Exploring Writing 2nd Edition by John Langan

Exercise 36

Cross out the unbalanced part of each sentence. In the space provided, revise the unbalanced part so that it matches the other item or items in the sentence.
1. The preschool teacher asked the children to put away their art supplies and that their hands needed to be washed for lunch.
_____________________________________________________________________
2. Boring lectures, labs that are long, and mindless homework make college uninteresting.
_____________________________________________________________________
3. The vending machines on campus offer oily chips that shouldn't be eaten, sugary beverages I shouldn't drink, and stale cookies I don't like.
_____________________________________________________________________
4. My new apartment has new appliances, storage that are plentiful, and a spacious bedroom.
_____________________________________________________________________
5. The badly maintained sales showroom needs the displays replaced, the outlets rewired, and cleaning the carpet.
_____________________________________________________________________
6. I edited my paper for comma splices, sentence fragments, and there were comma mistakes.
_____________________________________________________________________
7. Rob does not want to spend two hours a day commuting to work, but employment nearby is something he cannot find.
_____________________________________________________________________
8. Watching DVD movies, buttered popcorn that I eat, and drinking Diet Coke make up my Friday night routine.
_____________________________________________________________________
9. Raising a two-year-old, a, child that is four years old, and a twelve-year-old makes life extremely hectic.
_____________________________________________________________________
10. The Elton John AIDS Foundation is a global organization that not only educates people about HIV/AIDS prevention but also providing health services to people living with this disease.
_____________________________________________________________________
Use a Consistent Point of View
Consistency with Verbs Do not shift verb tenses unnecessarily. If you begin writing a paper in the present tense, don't shift suddenly to the past. If you begin in the past, don't shift without reason to the present. Notice the inconsistent verb tenses in the following example:
The shoplifter walked quickly toward the front of the store. When a clerk shouts at him, he started to run.
The verbs must be consistently in the present tense:
The shoplifter walks quickly toward the front of the store. When a clerk shouts at him, he starts to run.
Or the verbs must be consistently in the past tense:
The shoplifter walked quickly toward the front of the store. When a clerk shouted at him, he started to run.