FRESHMAN COMPOSITION, RHETORIC, GRAMMAR II

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INTRO. TO LITERARY RESEARCH & WRITING

INSTRUCTOR: James Maxfield

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Most Common Mistakes
 

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Most Common Errors in Student Essays

 

Before turning in a final draft, check for these most common errors.

A study by Robert Connors and Andrea Lunsford of over 20,000 freshman English composition essays revealed the following list of the 20 most common proofreading error patterns:

(Cited from The New St. Martin’s Guide to Teaching Writing by Robert Connors and Cheryl Glenn, 1999, p. 108)

Missing comma after an introductory element

Vague pronoun reference

Missing comma in a compound sentence

Wrong word usage

Missing comma(s) with a nonrestrictive element (see Handbook)

Wrong or missing verb ending

Wrong or missing preposition

Comma Splice

Missing or misplaced possessive apostrophe

Unnecessary shift in verb tense

Unnecessary shift in pronoun (from singular to plural or a change in gender)

Sentence Fragment

Wrong tense or verb form

Lack of agreement between subject and verb

Missing comma in a series

Lack of agreement between pronoun and antecedent (see Handbook)

Unnecessary comma(s) with a restrictive element

Fused Sentences (see Handbook); also see Run-on Sentences

Dangling or misplaced modifiers

Confusing its / it’s; affect / effect; and other similar words

If you notice that you make other consistent errors in your writing, add them to the list so you are reminded to look for them when proofreading.

Note that Wrong Spelling and Capitalization errors are not listed here. It is assumed that students will have already corrected these errors before the final draft is submitted, and that the above list represent the common errors that are sometimes more difficult to find in your own work. This is why its important to read your work out loud to others or to have them read it out loud to you so that you may hear if your sentences make sense and are easy to follow.

 

Send mail to james.maxfield@tri-c.edu with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2005 Cuyahoga Community College
Last modified: 04/30/06