How to Write Great Essays

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Clarity
CHAPTER 2 
HOW TO WRITE GREAT ESSAYS
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The pronoun 
that 
is too far away from its antecedent to be clear. It could refer to the paper,
or to the meeting. A better sentence is:
Bring the paper that discusses the detention policy with
you to the meeting tomorrow.
Example:
They always talk about the dangers of global warming.
This common pronoun error is also known as an expletive:
they
is useless, because it appears
to refer to no one. If the writer has that information, he or she can revise the sentence to
be more precise:
The newspaper frequently has articles about the dangers of global warming.
If there is truly no 
they,
the sentence should be revised by eliminating it:
There is much talk
about the dangers of global warming.
Incorrect:_Both_Fellini_and_Bergman_edited__his_movie._Correct'>MORE EXAMPLES PRONOUN USAGE
Incorrect:
Both Fellini and Bergman edited 
his
movie.
Correct:
Both Fellini and Berman edited 
Bergman’s
movie.
Incorrect:
Leave all ingredients out of the recipes 
that do not belong 
in a healthy
diet.
Correct:
Leave all ingredients 
that do not belong 
in a healthy diet out of the 
recipes.
Incorrect
:
They
banned parking in their lot so the snowplows could do their job.
Correct:
The owners of the parking lot 
banned parking in their lot so the 
snowplows could do their job.
Incorrect:
The Civil War and the Spanish American War took place in the
nineteenth century. It was a turning point for the country.
Correct:
The Civil War and the Spanish American War took place in the nine-
teenth century. The Civil War was a turning point for the country.