Why Careful Sentence Construction is Important

Here's an example from today's Times that I might use with college students, but will not be using with my eighth graders this fall. The article, "H.I.V. Study Says Rate 40% Higher Than Estimate" discusses the disparity between the Centers For Disease Study and Prevention's recent claim that H.I.V. infection in the U.S. has diminished to about 40,000 people per year, and their newly released study showing that 56,300 people were infected with H.I.V. in 2006.

Dr. Julie Geberding, the disease centers' director, describes the study's findings as "unacceptable," and among other things, says, “We are not effectively reaching men who have sex with men and African-Americans to lower their risk."

Oh Dr. Geberding. That's not quite what you meant.