ESF projekts „Profesionālajā izglītībā iesaistīto vispārizglītojošo mācību
priekšmetu pedagogu kompetences paaugstināšana”
Vienošanās Nr.2009/0274/1DP/1.2.1.1.2/09/IPIA/VIAA/003
PH 3 Most Common Errors in Student Writing
Find and define the mistakes in the given sentences.
1. To stay in shape for competition athletes must exercise every day.
Sadly the old church was completely destroyed.
2. That should be solved.
After putting the disk in the cabinet, Maribel sold it.
Take the radio out of the car and fix it.
3. He says what he means and he means what he says
The computer crashed so I lost all of my work.
4. He go in for sports.
5. Professor James who is an expert in Victorian poetry will be giving a lecture tonight.
6. I love to listen music.
I take care about my little brother.
It depends of my mood.
7. I got up late this morning, I didn’t have time for breakfast.
8. Sincerely your’s.
Student’s will receive certificates.
9. While Mary was answering the doorbell, her cat had run away through the bedroom
window.
10. Tourists love to photograph the waterfalls from this trail because you can capture a
reflective rainbow.
Most of the customers do not realize that you cannot use the discount coupon for items
already on sale.
11. I dreaming very often.
12. According to legend, Santa Claus is a fat man who visit every house on our planet. He
prefer to work unnoticed, so he wears red suit and travels with a pack of reindeer.
13. Although the car hit the tree, it was not damaged.
I don’t think they should show violence on TV.
14. The young girl was walking the dog in a short skirt.
15. Its always a good idea to wear matching socks.
Key (see below)
ESF projekts „Profesionālajā izglītībā iesaistīto vispārizglītojošo mācību
priekšmetu pedagogu kompetences paaugstināšana”
Vienošanās Nr.2009/0274/1DP/1.2.1.1.2/09/IPIA/VIAA/003
TH 3 Most Common Errors in Student Writing
1.
No comma after an introductory element
To stay in shape for competition athletes must exercise every day.
Correct: To stay in shape for competition, athletes must exercise every day.
Sadly the old church was completely destroyed.
Correct: Sadly,(introductory adverbial element that modifies the entire sentence) the old
church was completely destroyed.
2.
Vague pronoun reference
That should be solved.
Correct: The problem should be solved.
After putting the disk in the cabinet, Maribel sold it.
Correct:
Take the radio out of the car and fix it.
Correct:
3.
No comma in a compound sentence
4.
Wrong word
5.
A wrong or missing inflected element
He go in for sports.
Correct:
6.
No comma in a nonrestrictive element
Professor James who is an expert in Victorian poetry will be giving a lecture tonight.
Correct: Professor James, who is an expert in Victorian poetry, will be giving a lecture
tonight.
7.
Wrong or missing preposition
I love to listen music.
Correct: I love listening to music.
I take care about my little brother.
Correct: I take care of my little brother.
It depends of my mood.
Correct: It depends on my mood.
8.
Comma splice
I got up late this morning, I didn’t have time for breakfast.
Correct: I got up late this morning, and (conjunction needed) I didn’t have time for
breakfast.
9.
Possessive apostrophe error
Sincerely your’s.
Student’s will receive certificates.
Correct:
10. Shift in tense
While Mary was answering the doorbell, her cat had run away through the bedroom
window.
Correct: While Mary was answering the doorbell, her cat was running away through the
bedroom window.
11. Unnecessary shift in person
Tourists love to photograph the waterfalls from this trail because you can capture a
reflective rainbow.
Most of the customers do not realize that you cannot use the discount coupon for items
already on sale.
Correct:
12. Sentence fragment
Example:
13. Wrong tense or verb form
I dreaming very often.
Correct: I am dreaming very often.
14. Subject-verb agreement
According to legend, Santa Claus is a fat man who visit every house on our planet. He
prefer to work unnoticed, so he wears red suit and travels with a pack of reindeer.
Correct: According to legend, Santa Claus is a fat man who visits every house on our
planet. He prefers to work unnoticed, so he wears red suit and travels with a pack of
reindeer.
15. Lack of a comma in a series
Example:
16. Pronoun agreement
Although the car hit the tree, it was not damaged. (Is "it" the motorcycle or the tree?)
I don’t think they should show violence on TV. (Who are "they"?)
17. Unnecessary commas
Example:
18. Run-on or confused sentence
Example:
19. Dangling or misplaced modifier
The young girl was walking the dog in a short skirt.
Correct: The young girl in a short skirt was walking the dog.
20. Its/it's confusion
Its always a good idea to wear matching socks.
Correct: It is = It’s