Tad-Bits
Dr. Rearick’s Hang-ups
My Pet Peeves in Student
Writing
In the Future if an
employer tells you he or
she does not like
something. . .
Don’t Do It!
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There is no such word as “alot.” It’s a
lot.
When describing the past avoid the
over use of “would.”
– We would often have lunch by the
sea and would go swimming
afterwards.
– We often had lunch by the sea and
went swimming afterwards.
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Avoid the “impersonal” or the
“indefinite you.” Not only often
wordy but also often inexact.
– “When you get pregnant your ankles
sometimes swell as much as your
breasts.”
– “Not me” says the male reader.
For the same reason do not use the
“inclusive we.” Writers should not
speak for readers.
– “We know that God controls all that
happens to us.” Do we?
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Avoid absolute phrases, for example:
– “Everybody knew everybody else.”
– “Mom and Dad always argued about who was
going to drive.”
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Temper your writing:
– Nearly everybody knew one another.”
– “Mom and Dad often argued about who was
going to drive.”
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Save absolutes for absolutes.
– “Death comes to everyone.”
I know, I know:
– “Spring always returns.”
“Enoch walked with
God and was not”
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Be as concrete as you can be before
making general statements.
– Another problem with words like
always is that it often introduces an
example which is vague because
there are no particulars.
• My friends are always there for me.
– General points may begin a
paragraph but use specific
moments in time with details to
prove that point.
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6. “Awesome” is not a universal
adjective.
– Mountains are awesome; the cosmos
is awesome; God is awesome.
– A mechanical pencil, no matter its
level of excellence, is not awesome.
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“Totally” is intensely overused.
Students should limit its
appearance in an essay to about
once or maybe twice and be certain
that it really fits the use.
– “I am totally bored.”
– “Dave is totally bummed”
– “Leslie is totally overwhelmed by
her schoolwork.
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Instead use the wealth of the English
language to find alternative words to
get across one’s meaning:
– “I am intensely bored.”
– “David is really bummed.”
– “Leslie is utterly overwhelmed by
her schoolwork.”
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The fact is that good writers don’t
use intensifiers: TRUST your
WORDS!
Avoid phrases like “I feel,” “I think,” “I
believe.”
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If an opinion is in a paper and is not
credited to someone else, the reader
assumes that the feeling experienced. the
position held, or the belief described belong
to the writer without being overtly told so.
– Thus, don’t write “I believe that Fall is the best
season of all.
– Instead, just write “Fall is the best season of
all.”
“Being” is not the same as the verb “is.”
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Tom is going to lead the team today. Jack
being sick.” (FRAG!)
Either make the last phrase independent by
using the verb “to be” or connect the
sentence to the first independent clause with
a comma.
When using “like” remember that this word is
meant to compare two unlike things
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Thus in what is called a simile the one
thing is in most of its characteristics is
different except for some specific
qualities which the writer wants to
emphasize.
– Weak: One student of mine described his
first days on campus this way: “It was like a
major culture shock, very eye-opening.” It
was not like
– Better to write something like this: “It was a
major culture shock, very eye-opening.”
Strong: A correct use of like might be
something like this “He ran his class like a
marine drill sergeant, disciplined, organized
but with very little room for the special
needs which might surface from individual
to individual.”
• Just for clarification
Simile: a figure of speech comparing two unlike things
that is often introduced by like or as (as in cheeks like
roses)
Metaphor: a figure of speech in which a word or
phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is
used in place of another to suggest a likeness or
analogy between them (the Lord is my shepherd)
Be careful how you use comparatives like
“more” or the “er” form of an adverb.
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Often students (probably because of the bad
example of Madison Avenue) will use a
comparative but forget to include with
whom the subject is being compared.
– “Dan is working harder this week.” (than
who?)
– “He has worked through people to make me
feel so much more welcome.” (than where?)
As pretty as other styles may be, stay
with “Times New Roman;” also keep
your font size set at either “12.”
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Remember to use one inch margins on the
top and bottom of your page and 1.25 for its
left and right margins (MLA requires 1
inch).
Don’t forget to double space your text:
Form matters!
Save your creativity in a writing class for
the writing.
When describing a text (that means when
writing about something you read for this
class) use the present tense. Don't say this:
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Dickens used comic commentary when he
described Ralph Nickleby's awkward
farewell to his niece: "The blessing seemed
to stick in Mr.. Ralph Nickleby's throat, as if
it were not used to the thoroughfare, and
didn't know the way out" (Dickens 244).
Instead use the present tense:
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Remember a written text is readable is still
working, is still alive and should be
described in present tense.
"Dickens uses. . .when he describes. . ."
Keep in mind that any text
In your papers historical facts should be
described in the past tense but events in text
are still occurring:
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Centuries ago Moses and the Israelis
crossed the red sea.
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In the book of Exodus Moses and the
Israelis cross the red sea.
Do not begin a paragraph with a quote.
Quotes, especially in any research setting,
always need to be introduced so that the
reader knows what point you--the writer-think the quote makes.
Instead of starting the paragraph with. . .
“Will our homes become such cozy entertainment
providers we’ll never leave? I don’t think that
will happen” (Gates 61).
Make what point you wish to emphasize in
the paragraph clear in the introduction to the
quote:
Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, dismisses
concerns about computers enveloping of our
spare time so much we won’t interact with
others with a simple “I don’t think that will
happen” (61).
Note: this quote does not answer the point.
Gate’s reason is still needed.
Be certain to take quotes from the actual
text, not from the blown up words used to
break up a page of words. Think of those as
graphics, not text.
Do not only say who wrote a quote; also
include why that source should be
recognized and where you, the researcher,
found it.
In research papers be certain that all the
information given is clearly connected with
the main idea (the thesis) of your paper.
Large chunks of information may fill up
pages, but they do nothing to further your
grade.
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Remember that paragraphs are indicated in
MLA by the indentation of five spaces (or
one tab) not by a triple space and NEVER
by both.
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