How to Use this List of Language Links
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This curated list of grammar links is intended to be a common reference point for Writing Centre tutors and tutees, and for any teachers who need to point their students toward resources that will help them understand their written English grammar problems. The links are organised according to common types of language errors and grammatical features. Students can use these links to learn more about specific language problems that their tutor or teacher has pointed out in their writing.
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If you have suggestions for specific links or types of language problems to add to this list, please e-mail caescss@hku.hk.
1. Sentence structure and clarity
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Misuse of clauses (Independent/Dependent Clauses)
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Guide to independent and dependent clauses - rules and examples
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Relative Pronouns & Relative clauses - adding more info to your sentence.
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Sentence fragments - when parts of the sentence are disconnected from the main clause.
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Run-on sentences - when independent clauses are not joined together by correct punctuation​​
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Comma splice - sentences that are joined together by commas​​
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Lack of connection (Connectors)
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​Discourse connectors - words to improve connection between sentences
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Conjunctions and coordination - simple words to improve connection within a sentence
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See here for more examples of linking words
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Missing subject (Dangling Modifier/Dangling Participle)
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A modifier is a word or phrase that describes something. If that modifier describes a subject that is not clearly stated in the sentence, then we call it a 'dangling modifier'.
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Learn more about dangling modifiers and how to correct them here.
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​Sentence sounds unbalanced (Parallel Structure)
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Parallel structure is when you use the same grammatical form for a series of items in one sentence. If you use different grammatical forms, it can disrupt the flow of your sentence.
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Parallel structure can also be used across consecutive sentences to balance ideas and help with flow.
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Learn more about this issue and how to fix it here.
2. Style and Tone
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Inappropriate 'voice' (Passive Voice: When to use it, and when not to)
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The active voice puts focus on the person/thing doing the action. The passive voice puts focus on the person/ thing that experiences the action. The passive voice is often used in formal writing, but if used inappropriately it can make your text difficult to understand.
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Writing too softly or strongly (Hedging and Boosting)
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In academic writing, we use 'hedging' when it is not possible to make a 100% claim, so we have to soften our sentence. If we want to present a strongly persuasive point of view, we can use 'boosting' to strengthen the sentence.
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Explanation and more examples.
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We can also modal verbs to indicate different degrees of possibility.
​3. Verbs
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The verb doesn't match the subject (Subject-Verb Agreement)
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Incorrect tenses (Verb Tenses in Academic Writing)​
4. Nouns
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Poor 'nouning' (Noun Phrases/Nominalisation)​
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Confusing singular/ plural nouns (Countable, and Uncountable Nouns)
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Learn more about countable and uncountable nouns here.
​​​​​5. Articles, prepositions and pronouns
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Missing words (Articles, or More Broadly, Determiners)
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Determiners are words that go before a noun e.g. possessives (his, their), demonstratives (this, that), quantifiers (some, few), articles (a, an, the).
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