FIFTEEN COMMON ERRORSDr. Andrea Lunsford’s research identified the following error patterns as among the most common found in the writing of U.S. college students. They are listed in order of fequency. Sentences containing the relevant errors, marked in red, are given first; corrections, marked in green, follow. Follow the arrow [⇒] for more information. 1) Missing comma after an introductory elementDetermined to get the job done we worked all weekend. 2) Vague pronoun referenceCompany policy prohibits smoking, which many employees resent. (Does which refer to the policy or the smoking?) 3) Missing comma in a compound sentenceThe words "I do" sound simple but they mean a life commitment. 4) Wrong word choiceParadise Lost contains many illusions to classical mythology. 5) Missing comma with a non-restrictive elementThe so-called civet cat which is not really a cat produces highly valued musk. 6) Comma spliceMany are called, however few are chosen. 7) Missing or misplaced possessive apostropheOverly ambitious parents can be harmful to a childs development. 8) Unnecessary shift in pronounWhen one sees a Dürer woodcut, you recognize it immediately. 9) Sentence fragmentWe ventured closer to the shoreline. Where the bluefish waited. 10) Missing comma in a seriesSharks eat squid, shrimp, crabs and small fish with equal gusto. 11) Lack of agreement between pronoun and antecedent Each of the boys thrived in their new home. 12) Unnecessary comma with a restrictive elementPeople, who want to preserve wilderness, oppose development. 13) Fused sentenceThe current was swift I could not swim to shore. 14) Misplaced modifierWe watched the eagles swoop and dive in awe and admiration. 15) Its/It's confusionThe car was lying on it's side in a ditch.
Adapted from Andrea Lunsford’s The Everyday Writer, 3rd edition, Bedford/St. Martin’s. |
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