John McCain and Barack Obama can teach SAT students -- what not to say

If you are a student studying for the SAT and you're confused about grammar, you are not alone.
The presidential candidates made several mistakes in the debate last week.
I checked out the transcript of the debate and confirmed that I didn't hear them incorrectly.
Recognizing these errors can help SAT students on the grammar section.
I've also included a grammatical error by the transcribers who had a bad case of comma splice.

I'll start with a transcription error:

I like Meg Whitman [former CEO of eBay and current McCain campaign adviser], she knows what it's like to be out there in the marketplace.

The mistake. These are two sentences. "I like... " and "She knows...." They cannot be connected with a a comma. That's a comma splice.

How would you correct it? Use a period or semicolon instead of a comma.

I like Meg Whitman [former CEO of eBay and current McCain campaign adviser]. She knows what it's like to be out there in the marketplace.

OR

I like Meg Whitman [former CEO of eBay and current McCain campaign adviser]; she knows what it's like to be out there in the marketplace.


Another mistake:
McCain: "But you know, one of the real catalysts, really the match that lit this fire was Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac."

The error: The word "one" refers to two things: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. So you can't use the word "one." McCain should have used the word "two."
And she should have said "matches" and "were."

Obama: "The middle-class need a rescue package."
The error: "Class" is a singular noun. So the middle class "needs" a tax cut.

So if you're struggling with the grammar section, have faith. You can become a world leader some day.

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