Common Writing Errors
Major grammatical errors (most are from Lunsford’s “top 20”)
1. missing or unnecessary commas (use commas to mark pauses)
a. missing comma
i. Use a comma if the sentence begins with an introductory word or phrase
(e.g., “However,…” “As this shows,…”).
ii. Use commas to mark embedded, nonrestrictive clauses (clauses that are
not essential to basic meaning of sentence).
1. Example: “Distributive conflict, which involves competition over
fixed resources, can increase face saving.”
iii. Use commas before conjunctions (“and,” “but,” “or,” “which”) in a
compound sentence.
1. Example: “Content goals in conflict are usually expressed directly,
whereas relationship goals are generally unspoken.”
b. unnecessary comma
i. before conjunctions when not a compound sentence or a list with three or
more elements(unless a pause is needed)
1. Example: “Functional theories emphasize that conflict is normal
and can be functional.” (no comma is used)
2. Example 2 (3-element list): “Functional theories emphasize that
conflict is normal, inevitable, and functional.” (commas needed)
ii. separating subject, verb, object or restrictive clause (a clause that is
essential to basic meaning of sentence)
2. vague pronoun reference (“this,” “that,” “they,” “it,” “he,” “which”)
a. Avoid using multiple pronouns in succession.
b. Do not use pronouns to substitute for entire ideas (e.g., “This shows…”) if the
idea has not been otherwise summarized or labeled.
3. faulty sentence structure
a. inconsistent or nonparallel structure
i. Do not change from one type of structure to another in mid-sentence (e.g.,
beginning as a statement and ending as a question).
ii. Make items in a series parallel.
1. Nonparallel construction: “Conflict is an expressed struggle
between parties who perceive incompatible goals, scarce resources,
and the other person is interfering with these goals.”
2. Parallel construction: “Conflict is an expressed struggle between
parties who perceive incompatible goals, scarce resources, and
interference from others.
iii. Consider the basic stem sentence (the basic subject-predicate-object in
simplest terms. Make sure that all parts of the sentence are grammatically
consistent with the stem sentence.
b. fused/run-on sentences (sentences that join clauses that could stand alone)
i. Mix longer and shorter sentences for variety but emphasize concise
sentences for clarity.
ii. Avoid the use of complex sentences with multiple, nonrestrictive clauses.
c. sentence fragments
i. Each sentence needs a complete subject/predicate combination.
4. shifting verb tense
a. Maintain past, present, or future tense within a sentence and paragraph.
b. Maintain singular or plural tense within a sentence.
Other Common Errors
5. punctuation problems with quotation marks
a. Commas and periods go inside quotation marks, colons and semi-colons go
outside (e.g., “A common metaphor for conflict is “’war.’”)
b. Use double, not single quotation marks, except when quoting within a quote.
6. missing or inappropriate capitalization
a. Reserve capitalization for proper nouns (names/titles of specific people, places,
things), not general categories (e.g., “She attends a university.” “She attends the
University of Montana.”)
7. overuse of progressive tense (“ing” verb form)
a. Use progressive tense to call attention to an action in progress.
b. Use simple past, present, or future tense otherwise.
i. Example: “Scholars are conceptualizing conflict frames as…” versus
“Scholars conceptualize conflict frames as…”
8. contractions (e.g., “can’t,” “they’re”)
a. Do not use contractions in formal writing.
9. misplaced abbreviations (“e.g.,” “etc.”)
a. Abbreviations should appear only within parentheses.
10. confusion of “who,” “that,” “which”
a. Use “who” (or “whom”) as the pronoun (in place of “that”) if the referent is
human. (e.g., “Deutsch is a conflict scholar who advocates…”)
b. Use “that” when setting off a restrictive clause (no comma) and “which” when
setting of a nonrestrictive clause (after a comma).
11. confusion of “while” versus “whereas”
a. “While” is often inappropriately substituted for “whereas.”
b. When these terms are used to connect two nonrestrictive clauses:
i. “while” implies time or simultaneous occurrence (e.g., “During the
conversation, the husband was thinking about finances, while the wife was
thinking that he was being insensitive.”)
ii. “whereas” implies contrast (e.g., “Men tend to think more about content
issues in conflict, whereas women tend to think more about relationship
issues.
Style Issues
12. appropriate voice
a. Level of formality/informality (slang, etc.) should be appropriate to the genre.
b. Maintain appropriate balance between first person and passive voice (e.g., “He
reported…” vs. “It was reported…”)
13. overuse of direct quotation
a. Paraphrase authors, unless their exact words convey special meaning.
b. Do not use a succession of direct quotes, except when quoting textual materials
that are the subject of analysis.
14. overuse of acronyms
a. Excessive and unnecessary use of acronyms creates ambiguity.
b. Define the acronym before using it.