Common Mistakes

1
Common Mistakes

• Recognizing and revising common errors in writing!

2
Revising Weak Writing
3
Avoid vague generalities!

• People in society consider education to be
  important.
• My parents have always considered education to be
  important.

4
Write with clarity!

• The cultural implications for higher education
  necessitate an indefatigable emphasis on the
  correlation between an individuals level of
  education and his/her opportunities for lucrative
  employment.
• In the current job market, a college degree is
  necessary for almost all entry-level positions.

5
Be specific!

• Through my college education, I wish to achieve
  the goal that I have set for myself, which I can
  only attain by educating myself beyond what high
  school offers.
• Through my college education, I intend to achieve
  my goal of a degree in history and admission into
  a top law school.

6
Avoid the unidentified one!

• One often wonders where life is going to lead.
• Many high school students, especially those
  approaching graduation, wonder where their life
  is going to lead.

7
Remember your audience!

• Although you are on your own now, you will enjoy
  learning how to do things for yourself.
• Although I am on my own now, I will enjoy
  learning how to do things for myself.

8
Avoid broad generalities!

• After high school, college is the next step in
  everyones future.
• For many high school graduates, college is the
  next step towards the future.

9
Include transitions!

• Both my parents went to college. I have always
  dreamed of going to college. To get a good job, I
  will need a college degree.
• Both my parents went to college. After hearing
  their stories of how fun college was, I dreamed
  of going to college. While I hope to have fun
  during my years at college, I understand that
  college isnt just about having fun. I need a
  degree in order to get a good job.

10
Be concise!

• Having always believed in my mind that college
  was important, I often wondered when I was young
  and throughout my life which college I would
  attend.
• While I always believed that college was
  important, I was never certain which college I
  would attend.

11
Revising Grammatical Mistakes
12
Parallel Structure

• During my years at college, I want to join many
  clubs, participate in intramural sports, and
  making good grades is important.
• During my years at college, I want to join many
  clubs, participate in intramural sports, and make
  good grades.

13
Conjunctions

• My parents are encouraging me not only to go to
  college, but to graduate.
• My parents are encouraging me not only to go to
  college, but also to graduate.

14
Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement

• In the future, one will not be able to acquire
  the job of their choice if they do not have a
  college degree.
• In the future, many people will not be able to
  acquire the job of their choice if they do not
  have a college degree.
• In the future, one will not be able to acquire
  the job of his/her choice if he/she does not have
  a college degree.

15
Sentence Fragment

• Making a difference in the life of not only
  myself but also those who are disadvantaged and
  in need of help.
• My ultimate goal is to make a difference in my
  own life and in the lives of those who are
  disadvantaged.

16
Run-on (or fused) Sentence

• Attending a university has always been a dream of
  mine I would have felt like a loser if I had not
  gone to college.
• Attending a university has always been a dream of
  mine. I would have felt like a loser if I had not
  gone to college.

17
Comma Splice

• College is very important in my family, both my
  parents went to college.
• College is very important in my family. Both my
  parents went to college.

18
Dangling Modifier

• Coming from a small town, working at Sonic is the
  only option for those who dont go to college.
• In a small town, working at Sonic is often the
  only option for those who dont go to college.

19
Misplaced Modifier

• I have often wondered if I would feel lost at
  such a big school, coming from a small town.
• Coming from a small town, I have often wondered
  if I would feel lost at such a big school.

20
Semicolon

• I plan to study hard and achieve my goals even
  though college is difficult.
• I plan to study hard and achieve my goals even
  though college is difficult, I am determined.

21
Colon

• After high school, I had two options I could
  attend college or work at Sonic.
• After high school, I had two options college or
  Sonic.

22
Apostrophe

• I couldnt wait to move out of my parents house
  and live on my own.
• I couldnt wait to move out of my parents house
  and live on my own.

23
Quotation Marks

• The three pieces of advice that my dad gave me
  were Go to college, Get a degree, and Get a
  job.
• The three pieces of advice that my dad gave me
  were Go to college, Get a degree, and Get a
  job.