Grammar question – is this sentence incorrect?

First analyse this [assuming it is a stand-alone sentence and not a part on another one]:

This is composed of two sentences to shorten it:

1. I understand the importance of (work ethic)

2. (I) possess a great work ethic.

Now, joined together it will be like this:

” I understand the importance of (work ethic) AND (I) possess a great work ethic.”

[‘AND’ is a conjunction and is added as a jointer]

Now, ‘I’ and ‘work ethic’ (given in parentheses), are used twice, so, to avoid duplication they have been removed at one place in the original sentence to shorten it without changing the meaning.

By adding the word ‘both’, the writer wants to emphasise that he does both (understand and possess) but it was not required since ‘AND’ was enough.

It does sound odd here.

I gather that you are writing a resume.

Grammatically, it’s fine, moving “both” to after “understand” is fine, and deleting “both” entirely is fine.

However, none of them consider the impact on the reader of a resume. Most of them will look at it and say “yeah, you and everone else SAY that, but it looks like BS to me.”

The reason they’ll think that is because the sentence makes two unsupported claims, and phrases them in a way that they aren’t even supportable. In other words, you claim a great work ethic, but there’s no evidence you know what that means. You claim to know the importance of a work ethic, but you haven’t even defined it. You need to define it with an example, and explain why you think it matters.

I’d start the whole sentence over.

“I focus on accomplishing goals, and do not consider the workday completed until I have prepared to begin the next. I believe that this work ethic promotes the success of an enterprise, and is essential to the individual’s long-term achievement.”

or

“I make a list of the tasks I am assigned, and prioritize them. This allows me to concentrate on those that contribute the most to the success of the organization, and increases my personal effectiveness.”

Don’t just claim a great work ethic. Tell them what yours is, and let them think to themselves “wow, I wish all my employees would do that.”

I understand the importance of, and possess, a great work ethic.

You don’t need ‘both’. It’s clear there are two distinct thoughts in your sentence. Also, I have added commas so that the sentence will read as:

I understand the importance of a great work ethic, and I possess a great work ethic.

It’s not incorrect, but if you’re concerned about how it sounds (in a job interview, for instance), you could drop “both” and move “great work ethic” > I understand the importance of a great work ethic and possess one as well.

That does sound a bit odd. I would write “I understand both the importance of and possess a great work ethic.” Sounds like a resume, good luck!

A great work ethic is something I understand the importance of and therefore possess.

I understand the importance of a great work ethic and that is exactly what I can bring to this organization.

I have a great work ethic because I understand how important it is for success.

NOt really, I would rather say:

“I Understand both the importance and glamour of an ethical work which I greatly possess.”

“Both” needs to be followed by two nouns or adjectives to affirm and justify its usage and the rest of the sentence should be adjusted as I humbly see it as such.

Have a nice day.

That’s actually as correct as can be. These grammar geniuses who’ve answered your question probably should pick up an old high school English book and give it another whirl.

To me, for a job interview, I’d use that over anything else that the people here have suggested. Those all sound much “clunkier” than what you’ve put. What you have sounds professional.

Yes, it does seem a bit inappropriate. Perhaps this will suit better. “I possess a great work ethic and I understand the importance of that”. Is this good enough?

I think you are right that the sentence “Though outnumbered, the Spartans would succeed in repelling the attack for two days, holding off their enemies.” is good. It’s the way you would put it in a synopsis or brief account of an event. Thing is, you are right for the wrong reason. “Would” does not signify volition on the part of the Spartans, it is a conditional future tense used as part of an account of a past event to signify inevitability and the passage of time.