On the Write Track

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On the Write Track

• Twenty Common Errors and Ways to Correct Them A
  Guide to Better Writing

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1. Fragments are incomplete thoughts. Sentences
must be complete thoughts.

• X My parents are strict. Like when they wont
  let me stay out late.
• My parents are strict they wont let me stay out
  late.
• X The school has many rules. For example not
  chewing gum.
• The school has many rules. For example, chewing
  gum is not allowed.
• X We went to the mall. But didnt see the movie.
• We went to the mall but didnt see the movie.

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2. Run-ons two sentences run together

• e.g. The current was swift he could not swim.
• The current was swift. He could not swim.
• The current was swift, and he could not swim.
• The current was swift he could not swim.

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3. Comma splices are two sentences spliced
(joined) with a comma.

• e.g. I like her very much, she has a sense of
  humor.
• Correct comma splices the way you would a run-on.
• I like her very much. She has a sense of humor.
• I like her very much, and she has a sense of
  humor.
• I like her very much she has a sense of humor.

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4. Commas should precede coordinating
conjunctions when joining sentences.

• Use a comma before the words and, or, but, nor,
  for, yet, or so when these words join two
  independent clauses (sentences).
• Remember the acronym fanboys.
• e.g. He wanted to work, but no job was available.
• No comma is used when joining a dependent clause
  or phrase.
• e.g. He wanted to work if he could find a job.
• e.g. He wanted to work but couldnt find a job.

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5. Commas should be used correctly when joining
independent and dependent clauses containing a
subordinating conjunction.

• When the dependent clause comes first, a comma
  should be used.
• e.g. Because the roads were icy, school was
  closed.
• A comma is not necessary when the dependent
  clause follows.
• e.g. School was closed because the roads were icy.

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Common Subordinating Conjunctions

• after in order that until
• although once when
• as since whenever
• as if so that where
• because than whereas
• before that wherever
• even though though while
• if unless

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6. Sentences connected by a conjunctive adverb
must be separated by a semicolon or period, not
just a comma.

• X John flunked math, therefore he didnt
  graduate.
• John flunked math therefore, he didnt graduate.
• John flunked math. Therefore, he didnt
  graduate.
• Conjunctive adverbs work best at the front of a
  sentence.
• X John flunked math. He did, however, graduate.
• John flunked math. However, he did graduate.

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Common Conjunctive Adverbs

• also likewise similarly
• anyway meanwhile still
• besides moreover then
• certainly namely therefore
• finally nevertheless thus
• furthermore next
• however now
• instead otherwise

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7. Subjects and verbs must agree in number.

• X One of my goals have been to go to law school.
• One of my goals has been to go to law school.
• X Neither of the children like spinach.
• Neither of the children likes spinach.
• X The passenger, along with the driver, were
  injured.
• The passenger, along with the driver, was
  injured.
• X Heres the keys you wanted.
• Here are the keys you wanted.

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8. Pronouns and their antecedents must agree in
gender and number. Pronoun references should be
clear, not vague.

• X Someone forgot their keys.
• Someone forgot his or her keys.
• X Every student should have their textbook.
• Every student should have his or her textbook.
• All students should have their textbooks.
• X Jane looked at her mother as she opened the
  gift.
• Opening the gift, Jane looked at her mother.
• Jane looked at her mother opening the gift.

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9. Do not shift or change the tenses of verbs.
Choose a tense and stay with it.

• X She works hard but made little money.
• She works hard but makes little money.
• She worked hard but made little money.
• Write formal essays about literature in the
  present tense.
• e.g. Shakespeare characterizes Hamlet as a man of
  indecision. He cannot decide whether to be or
  not to be.

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10. Do not use the 2nd person pronoun you in
formal writing.

• X Good writers make you want to read more.
• Good writers make one want to read more.
• X TV commercials try to make you buy products.
• TV commercials try to make viewers buy products.

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11. Avoid using passive voice verbs. The
subject of the sentence should do the verbing.

• Passive voice verbs are weak and can obscure
  responsibility.
• e.g. Mistakes were made. Slaves were brought
  to America.
• passive The ball was hit by Sally.
• active Sally hit the ball.
• Writing is better when it contains active,
  strong, and precise verbs. Avoid the verb
  seems.

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12. Avoid there are, there is, and it is.
Let the subject of the verb precede it.

• X There are many students in the room.
• Many students are in the room.
• X It is difficult to understand the theme of the
  story.
• Understanding the theme of the story is
  difficult.
• It is OK to say, for example, Its raining.

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13. Avoid using this, that, these, and
those as nouns. Try to use them as adjectives
followed by nouns.

• Rarely should a sentence begin with this, that,
  or it.
• X I lost five dollars. That really made me mad.
• Losing five dollars really made me mad.
• I lost five dollars. That loss really made me
  mad.
• X That was the worst movie I have ever seen.
• That movie was the worst I have ever seen.
• I dont like that kind of movie.

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14. Avoid these expressions is where, is how,
is when, is because, and is why. Especially
avoid the reason is because

• X Elsinore castle is where Hamlet lives.
• Elsinore castle is the place where Hamlet lives.
• X Picking the right numbers is how to win the
  lottery.
• Picking the right numbers is the way to win the
  lottery.
• X A touchdown is when the ball crosses the goal
  line.
• A touchdown occurs when the ball crosses the
  goal line.
• X The reason I like to ski is because its a
  challenge.
• I like to ski because skiing is a challenge.

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15. Avoid misplaced, dangling, or appended
participial phrases.

• X Rising over the hill, the men saw the bright
  red sun.
• The men saw the bright red sun rising over the
  hill.
• X He fell down the steps, breaking his leg.
• Falling down the steps, he broke his leg.
• He fell down the steps and broke his leg.

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16. Avoid thesaurus goofsuse the proper meaning
of a word. Check spelling.

• X In winter we should wear tepid clothes.
• How does sunlight effect/affect plants?
• Will you lend/loan me a dollar?
• I love you since/because you are kind.
• She is taller then/than her brother.
• Misspelled words may show laziness or
  carelessness.
• definate/definite seperate/separate
• posses/possesses alot/a lot
• alright/all right can not/cannot

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Use the correct word.it/its there/their to/two/
too

• Its shows possession, e.g. The cat licked its
  fur.
• Its is a contraction meaning it is. e.g. Its
  raining.
• There is an adverb. e.g. Lets go there after
  lunch.
• Their shows possession. e.g. Lets go to their
  house.
• To is a preposition. e.g. Lets go to the movie.
• Two tells how many. e.g. Lets see two movies.
• Too means very or also. e.g. That cake is
  too sweet. Lets invite her too.
• Everyday is an adjective every day is an
  adjective noun.

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18. Use apostrophes, semicolons, and colons
correctly.

• An apostrophe () shows possession.
• e.g. Johns coat is on the chair. That coat is
  Johns.
• e.g. The coachs advice helped the team win the
  game.
• A semicolon () joins two independent clauses.
• e.g. The bus will leave soon students should be
  ready.
• A colon () introduces a list or replaces
  namely in an explanation or example. Never use
  a colon after a verb.
• X The seasons of the year are winter, spring,
  summer, and fall.
• The year has four seasons winter, spring,
  summer, and fall.

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19. Use commas after an introductory word,
expression, or phrase.

• Frankly my dear, I dont give a damn!
• To win the game, we needed luck.
• Gradually, he climbed the mountain.
• In fact, only you can decide.
• Frustrated, he quit the team.
• Trying his best to understand, John read slowly.
• X While we were eating the dog began to bark.
• X Two years before the peace treaty had been
  signed.

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20. Use quotes around the titles of articles,
short stories, songs, and poems use italics or
underline for magazines, newspapers, movies,
books, novels, record albums, or plays.

• The Raven poem Macbeth play
• Eveline short story Rebecca novel
• Teen Drug Use article Newsweek
• When Doves Cry song magazine
• Purple Rain
• album

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Be concise and direct in writing.

• X The reason that we are meeting is that we need
  to consider revising the constitution.
• We are meeting to consider revising the
  constitution.
• Dont be redundant.
• X He didnt return the book back to the library.
• X As a rule, the hero usually triumphs over the
  villain.
• X Prepay before pumping gas.