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Introduction to Exercise 5 - Correcting missing and repeated subjects
Grammar Explanation

To correct mistakes with missing or repeated subjects:
•  Check that every verb in the sentence has a subject.
  • Incorrect: I believe is important to educate all residents.
  • Corrected: I believe it is important to educate all residents.
•  Do not repeat the subject with a pronoun right after the subject.
  • Incorrect: The Chinese economy it is growing rapidly.
  • Corrected: The Chinese economy is growing rapidly.
•  Make sure the subject of the sentence is a noun (e.g., students), a noun phrase (e.g., many students who attend CUNY), or a pronoun (e.g., they).
  • Incorrect: The firefighter rushed to the building. Unfortunately, was not able to enter.
  • Corrected: The firefighter rushed to the building. Unfortunately, he was not able to enter.
•  The subject cannot be a prepositional phrase. Always use a noun phrase, a noun, a pronoun, or a filler (there, here) before the verb.
  • Incorrect: In our community are many children who need childcare.
  • Corrected: In our community, there are many children who need childcare.
PDFDownload Grammar Explanation (PDF)
What You Will Do

Each of the following passages has problems with missing or repeated subjects. Click on the EDIT PASSAGE button and make the necessary changes in the box provided to correct the mistakes. After typing your answer, click DONE to compare WHAT YOU WROTE with WHAT WE WROTE.  
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