of two people.

The couple has good understanding between them.

Crowed is impatient.

Crowed have thrown stones at the players.

The band have performed excellently.

The band is very expensive.

II) With subjects that ends with ‘es’.

a) Description aspect - Single verb is used

b) Functional aspect- Plural verb is used

Statistics is a boring subject.

Statistics indicate that development rate has come down.

Genetics is an interesting subject.

Genetics prove that consanguinity marriages between cousins are not good.

Economics is not taught here.

Economics don’t indicate that every thing is fine in A.P.

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Politics is not my cup of tea.

Your politics have proved that you are Statistics is a boring subject.

Statistics indicate that development rate has come down.

Genetics is an interesting subject.

Genetics prove that consanguinity marriages between cousins are not good.

Economics is not taught here.

Economics don’t indicate that every thing is fine in A.P.

Politics is not my cup of tea.

Your politics have proved that you are a shred leader.

III) With connectors – with, along with, as well as

a) First subject is considered for verb.

b) Second subject is ignored.

The soldiers along with their officer have arrived.

The principal with his teachers is going to be held responsibility.

The cabinet ministers as well as the speaker have expressed their consent.

IV) With connectors – or, either-or, neither-nor

a) Second subject is considered for verb.

b) First subject is ignored.

The film stars or the director has to receive the awards.

Neither the parents nor their son is not happy with this decision.Either the child or his grand parents have to take it.

V) If two equalities are attributed to the same person, article is not repeated and singular

verb is used.

If two different equalities are attributed to the different person, articles are repeated

and plural verb is used.

The writer and director has been felicitated.

The writer and director the have been felicitated.

The composure and singer is coming.

The composure and the singer are coming.

VI) Plural words are also expressed as follows

Many persons have come.

Many a person has come.

It has been said many times.

It has been said many a time.

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Many books have mistakes.

Many a book has mistakes.

VII) With quantitative adjectives- countable noun / uncountable nouns for verb

Some books are in bad condition.

Some food is available.

A lot of cassettes are there.

A lot of water has been wasted.

I have invited the couple but neither of them has come.

Both of you are welcome. Either of you is going to be selected.

None of them has failed.

All of them are passed.

VIII) For some nouns with we treated as one idea- single verb is used.Slow and steady wins the race.

Bread and butter is an important aspect of man’s life.

Law and order is bad.

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