Erros Gramaticais em Inglês

Erros gramaticais em inglês

Legal writing is sophisticated almost by definition. Its most notorious flaws are stylistic: a tendency toward verbosity, for instance, or a fondness for legal jargon, or an excessive reliance upon the passive voice. But we also find numerous errors of punctuation, grammar, and syntax. Some of these are “advance errors” in the sense that they relate to complex matters and are difficult to detect; others are “advanced” only in the sense that they occur in the writing of such linguistically sophisticated persons as yourselves.

Remediation of writing errors is largely a matter of will. If I discover, for instance, that I spell accommodate with a single m, and if I reflect with some discomfort upon the numerous opportunities I have had over the years to reveal my ignorance on this matter, I may well instruct my brain to spell accommodate correctly forever after.

Motivation by embarrassment ought to be especially powerful for lawyers, who are perceived and who perceive themselves as highly literate individuals.

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

The first advice non-native lawyers should be given is on subject-verb agreement. A verb must agree with its subject in number. Errors occur most frequently when the subject and verb are far apart from one another; be sure in such cases to identify the subject consciously or you may slip up. There are, however, other cases with which you may have difficulty.

Examples:

1. In situations such as these, either the vice-president of the corporation or the treasurer have assumed authority. (wrong)

The correct form is has assumed. Note that when singular elements of a compound subject are joined by or or nor, the subject is singular and requires a singular verb.

2. Neither his parents nor the accused were to blame for this circumstance. (wrong)

The verb should be singular (was). In the case of a compound subject in which one element is singular and the other is plural, the number of the verb is determined by that part of the subject which is closest to the verb – here, the accused.

3. Each of the applicants have strong recommendations. (wrong)

Each is an indefinite pronoun and is singular. The correct verb form is has. Other indefinite pronouns to watch out for are everyone and everybody, where the sense seems to be plural. Often writers will get the verb in the right number, and then forget it when they come to a pronoun or possessive adjective which takes the indefinite pronoun for its antecedent. Thus, we find “Everybody takes their lunch to work”. The verb is correct, but their should be his. (To avoid gender specificity cast the whole sentence in the plural: “All employees take their lunch to work.”)  

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD

English verbs are usually considered to have three moods. The indicative (I see, I saw, I will see, etc.) is the normal mood of the verb. The imperative (come with me) is used for commands and frequently has no subject, as the you is usually “understood” rather than expressed. The only mood that may give you difficulty is the subjunctive, which is falling into disuse. Still, many writers deplore this tendency, and I would urge you not to ignore the uses of the subjunctive altogether. Especially when it comes to legal writing.

1. The subjunctive forms of the verb are used to express a point conditionally or to express a wish.

Example 1: I wish I were not involved in that proposal.

Example 2: You would be a great help if you were to join us.

2. Occasionally had is combined with another verb to talk about events that didn’t take place.

Example 1. Had I thought of it, I would have written.

Example 2. Had he known what he was getting into, he would have been appalled.

3. The subjunctive form of a verb should be used in clauses beginning with that when the main verb expresses desires, orders, or suggestions.

Example 1. The lawyer requested that her client be given a new trial.

Example 2. We suggest that there be a recount of the votes.

A NOTE ON THE PASSIVE VOICE

 There are two voices, active and passive. The passive voice inverts the normal pattern:

“The contract was signed by Jones.”

instead of

“Jones signed the contract.”

What in the active voice would be a direct object, in the passive voice becomes the subject of the verb. Rhetorically, passive constructions are frequently weak because they are indirect and obscure. Politically, they are often reprehensible. The passive voice permits one to make assertions which promise action without committing oneself to perform that action. It further makes possible the admission of error without anyone having to take responsibility. Observe the difference between these two sentences: