Pronoun Antecedent Agreement

Antecedents defined: http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/a.html#antecedent

And again: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/index.php?category_id=2&sub_category_id=1&article_id=41

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AdO1wSQ9FImjZGNucWN2NjRfMjEyY2c1dHp4NGI&hl=en

Cliche

Over the past four years I have become more confident and comfortable in my own skin.

Mixed Metaphors

Perhaps once I get some food my mind will withdraw from the tension that is pulling my body apart, but until then the silence continues to pierce through my ears sharper than nails on a chalkboard.

Navigating through the jungle of music requires some sort of guide or pilot.

I simply wanted to blend in - be a part of the crowd. But as I matured and entered high school, this anonymous shield slowly melted away.

"Sometimes I wonder…Why is that Frisbee getting bigger?…and then it hits me."

When I found this quote in a magazine, I chuckled and wondered if anyone could be so oblivious as to be hit by a frisbee they watched flying towards them. Well, after falling victim to this tragic, yet hilarious event, I realized several things. One, I was just that oblivious that day. Two, many times ideas creep up on you like that Frisbee. You are thinking about something important and begin to have a lightbulb moment. The thoughts begin to pull together and begin to knit into an idea that breaks through any old ideas or misconceptions you might have had on a topic and floods the brain with understanding. Not only are epiphanies good because they stimulate the brain and excite the senses, but the also get the creative juices flowing and lead to more new ideas and thoughts.

Cut out the deadwood.

 Nominalizations

There is opposition among many voters to nuclear power plants.

Economists made attempts to formulate a definition of full employment.

There was a discussion [by] about the effects of ozone depletion on temperature.

The candidate’s vision for the Whigs was of a party broad enough to encompass various agendas.

His completion of the assignment was delayed by the arrival of his grandparents.

The committee has come to the conclusion that there is evidence of stealing among the staff.

A misappropriation of your funds has been detected by our accountants.

Passive Voice

Unclear reference

The boys wore flip-flops to class which the principal disapproved of.

Dangling, misplaced modifiers

While driving at a high speed on a deserted road, two deer leaped in front of our car.

When selecting a college, social life is seen as more important than academics.

Standing with a confused look on my face in a dirty used record shop in South Philadelphia at the age of 12, an old weathered-looking man witha two foot gray beard in a tie-dyed short approached. (This one also has hyphen issues.)