7. SHIFTS IN CONSTRUCTION

c. SHIFTS IN CONSTRUCTION

To maintain a single idea, the third rule of agreement states that sentences must be the same in PERSON, NUMBER, VOICE and TENSE. By this rule, you are warned not to shift from one person to the other, one number to the other, one voice to the other and one tense to the other when expressing a single idea.

1.Do not change from one person to the other. Examples:

i. When you get into the plane, one feels comfortable.

          2nd person                      3rd person              (these are wrong)      

                        The correct one should read

   When one gets into the plane, one feels comfortable.

           3rd person                      3rd person

ii. I enjoy farming because it helps you appreciate nature.

1st person                                      2nd person                (these are wrong)

                                     The correct sentence should be:

I enjoy farming because it helps me appreciate nature.

1st person                                  1st person

 

2. Do not shift from one voice to the other. Example

i. He stood up, spoke sternly and was seated

        Active      Active                          Passive

          This is wrong. The correct one should be:

He stood up, spoke sternly and sat down.

     Active      Active                Active.

ii. We were punished but they praised him.

                   Passive                 Active

         This is wrong. The correct one should be:

We were punished but he was praised.

           Passive                     Passive

3. Do not shift your tense to another tense while expressing single idea. Example:

i. We rushed to the party, but nobody is there.

          Past                                         Present

                This is wrong. The correct one should be:

We rushed to the party but nobody was there.

      Passed                                       Passed