Question

Read this example:

... which is why several large countries have abolished the

use of the death penalty in criminal cases, including the

United Kingdom, Germany, and France.

"The death penalty is a cruel and unusual form of

punishment for crime," says Amanda Brier, director of the

Commission for Just Punishments. Opponents of the

death penalty feel that the eye-for-an-eye mentality that

sees death as a just punishment for certain crimes is

outdated and not consistent with the humanistic policies

now employed in the United States.

What is wrong with the quotation in this example?

Answer 1

"The paragraph begins with a quote, which takes away from the writer's control."

Answer 2

The problem with this quotation is the use of the verb "say" and the displacement of the subject "Amanda Brier."

Step-by-step explanation:

In formal and academic writing, some verbs like "say" to report indirect speech are not considered correct since they do not fit in the context. A better option can be the use of the verb "state" or "express." Besides, it is better to follow the subject, verb, complement structure. Thus, a better option could be the following one:

Amanda Brier, director of the Commission for Just Punishments, states that "The death penalty is a cruel and unusual form of punishment for crime."