How does Shakespeare use language in Hamlet to teach the reader valuable lessons in life Essay Example

How does Shakespeare use language in Hamlet to teach the reader valuable lessons in life Paper Shakespeares tragedy , Hamlet is written during the Elizabethan period . The tragedy , Hamlet was written at a time of intellectual and political controversy . Hamlets popularity is global and it is one of Shakespeares frequently performed plays. Hamlets popularity is due to its artistic exuberance, rich and varied incidents, characters and language. Shakespeare has deep insight into human nature and can intrigue and excite the reader or the audience . Shakespeares plays are written specially to be acted on the stage . Performances took place in the open air and spectators were seated all around the stage. Shakespeare richly depicts his interest in his own profession . Obvious examples include the players and the play-within-a-play to reveal Claudiuss guilt resonates with the language and the imagery of the theatre . Shakespeares Tragedy Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is based on a 12th century tale by Saxo Grammaticus, which Shakespeare most certainly never saw, and is part of a spate of revenge dramas which were extremely popular around the turn of the seventeenth century. Hamlet was written in the 17th Century . In Elizabethan times revenge was taught to be noble and man made . According to the Elizabethans there could only be order only if man could control his passions . During the Elizabethan times elevated passages reflected philosophical thoughts . These thoughts were often spoken in verse . Rhyme was also used to convey the anxiety and passion . There was no real scenery and so setting was created through magic words . In Elizabethan times tragedy only occurred when the person was initially good and there is some tragic flaw in him which leads to his downfall . We will write a custom essay sample on How does Shakespeare use language in Hamlet to teach the reader valuable lessons in life specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on How does Shakespeare use language in Hamlet to teach the reader valuable lessons in life specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on How does Shakespeare use language in Hamlet to teach the reader valuable lessons in life specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Shakespeare has cleverly used soliloquies in his plays to express the characters feelings in that situation. Using soliloquy was a literary tradition used in the olden plays to make all the readers be engrossed in the play and so that they can get in to the most possible depth and understand the hidden meaning . A kind of inner debate is portrayed through the use of soliloquies. The reader is able to gain direct experience of Hamlets inner world. to be or not to be The complexity of his thoughts and ambiguity of his actions appear life like . His intellectual energy and alertness made the action more comprehensible. Shakespeares language complexes the reader but it has deep meaning in them . He uses similes and metaphors that are the lifeblood in all his plays . In Hamlet imagery has been used, descriptive style has been used through out the play . The language used by Shakespeare is full of variety , sometimes enigmatic . Shakespeare genius and mastery of language helped the reader to appreciate Hamlets inner turmoil and to share his trauma . This play is a family drama and since we are all family members, it sustains our interest . The focus is on family relationships like brother , sister ,father and son, daughter and mother, etc . We also understand the importance of friendship , In this play in the 1ST Act the reader is informed that the King of Denmark was murdered by His own brother Claudius . Claudius wanted to rule Denmark and so fulfilled his greed by murdering his own brother . Shakespeare also includes super natural element his fathers ghost . His fathers ghost commands him to take his revenge. So this play depicts the sons turmoil and how he delays to take his actions. To obey our parents is the primary duty of each and every child . A child is been taught till today in school that he should always respect his elders and obey them as they will be successful in their lives if they are obedient and can also pass this on to the next generation . Shakespeare conveys the lesson of being obedient through many ways . One of the ways is when Leartes warns Ophelia about Hamlet . A violet in the youth of primary nature , Forward not permanent , sweet, not lasting. The inward service of the mind and soul Grows wide withal . In this case colours have been created here through the words violet . Images of the spring season have been created . Shakespeare uses this phrase as it was proverbial as well as associated with love . This is one of the ways Shakespeare involved the reader in the play . Adjectives have also been used in this line sweet . All this is done to create an image in the readers eyes . These lines emphasizes that Hamlets love was short lived and not lasting because as Hamlet grew up he became wiser . The words youth of primary nature emphasizes that love is youthful and not long-lasting. Leartes also cautions Ophelia His greatness weighed , his will is not his own For he himself is subject to his birth For on his choice depends The safety and the wealth of this whole state. Leartes makes Ophelia aware that as he is the king he has to please everyone . Hamlet cant choose to marry because he is the prince and he has to marry in the interest of the state. Leartes is a typical protective brother as he warns her of Hamlet. We learn from this the relationship of the brother and sister . He also says Fear it Ophelia , fear it my dear sister. And keep you in the rear of your affection Out of the shot and danger of desire This line tells the reader that Leartes warns her that Hamlet might take advantage of her innocence . Shakespeare cleverly uses images of treasure , war , masks and disease as sexual metaphors when Leartes warns his sister against losing her virginity to Hamlet or lose your heart or your chaste treasure open to this unmastered opportunity . This is a lesson to the reader that he should always listen to his elders as they are more experienced and know more than us . Polonius even warns Ophelia about Hamlet and this part even shows us the importance of being obedient and always listening to our elders . Shakespeare has used a variety of language techniques here to make the reader learn valuable lesson about obedience . Shakespeare begins with a Rhetorical Question . What is between you ? Give me up the truth . Polonius too warns Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet as he could deceive her at any moment and as he was the king his primary duty was to look after the needs of the people . Shakespeare also uses a simile . Affection ? pooh ! You speak like a green girl . A green girl is a girl who is inexperienced . So Shakespeare uses this to compare Ophelia to an inexperienced girl . This word green refers to the reader as he too is inexperienced and he should always listen to his elders . Shakespeare creates stunning imagery which helps the reader visualize the situation . Or not to crack the wind of the poor phrase The image is of a horse or over exertion of a hound which will get the stitch . Shakespeare has used strong comparisons . Ay, springs to catch woodcocks Wood cock was a foolish bird that fell into snares . So in this case he compares Ophelia to a woodcock . When the blood burns , how prodigal the soul Lends the tongue vows He tells her that in youth any body will say anything , but it is up to her that she should not believe them set your entreatments at a higher rate Than a command to parle Polonius tells her that she should have her own dignity. Its very important for a person to have his or her dignity because others will respect him / her . She should also be at a commanding position. for Lord hamlet , Believe so much in him that he is young, Do not believe his vows . For they are brokers. He warns Ophelia that she should be careful of Hamlet as he could take advantage of her innocence . In this case Shakespeare uses comparison again . This time he compares Hamlet to brokers . I appreciate his comparison as Polonius was confident that Hamlet would break her daughters heart and all the vows and promises they had taken . Ophelia unwillingly acknowledges her father and replies I shall obey my lord . I appreciate her courage as she is ready to sacrifice her love and submits herself to her fathers instructions . There is one more character who shows the reader that he is loyal to his father . That is Hamlet . In Act 1 scene 5 Shakespeare has made use of supernatural elements his fathers ghost. His father commanded him to take revenge against the serpent that did sting thy fathers life now wears the crown He promised his father that he will take revenge. Hamlet was in a state of confusion whether or not take the revenge . He knew that it taking away a persons life was not in his hands , it was all on All Mighty . His conscience prevented him to do such a devious thing. Still he took revenge to show the reader that he obeys his father. Another way we know about his obedience is when his fathers ghost tells him Taint not thy mind , nor let my soul contrive Against thy mother aught. Leave her to heaven. His fathers ghost commanded him to leave his mother alone to the heaven. When he had a conversation with his mother , he never harmed her but persuaded her to introspect herself. He also forced her to confess that she was responsible for his fathers death. Confess yourself to heaven. Friendship is an in-depth relationship combining trust, support, communication, loyalty, understanding, empathy, and intimacy. In friendship trust lies on each other and they share their feelings with each other . One lesson which we learn is about friendship . Shakespeare has conveyed this lesson for the reader through many ways . One of the way is through Leartes and Polonius . In this situation Leartes is departing to France and Polonius instructs him about what kind of friends he should have . These instructions resembles of a typical father who advices his son when he goes out for future studies . The first thing Polonius tells him The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail . Shakespeare uses stunning language techniques when he portrays some very valuable lessons which could be applied in our lives. He makes use of Personification here . Polonius tries to tell Leartes that nature is favoring him that he should go out of the country to study . Shakespeare gives the wind the quality to sit . look thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue. This line emphasizes that a person should think before he / she speak because if you dont think the other person might have a wrong impression about you . This is a lesson for the reader that he should think before he speaks . Be thou familiar , but by no means vulgar. Those friends thou hast and their adoption to them Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel Harsh words have been used by Shakespeare vulgar. Shakespeare has used harsh words so that the reader learns that a person should not be rude in friendship and you should not offend your friends as they are an integral part of your life . This line conveys the message that we should be pleasant in our friendship when dealing with others and that we should not become cheap with the common people . The 2nd sentence teaches the reader that we should not be overfriendly with someone as there could be disagreements between friends . But do not dull thy palm with entertainment . Negative words like dull have been used to emphasize on the point that your friendship should not be meaningless . We should also be very selective while choosing our friends. We should not be with bad company but with true friends who will help us out . So we should only shake our hands with those people who are our true friends . This is again a lesson for the reader. be aware of entrance to quarrel . but being in beart that th opposed may be aware of thee . Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice Take each mans censure , but reserve thy judgement Harsh words like quarrel used by Shakespeare to depict the fact that in friendship there should be no fights. Words like beware used to caution the reader that quarrel should not exists in friendship . In the 2nd quote the line emphasizes that a man should always listen more and talk less. Another lesson it tells the reader that he should take advice from other people . At last Shakespeare has also used a simile And it must follow , as the night the day . Shakespeares compares that just as the day follows the night , Leartes should also follow the instructions given to him . I appreciate his use of similes , comparisons as they help the reader to visualize the situation . The other characters that depict the importance of friendship are Horatio and Hamlet . Horatio was Hamlets close friend . A friend is whom we share our feelings and they are the ones who give us suggestions if we are facing any crisis . Horatio also warns Hamlet when he was following a ghost : Do not my lord What if it tempt you toward the flood , my lord, Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff Horatio warns him that he should not believe in hallucinations as it could harm him or drive him into madness . This shows his concern for his friend. Horatio used to support Hamlet at every ups and downs . A friend is someone who we can trust up on. Horatio was worthy to be trusted by Hamlet . The reader knows about it in the 1st Act when Hamlet tells them to swear that they wont tell anything about the ghost. Ay by heaven my lord . Horatio kept his secret and till the end he did not tell it to anyone. Hamlet used to admire Hamlet and he shows his admiration as a true friend . Hamlet tells Horatio about friendship and tells him to support him. He tells Horatio For what advancement may I hope from thee , That no revenge hast but thy good spirits Shakespeare has used adjectives while teaching us valuable lessons in life so that its descriptive and it captures the readers attention. good spirits. Hamlet tells to Horatio that he should be friendly with him and not betray him in any way or the other . Hamlet also shares his inner conflict with Horatio. He tells Him Sir in my heart there was a kind of fighting- This shows true friendship as Hamlet shares his emotional disturbance with Horatio as he feel secured with him . Harsh words have been used by Shakespeare fighting to depict Hamlets inner disturbance . Shakespeare has also used characters who dont value friendship at all they are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern . They are a contrast to Hamlet and Horatios friendship . They are the ones who try to deceive Hamlet but failed . They were sent by the King to find about the reason for his madness . Hamlet wanted a friend who would be true to him and not deceive him . By what more dear a better prosper can charge your withal . Shakespeare uses simile to compares those characters who did not value friendship- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern He keeps them like an ape an apple . He compares these two to an apple kept so that the King could extract all information from them . The reader also learns the importance of prayer . Prayer is very necessary as we should thank God for all we have . We should also confess to God if we have done something wrong . Claudius is guilty of what he has done and confesses to God . Poetic language used by Shakespeare to show that Claudius was really guilty To wash it white as snow? Where to serves mercy But to confront the visage of offence? He has used similes white as snow . He wants God to wash away all his sins completely . What then ? What rests? What it can it not Shakespeare has used Rhetorical Questions in the play to depict the reader that his state of mind was in confusion . Imagery has been created through Shakespeares choice of words heart with strings of steel The reader imagines his heart strings have hardened to steel as a result of the crime . Introspection is necessary as a person would be able to find out whether was he correct or wrong . It was a literary tradition to convey the character of the person . This above all :to thine own self be true . This is the most important line as it portrays that whatever we do , we should be answerable to conscience . If we do something superior than we will be able to answer our conscience and will not be ashamed of what we have done. In Hamlet Shakespeare has used Soliloquy to tell us about the characters feelings at that time and this helps us to judge the character of Hamlet. o what a rogue am I Hamlet humiliates himself . He also asks himself questions am I coward? who calls me villain? He condemns himself for not taking any action against Claudius . why , what an ass am I. Shakespeare has used rhetorical questions which depict the reader the state of confusion he was in and the inner conflict he was facing at that situation. Hamlet asks himself many questions through out the play. to be or not to be- Hamlet was wondering to take the revenge or not. This is an important lesson to the reader that he should ask himself a string of questions to test whether he was right or wrong .

Code of Ethics Essays - Codes Of Conduct, Morality, Business Ethics

Code of Ethics Essays - Codes Of Conduct, Morality, Business Ethics Code of Ethics BUS/210 March 7, 2014 Code of Ethics 1.Honesty: We will be honest in the way in which we deal with each other, our vendors and suppliers, and our customers even when honesty may result in financial loss. a.I chose this one because I believe that customers appreciate an honest business. 2.Community Involvement: We will be involved in community activities to support and encourage clean neighborhoods, crime control, and overall community advancement as a way of showing our appreciation of our community and customers. Community involvement activities must be approved by management in advance. a.I chose this one because it builds a good reputation and shows the business is concerned with more than just profits. 3.Social Responsibility: We will be socially responsible by abiding by all local, state and federal laws and regulations regarding the operation of our business. a.I chose this one because it also builds a good reputation and it is the right way to do business. 4.Discrimination: We will not discriminate in our hiring or promotion practices against anyone regarding race, color, gender, nationality, religion, or age. a.I chose this one because it is illegal to discriminate. 5.Vendors/Suppliers: We will only do business with vendors and suppliers that operate in a legal and socially responsible manner. a.I chose this one because if associated with a corrupt business, we could be guilty by association. 6. Work/Life Balance: We recognize that our employees families are important and will provide set work schedules so that our employees have the necessary balance in which to have quality time to support and enhance those relationships. a.I chose this one to show the employees that the business cares about them.

The Relationship between Entrepreneuship, Innocation and Economic Essay

The Relationship between Entrepreneuship, Innocation and Economic Development - Essay Example A variety of theories and policy approaches have been advanced with Keynesian influenced stimulus packages being infused into Western economies with varying degrees of success. Still, a growing body of support has turned to the potentials of economic development occurring through entrepreneurship and innovation. Theorists such as Joseph Schumpeter argue that entrepreneurship and innovation are core elements for economic development, and subsequent city and state governments have oftentimes-established incubators and given increased funding to ensure that innovation is supported. This essay examines the relationship between entrepreneurship, innovation and economic development. The essay also considers the role creativity and problem solving play in this relationship, with reference to both theory and examples from the business world. Analysis When examining the relationship between entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic development perhaps the most groundbreaking theorist has bee n Joseph Schumpeter. While Schumpeter’s insights into economic development span a wide array of understandings, there are a number of specific considerations that are relevant for this specific mode of investigation. One of Schumpeter’s most important notions is that of ‘creative destruction’. ... Individuals such as Alan Greenspan have noted that this process underlines economic development. He notes, â€Å""Capitalism expands wealth primarily through creative destruction—the process by which the cash flow from obsolescent, low-return capital is invested in high-return, cutting-edge technologies" (Greenspan 2002). There are a number of specific means by which entrepreneurship and innovation carries out such creative destruction. In his text ‘Theory of Economic Development’ Schumpeter argued that entrepreneurship didn’t simply create new industries, but also resulted in the combination of past industries (Schumpeter 1982). One example of this is that the development of the steam engine combined with carriage development techniques to form the automobile. The development of the automobile then drastically shifts previously held economic and social structural elements, reenergizing the economy and contributing to economic development. While Schumpeter ’s theories have received a degree of criticism that remain prominent and highly relevant in the contemporary world environment. In large part, Schumpeter’s understanding of entrepreneurship and innovation as contributing to economic development has been echoed through endogenous growth theory. This perspective contends that a nation’s economic growth occurs through internal rather than external factors. In this context of understanding it’s clear how Schumpeter’s theory on entrepreneurship is squarely rooted within the endogenous means of growth. While entrepreneurship is popularly viewed in terms of inventions and small business owners, in further examining its impact on economic development one must consider the more abstract notion of innovation

Are knowledge and talent skills that can be taught in the workplace, Essay

Are knowledge and talent skills that can be taught in the workplace, or are they only acquired from experience - Essay Example Knowledge can be acquired through both teaching of an individual at the workplace and can also be acquired through experience. It is noteworthy that no skills are inborn but they are acquired by an individual as they grow. Many employers write job descriptions requiring skills for certain posts. Most hiring employers look for employees with certain skills rather than an individual with best talents. It is important for managers to understand that skill is a learned competence and everyone can be taught to develop a particular skill. Talent is a gift from God and reflects etymological roots of an individual. Talent cannot be taught in a workplace. If one wants to be a salesman, then with enough training, he or she can be taught to acquire this particular skill. In fields such as accounting, many people can read bank statements but few people can manage to manipulate the statements to identify viable investment opportunities. Communication is another area that clearly differentiates be tween the inborn or gifted characteristic and skills that can be acquired through teaching. Some people can talk throughout the day and what they are talking about influences other people. Some people have no ability to talk even for one hour. From these, we can note that skills can be acquired through teaching and experience (Santana, 2005). For more than 10 years, I have been hiring talented and skillful personnel to be my operations assistants. Last year, I was looking for a person with high profile in terms of skills that they were taught. I decided to employ a young man who had no skills.. I hired him because he had passion in the job. It was very fortunate that he learned how to do the job within a short period of time; he became the best among my employees. He turned out to be very productive more than the rest of the employees. From this, I learned that skills and knowledge can be acquired

Pro Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pro Life - Essay Example It is rather known most commonly as the opposition to most abortion case; the support to new life. The major stated goal of the pro-life movement is to "restore legal protection to innocent human life" (Matthew, 2006). This includes the protection of the fetuses and embryos, those who are physically incapacitated that cannot tell their thoughts anymore, and people who are too weak. There are three kinds of people in the world: those who only watch things to happen, those who knows how to make things happen and those doesn't even know whatever it is that hit them. Today, the majority of the people of the world are those who sometimes cannot even be bothered with what's happening, and the one's who make up the first and the last category. In today's reality, it is very hard to establish a common goal and further, fight for it; as people also considers the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is believed that it is the direct killing of an innocent child, and by the term, it is also a kind of "murder" by same person who gave life to it. It is no longer just the issue of a woman's right to choose the number of children that she will bear.

Reforming the Legal Rights of Patients in Pakistan

Reforming the Legal Rights of Patients in Pakistan â€Å"If they are unwilling to understand your pain make them feel it.† Kevin Schaller THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION TO RECTIFY DEFICIENCIES IN THE LAW Background One sentence triggered me to work on the patient rights which is a Doctor be treated as patients to make them realize that how hard is it to be a patient’. In Pakistan the basic fundamental rights of patients globally acknowledged (Right to Information; Right to Consent; Right to Free Choice; Right to Privacy and Confidentiality; Right to Respect of Patients’ Time; Right to the Observance of Quality Standards; Right to Safety; Right to Avoid Unnecessary Suffering and Pain; Right to Complain; and Right to Compensation; Right to Preventive Measures; Right of Access; Right to Innovation and Right to Avoid Unnecessary Suffering and Pain) have not been adequately secured by the law, especially rights breached through malpractice and negligence by the medical vocation and the main reason being the inability of the aggrieved patients to file ‘Suit for the Recovery of Damages etc.’ in court of law under tort being incognizance about these rights that have not been legislated and are predicated on the unwritten common law. We overviewed the domestic legislation about the patients’ rights that enabled us to point out gaps and deficiencies in the domestic legislation in the cannon of patients’ rights which are being violated by healthcare providers. This work will enable the legislators in ameliorating the quality of life of patients. The rectification if only possible if special legislation is made keeping in view the deficiencies, gaps and lapses in the domestic legislation. Thus, bringing the gaps and ambiguities, subsisting in the domestic legislation, in the lime light is additionally desideratum of hour if this country is solemnly wishes to amend the quality of human rights bulwark in patients care in Pakistan. Due to absence of any statutory legal framework the healthcare provider’s elaborate their own code, charter, code, rules and regulation with immunity or case law. While recognizing not only that doctors owe a fundamental duty of care to their patients but also that there is need to reform the present legal framework of the profession, it is essential to ensure that the focus of all reform is on distinguishing those doctors that act in good faith and to the best of their ability from those that are negligent, rash or reckless and on punishing only the latter with appropriate and objective severity. A solution lacking this balance will drive out any good doctors that may still remain in the country and leave the field open to their less vigilant peers to play with the lives of patients according to their whims. The Proposed Title of legislation: (Special Code for Healthcare) Therefore, to avoid legal conflicts, gaps, duplications, technical flaws, and vague norms found in current health care legislation discussed in the ‘prompt action’ domain of issues, unification, and codification of healthcare laws is desirable. Owing to significant influence from the continental legal system on patients’ rights the Pakistani legal system offers an opportunity for such unification by the creation of what might be titled the ‘Special Code of Healthcare.’ This approach can eliminate the need for different definitions for identical or similar terms and concepts, and would help to avoid conflicts, inconsistencies, and other gaps currently found both in terms of legal procedure and content due to which the patients in Pakistan are enormously being violated without halt. Therefore, making bases to this study, a package of legislative amendments was presented to the ministry of labor, health, and soon the Ministry will review the suggested amendments and orchestrating to issue orders to fine-tune deficiencies in the country’s health care legislation. The study has additionally accommodated as a reference guide for the Ministry’s legislative work, whose deliberations in this realm are underway, therefore, legislation to rectify the deficiencies, imperfections, gaps and lapses in the domestic legislation can be ascertained in two parts: PART-I Based on these findings, a number of recommendations follow and the problematic issues fall into three steps: Prompt Action Here we deal with technical legal flaws i.e. definitions of Right to Information; Right to Consent; Right to Free Choice; Right to Privacy and Confidentiality; Right to Respect of Patients’ Time; Right to the Observance of Quality Standards; Right to Safety; Right to Avoid unnecessary Suffering and Pain; Right to Complain; and Right to Compensation, ‘informed consent’, ‘the rights of a patient’s relative’, and ‘implied consent’ can be categorized as prompt action to act forthwith and without delay. Such problems do not need additional discussions about healthcare policy and for determining the rights we have discussed at length are supposed to be made available to all patients for which the recommendations offered are sufficient and adequate in order to make special legislation for administration of justice efficiently through setting up special courts and tribunals throughout Pakistan giving relief to aggrieved patients within the period of six months. As special baking, antiterrorist, consumers, labors etc courts are already set up in Pakistan in the interest of public. The patient relative should establish the priority ordering of ascending and descending relatives, or at least adopt the procedural framework established by Muhamdan laws determining different stages of heir: stage-1, (decedent’s children, spouse and parents, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren), stage-2 (siblings of the decedent; nieces and nephews and their children) and stag-3 (grandparents; great grandparents), 4th class (uncles and aunts), 5th class (first cousins; their children). The ambiguity and vagueness of the terms and rights of Patients could be addressed by eliminating the word â€Å"etc.† or any other word creating doubts while interpreting it. Therefore, the new proposed legislation must ensure by clearly defining the terms ‘implied consent’ by providing an exhaustive list of the situations and legal triggers when implied consent can be invoked. As for as, the term medical malpractice is concerned the issue of unacceptably restrictive scope could be resolved by using the term â€Å"healthcare provider† instead of â€Å"physician etc† in defining the term â€Å"medical malpractice† because â€Å"healthcare provider† extends liability to other individuals and institutional entities involved in the provision of healthcare. To resolve the ambiguities, the legal definition of medical malpractice could be formulated as follows: â€Å"Medical malpractice shall be an unlawful action or act of omission of a healthcare provider, which has resulted in a patient’s death or disorganization of health, or has inflicted moral and/or material damage to a patient.† Likewise, in the realm of confidentiality, the proposed special law should be prepared so that a patient’s information be made available to third parties, including investigative bodies subject to provision of a court order. The proposed law must also specify when it is justified to disclose patient information for forensic medical examination purposes and either a court order or the consent of the patient or his or her legal representative must be required for disclosing the information. The proposed law on the Rights of Patients must expand the characterization of cases when information should be provided to next of kin or guardians of incapacitated individuals and it should also specify that patients possess the right to receive any other medical information related to their medical histories, treatment procedures, and personal identity. The obligations of medical professionals and institutions to provide information in such cases must be clearly delineated. Public Policy There is a rather large group of issues where legislative action can be taken only after choices and priorities are first determined in public policy arena and the issues falling under this category, recommendations of technical legal analysis are not sufficient for remedial legal framework; however, these findings do help flag legislative norms that must be fleshed out or otherwise amended. These ‘public policy’ issues include the scope, limit and circumstance under which ‘medical malpractice’, ‘confidentiality of information’, and ‘patients’ right to information etc can be determined. The situation is more complex regarding the issues in this domain, as decisions need to be made in the public policy area first and only then can these decisions be reflected in legislative reforms. Furthermore, ambiguities and controversies in the healthcare policy arena need to be resolved and priorities defined before legislative action. Deliberation Extensively Required The thesis has identified several topics i.e. as patient safety, rights of healthcare providers etc with respect to which there is neither any legislation nor there is any clear approach in the domestic legislative canon in Pakistan which requires conceptual consideration and synthesis of approaches. Only then, after those policy decisions have been made it will be possible to bring the legal framework into compliance with the requirements of a healthcare system emphasizing human rights in patient care. Hence, with regard to the issues in ‘deliberation extensively required’ as compared to the other categories, there is a longer road ahead before legislative amendments can be made to effectively address these issues. In the area of patient safety, Pakistan first needs to formulate a state policy on the topic and then bring the legislation into compliance with such policy. The work determines different stages of heirs mentioned above. The approach towards this issue should include at least two areas: regulation and implementation. For regulation, legislation needs to be improved with respect to patient rights and patient safety. For implementation, the competent and impartial authorized agency or authority be established to determine policy and safety standards etc at national level for enforcing these concepts in true letter and spirit. In addition, it is necessary to implement projects and activities aimed at eliminating specific risks that pose a danger to patient and provider occupational safety. To accomplish needed progress in the rights of healthcare providers, we recommend that a special section in the healthcare legislation of Pakistan be dedicated to regulating and guaranteeing the rights of healthcare providers as well. At least, legislative amendments must cover issues such as contractual rights of healthcare providers and protections covering faith and religion because here in Pakistan a general tradition is that people attribute any calamity or loss during the process of medical treatment as ‘Act of God or destination’. Part-II PM DC Reformation The role of the council is replete with criticism because of multiple reasons which we have already discussed earlier. Therefore, at this stage the following suggestions are given: The Council must function under strict check and balance system empowering and authorizing the same to reevaluate the registration, performance, terms and conditions of licenses of the healthcare professionals on annual basis by making required amendments and alteration in section 31 of the PM DC Ordinance, 1962 which empowers the council to cancel the registration of a negligent doctor, reads as, â€Å"The council (PM DC) in its discretion may refuse to permit the registration of any person or direct the removal altogether, for a specified period, of the name of any registered medical practitioner or dentist who has been convicted of any such offence; has been held by the council guilty of infamous conduct in any professional respect or who has shown himself to be unfit to continue in practice on account of ill mental health or other grounds.† Secondly, through a cumbersome procedure a complaint is supposed to filed by the aggrieved patient before the registrar or the legal head of the PM DC or the president regarding any negligence of doctors [1] but what would be the outcome or timeframe of such hectic procedure strictly followed by the aggrieved patient regarding the injury or loss he suffered through medical malpractice? Law is silent. Weather this council is authorized to take action against any private hospital? The ordinance is also silent about this as well. Here, on this point again the PM DC laws are completely silent which calls for overall reform of the Pakistan Medical Dental Council Ordinance, 1962 in line with international standards where many countries tried to reduce the risk of malpractice which cannot be eliminated 100% because the risk of mistakes and errors of judgment will always be there even if factors like self-interest are removed completely but in some hospital strict standard operating procedures that are checked and evaluated by third parties like, professional bodies of doctors, medical staff, state authorities and insurance companies. Since its establishments, the Council is being run and administered by medical practitioners for personal gains or joins the executive body as tool to run their private medical entities, units or set up and not for the benefit of the profession, the patients to diligently improving the standard of medical education, training and licensing and likewise, the body has almost no power to restore the license of a medical practitioner once it has been revoke. The basic and derived patients’ right (non-enforceable rights) also called ethical codes be incorporated along with the basic rights. The critics, objects this point because of its nonbinding character as these ethical codes have no statutory base, therefore, cannot be legally enforced. Voluntarily and non-enforceable basis of non-statutory code has drawbacks which could only be avoided through legislation. Part-III Amendments in PPC More so, a remedy through courts is always there but it adds more salt to the wound of aggrieved patients who is already suffered facing the prospect of losing a limb or his life. Therefore, the penalties for medical malpractice or negligence be introduced to prevent negligence from occurring if healthcare intentionally does anything with actus rea and mins rea the concerned be booked under penal code as well and all those laws giving them immunity be repealed. The quackery can’t be eliminated from our society unless with this regards some amendments are not introduced in PPC. S. (XXIX) of The Punjab Healthcare Commission Act, 2010 defines â€Å"quack† a pretender providing health services without having registration of the Medical and Dental Council, Council for Tibb, Council for Homeopathy and Nursing Council and saved its skin from criminal jurisdiction. Section 40 PPC defines word a thing made punishable by PPC, and further defines in section 44 word injury as any harm illegally caused to any person, in body, mind, reputation or property and section 416 personation, a person is said to cheat by personation if he cheats by pretending to be some other person, or by knowingly substituting one person for another, or representing that he or any other person is a person other than he or such other person really is while section 419 deals with Punishment for cheating by personation: Whoever cheats by personation shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, or with fine, or with both. Unfortunately, quackery can be made an offence by making a slight amendment in PPC in the sections mentioned above but domestic trends protect this menace under the garb of technicalities. The question arises why so far against quackery none has been booked under penal code? Part-IV Miscellaneous Steps Awareness through electronic and print media: Average patients don’t know about their rights exactly what kind of service or limitations of their expectations. Separate Road Track for Emergency Services National Highway Authority must ensure that a separate track is lying on all roads for emergency. At government level, the general public be trained through celebrating ambulance week periodically for educating the masses about handling the emergency situation. Rules for Prescription Format The researcher as precautionary measures suggest that there must be a prescribed format for prescription and overleaf written all the basic rights and remedies of patients, with mandatory additional note:- I have diagnosed on ___________the Day of __________and fully understood the nature of the ailment of Mr / Ms. /____________________ and I feel fully competent to deal with the nature of ailment, hence, don’t refer to any other specialist doctor. The rules for prescription must be modernized through review keeping in view the Article 11 of the EU Directive on Patients Rights Rules for Pharmacies At national level all drugs and medicines classified as either the ‘Over the Counter Drugs’ or ‘Prescription only Drugs’; the prescribed drugs must only be sold by the pharmacies on the prescription of registered medical practices by PM DC. Social Security Framework: Can we replace tort compensation with a social security framework that serves victims patients like in 1972, New Zealand introduced the first ‘Universal No-Fault Insurance Scheme’ that provide compensation by the government-run Accident Compensation Corporation irrespective of negligence or malpractice whose goal may be to achieve equality of compensation and reducing different costs of litigation. In the 1970s, Australia and the United Kingdom drew up proposals for similar no-fault schemes but they were later abandoned but in Pakistan with certain amendments in this sector the goals can be achieved. [1] www.dawn.com/news/711896/cases-of-medical-negligence-on-the-rise-2, browsed on 12-4-2014

Essay --

Financial support of minors Parents have an obligation to provide for their children. Children below the age of eighteen years are minors; hence, parents and guardians have the primary liability to support their children. It is their moral obligation to provide for their children as well as their mandate as the law stipulates. Parents are expected to provide common basic needs to the best of their ability. The general obligation of a parent is to provide love, affection, education, food, clothes and proper medical care. Minors on their part are supposed to respect their parents or guardians and utilize the opportunity they are given. For example, the opportunities to go to school, where they are expected to attend all classes and pass exams. When minors leave their parents’ home on their own accord, there is little probability that court will force their parents to support them financially. If the minors leave their parents’ home as a result of the influence of other people or failure to abide b y the rule stipulated by their family, then parents do not have any financial liabil...

Is Foreign Debt a Problem for Bangladesh?

Is Foreign Debt a Problem for Bangladesh? Part-A Foreign debt in Bangladesh Introduction: External debt is one of the sources of financing capital formation in any economy. Developing countries like Bangladesh are characterized by inadequate internal capital formation due to the vicious circle of low productivity, low income, and low savings. Therefore, this situation calls for technical, managerial, and financial support from Western countries to bridge the resource gap. On the other hand, external debt acts as a major constraint to capital formation in developing nations.The burden and dynamics of external debt show that they do not contribute significantly to financing economic development in developing countries. In most cases, debt accumulates because of the servicing requirements and the principal itself. In view of the above, external debt becomes a self-perpetuating mechanism of poverty aggravation, work over-exploitation, and a constraint on development in developing economi es. Public borrowing can be seen by private investors as a warning signal of the government becoming bankrupt within the foreseeable future.They may also fear that government will impose higher taxes in future in order to facilitate the repayment and servicing of the loan. In that case private investors will become less enthusiastic to invest. However, policy makers have to know whether public borrowing is followed by any crowding- out effect on investment, through whatever channel, and to what extent and whether the detrimental effect of such actions outweighs the benefit coming from the use of borrowed money, as is argued by the classical. What is public debt?Public debt is the entry records of cumulative total of all government borrowings less repayments that are denominated in a country's home currency. Public debt should not be confused with external debt, which reflects the foreign currency liabilities of both the private and public sector and must be financed out of foreign e xchange earnings. Government debt is one method of financing government operations, but it is not the only method. Governments can also create money to monetize their debts, thereby removing the need to pay interest.But this practice simply reduces government interest costs rather than truly canceling government debt and can result in hyperinflation if used unsparingly. Governments usually borrow by issuing securities, government bonds and bills. Less creditworthy countries sometimes borrow directly from a supranational organization (e. g. the World Bank) or international financial institutions. Sources of public debt: A. Internal Sources. I. Borrowing from individual by issuing govt bond, notes, etc II. Borrowing from commercial bank III. Borrowing from central bankIV. Borrowing from nan-bank Financial institution B. External Sources I. Foreign Government II. Foreign private institution III. International financial institution like IMF, WB etc. Why Bangladesh economy is dependent o n Public debt? To utilize natural resources Economic development Financing deficit budget Strong social and economic structure Crucial economic contingencies Implement annual development Program Import financing Implementation of fiscal policy To strong national defense Modernization of agriculture Facilitate quick industrialization.Factors Which Influence How Much a Government Can Borrow †¢ Domestic Savings. If consumers have a high savings ratio, there will be a greater ability for the private sector to buy bonds. †¢ Relative Interest rates. If government bonds pay a relatively high interest rate compared to other investments, then ceteris paribus, it should be easier for the government to borrow. Sometimes, the government can borrow large amounts, even with low interest rates because government bonds are seen as more attractive than other investments. †¢ Lender of Last Resort.If a country has a Central Bank willing to buy bonds in case of a liquidity shortages, inv estors are less likely to fear a liquidity shortage. If there is no lender of last resort (e. g. in the Euro) then markets have a greater fear of liquidity shortages and so are more reluctant to buy bonds. †¢ Prospects for Economic Growth. If one country faces prospect of recession, then tax revenues will fall, the debt to GDP ratio will rise. Markets will be much more reluctant to buy bonds. If there is forecast for higher growth. This will make it much easier to reduce debt to GDP ratios.The irony is that cutting government spending to reduce deficits, can lead to lower economic growth and increase debt to GDP ratios. †¢ Confidence and Security. Usually, governments are seen as a safe investment. Many governments have never defaulted on debt payments so people are willing to buy bonds because at least they are safe. However, if investors feel a government is too stretched and could default, then it will be more difficult to borrow. †¢ Foreign Purchase. A country lik e the US attracts substantial foreign buyers for its debt (Japan, China, UK).This foreign demand makes it easier for government to borrow. However, if investors feared a country could experience inflation and a rapid devaluation, foreigners would not want to hold securities in that country. †¢ Inflation. Financing the debt by increasing the money supply is risky because of the inflationary effect. Inflation reduces the real value of the government debt, but, that means people will be less willing to hold government bonds. Inflation will require higher interest rates to attract people to keep bonds.In theory, the government can print money to reduce the real value of debt; but existing savers will lose out. If the government creates inflation, it will be more difficult to attract savings in the future. Is foreign debt a problem to Bangladesh? Excessive reliance on debt, whether domestic or external, carries macroeconomic risks that can hinder economic and social development. Cou ntries macro-economic is thus disturbed by this factor alone. Scarcity of resources has already compelled the government to borrow afresh and/or impose new taxes on the citizenry to meet debt service obligations.High domestic public debt pushes up interest rates and crowds out private investment, which is much needed to promote economic growth. When most government revenues are devoted to debt servicing, fiscal policy cannot be used to provide basic services, such as education, health, safe drinking water and housing. Unfortunately, the national budget — annual statement of the government’s income and expenditure — does not recognize the gravity of the situation characterized by its serious problem to finance the external debt servicing at the cost of basic human services.Every year Bangladesh pays, on an average $ 1070 million, to its foreign creditors. A 2003 study (SUPRO: 2003) exclusively revealed the fact that for every dollar in foreign grant aid received, the government spends over $1. 5 in debt service to foreign creditors annually. While there is no denying that Bangladesh is heavily dependent on foreign aid and loans to finance its annual budget, it is also true that aid agencies and multilateral lenders in the West have to carry a lion’s share of the blame for Bangladesh’s burden of debt. Between 1980 and 2012, Bangladesh’s total outstanding international debt quadrupled.The bulk of this surge in lending to the autocratic regimes came from the International Development Association, the soft-loan window of the World Bank. Can the World Bank and the IMF morally impose the burden of this debt on the Bangladeshi people, when in fact that money provided valuable succor to an autocratic regime that the people were struggling to topple at the time? How sustainable Bangladesh Debt is? Bangladesh is classified as a low-income country and is home to the third highest absolute number of poor people in the world, after China and India.Despite the huge amounts it spends servicing debt ($1551. 3 million in 2011), the World Bank describes it neither as ‘severely’ nor even ‘moderately’ indebted, but instead classifies Bangladesh as ‘less indebted’. Instead of rewarding Bangladesh for its track record of prompt debt servicing, the World Bank has interpreted this to mean that Bangladesh’s debt must be sustainable. Arbitrary thresholds on indicators like debt/exports made Bangladesh ineligible for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative or the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative.Bangladesh will not receive through either of these initiatives the debt relief that it desperately needs to finance public expenditures on school and hospitals among other basic necessities. One of the Bangladeshi development experts remarked that- â€Å"Bangladesh has regularly paid its debts, expanded exports and are now being punished for its success† (Bhattac harya: 2006). The whole argument is that, since these countries are able to repay they must have â€Å"sustainable† levels of debt.The sustainability of debt is primarily measured on the economic matrix called Debt Sustainable Analysis (DSA) introduced by the World Bank and IMF, which lays too much emphasis on the country’s exports and does not fully reflect the true nature of the debt burden on government expenses. How can Bangladesh’s debt be sustainable especially when it pays back on an average $1070 million to its foreign creditors in general and $870 million to its so-called benevolent development partners (multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors) annually?For a poor country like Bangladesh, would it be realistic to calculate ‘debt sustainability’ without looking at how much money it spends on schools, hospitals and roads, on teachers, medicines, clean water and on everything else that is needed to combat the dire poverty blighting so many lives? If a country cannot afford to meet the basic needs of its own people, then how can one argue that giving money to the rich world is affordable or â€Å"sustainable†? How can its debt be sustainable when the cost of external debt servicing exceeds the public spending on health and education, for example?In what criteria, the Bangladesh external debt can be measured as sustainable when it clearly demonstrates that MDG progress is being seriously hampered due to the excesses of debt servicing? Presumably, the international community has left a single choice for Bangladesh: servicing external debt at the cost of basic services let alone the MDG progress! Why Bangladesh deserves full debt cancellation? Undeniably, Bangladesh cannot afford to pay on average $1060 million a year to foreign creditors.Even though the country is making some progress with regard to the implementation of the MDGs, it is still home to 70 million people living in poverty. It has the highest incidence of po verty in South-Asia. In fact, Bangladesh cannot afford to pay a single dollar in debt service. If debt sustainability is based on the financing needs for the MDGs, Bangladesh would receive full debt cancellation. Bangladesh needs US$ 7. 5 billion a year to finance the implementation of the MDGs. A growing number of NGOs, governments and analysts have come to the conclusion that debt cancellation should be expanded.As independent expert Bernards Mudho explained earlier this year (2007) in a report commissioned for the United Nations: â€Å"There†¦ is a need for further comprehensive solutions to the debt problems of poor countries, including further debt relief by other multilateral institutions and for permanent solutions to the problems of bilateral and commercial debts. Bangladesh Debt must be cancelled, because †¦ ? Debt costs too much to Bangladeshi people in general and poor and marginalized in particular. People need a healthy and prosperous life that requires incre ased government spending on basic services such as health, education, water-sanitation etc. ? Bangladesh needs to achieve the MDG targets in time. To finance the Millennium Development Goals, every year a staggering US7. 5 billion in external budget support is needed. This is about four times the amount of aid and concessional loans currently provided by foreign donors and creditors. ? At this juncture, Bangladesh can no longer afford to pay a single dollar for debt servicing. Because†¦.. Every dollar paid in debt service is a dollar lost for the MDGs†. Part-B Impact of Foreign debt on Bangladesh 1. Effects on Economic growth 2. Effects on NNP 3. Effects on Inflation 4. Effects on Investment 5. Effects on consumption 6. Effects on Production 7. Effects on Distribution 8. Effects on Risk, uncertainty, liquidity Part-C Statistical Analysis 1. Trend Analysis of Foreign Debt: Trend Analysis of External debt of last 10 years is given below Y=1714. 5+0. 8647x R? = 0. 9247 Appen dix Table 1 shows the summary of trend equation and r2 of External debt of Bangladesh.The trend equation of Foreign debt is, Y=1714. 5+0. 8647x and the square of correlation coefficient (r2) = . 9247. Interpretation: The trend equation indicates that during the period from 2003 to 2012 debt increase at the rate of . 8647 billion per year and 1714. 5 is the average external debt of Bangladesh. It is reflected from the table that trend equation of foreign debt are positive and goodness of fit of all the equations are very high. 2. Descriptive Analysis of Foreign Debt: Descriptive Statistical Analysis of External debt of last 10 years is given below: (All amounts are in billions) Descriptive Statistics | |N |Range |Minimum |Maximum |Mean |Std. Deviation |Variance |Skewness |Kurtosis | | |Statistic |Statistic |Statistic |Statistic |Statistic |Statistic |Statistic |Statistic |Std. Error |Statistic |Std. Error | |Foreign_Debt |11 |8. 7200 |16. 5000 |25. 2200 |2. 103273E1 |2. 9825127 |8. 8 95 |-. 169 |. 661 |-1. 108 |1. 279 | |Valid N (listwise) |11 | | | | | | | | | | | | Interpretation: This table provides statistical information about the data set, such as showing mean value of foreign debt individually and its deviation.For this information, for instance we found that minimum value of the variable is 16. 5bill, Maximum value is 25. 22billon, its mean 2. 103273e1 and Standard deviation is 2. 9825127. 3. Correlation Analysis: Table shows the correlation matrix for estimating interrelationships between chosen economic parameters of Bangladesh. Variables |GDP real Growth |Amount of Foreign Debt |Inflation rate |Investment Amount |Remittance Inflow |Import |Export Amount |Foreign Reserve | |GDP real Growth Rate |1 |. 635 |. 638 |. 748 |. 427 |. 457 |. 485 |. 352 | |Amount of Foreign Debt |. 35 |1 |. 819 |. 555 |. 919 |. 901 |. 920 |. 846 | |Inflation rate |. 638 |. 819 |1 |. 518 |. 686 |. 742 |. 763 |. 494 | |Investment Amount |. 748 |. 555 |. 518 |1 |. 406 |. 433 |. 4 68 |. 222 | |Remittance Inflow Amount |. 427 |. 919 |. 686 |. 406 |1 |. 915 |. 935 |. 920 | |Import Amount |. 457 |. 901 |. 742 |. 433 |. 915 |1 |. 994 |. 888 | |Export Amount |. 485 |. 920 |. 763 |. 468 |. 935 |. 994 |1 |. 885 | |Foreign Reserve Amount |. 352 |. 846 |. 494 |. 222 |. 920 |. 888 |. 885 |1 | | From the correlation matrix we have observed the followings; GDP real Growth has moderate correlation with foreign debt, inflation rate, investment and low degree of correlation with remittance, import, export and very low correlation with GDP per capita. †¢ Foreign debt has strong correlation with. †¢ Inflation rate have strong correlation with. †¢ Investment have strong correlation with. †¢ Remittance inflow has moderate correlation with †¢ Import has strong correlation with †¢ Export has low correlation with †¢ Foreign exchange Reserve has low correlation with Part-D Recommendation & Conclusion Recommendation: The international community inc luding the G-8 must take necessary steps immediately to ensure full Debt cancellation for Bangladesh; †¢ Debts must be cancelled as a matter of justice: creditors must accept their share of responsibility in creating the current debt crisis, and cancel debts on this basis; †¢ A â€Å"MDG-consistent† frame-work of Debt Sustainability should be applied and cancellation must be available to all that need it; †¢ The issue of Climate Change and its adverse effect must be taken into account and additional fund should be released to overcome the adversity linking it with MDG process; †¢ The governments of indebted countries must demonstrate to their citizens that they are spending money well and accountably.But this must not be used as an excuse to impose economic policy conditions or to limit those countries receiving debt cancellation by the donor community; †¢ Rich countries, institutions and commercial creditors must cancel all illegitimate and un-payabl e debts being claimed from all poor countries; †¢ Total Debt stocks must be cancelled, not just Service; debt service cancellation for a limited period is not enough. †¢ Debt cancellation of any kind must not be conditional and it must not be considered again as ODA Conclusion: The study has been conducted with a view to examining the presence of crowding- out effect of public borrowing on the private investment in the Bangladesh economy.To accomplish the task, a model for investment function has been specified and estimated considering public borrowing, GDP and interest rate as independent variables. A long -run relationship has been estimated and analyzed by performing unit root test, co – integration test and an error correction model. The main findings of the study confirm with statistical significance that there is no crowding- out effect in Bangladesh, rather, the crowding- in effect is evident. This result is indeed somewhat paradoxical in terms of convention al wisdom. The study has attempted to offer a rationale for this seemingly paradoxical finding from a macroeconomic point of view.In doing so, it has analyzed a couple of macroeconomic issues and ended up with the conclusion that the presence of crowding- in instead of crowding – out effect can be attributed to such factors as excess liquidity in the banking system, imperceptible government competition with the private sector, relatively sustainable public debt scenario, government expenditure for transfer payment program , significant development expenditure for producing those goods and services which has the potential to discharge positive externalities, government microcredit programs and ADP -black money linkages. The results of the study have important implications for the fiscal management.Existence of excess liquidity and possibility of crowding – in effect together put the fiscal authority in a position to foster private investment and hence economic growth th rough expanding borrowing backed public expenditure. However, the overall criteria that public expenditure authority ought to ensure is the transparency and efficiency in its programs. Moreover, government can avoid unnecessary inflation and external indebtedness by reducing reliance for funds on Bangladesh Bank and foreign sources as long as excess liquidity in the banking system prevails. In view of the perceived limitations inherent in this study, the following aspects may be taken up by future researchers: Decomposing private investment by category and taking each of them as separate dependent variable; †¢ Segregating borrowing by government itself and borrowing by other public sector corporations, and considering them as separate explanatory variables; †¢ Splitting public borrowing by sources (not only banks, NBDC or general public but also Bangladesh Bank and external sources) and taking all of them as explanatory variable s; †¢ Incorporating a dummy variable fo r capturing the issue of economic reform and structural variation between after and before 1990 periods; and †¢ Finally, if possible, carrying on the whole study on the basis of quarterly data to make the analytical framework parsimonious. [pic] ———————– 10

Web Design Essay

Web Design Essay Web Design Essay | Assesment One | Web Systems BN102 | | | Rachael Mayhew MIT 110101 | Tanya Linden | | 1.0 | Introduction The â€Å"bad† website I have chosen to critique is a website designed to advertise a book named â€Å"The Bombshell Manual of Style – by Laren Stover†. The website begins with a few flash images moving around, which then leads to you needing to remove images of underwear before you can move forward. You are given the option of completing a quiz designed to see if you are a ‘bombshell’, or the option to skip and move straight to the crux of the site. The website content mainly consists of little facts about the book or what a typical bombshell is as you move on, till you eventually get to the end at which point you are offered a way to purchase the book. 2.0 | Visual Effect 2.1 Colour Scheme The colour scheme is a white background with pink or black typography. Pink colours, depending on the shade, are sometimes associated with love, romance or youth from the viewer’s point of view. However white is seen as cold and sterile which is a contrast to the use of pink. There are many images used on this website so this may be the reason for a simple colour scheme (Empathizing Color Psychology in Web Design, 2013). 2.2 Imaging I am using a laptop with a screen resolution of 1366 x 768, and as can be seen in Appendix One from the original website, www.bombshellmanual.com, the images used are pixelated heavily. This is seen with every image used which is numerous, including the flash images. Most of the text throughout the website is a simple and readable font; however the hyperlinks to different parts of the website are cursive flash images. 2.3 Page Layout The main content of this page is centred with much space on either side. This however, may be a deliberate move due to the fact on more than one occasion you must ‘uncover’ the text by moving images from on top of the text to the outer text. 3.0 | Navigation The navigation, or lack thereof on this website, is a purely a forward momentum with no chance to go backward. If you step off the main path, there is no option to go back or even start again unless you refresh. After the initial quiz, if you chose to do so, you cannot skip if you change your mind halfway through. To continue forward there is an image of a dog that you must click and drag that urges the website to load the first content page. This dog image actually caused me to start again from the beginning due to not moving it all the way across when initially asked to move it. I then tried to move it a second time as I could not see the text (see Appendix Two) which prompted everything to begin again. As you progress by hitting the â€Å"more† hyperlink, it moves into a different spot after each page changes, making it difficult to move quickly through if you have already read these pages. At no point are you offered all of the options like â€Å"purchasing the book† or â€Å"Bombshell Bulletins and Resources† at once, nor can you skip to the end or the beginning at will. When you get to the very end, your only option is to go back to the previous page (the only time this option is offered) or to go to Amazon.com to purchase the book. Clicking the picture will direct you straight to their website by opening a new tab. The main fury in the navigation is that if you accidentally move forward, you have no way to get back. You cannot even go back a page on your browser (I am using Explorer 9). Many of the hyperlinks that suggest to some different content do not actually work. I am unsure whether this was because they actually did not go anywhere or the page could not move on. I opened this also on my iPhone where it promptly told me that I could not see all their moving images due to not having Adobe flash player. However, I was able to see the content much clearer than on Internet Explorer, the navigation through pages was just as difficult. 4.0 | Content Amazon’s write up of the book

The Complete Guide to SAT Grammar Rules

The Complete Guide to SAT Grammar Rules SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Even though the English language is complex, the SAT tests a specific set of grammar rules. Furthermore, it tests these rules the same way, over and over again. In this complete guide, we've compiled acomprehensive list of SAT grammar rules you need to know to ace the SAT Writing and Language section. If you master all these rules and practice them with realistic questions, you'll have a huge advantage on SAT Writing and Language. Unlike other guides, oursfocuses on providing you with lots of examples to help you understand how the grammar rule will show up on the SAT. After all, you need to master the SAT format to do well on the SAT! Concision and Redundancy There are times when saying something twice is needed: for emphasis, to review a difficult topic, or to explain something more clearly.The SAT, however, is all about being as succinct and to the point as possible. Your ability to edit the fat out of sentences is tested in three ways:fixing overly wordy phrases, finding redundancies, and combining two simple sentences into a more complex one. Overly WordyPhrases The SAT deeply believes in Shakespeare's maxim that â€Å"brevity is the soul of wit†: if you can say the same thing with fewer words,do it. It’s tempting to think that when a sentence uses a multi-word phrase where a single word will do, the sentence sounds formal or more academic. But this is not the case.Often, one word is better than many words(examples 1 and2). Sometimes, a sentence might use words that don’t serve any purpose and don’t even need to be replaced but rather deleted altogether (examples 3 and4). Examples Error:Thinking in a manner more general, we can say that good schools enable people to learn more. Fix:Generally, we can say that good schools enable people to learn more. Error: The company might not be awarded the contract because it lacks production facilities, making ita worse choicefrom a theoretical way of speaking. Fix: The company might not be awarded the contract because it lacks production facilities, making ita worse choicetheoretically. Error: Although hesitant to challenge herself at first, the student decided to enroll in threeAP courses, twohonors courses,and an intensive art course on top of that. Fix: Although hesitant to challenge herself at first, the student decided to enroll in threeAP courses, twohonors courses,and an intensive art course. Error: When the audience stood to applaud the speaker, it was clear that her words had hada marvelous, even stupendous, effecton the crowd. Fix: When the audience stood to applaud the speaker, it was clear that her words had hada marvelous effecton the crowd. Redundancy If a sentence expresses the same bit of information two or more times,it’s considered redundant.Pick the best way of stating the necessary fact and delete the repetition. Examples Words or phrases that mean the same thing as each other are underlined. Error: The stock market mightrepeatits drop and rise patternagain, warns the financial forecast. Fix: The stock market mightrepeatits drop and rise pattern, warns the financial forecast. Error:Soona relative calm period followedquicklyafter the brunt of the cyclone had passed. Fix:A relative calm period followed quicklyafter the brunt of the cyclone had passed. Error: Management was surprised to seeabiannualuptick in salestwice each year. Fix: Management was surprised to see a biannual uptick in sales. Combining Simple Sentences Sometimes, in order to write with concision, you have tocombine simple or related sentences into one.Don’t worry about keeping word order, as this kind of revision often requires you to shift things around. To combine sentences correctly, ask yourself the following questions: Is there a person, place, thing, or concept that both sentences are talking about?If so, you can make one sentence into a dependent clause of the other through the repeated noun (example 1). Is there a chronological sequence that the two sentences are describing?Then you can make one into a dependent clause of the other using prepositions such asbefore, after,andfollowing(example 2). Does one sentence define the other?Combine them by inserting whatever is being defined into the defining sentence (example 3). Examples The nouns, chronology, or definitions used to combined the sentences are underlined. Error: The voting rate has not decreased amonguneducated citizens.Uneducated voterscontinue to vote for better schools. Fix: The voting rate has not decreased amonguneducated citizens, whocontinue to vote for better schools. Error: Young musicians are encouraged to perfect their techniques and skills through their conservatory training.After this, they can start their careers in small, local orchestras. Fix:After perfecting their techniques and skills through their conservatory training, young musicians can start their careers in small, local orchestras. Error: The conclusion scientistscame to is the idea that instead of being made up of particles, matter is actually made out of one-dimensional objects called strings.This is string theory. Fix:The conclusion scientistscame to is string theory, the idea thatinstead of being made up of particles, matter is actually made out of one-dimensional objects called strings. Redundancy: good for mountain climbing, bad for writing. Idioms and Conventional Expressions The SAT tests your knowledge of common English usage, includingtwo types of idioms. First, there areexpressions that mean something different from the actual words being used(such asraining cats and dogsorkick the bucket). Secondly, there areshort phrases or groups of words thatalwaysgo together(such asstumble onorkeep at bay). You'll also be asked to distinguish amongfrequently confused homonyms- that is, words that sound like each other but are used in different circumstances as they mean different things. One common example isbearvsbare. Verbal Phrases The SAT particularly loves one type of idiom called verbal phrases, which areverb + preposition pairs,andwants to check that you know for sure which preposition is correct. Examples Error: The show wasfollowed onan encore. Fix: The show wasfollowed byan encore. Error: She isresponsible ofreturning her library books. Fix: She isresponsible forreturning her library books. Error: One shouldrefrain fortexting while driving. Fix: One shouldrefrain fromtexting while driving. PrepositionalIdioms These are just like verbal phrases except they don’t involve verbs; rather, they're groups of words thatalwaysend on a specific preposition. Examples Error: The translucent sculptureused light as ameans throughconnecting viewers standing across from each other. Fix: The translucent sculptureused light as ameans ofconnecting viewers standing across from each other. Error:In accordance tothese findings, future research will focus on analyzing the effect of facial expressions on mirror neurons. Fix:In accordance withthese findings, future research will focus on analyzing the effect of facial expressions on mirror neurons. Commonly Confused Words English hasa lot of words that sound similar to each other but mean very different things.Here is averyincomplete list of examples of these words (you can find more by searching for â€Å"commonly confused words† on Google): Accept:to receive(verb)Except:with the exclusion of(preposition) Affect:to influence(verb);emotional response(noun)Effect:result(noun);to cause(verb) Beside:close to; next toBesides:except for; in addition to Complement:something that completes(noun);to pair well with(verb)Compliment:praise, flattery(noun) Eminent:prominentImminent:about to happen Precede:to come beforeProceed:to continue, to keep going Sight:scene, view, picture, being able to seeSite:place, location; a web pageCite:to quote, to point to evidence Then:an adverb denoting timeThan:a conjunction used in comparisons Examples Error: After losing his hearing, Beethoven had to rely on his imagination to hear his music, ratherthenlistening to musicians perform it. Fix: After losing his hearing, Beethoven had to rely on his imagination to hear his music, ratherthanlistening to musicians perform it. Error: Despite hours of work, the web administration team was unable to restore thesightafter the denial of service attack. Fix: Despite hours of work, the web administration team was unable to restore thesiteafter the denial of service attack. Error: The presidential candidate used rhetorical flourishes to greataffectin his speech and received a standing ovation. Fix: The presidential candidate used rhetorical flourishes to greateffectin his speech and received a standing ovation. Language Formality When writing for school, work, or publication in a news or scientific journal, you have to use formal English.This means you need toavoid slang and words and phrases that sound too casual.It’s important to keep each sentence at the same language elevation. Examples Error:A bunchof guys doing experimentswas able to synthesize a lithium-ion battery smaller than a grain of sand. Fix:A team of researcherswas able to synthesize a lithium-ion battery smaller than a grain of sand. Error: In 1559, at London’s Westminster Abbey, Elizabeth Tudor, the 25-year-old daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn,got to becomeQueen Elizabeth I. Fix: In 1559, at London’s Westminster Abbey, Elizabeth Tudor, the 25-year-old daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn,was crownedQueen Elizabeth I. Inappropriate informality won't get you into the duke's exclusive club either. Conjunctions and Conjunctive Adverbs Conjunctions and conjunctive adverbsare words that explain how two clauses in a sentence, or how to two or more successive sentences, relate to one another. The SAT checks your ability to use conjunctions and conjunctive adverbs toclarify cause and effect or logicwithin sentences. Explanation Some conjunctions link events in a cause-and-effect relationship to point outwhat happened as a result of something else.Here are some examples of these words, along with their meanings: Because:what has just been said is true as a consequence of what is about to be said Thereforeandhence:it follows from what has just been said that For exampleandfor instance: here is evidence that backs up the previous argument Whereby:by which; using theidea/principle/concept just mentioned; by means of Consequently:directly following the thing that has just been described Examples The incorrect conjunctions are in bold, while the correct ones are underlined. Error: Recent advances in medicine include a new MRI technique for detecting heart damage in chemotherapy patients.However,doctors will be able to see heart defects earlier and more effectively. Fix: Recent advances in medicine include a new MRI technique for detecting heart damage in chemotherapy patients.Consequently, doctors will be able to see heart defects earlier and more effectively. (Doctors can see better as a result of the new MRI test.) Error:Not onlyhave archaeologists in Britain unearthed several well-preserved Bronze Age dwellings, we are getting new insight into domestic life 3,000 years ago. Fix:Becausearchaeologists in Britain have unearthed several well-preserved Bronze Age dwellings, we are getting new insight into domestic life 3,000 years ago. (We are getting insight as a result of dwellings being unearthed.) Error: Foreshadowing, a literary techniquewhenan author hints at what will happen later in the text, is a useful tool for setting the right atmosphere. Fix: Foreshadowing, a literary techniquewherebyan author hints at what will happen later in the text, is a useful tool for setting the right atmosphere. (An author hints by means of foreshadowing.) Contradiction or Digression Other conjunctions can be useful for describing anegative or opposing relationship between events.These words can explain that something happened despite something else, or even though common sense would have not predicted it. They can also indicate that the argument is shifting to a different point. However:introduces a statement/idea that contradicts what has just been said On the one hand, on the other hand:presents two ideas that oppose each other (thesealwaysgo together) But:despite what has just been said, here is information to the contrary Nevertheless:in spite of what has just been said Aside from:the example that follows is an exception to what is being discussed Whileandwhereas:in contrast or comparison with the fact that Examples The incorrect conjunctions are in bold, while the correctones are underlined. Error: The pianist had not had nearly enough time to study and practice the sonata,andshe played it flawlessly. Fix: The pianist had not had nearly enough time to study and practice the sonata,butshe played it flawlessly. (The flawlessness happened despite the lack of practice time.) Error:Just ascrayons are a medium generally reserved for young children, professional artists have used them to great effect. Fix:Thoughcrayons are a medium generally reserved for young children, professional artists have used them to great effect. (That professional artists have used crayons contrasts withthe fact that crayons are usually for children.) Similarity and Emphasis The final category of conjunctive adverbs connects things that areequal or similar,or adds examples that emphasize the direction of the argument. Moreover:as an additional- potentially more convincing or important- matter Just as:in comparison to; similar to Likewise:in the same way; also Not only, but also:presents two ideas that support and emphasize each other (thesealwaysgo together) Examples The incorrect conjunctions are in bold, while the right ones are underlined. Error: Investing money is one way to plan for the future.Hence,another good long-term planning option is to take advantage of a retirement savings account. Fix: Investing money is one way to plan for your future.Likewise, another good long-term planning option is to take advantage of a retirement savings account. (The word â€Å"another† means that two similar things are being discussed.) Error: Dressing to attract attention can affect the way people perceive you.Nevertheless,it can be inappropriate depending on the context. Fix: Dressing to attract attention can affect the way people perceive you.Moreover, it can be inappropriate depending on the context. (The inappropriateness is an additional, more significant effect of attention-getting clothing.) Honestly, this is in no way connected to conjunctive adverbs. However, look- cute! Punctuation There are manypunctuationrules in English, but, fortunately, the SAT doesn’t test all of them. Instead, the test focuses on several specific types. Punctuating Modifiers Phrases that modify or describe a part of a sentence arepunctuated differently depending on whether they are an essential or nonessential part of the sentence. If the sentence needs the modifier in order to make sense, the modifier isrestrictiveanddoesn’tget surrounded by commas.If you can easily take out the modifier without losing the sentence’s meaning, the modifier isnonrestrictiveand should be surrounded by commas like this: Put one comma rightafteramodifier that starts a sentence. Put one comma rightbeforea modifier that ends a sentence. If the modifierappears in the middle of the sentence,surround itwith commas on both sides. Examples Incorrect and correct punctuation areunderlined. Error:US President, Barack Obama,will meet with his counterparts from the European countries for the multinational summit. Fix:US President Barack Obamawill meet with his counterparts from the European countries for the multinational summit. (Since â€Å"Barack Obama† is key to the sentence's meaning,no commas are needed.) Error:The daisy, a perennial plant, sometimes known as bruisewort,grows low to the ground. Fix:The daisy, a perennial plant sometimes known as bruisewort,grows low to the ground. (The modifier just needs to be surrounded by commas and doesn’t need any commas inside it.) Error:Started on a whim by an eccentric resident;the project to clean up the abandoned lot soon became a popular neighborhood pastime. Fix:Started on a whim by an eccentric resident,the project to clean up the abandoned lot soon became a popular neighborhood pastime. (The modifier should be set off by a comma, not a semicolon.) Error: This last part of the minuet should be playedwith steadily increasing volume, or crescendo;until the final chord. Fix: This last part of the minuet should be playedwith steadily increasing volume, or crescendo,until the final chord. (â€Å"Crescendo† is beingdefined, so it needs to be set off by commas, not semicolons.) Using Dashes Think of dashes as being kind of like parentheses.Dashes separate out a sentence piece that is explanatory but not crucial,like an aside or something muttered under your breath. Sometimes this piece is a digressive thought; sometimes it's a list of examples. Typically, the phraseinside the dashes has commas in it, so dashes are the best way to set it off from the rest of the sentence.If the phraseis in the middle of the sentence, it must be surrounded by dashes onbothsides. Examples Incorrect and correct punctuation areunderlined. Error: The hairstylist picked up thescissors- the kind that usually sit in the jar of blue liquid,and started to snip bits of hair off his client’s head. Fix: The hairstylist picked up thescissors- the kind that usually sit in the jar of blue liquid- and started to snip bits of hair off his client’s head. Error: The best hotel concierges havemany skills: knowledge of foreign customs, the ability to speak several languages, and a charming manner,that put even the most diffident guests at ease. Fix: The best hotel concierges havemany skills- knowledge of foreign customs, the ability to speak several languages, and a charming manner- that put even the most diffident guests at ease. Error: After readers foundthe errors, all 243 of them- the publishing company was forced to issue a reprint of the book. Fix: After readers foundthe errors- all 243 of them- the publishing company was forced to issue a reprint of the book. Punctuating â€Å"Such As† The phrasesuch asintroduces a series of examplesto back up a point that’s just been made. The correct way to punctuate it is to put a comma beforesuch as,and then no comma before the first list item or example. Examples Incorrect and correct punctuation areunderlined. Error: Teachers give out a variety ofhomework assignments, such as, worksheets,hands-on projects, and online quizzes. Fix: Teachers give out a variety ofhomework assignments, such as worksheets,hands-on projects, and online quizzes. Error: The antique book shop also sold otherpaper ephemera such as, mapsand newspapers. Fix: The antique book shop also sold otherpaper ephemera, such as mapsand newspapers. Formatting Lists A list is a series of people, ideas, objects, actions, or conditions that follow one another, play the same role in the sentence, and aretypically separated by commas.In fact, that last sentence has two lists: â€Å"people, ideas, objects, actions, or conditions† and â€Å"follow one another, play the same role in the sentence, and are separated by commas.† See what I did there? Punctuation rules for lists are as follows: They should beseparated by commas,with a comma coming before the â€Å"and† or â€Å"or† that precedes the last list item:dogs, cats, gerbils, and fish. If one of the list items has a comma within it, then all the list items should beseparated by semicolons instead:shaggy, purebred dogs; white cats; soft, cuddly gerbils; and fish. Examples Incorrect and correct punctuation areunderlined. Error: The market stall sold ripeapples, cherries; andsometimes even apricots. Fix: The market stall sold ripeapples, cherries, andsometimes even apricots. Error: The class focused on programminglanguages, such as Python; algorithms; anddocumentation. Fix: The class focused on programminglanguages, such as Python, algorithms, anddocumentation. Using Colons Colons are used in two different ways. First, they can indicate thata list is coming up,and that after the list the sentence will end: Here is my list of acceptable pets: dogs, cats, gerbils, and fish. Second, they are used to indicate that anexplanation, a definition, or an example of what has just been saidis coming: My search for the perfect pet came down to man's best friend: a dog. Examples Incorrect and correct punctuation areunderlined. Error: It’s easy to explain why many 12th graders start taking school less seriouslytoward the end of the year; senioritis. Fix: It’s easy to explain why many 12th graders start taking school less seriouslytoward the end of the year: senioritis. ("Senioritis" is the defined term.) Error: The more I cook at home, the more kitchen techniquesI learn, knife skills,mise en place, and cooking several dishes simultaneously. Fix: The more I cook at home, the more kitchen techniquesI learn: knife skills,mise en place, and cooking several dishes simultaneously. (â€Å"Learn† introducesa list.) Error: Consider lobsters,for example, with age,they only get stronger and more fertile. Fix: Consider lobsters,for example: with age,they only get stronger and more fertile. ("Example" introducesan explanation.) Using Semicolons Semicolons have two basic functions. First, in lists theyseparate items that have commas: We atemushrooms, which had been picked in a nearby forest; herbs, nuts, and berries foraged from a public park; and homegrown apples. Second, theyfix run-on sentencesby separating two independent clauses without a conjunction: Jim rode his bike; Mary walked. Examples Incorrect and correct punctuation areunderlined. Error: The State Department completed threeassignments: diplomatic talks, led by an expert in armscontrol, a bilateralmeeting, chaired by an assistantdirector, anda state visit. Fix:The State Department completedthreeassignments: diplomatic talks, led by an expert in armscontrol; a bilateralmeeting, chaired by an assistantdirector; anda state visit. (Two of the three list items have commas in them, so they are separated by semicolons.) Error:The architect worked on the model allnight, he wasbleary-eyed during the presentation. Fix:Thearchitect worked on the model allnight; he wasbleary-eyed during the presentation. (These are independent clauses, so they should be connected bya semicolon.) Semicolon, meet semi-cake. Sentences Sentences are made up of groups of words that are called clauses.There are two types of clauses: independentand dependent. An independent clausecan function as a complete sentence because it has a subject-verb pair and does not start with a word or phrase that makes the clause dependent, such aswhenorbecause. Meanwhile,a dependent clausemustbe attached to an independent clause to be part of a complete sentence. The SAT tests three different types of clause-related situations:fixing sentence fragments, splitting up run-on sentences, and using a dependent clause as the subject of a sentence. Sentence Fragments A sentence fragment isa sentence made of anything less than an independent clause.To fix it, we either connect the fragment to an independent clause (examples 1 and 2), or add the missing subject or verb (example 3). Examples In these sentences,subjects are underlined and verbs are inbold. Error: To boost the number of women in STEM fields, including electrical, chemical, and industrial engineering. Fix: To boost the number of women in STEM fields, including electrical, chemical, and industrial engineering,senior female executivesalsoactas mentors to young women. Error: From diving hard for every attempted shot to deftly throwing the ball to the most open defender. Fix: From diving hard for every attempted shot to deftly throwing the ball to the most open defender, thegoaliewas savingher team at a time when they needed her. Error: For the sake of a better experience at school, asking his adviser for a new room assignment. Fix: For the sake of a better experience at school, thefreshmanaskedhis adviser for a new room assignment. Run-on Sentences A run-on sentence is made ofmultiple independent clauses joined by only a comma or no punctuationat all. To find the correct answer on the SAT, look for an answer choice that uses one of these three fixes: If one independent clause is an explanation or definition of the other, adda word such asbecauseorwhichto the beginning of the explanation (examples 1 and2). If neither independent clause defines or explains the other, combine them with either a comma + conjunction (such asandorbut),orwith a semicolon (examples 3 and4). Alternately, split them up into two separate sentences (example 5). Examples The separation between the two independent clauses is marked with|, while the correction is underlined. Error: The dog Mary wants to put in the dog show is a beagle,|it is a medium-sized member of the hound family. Fix: The dog Mary wants to put in the dog show is a beagle,whichis a medium-sized member of the hound family. Error: The deli had no milk left after a rush of morning customers,|the owner rushed to order more. Fix:Becausethe deli had no milk left after a rush of morning customers, the owner rushed to order more. Error: My favorite Mediterraneanspreadishummusitisvery garlicky. Fix: My favorite Mediterraneanspreadishummus, asitisvery garlicky. Error: Air plants like the Tillandsia species are tolerant of a wide range of climates,|they thrive in room temperatures. Fix: Air plants like the Tillandsia species are tolerant of a wide range ofclimates; theythrive in room temperatures. Error: Deciding which play to put on is only the first step,|even a great script won’t succeed without a well-selected cast and a set design that works with the director’s vision. Fix: Deciding which play to put on is only the firststep. Evena great script won’t succeed without a well-selected cast and a set design that works with the director’s vision. DependentClauses as Sentence Subjects Sometimes, instead of having a simple noun for a subject, a sentence canuse a whole dependent clause as a subject. When this happens,treat the dependent clause as a singular noun. For instance, in the first example, the clausewhoever came up with the idea to put solar panels on rooftopsis the subject of the sentence. Youcan tell by using this trick:replace the clause with a singular noun, such asAlbert Einstein,to see whether the sentence still works. When we do this here, we can see thatAlbert Einstein are geniusesdoesn't work; therefore, the verb needs to be singular to match the subject. Examples The subordinate clause that is the subject is underlined, whilethe verb it's doing is bold. Error: Whoever came up with the idea to put solar panels on rooftops are geniuses. Fix:Whoever came up with the idea to put solar panels on rooftopsisa genius. Error: That cleaning a kitchen is a repetitive chore which makes it especially thankless. Fix:That cleaning a kitchen is a repetitive choremakesit especially thankless. Does his over-reliance on your milk and cookies make hima dependent Claus? Faulty Modifiers A modifier is a word or phrase that describes (i.e., modifies) something. There are two kinds of modifier problems tested on the SAT: dangling modifiers and misplaced modifiers. Dangling Modifiers A dangling modifier is a descriptive phrasethat begins a sentence, has a comma after it, and has the noun it describes not placed right after the comma. In the first example below, the modifier coating the sidewalk is supposed to describe the snow. However, since we is the first word after the comma, the sentence makes it sound like we are the ones coating the sidewalk. Examples Modifiers are underlined, while the nouns being correctly and incorrectly modified are in bold. Error: Coating the sidewalk, we trudged through the heavy snow. Fix: We trudged through the heavy snow coating the sidewalk. Error: Long and tangled, it was difficult to comb the child's hair. Fix: Long and tangled, the child's hair was difficult to comb. Error: Exhausted and weak, the soldiers' uniforms were covered in frost. Fix: Exhausted and weak, the soldiers were covered in frost. Misplaced Modifiers A misplaced modifier is a descriptive phrasethat's not close enough to the thing it's supposed to bedescribing, making it sound like it'sreferring tothe wrong thing. In the first example below, the modifier on the sale rack is supposed to show where the jacket is hanging. However, since it's been placed next to too small, the sentence seems to say that it's the way the jacket was hanging that is too small (instead of the jacket itself). To correct it, we move the modifier closer to the noun it describes. Examples Modifiers are underlined, while the thingsbeing correctly and incorrectly modified are in bold. Error: The jacket was too small on the sale rack. Fix: The jacket on the sale rack was too small. Error: Ray wore his one-collared shirt to the job interview, which was stained with mustard. Fix: Ray wore his one-collared shirt, which was stained with mustard, to the job interview. Error: She handed out brownies to children wrapped in foil. Fix: She handed out brownies wrapped in foil to children. There I was, just dangling in the breeze like a modifier ... Parallel Construction To use parallel construction is to writea list in which all the items have the same grammatical format.For example, if two things in a list are verbs ending in -ing, the third item should also be a verb ending in -ing. If oneitem in a list is aprepositional phrase,then the second item should also be a prepositional phrase. Examples Words or phrases that are already parallel are in bold, whereas those that need to be corrected to parallel are underlined. Error: The couple bought the concert tickets, arrived at the theater, and they sat down in their seats. Fix: The couple bought the concert tickets, arrived at the theater, and sat down in their seats. Error: Painting your bedroom requires picking a color, measuring the walls, get the right tools, and buying paint. Fix: Painting your bedroom requires picking a color, measuring the walls, getting the right tools, and buying paint. Error: The workshop had a whiteboard on one wall,a set of shelves against another wall, and a third wall had many drawers for tools. Fix: The workshop had a whiteboard on one wall,a set of shelves against another wall, and many drawers for tools along a third wall. Error: Her essay focused on characters' reactionsto bad news and showing how these characters handled success. Fix: Her essay focused on characters' reactions to bad news and showed how these characters handled success. Set up parallel tracks so your sentence train can roll safely on its way. Plurals and Possessives The SAT will test your understanding of how to make nouns plural (when there is two or more of something) and how to make them possessive (when you have to explain that something belongs to something or someone else). To make a plural nounthat doesn't own anything, add s to the end of asingular noun: one student, but three students To make a possessive singular noun, add apostrophe + s to the end of a singular noun: the pencil that belongs to one student= the student’s pencil To make a possessive plural noun, add an apostrophe to the end of a plural noun: the classroom that belongs to three students = the students’ classroom Examples Error: Every morning, many hawk’s circled the field, looking for prey. Fix: Every morning, many hawks circled the field, looking for prey. Error: The more I read the novel, the closer I felt to the authors’ point of view. Fix: The more I read the novel, the closer I felt to the author’s point of view. Error: Art Deco furniture is marked by the artists use of geometric shapes, curves, strong colors, and new materials, such as plastics. Fix: Art Deco furniture is marked by the artist’s use of geometric shapes, curves, strong colors, and new materials, such as plastics. That man and that jacket belong to that dog- they are that dog's belongings. Pronouns A pronoun is a part of speech stands in for anoun. For example, the pronoun she can stand in for the woman or Queen Elizabeth. But unlike nouns, pronouns change their form if they're used in different ways.These are the ways that pronouns are tested on the SAT. Subject vs Object Pronouns Nouns and pronouns can be either the subjects or the objects of verbs. Subjects do verbs and objects have verbs done to them. For instance, in the sentence, "A dog chases its tail,"dogis the subject noun, chasesis the verb that it's doing, and tail is the object noun. Unlike nouns such asdog or tail, pronounschange form depending on whether they're subjects or objects. For example, in the phrase she likes him, the woman is the subject, so the pronoun is she. On the other hand,in the phrase he likes her, the woman is the object, so the pronoun changes toher. Subject Pronouns Object Pronouns I me you you he him she her it it we us they them If you’re trying to figure out whether to use a subject or object pronoun when dealing with a compound noun, one trick is to take out the other noun and try the sentence with just the pronoun- you’ll quickly know which is right. In the first example below, me ate dinner is clearly wrong. In the third example as well,sold cookies to I is obviously incorrect. Examples Error: Me and my parents ate dinner. Fix: My parents and I ate dinner. Error: The tourists asked my friends and I for directions. Fix: The tourists asked my friends and me for directions. Error: The Girl Scouts sold cookies to my sister and I. Fix: The Girl Scouts sold cookies to my sister and me. Who vs Whom Whois a relative pronoun which can start either a dependent or independent clause within a sentence.Whois used when the pronoun is the subject doing the action, whereaswhom isused when the pronoun is the object of the action. What's tricky about whois that figuring out whether to use its subject or object form doesn't depend on its antecedent. Instead, you have to see what rolewho is playing inside its own clause. For instance, in example 1, even though people is an object of the verb benefits, inside the clause who understand the tax code,who is the subject of the verb understand.On the other hand, in example 2, even though skydivers is the subject of the sentence, in the clause whom many people greatly admire, whom is the object of the verb admire. One trick is to replace the who or whom with I or me to see whether you need the subject or object form.In this case, me understand the tax codedoesn’t work, and neither does many people greatly admire I. Examples Subjects are bold, verbs are in italics, and objects are underlined. Error:The essay points out that the reduction in taxes only benefits those people whom understand the tax code. Fix:The essay points out that the reduction in taxes only benefits those people who understand the tax code. Error: Skydivers, who many people greatly admire, tend to be comfortable with risk-taking and in excellent physical shape. Fix: Skydivers, whom many people greatly admire, tend to be comfortable with risk-taking and in excellent physical shape. Pronouns and Antecedents Ifthere is a pronoun, it should be obvious what noun the pronoun is referring back to.If it's unclear which noun a pronoun is referring to, or if a pronoun has no antecedent, the sentence needs to be rewritten in one of two ways: either the pronoun can be replaced with a noun, or the phrase can be simplified. For instance, in example 1, this could refer either to Industrial Revolution, resistance group, mechanization, or labor force, so a noun is added. Meanwhile, in example 3, there is no antecedent for them, so the sentence has to be rewritten. Examples The unclear pronouns are in bold, while corrected pronouns and antecedents are underlined. Error: During the Industrial Revolution in England, a resistance groupsprang up to protest the mechanization of the labor force. Workers associated with this began to break and burn factory machinery to protest what they saw as unfair treatment. Fix: During the Industrial Revolution in England, a resistance groupsprang up to protest the mechanization of the labor force. Workers associated with this factionbegan to break and burn factory machinery to protest what they saw as unfair treatment. Error: The files arranged by the temporary workers were out of order, so management sent them back to the main office. Fix:The files arranged by the temporary workers were out of order, so management sent the filesback to the main office. Error: The amount of entertainment available is increasing steadily; soon there will be more than 5,000 shows for them to distribute to subscribers. Fix: The amount of entertainment available is increasing steadily; soon there will be more than 5,000 shows for distribution to subscribers. Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement Pronouns have to match their antecedents in various ways. This means that when we use pronouns more than once in a sentence, we have to use the same personthroughout.(To clarify: 1st person means I or we, 2nd person means you, and 3rd person means he, she, it, or they.) This also means that plural nouns are matched withplural pronouns, and singular pronouns refer back to singular nouns. Examples Mismatched pronouns and antecedents are in bold, while matching pronouns and antecedents are underlined. Error: If a person wants to succeed in corporate life, you have to know the rules of the game. Fix: If a person wants to succeed in corporate life, she has to know the rules of the game. Error: Like its distant oceanic relatives whales, hippopotamuses can alter their density to sink or float in water. Fix:Like their distant oceanic relatives whales, hippopotamuses can alter their density to sink or float in water. Error: After acquiring several new companies, the multinational corporation moved their headquarters to a state with more favorable tax loop holes. Fix:After acquiring several new companies, the multinational corporation moved its headquarters to a state with more favorable tax loop holes. That vs Who The basic concept behind these relative pronouns is simple: who is the pronoun for a person or people, and that is the pronoun for everything else. Examples Mismatched relative pronouns are in bold, while matching pronouns and antecedents are underlined. Error: Coaching can be difficult for peoplethat have a hard time planning strategy on the field. Fix: Coaching can be difficult for people who have a hard time planning strategy on the field. Error: The scientific establishment who rejected Giordano Bruno’s theory that the earth revolves around the sun later had to acknowledge its mistake. Fix: The scientific establishment that rejected Giordano Bruno’s theory that the earth revolves around the sun later had to acknowledge its mistake. Error: The decision was made bythe director, wantingto organize the group in a more efficient way. Fix:The decision was made bythe director, who wanted to organize the group in a more efficient way. Indefinite Pronouns Indefinite pronouns refer to a person, place, or thing that is unknown or unspecified.Many indefinite pronounsthat seem like they're referring to multiple things or people are actually singular. This means that they use singular forms of verbs: everyone is instead of everyone are (examples 1 and 2).This also means that any nouns that refer to them alsohave to be singular and not plural: no one wants to be a dropout instead of no one wants to be dropouts (examples 3 and 4). Person Place Thing everyone everybody everywhere everything someone somebody somewhere something anyone anybody anywhere anything no one nobody nowhere nothing each (of these) either (of these) neither (of these) Examples Pronouns and matching verbs or nouns are underlined, while mismatched verbs or nouns are in bold. Error: On big-budget movies, each of the actors have large, well-decorated trailers. Fix: On big-budget movies, each of the actors has a large, well-decorated trailer. Error: Every one of the experts invited to speak at the conference were unable to make it. Fix: Every one of the experts invited to speak at the conference was unable to make it. Error: Anyone thinking about becoming writers must be excellent readers. Fix: Anyone thinking about becoming a writer must be an excellent reader. Error: Either of these desks would be great surfaces to work on. Fix: Either of these desks would be a great surface to work on. Its/It’s,Their/They’re/There, Your/You’re, Whose/Who’s The different forms and abbreviations of these pronouns are frequently mixed up, but they're something you simply have to memorize.Here are some tricks to use if you're stuck: Take the abbreviation apart: does it is, you are, they are, or who is work in the sentence? Then use it’s, you’re, they’re, or who’s. If the sentence is trying to say that something belongs to something else, use its, your, their, or whose. If the sentence is trying to point to a specific or vague place, use there. Pronoun Definition Examples its belonging to it the puppy’s toy =its toy the leg of the table =its leg it’s it is the sky is cloudy =it is cloudy = it’s cloudy the book is long = it is long =it’s long their belonging to them the sisters’ bedroom =their bedroom the color of walls =their color they’re they are flowers are blooming = they are blooming = they’re blooming friends are great = they are great = they’re great there in/on that place existing somewhere in the world exist many trees= there are manytrees the pants are on the shelf = the pants are there your belonging to you this is my dinner, and this is your dinner you’re you are you are delighted = you’re delighted you are a student = you’re a student whose belonging to whom? I don’t know who owns this house = whose is this house? who’s who is who from the team is coming? = who’s coming? Examples Incorrect forms of these words are underlined, while the correct ones are bold. Error: Who could have known that Da Vinci’s most mysterious painting would become his most famous, with it’s unique half-smile forever expressing some unknowable emotion. Fix: Who could have known that Da Vinci’s most mysterious painting would become his most famous, with its unique half-smile forever expressing some unknowable emotion. Error: Your just like all the other Americans visiting England who think that cricket is closely related to baseball. Fix: You’re just like all the other Americans visiting England who think that cricket is closely related to baseball. Error: Having several books to return to the library, Maria checks they’re due dates to make sure she won’t have to pay any fines. Fix: Having several books to return to the library, Maria checks their due dates to make sure she won’t have to pay any fines. Error: Dismayed that no one agreed with his argument, the city councilman asked, â€Å"Whose with me on this?† Fix: Dismayed that no one agreed with his argument, the city councilman asked, â€Å"Who’s with me on this?† Error: Every study we have come across suggests that bicycles are an excellent way to get around: there economical, good for public health, and environmentally friendly. Fix: Every study we have come across suggests that bicycles are an excellent way to get around: they’re economical, good for public health, and environmentally friendly. Feeling overwhelmed by grammar is apparently part of the human condition. Here's a grammar book from 1526. Just imagine all those monks having to study pronouns in Latin ... Verbs There are twomain issues with verbs tested on the SAT: verb tenses and subject-verb agreement. Verb Tense There are ninebasic verb tenses, threefor each time period (present, past, future). Below are the basic tenses formed from the verbto sing.As you can see, some of the verb tensesare created by adding forms of the verbs have, be,and do. Time Period Verb Forms Present Simple Present: They sing.Present Continuous: They are singing.Present Perfect: They have sung. Past Simple Past: They sang.Past Continuous: They were singing.Past Perfect: They had sung. Future Future: They will sing.Future Continuous: They will be singing.Future Perfect: They will have sung. Generally, the idea is to keep verbs in a single sentence in the same time period, especiallyif a sentence is describing things that happen during the same time period (example 1). If a sentence contains a shift in chronological time, verb tenses should shift to account for the change in time (example 3). Examples Verbs in the same tense are underlined, while verbs in the wrong tense are in bold. Error: According to the cardiologist, since the patient’s arteries are (present)dangerously clogged with cholesterol deposits, the medical team had (past)to check for elevated blood pressure and other heart attack risks. Fix: According to the cardiologist, since the patient’s arteries are (present)dangerously clogged with cholesterol deposits, the medical team has (present)to check for elevated blood pressure and other heart attack risks. Error: Even though office hours had been(past) over for some time, the professor and her student are continuing (present)their productive work on the research project. Fix: Even though office hours have been(present) over for some time, the professor and her student are continuing (present)their productive work on the research project. Error: If the pace of technological advancements continues (present), in the future we ride(present) self-driving cars. Fix: If the pace of technological advancements continues (present), in the future we will ride(future) self-driving cars. Subject/Verb Agreement Nouns and verbs are both parts of speech with numbers and are written differently if they refer to just one thing or multiple things. One dog runs fast, for example, but two dogs run fast. Subject/verb agreement just means that the noun and verb have the same number (singular or plural).One point to remember is thatcollective nouns are singular (a â€Å"crowd of people laughs† instead of â€Å"crowd of people laugh†). A collective noun is a noun that stands for a group of things but is grammatically treated as a single unit (i.e., a singular noun). Examples Matching subjects and verbs are underlined, while verbs that don't match subjects are in bold. Error: A recent survey found that the furniture in most people's homes are mostly made of wood. Fix: A recent survey found that the furniture (singular) in most people's homes is (singular) mostly made of wood. Error: There isa beaker and three pipettes on the top shelf of the cupboard. Corrected: There are (plural) a beaker and three pipettes (plural) on the top shelf of the cupboard. Error: I am trying to read the name of the store across the street, but a crowd of people keep getting in the way. Fix: I am trying to read the name of the store across the street, but a crowd (singular) of people keeps (singular) getting in the way. After a poorly verbed pitch, the batter verbed the ball to midfield. The shortstop verbed to the left, verbing the ball just in time to verb the runner out. Illogical Comparisons There are two different kinds of comparisons that break the rules of logic. The first relies on the idea that you can only compare things that are alike in some way.One trick to spotting illogical comparisons is that they tend to happen when a sentence is comparing something that belongs to someone or something else by using the comparison word than. You have to make sure that the two things on either side of thethan are in the same category (examples 1 and 2). For instance, you can compare apples and oranges because both are fruits. But if both Stanley and Cora have apples, you can't say the following: I like Stanley's apples better than Cora. You'd have to say this: I like Stanley's apples better than Cora's apples. Or, more simply, this: I like Stanley's apples better than Cora's. The second kind of illogical comparison that the SAT likes to test is the notion that you can't compare something toallthings of that type.Instead, you can onlycompare that thing toall other things of that type (example 3). Examples The two things that each sentence is comparing are underlined. Error:Some regulators believe that new drugs should have to go through an even more rigorous testing process than patients who prefer the one currently in place. Fix:Some regulators believe that new drugs should have to go through an even more rigorous testing process than the one currently in place, which patients prefer. Error:Charles Dickens's epic novels, which are almost universally admired by readers and critics alike, are more sweeping than Jane Austen, who writes novels of manners. Fix:Charles Dickens's epic novels, which are almost universally admired by readers and critics alike, are more sweeping than Jane Austen'snovels of manners. Error: For astronauts, the moon is easier to get to than any space object. Fix:For astronauts, the moon is easier to get to than any other space object. You can compare the polar bear to the girls, but you can't compare the polar bear's favorite toy to the girls. Unless that is one extremely dangerous zoo. The Bottom Line: All SAT Grammar Rules You Should Know Here is a quick summary of all the SAT grammar rules we talked about in this article: Concision andRedundancy- the SAT is all about being as succinct as possible Overly WordyPhrases - often, one word is better than many;sometimes, extra wordsshould just be deleted Redundancy- if a sentenceexpresses the same bit of information two or more times,delete the repetition Combining Simple Sentences- make one sentence into a dependent clause of the other through arepeated noun,using prepositions such asbefore, after,orfollowing,orby inserting whatever is being defined into the defining sentence Idioms and Conventional Expressions Verbal Phrases- verb + preposition pairs thatalwaysgo together PrepositionalIdioms- groups of words thatalwaysend on specific prepositions Commonly Confused Words- English has a lot of homonyms (words that sound similar to each other but mean very different things) Language Formality- avoiding slang and words/phrases that sound too casual Conjunctions and Conjunctive Adverbs- words that explain how two clauses in a sentence or successive sentences relate to one another Explanation- conjunctions such asbecause, consequently,andfor examplelink events in a cause-and-effect relationship Contradiction or Digression- conjunctions such ashowever, but,andneverthelessdescribe a negative or opposing relationship between events Similarity and Emphasis- conjunctions such asmoreoverandlikewiseconnect things that are equal or similar, or add examples to an argument Punctuation Punctuating Modifiers- if the sentence needs a modifier in order to make sense, the modifier doesn’t needcommas, but if you cantake out the modifier without losing any meaning, the modifier should be surrounded by commas Using Dashes- separate out a word/phrase/clause that is explanatory but not crucial Punctuating â€Å"Such As†- put a comma beforesuch as(and no comma after it) Formatting Lists- list items aretypically separated by commas,with a comma before theandororthat precedes the last list item Using Colons- indicates a list is coming up and that after the list the sentence will end; also used to introduce an explanation, definition, or example Using Semicolons- separates list items that have commas; fixes run-on sentences by separating two independent clauses without a conjunction Sentences- made up ofindependentand dependent clauses Sentence Fragments- sentences made of anything less than an independent clause Run-on Sentences- multiple independent clauses joined by only a comma or no punctuation at all DependentClauses as Subjects- if a sentence uses a whole dependentclause as a subject, treat the dependent clause as a singular noun Faulty Modifiers- words or phrases that describe something Dangling Modifier- a descriptive phrase that begins a sentence, has a comma after it, and has the noun it describesnotplaced right after the comma Misplaced Modifier- a descriptive phrase that's not close enough to the thing it's describing, making it sound like it'sreferring tothe wrong thing Parallel Construction- a list in which all the items have the same grammatical format Plurals and Possessives- plural iswhen there are two or more of something;possessiveis when something belongs to something else Plural Noun- add s to the end of asingular noun Possessive Singular Noun- add apostrophe + sto the end of a singular noun Possessive Plural Noun- add an apostrophe to the end of a plural noun Pronouns- parts of speech that stand in for anoun (its antecedent) Subject vs Object Pronouns- pronounschange form depending on whether they're subjects or objects in a sentence Who vs Whom- whois the subject form;whom is the object form Pronouns and Antecedents- it should be obvious which noun eachpronoun is referring to Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement- pronouns have to match their antecedents' person and number That vs Who- who is for a person or people; that is for everything else Indefinite Pronouns- pronouns such as everyone that seemplural but are actually singular Its/It’s,Their/They’re/There, Your/You’re, Whose/Who’s- you have to memorize these homonyms Verbs- the SAT tests tense agreement and subject-verb agreement Verb Tense- keep verbs in a single sentence within the same time period: present, past, or future Subject/Verb Agreement- anoun and itsverb must have the same number (singular or plural) Illogical Comparisons- you can only compare things that are alike in some way, and you can't compare something toallthings of that type What's Next? Knowing the grammar rules is just the beginning. Check out our complete guide to SAT Writing for a comprehensive take on all the topics andstrategies you need to know for the SAT. Excelling on SAT Writing also requires a lot of practice,so make sure you use our complete list of official and high-quality unofficial SAT practice testsin your prep. Want an 800 on SAT Reading and Writing? First, getour comprehensive advice on how to study for the SAT. Then,read our detailed guides onhow to get a perfect Writing scoreand how to get a perfect Reading score. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by SAT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. 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