Looking for a workshop to
compliment your knowledge
of writing rules? Wonder if
the amount of mistakes in
your emails really do effect
the way readers’ view you?
Sarah Liggett
CxC
enligg@lsu.edu
SOURCE OF ERROR
Why do you make
mistakes?
Lack knowledge
Misinterpret rule
Too much faith
in technology
FREQUENT ERRORS OF
COLLEGE STUDENTS
No
compound
sentence
No comma
comma in
after
introductory
clause
Mechanics
Punctuation
She got the job, soand
she headed
to the BMW
dealership.
After she learned she’d gotten the job, she
headed
to the BMW
FAN BOYS—for,
and, dealership.
nor, but, or, yet, so
She got the job and headed straight to the BMW
dealership.
FREQUENT ERRORS OF
COLLEGE STUDENTS
Mechanics and Punctuation
Comma splice
She got the job, she headed to the BMW
dealership.
She got the job ; she headed to the BMW
dealership.
FREQUENT ERRORS OF
COLLEGE STUDENTS
Mechanics and Punctuation
No comma(s) in a non-restrictive (non-essential element)
Bananas,my favorite fruit, have lots of K.
Bananas have lots of K.
Apples which are green are often not sweet.
FREQUENT ERRORS OF
COLLEGE STUDENTS
Vague Pronoun Reference
Robert enjoyed his work at the zoo last summer, and this may be his career choice.
Robert enjoyed his work at the zoo last summer, and a career as a veterinarian
of exotic animals may be in his future.
Pronoun Errors
Ann told Sarah that she had ridden her bike to the park.
Without permission, Ann rode Sarah’s bike to the park.
FREQUENT ERRORS OF
COLLEGE STUDENTS
Pronoun Agreement Error
Everybody has their own opinions.
Everybody has his or her own opinions.
Everybody has opinions.
Pronoun Errors
FREQUENT ERRORS OF
COLLEGE STUDENTS
Criterion or criteria
A lot or a lot?
An or a LSU student?
Few or less?
Usage
Amount or number?
Between or among?
Its or it’s?
FREQUENT ERRORS OF
COLLEGE STUDENTS
Subject/verb Agreement Errors
The life span of cockroaches are
is too long for me.
Dangling or misplaced modifier
After running the stop sign, the car failed to stop to help the injured.
After running the stop sign, the drunk driver failed
to stop to help the injured.
Sentence Structure Errors
While shopping at the mall, a crook stole Dave’s wallet.
While shopping at the mall, Dave had his wallet stolen .by a crook.
Karen was told that she was fired by her immediate supervisor.
Karen’s immediate supervisor fired her.
Karen was told that she was fired by
her immediate supervisor.
FREQUENT ERRORS OF
COLLEGE STUDENTS
Wrong Tense
In the first chapter, the author identified Boris, who I thought would be
the main character, but in the second chapter Boris dies.
In the first chapter, the author identifies Boris, who I thought would be
the main character, but in the second chapter Boris dies.
Verb Form Errors
Wrong Form
His boss had spoke very highly of him.
His boss had spoken very highly of him.
Wrong Verb
She lays in bed all day.
She lies in bed all day.
FREQUENT ERRORS OF
COLLEGE STUDENTS
Receive or recieve?
Separate or seperate?
Cite or site?
Spelling and Homophones
Could of or could’ve?
Your or you’re
AN EDITING EXERCISE
PROOFREADING TIPS
Take a break between writing and proofreading.
Read the paper aloud.
Get out your list of frequent errors.
Change your font to 14 point; put a return after every
sentence. Work from a printed copy.
Cover the paper with a ruler or another paper or
scroll down so you see only one line at a time.
Circle subjects,
locate verbs.
Circle pronouns, locate the nouns to which
they refer.
If you tend to overuse commas, give the rule for each one you use.
Use find/replace for passive voice, wordy phrases,
vague pronouns.
Use a handbook, the Purdue OWL, on-line
grammar guides.
Basic Sentence
Patterns
SO. . .
Know the mistakes you make most often.
Understand why you make them and how to fix them.
Proofread just for the common mistakes.
Proofread once again.