common mistakes when writing essays

Top 20 Errors in Undergraduate Writing

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The Top Twenty: A Quick Guide to Troubleshooting Your Writing

Readers judge your writing by your control of certain conventions, which may change depending on your audience, purpose, and writing situation. For example, your instructor may or may not mark errors in your paper if he’s more concerned with its argument or structure than he is with sentence-level correctness; he could also decide an error is not serious. Some instructors may even see the errors listed below as stylistic options. However, a large-scale study by Andrea Lunsford and Karen Lunsford (2008) found that these errors are the most likely to attract readers’ negative attention. Before handing in your papers, proofread them carefully for these errors, which are illustrated below in the sentences in italics.

THE TOP TWENTY

1. wrong word.

Wrong word errors take a number of forms. They may convey a slightly different meaning than you intend ( compose instead of comprise ) or a completely wrong meaning ( prevaricate instead of procrastinate ). They may also be as simple as a wrong preposition or other type of wrong word in an idiom.

Use your thesaurus and spell checker with care. If you select a word from a thesaurus without knowing its precise meaning or allow a spell checker to correct spelling automatically, you may make wrong-word errors. If prepositions and idioms are tricky for you, look up the standard usage.

Here are a couple of wrong word examples:

Did you catch my illusion to the Bible?

Illusion means “an erroneous perception of reality.” In the context of this sentence, allusion was needed because it means "reference.”

Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene is a magnificent sixteenth-century allergy.

A spell checker replaced allegory with allergy.

2. Missing Comma after an Introductory Element

Use a comma after every introductory element—whether word, phrase or clause—to clarify where it ends and the rest of the sentence begins. When the introductory element is very short, you can skip the comma, but including it is never wrong.

Without a comma after the introductory element, it’s hard to see the location of the subject (“they”) in this sentence:

Determined to make their flight on time they rose at dawn.

3. Incomplete or Missing Documentation

Documentation practices vary from discipline to discipline. But in academic and research writing, it’s a good idea to always cite your sources: omitting documentation can result in charges of plagiarism.

The examples below follow MLA style. In this example, the page number of the print source for this quotation must be included.

The Social Media Bible defines social media as the “activities, practices, and behaviors among communities of people who gather online to share information, knowledge, and opinions using conversational media.”

And here, the source mentioned should be identified because it makes a specific, arguable claim:

According to one source, it costs almost twice an employee’s salary to recruit and train a replacement.

Cite each source you refer to in the text, following the guidelines of the documentation style you are using.

4. Vague Pronoun Reference

A pronoun (e.g., he, this, it) should refer clearly to the noun it replaces (called the antecedent). If more than one word could be the antecedent, or if no specific antecedent is present, edit to make the meaning clear.

In this sentence, it possibly refers to more than one word:

If you put this handout in your binder, it may remind you of important tutoring strategies .

In some pronoun usage, the reference is implied but not stated. Here, for example, you might wonder what which refers to:

The authoritarian school changed its cell phone policy, which many students resisted.

To improve this sentence, the writer needs to make explicit what students resisted.

5. Spelling

Even though technology now reviews much of our spelling for us, one of the top 20 most common errors is a spelling error. That’s because spell checkers cannot identify many misspellings, and are most likely to miss homonyms (e.g., presence/presents), compound words incorrectly spelled as separate words, and proper nouns, particularly names. After you run the spell checker, proofread carefully for errors such as these:

Vladmir Putin is the controversial leader of Russia.

Every where she walked, she was reminded of him.

6. Mechanical Error with a Quotation

When we quote other writers, we bring their voices into our arguments. Quotation marks crucially show where their words end and our own begin.

Quotation marks come in pairs; don’t forget to open and close your quotations. In most documentation styles (e.g., MLA Style), block quotations do not need quotations marks. Consult your professor’s preferred style manual to learn how to present block quotations.

Follow conventions when using quotation marks with other punctuation. Here, the comma should be placed inside the quotation marks:

"A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction", Virginia Woolf argues.

7. Unnecessary Comma

We often have a choice about whether or not to use a comma. But if we add them to our sentences when and where they are not needed, then we may obscure rather than clarify our meaning.

Do not use commas to set off restrictive elements that are necessary to the meaning of the words they modify. Here, for example, no comma is needed to set off the restrictive phrase of working parents , which is necessary to indicate which parents the sentence is talking about.

Many children, of working parents, walk home from school by themselves.

Do not use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet) when the conjunction does not join parts of a compound sentence. In this example, no comma is needed before the word and because it joins two phrases that modify the same verb, applies.

This social scourge can be seen in urban centers, and in rural outposts.

Do not use a comma before the first or after the last item in a series.

The students asked their TAs to review, the assignment rubric, a sample paper and their comments, before the end of the quarter.

Do not use a comma between a subject and verb.

Happily, the waiters, sat down during a break.

Do not use a comma between a verb and its object or complement.

On her way home from work, she bought, a book at the bookstore.

Do not use a comma between a preposition and its object.

On her way home from work, she bought a book at, the bookstore.

8. Unnecessary or Missing Capitalization

Capitalize proper nouns and proper adjectives, the first words of sentences, and important words in titles, along with certain words indicating directions and family relationships. Do not capitalize most other words. When in doubt, check a dictionary.

Financial Aid is a pressing concern for many University Students.

9. Missing Word

If you read your work outloud before submittingit, you are more likely to notice omitted words. Be particularly careful not to omit words from quotations.

Soccer fans the globe rejoiced when the striker scored the second goal.

10. Faulty Sentence Structure

If a sentence starts out with one kind of structure and then changes to another kind, it will confuse readers.

The information that families have access to is what financial aid is available and thinking about the classes available, and how to register.

Maintain the grammatical pattern within a sentence. Each sentence must have a subject and a verb, and the subjects and predicates must make sense together. In the example above, thinking about the classes available does not help the reader understand the information families have access to. Parallel structures can help your reader see the relationships among your ideas. Here’s the sentence revised:

Families have access to information about financial aid, class availability, and registration.

11. Missing Comma with a Nonrestrictive Element

A nonrestrictive phrase or clause provides additional information that is not essential to the basic meaning of the sentence. Use commas to set off a nonrestrictive element.

David who loved to read history was the first to head to the British Library.

The clause who loved to read history does not affect the basic meaning of the sentence. The clause could be taken out and the reader would still understand that David was the first to head to the British Library.

12. Unnecessary Shift in Verb Tense

Verbs that shift from one tense to another with no clear reason can confuse readers.

Martin searched for a great horned owl. He takes photographs of all the birds he sights.

13. Missing Comma in a Compound Sentence

A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses. When the clauses are joined by a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), use a comma before the conjunction to indicate a pause between the two thoughts.

Miranda drove her brother and her mother waited at home.

Without the comma, a reader may think at first that Miranda drove both her brother and her mother.

14. Unnecessary or Missing Apostrophe (including its/it's)

To make a noun possessive, add either an apostrophe and an s (Ed's phone) or an apostrophe alone (the girls’ bathroom). Do not use an apostrophe in the possessive pronouns ours, yours, and hers. Use its to mean belong to it; use it's only when you mean it is or it has.

Repeated viral infections compromise doctors immune systems.

The chef lifted the skillet off it’s hook. Its a fourteen-inch, copper skillet.

15. Fused (run-on) Sentence

A fused sentence (also called a run-on) joins clauses that could each stand alone as a sentence with no punctuation or words to link them. Fused sentences must be either divided into separate sentences or joined by adding words or punctuation.

The house was flooded with light, the moon rose above the horizon.

He wondered what the decision meant he thought about it all night.

16. Comma Splice

A comma splice occurs when only a comma separates clauses that could each stand alone as a sentence. To correct a comma splice, you can insert a semicolon or period, connect the clauses with a word such as and/or/because, or restructure the sentence.

The students rushed the field, they tore down the goalposts.

17. Lack of pronoun/antecedent agreement

Pronouns typically must agree with their antecedents in gender (male or female, if appropriate) and in number (singular or plural). Many indefinite pronouns, such as everyone and each, are always singular. However, they can be used to agree with a singular antecedent in order to use inclusive or gender-neutral language. When antecedents are joined by or or nor, the pronoun must agree with the closer antecedent. A collection noun such as team can be either singular or plural, depending on whether the members are seen as a group or individuals.

Every guest left their shoes at the door.

18. Poorly Integrated Quotation

Quotations should be logically and smoothly integrated with the writing around them, the grammar of the quotation complementing the grammar of the neighboring prose. They usually need to be introduced (with a signal phrase) rather than dropped abruptly into the writing.

An award-winning 2009 study of friendship "understanding social networks allows us to understand how indeed, in the case of humans, the whole comes to be greater than the sum of its parts" (Christakis and Fowler 26).

"Social networks are intricate things of beauty" (Christakis and Fowler xiii). Maintaining close friendships is good for your health.

19. Missing or Unnecessary Hyphen

A compound adjective requires a hyphen when it modifies a noun that follows it.

This article describes eighteenth century theater.

A two-word verb should not be hyphenated.

The dealers want to buy-back the computers and refurbish them.

20. Sentence Fragment

A sentence fragment is part of a sentence that is presented as if it were a complete sentence. The following illustrate the ways sentence fragments can be created:

Without a subject

The American colonists resisted British taxation. And started the American Revolution.

No complete verb

The pink geranium blooming in its pot.

Beginning with a subordinating word

We visited the park. Where we threw the Frisbee.

These 20 most common errors can be avoided in your writing if you reserve time to proofread your final draft before submission.

Works Cited

Lunsford, Andrea A. and Karen J. Lunsford. “Mistakes are a Fact of Life: A National Comparative Study.” CCC 59 (2008) 781-806.

Daily Writing Tips

Common college essay mistakes to avoid.

Proofreading errors are a common issue that many college students face when writing essays. As the field of freelance writing has grown, it has become an increasingly flexible and attractive career path. However, to succeed in this field, it is essential to develop a strong skillset, including the ability to proofread and avoid common essay writing mistakes.

This article will cover the most frequent grammar errors, structural issues, and other common mistakes found in college essays, as well as the important role that proofreading plays in avoiding these pitfalls. Keep reading to help recognize what mistakes you may be making in order to elevate your material to be noticed.

What Are the Most Common Grammar Mistakes in College Essays?

One of the most common issues in college essays is the incorrect use of grammar . From simple homophones to complex subject-verb agreement, grammar errors can undermine the clarity and professionalism of a student’s writing. This is why some students opt to hire an essay writer who can help ensure their work is polished and free of grammatical errors.

By understanding the most common grammatical mistakes, students can better prepare themselves to identify and correct these issues during the proofreading process, or when they work alongside a professional writer.

Pay particular attention to the following issues to help keep your work polished and understandable:

For example:

Incorrect: The students are going over there notes before the exam.

Correct: The students are going over their notes before the exam.

Incorrect: The team of players were excited about the big game.

Correct: The team of players was excited about the big game.

For example:

Incorrect: A student should always do their homework on time.

Correct: A student should always do his or her homework on time.

Incorrect: The weather was sunny, we decided to go to the beach.

Correct: The weather was sunny, so we decided to go to the beach.

Incorrect: The students notebooks were left on the desk.

Correct: The students’ notebooks were left on the desk.

Incorrect: Walking through the park, the birds were singing.

Correct: As I was walking through the park, the birds were singing.

Incorrect: The researcher analyzes the data and will publish the findings next month.

Correct: The researcher analyzed the data and will publish the findings next month.

Incorrect: I went to the store I bought milk and eggs.

Correct: I went to the store and bought milk and eggs.

Incorrect: This essay will discuss strategies for effective proofreading.

Correct: Developing effective proofreading strategies is crucial for college students to produce polished, error-free writing.

Incorrect: The essay started by discussing the importance of proofreading, but then went on to talk about time management and study habits.

Correct: The essay maintained a clear focus on exploring different proofreading techniques throughout.

Incorrect: According to the article, good proofreading habits are essential for writers.

Correct: According to a study published in the Journal of College Writing, good proofreading habits are essential for writers (Smith, 2020).

What Role Does Proofreading Play in Avoiding Mistakes?

Proofreading is crucial for avoiding mistakes because it allows writers to carefully review their work and catch any errors or inconsistencies before submitting the final essay. Proofreading helps writers ensure that their grammar, punctuation, spelling, and overall structure are correct and polished.

One of the primary benefits of proofreading is that it helps writers identify and correct grammatical errors. By carefully reading through the essay, writers can spot issues such as subject-verb agreement problems, incorrect use of homophones, and pronoun errors. Proofreading also allows writers to ensure that their sentences are properly structured, with no run-on sentences or fragments.

In addition to catching grammatical mistakes, proofreading enables writers to strengthen their thesis statements and maintain a clear, consistent focus throughout the essay. By reviewing the essay, writers can ensure that each paragraph supports the main argument and that the essay flows from the introduction to the conclusion in a logical manner.

Proofreading is also important for ensuring proper citation of sources. Writers can double-check that they have correctly formatted in-text citations and the reference list, which is crucial for avoiding plagiarism and demonstrating their research skills.

Strategies for Effective Proofreading

Proofreading should never be overlooked. All writers, no matter their skill level, are prone to making mistakes in their work – whether they are errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, or even larger structural issues. For college students in particular, developing effective proofreading strategies is crucial, as poor proofreading can lead to low grades and a diminished academic reputation.

By learning techniques to carefully review their writing, students can ensure their essays are polished, professional, and free of careless errors. Mastering proofreading is not only important for academic success, but it is also a valuable skill that will benefit students throughout their careers.

Reading the essay aloud can help writers catch mistakes that may have been overlooked when reading silently. The human ear is often better equipped to identify grammatical errors, run-on sentences, and other issues that may be more difficult to spot on the page.

Focus on One Type of Error at a Time

Instead of trying to catch every possible mistake in a single pass, writers can improve their proofreading efficiency by focusing on one type of error at a time. For example, they could first check for subject-verb agreement, then move on to pronoun usage, and so on.

Use Technology Tools

There are a variety of technology tools, such as spelling and grammar checkers, that can assist writers in identifying potential errors. While these tools should not be solely relied upon, they can be a helpful complement to the proofreading process.

Ask for Feedback

Asking a peer, tutor, or professor to review the essay can provide valuable feedback and help writers catch mistakes they may have overlooked. Fresh eyes can often identify issues that the writers themselves have become desensitized to. Hire a professional essay writer to provide an objective, experienced perspective that can identify lingering grammar issues, clarify the thesis statement, and ensure the essay maintains a cohesive focus.

Take Breaks

Proofreading can be mentally taxing, so it’s important for writers to take breaks and come back to the essay with fresh eyes. This can help them better identify errors and inconsistencies that may have been missed during the initial proofreading sessions.

Develop a Proofreading Checklist

Creating a personalized proofreading checklist can help writers ensure that they consistently check for the most common mistakes in their writing. This can be especially helpful for writers who tend to struggle with particular grammar or structural issues.

Proofreading errors can be a significant obstacle for college students when writing essays, but by being aware of the most common mistakes and the importance of proofreading, writers can improve the quality of their work. From grammar and punctuation issues to structural problems and citation errors, a thorough proofreading process can help writers identify and correct a wide range of mistakes. By developing strong proofreading skills, college students can increase their chances of producing high-quality essays that showcase their knowledge, critical thinking, and writing abilities.

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7 Common Errors in Writing + How to Fix Them (With Examples)

Zeniya Cooley

We’ve all made errors in our writing — from simple spelling and grammar mistakes to larger structural issues. While we’ll likely make mistakes again (we’re human, after all!), the good news is that we can learn to spot them and keep our writing as polished as possible.

But to do that, we have to identify them first.

That’s where I come in. As a professional writer, I’ve made — and corrected — plenty of writing mistakes over the years.

In this blog post, I share seven common errors in writing and explain how to fix them using handy before-and-after examples.

What are the different types of writing errors?

Writing errors can be divided into several categories, including:

Spelling errors: These occur when words are misspelled — e.g., “bisness” instead of “business.”
Grammar errors : These are mistakes in sentence form or structure, such as writing an incomplete sentence like “Because of the snow.”
Punctuation errors: These involve using punctuation incorrectly or not using it at all — like writing “Let’s eat Dad” instead of “Let’s eat, Dad.”
Structure errors: These occur when the ideas in a piece of writing are unclear, not well-organized, or repetitive.
Style errors: These happen when a writer doesn’t follow language and style rules — e.g., using passive instead of active voice.

7 common errors in writing (and how to fix them)

Now that you understand the categories of writing mistakes, we can look at specific examples. Below, I cover seven common errors and how to fix them.

1. Run-on sentences

A run-on sentence is a grammatical error that occurs when two independent clauses (complete thoughts) aren’t properly joined. This kind of sentence makes it difficult to see where one idea ends and the other begins .

Two common types of run-on sentences are fused sentences and comma splices.

Fused sentences

A fused sentence joins two independent clauses without using a punctuation mark or coordinating conjunction (e.g., “and” or “but”), as seen below:

❌ Kel loves orange soda it’s his favorite drink.

You’d correct this sentence by inserting a semicolon between the two complete thoughts:

✅ Kel loves orange soda ; it’s his favorite drink.

Another option is to use a period to divide the clauses into two sentences:

✅ Kel loves orange soda . It’s his favorite drink.

Comma splices

A comma splice uses a comma between two independent clauses but forgets the necessary coordinating conjunction .

For example:

❌ Margaret went to Lenox Mall , she bought a new dress.

To correct this sentence, simply add a conjunction after the comma.

✅ Margaret went to Lenox Mall, and she bought a new dress.

2. Passive voice

Passive voice occurs when the receiver of the action (object) becomes the focus of the sentence rather than the one performing the action (subject).

Passive voice:

The decision was made by the jury.

Here, the focus is on the decision being made (object) instead of the jury making the decision (subject). As a result, the reader spends more time processing who is doing what .

To rewrite this sentence in active voice , put the subject at the front of the sentence. That way, the jury becomes the focus and performs the action, as shown here:

Active voice:

The jury made the decision.

This sentence is easier to understand because it follows a straightforward structure: subject (“the jury”) + action (“made”) + receiver of the action (“the decision”).

3. Subject-verb disagreement

Subject-verb agreement means that a singular subject (one person, place, or thing) takes a singular verb , and a plural subject (two or more people, places, and things) takes a plural verb .

For example, in the sentence “ Nancy eats popcorn,” “Nancy” is a singular subject, and “eats” is a singular verb.

Meanwhile, “ Nancy and Rodney eat popcorn” pairs a plural verb (“eat”) with a plural subject (“Nancy and Rodney”).

Notice that when you use a third-person singular subject (e.g., “Nancy,” “he,” “she,” and “it”) in the present tense (the tense for action happening now), you add an “s” at the end of the verb .

Ignoring this rule results in subject-verb disagreement, meaning the subject and its verb don’t match.

For example:

❌ Nancy eat buttered popcorn.

✅ Nancy eats buttered popcorn.

That said, you don’t add an “s” to the end of the verb when using the subjects “I” (singular), “we” (plural), and “they” (plural), as this would also lead to subject-verb disagreement.

❌ I eats buttered popcorn.

❌ We eats buttered popcorn.

❌ They eats buttered popcorn.

To correct the error, simply remove the “s” from the end of “prefer” for these subjects:

✅ I eat buttered popcorn.

✅ We eat buttered popcorn.

✅ They eat buttered popcorn.

AI tip: Wordtune’s Editor can identify subject-verb disagreement and offer suggestions on how to correct it.

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4. Incorrect word choice

Many writers confuse one word for another or misuse words in their work. This often happens with homophones — words that sound the same but have different meanings or spellings, such as “weather” and “whether.”

❌ The whether is lovely today.

The word “whether” means a choice between alternatives or indicates uncertainty. However, in this sentence, it’s used like the homophone “weather,” which refers to the state of or changes in the air or atmosphere (e.g., sun, rain, etc.)

Therefore, the word “weather” is the correct choice for this sentence:

✅ The weather is lovely today.

Now, let’s reverse the context:

❌ I don’t know weather I should read a book or watch a movie.

The word “weather” is incorrect here because the sentence focuses on the speaker’s inability to choose between two options: read a book or watch a movie.

Therefore, you’d use “whether”:

✅ I don’t know whether I should read a book or watch a movie.

Pro tip: The best way to avoid incorrect word choice is to use a memory device. For example, you could remember that “we a ther” refers to the “ a ir” or “ a tmosphere” because all three words contain the letter “ a .”

5. Vague pronouns

A vague pronoun is a pronoun (e.g., “he,” “she,” or “it”) with more than one antecedent (the person, place, or thing that a pronoun refers to). Using vague pronouns confuses readers because they don’t know who or what you’re referencing.

For instance, this sentence about Mitchell and Mike (antecedents) doesn’t clarify who the pronoun “he” refers to:

❌ Mitchell and Mike went to the football game after he finished work. (Who finished work, Mitchell or Mike?)

To fix this issue, you could restate the subject (for instance, “Mike”) so readers know who you’re talking about:

✅ Mitchell and Mike went to the football game after Mike finished work.

A less redundant option would be to rewrite the sentence so the pronoun (“he”) is closer to the subject it replaces (“Mike”):

✅ After Mike finished work, he and Mitchell went to the football game.

6. Dangling modifiers

A modifier is a word, such as an adjective, or phrase that describes another part of the sentence .

For example, in the sentence “Lex is an English professor,” the word “English” modifies the word “professor.” Additionally, in the sentence “After watching TV, Hunter went to sleep,” the phrase “After watching TV” modifies the word “Hunter.”

However, when a modifier describes the wrong thing because the intended subject isn’t in the right place, you get a dangling modifier.

❌ While standing in the freezing outdoors , thoughts of hot chocolate consumed Louise .

In this sentence, the phrase “while standing in the freezing outdoors” modifies “thoughts of hot chocolate.” However, that’s incorrect because “thoughts of hot chocolate” don’t stand outdoors.

Instead, “While standing in the freezing outdoors” is supposed to modify the person having the thoughts — the intended subject, Louise.

To correct this error, place the subject being modified immediately after the modifying phrase :

✅ While standing in the freezing outdoors , Louise was consumed with thoughts of hot chocolate.

Now, the modifier describes what it intended to all along: the person thinking about hot chocolate, not the thoughts themselves.

7. Missing or misplaced apostrophes

An apostrophe is a punctuation mark that forms a contraction (e.g., turning “you are” into “you’re”). It’s also used to indicate ownership . For instance, the apostrophe in the sentence “Lily’s cell phone went off in class” shows that Lily owns the phone.

Writers often forget to include apostrophes, or they use them in the wrong place.

The following sentence is an example of a missing apostrophe :

❌ Its hot outside.

This example uses a possessive pronoun (its), but the context of the sentence doesn’t indicate ownership. Instead, the sentence is trying to say that “it is” hot outside.

Therefore, we need to add an apostrophe to create a contraction for “it is”:

✅ It ’ s hot outside.

As for misplaced apostrophes , writers often make this error when dealing with plural possessive nouns. These nouns indicate that something belongs to more than one person — e.g., “the teachers’ lounge” belongs to more than one teacher.

❌ Lane heard laughter coming from the girl ’ s locker room.

Here, the apostrophe is misplaced because the locker room doesn’t belong to only one girl (singular noun). It belongs to a group of girls (plural noun).

So, we’d correct the sentence by adding an apostrophe after the letter “s” to make “girls” a plural possessive noun:

✅ Lane heard laughter coming from the girls ’ locker room.

Common writing errors include run-on sentences, passive voice, subject-verb disagreement, incorrect word choice, and dangling modifiers. Many writers make these mistakes, and the first step in correcting them is knowing what they are and when they happen.

By using the information and tips in this guide, you can better understand these errors and how to fix them in your writing.

For even more actionable advice on improving your work, read our guides on writing better sentences and making your writing flow smoothly .

What are grammar errors in writing?

Grammar errors in writing are mistakes writers make when constructing sentences. These mistakes include subject-verb disagreement (e.g., “I eats” instead of “I eat”), run-on sentences (e.g., “Lisa was thirsty she drank three water bottles”), and inconsistent verb tense (e.g., shifting from past to present tense).

What are common errors in writing essays?

Common errors in writing essays are grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. These include using dangling modifiers, spelling words incorrectly, and forgetting to use an apostrophe to form a contraction (e.g., writing “its” for “it is” instead of “it’s”). Essays may also feature structural errors, such as disorganized sections or redundant arguments.

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Twelve Common Errors

Download this Handout PDF

This list includes only brief examples and explanations intended for you to use as reminders while you are editing your papers. If you would like to learn more, consider the following options:

Take one of the free grammar, style, and punctuation classes offered by the Writing Center.
Set up an appointment for an individual conference in the Writing Center.
Confer with your course instructor.
Consult a handbook for additional examples and complete explanations

1. Sentence fragments

Make sure each word group you have punctuated as a sentence contains a grammatically complete and independent thought that can stand alone as an acceptable sentence.

Tests of the Shroud of Turin have produced some curious findings. For example, the pollen of forty-eight plants native to Europe and the Middle East.

[2nd sentence = fragment]

Tests of the Shroud of Turin have produced some curious findings. For example, the cloth contains the pollen of forty-eight plants native to Europe and the Middle East.

Scientists report no human deaths due to excessive caffeine consumption. Although caffeine does cause convulsions and death in certain animals.

Scientists report no human deaths due to excessive caffeine consumption, although caffeine does cause convulsions and death in certain animals.

2. Sentence sprawl

Too many equally weighted phrases and clauses produce tiresome sentences.

The hearing was planned for Monday, December 2, but not all of the witnesses could be available, so it was rescheduled for the following Friday, and then all the witnesses could attend.

[There are no grammatical errors here, but the sprawling sentence does not communicate clearly and concisely.]

The hearing, which had been planned for Monday, December 2, was rescheduled for the following Friday so that all witnesses would be able to attend.

3. Misplaced and dangling modifiers

Place modifiers near the words they describe; be sure the modified words actually appear in the sentence.

Not sure what a modifier is? Check our our FAQ.

When writing a proposal, an original task is set for research.

When writing a proposal, a scholar sets an original task for research.

Many tourists visit Arlington National Cemetery, where veterans and military personnel are buried every day from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Every day from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., many tourists visit Arlington National Cemetery, where veterans and military personnel are buried.

Still unsure? For more explanation and examples, see our grammar and style FAQ.

4. Faulty parallelism

Be sure you use grammatically equal sentence elements to express two or more matching ideas or items in a series.

The candidate’s goals include winning the election, a national health program, and the educational system.

The candidate’s goals include winning the election, enacting a national health program, and improving the educational system.

Some critics are not so much opposed to capital punishment as postponing it for so long.

Some critics are not so much opposed to capital punishment as they are to postponing it for so long.

5. Unclear pronoun reference

All pronouns must clearly refer to definite referents [nouns].

Use it, they, this, that, these, those, and which carefully to prevent confusion.

Einstein was a brilliant mathematician. This is how he was able to explain the universe.

Einstein, who was a brilliant mathematician, used his ability with numbers to explain the universe.

Because Senator Martin is less interested in the environment than in economic development, he sometimes neglects it.

Because of his interest in economic development, Senator Martin sometimes neglects the environment.

6. Incorrect pronoun case

Determine whether the pronoun is being used as a subject, or an object, or a possessive in the sentence, and select the pronoun form to match.

Castro’s communist principles inevitably led to an ideological conflict between he and President Kennedy.

Castro’s communist principles inevitably led to an ideological conflict between him and President Kennedy.

Because strict constructionists recommend fidelity to the Constitution as written, no one objects more than them to judicial reinterpretation.

Because strict constructionists recommend fidelity to the Constitution as written, no one objects more than they [do] to judicial reinterpretation.

7. Omitted commas

Use commas to signal nonrestrictive or nonessential material, to prevent confusion, and to indicate relationships among ideas and sentence parts.

When it comes to eating people differ in their tastes.

When it comes to eating, people differ in their tastes.

The Huns who were Mongolian invaded Gaul in 451.

The Huns, who were Mongolian, invaded Gaul in 451.

[“Who were Mongolian” adds information but does not change the core meaning of the sentence because Huns were a Mongolian people; this material is therefore nonrestrictive or nonessential.]

For more information on commas see Commas: Punctuating Restrictive and Non-restrictive Modifiers and Punctuating Coordinating Conjunctions and Sentence Adverbs , or take one of the free grammar, style, and punctuation workshops offered by the Writing Center.

8. Superfluous commas

Unnecessary commas make sentences difficult to read.

Field trips are required, in several courses, such as, botany and geology.

Field trips are required in several courses, such as botany and geology.

The term, “scientific illiteracy,” has become almost a cliche, in educational circles.

The term “scientific illiteracy” has become almost a cliche in educational circles.

9. Comma splices

Do not link two independent clauses with a comma (unless you also use a coordinating conjunction: and, or, but, for, nor, so, yet ).

Instead use a period or semicolon, or rewrite the sentence.

Comma splice:

In 1952 Japan’s gross national product was one third that of France, by the late 1970s it was larger than the GNPs of France and Britain combined.

In 1952 Japan’s gross national product was one third that of France. By the late 1970s it was larger than the GNPs of France and Britain combined.

Diseased coronary arteries are often surgically bypassed, however half of all bypass grafts fail within ten years.

Diseased coronary arteries are often surgically bypassed; however, half of all bypass grafts fail within ten years.

10. Apostrophe Errors

Apostrophes indicate possession for nouns ( “Jim’s hat,” “several years’ work” ) but not for personal pronouns (its, your, their, and whose).

Apostrophes also indicate omissions in contractions ( “it’s” = “it is” ).

In general, they are not used to indicate plurals.

In the current conflict its uncertain who’s borders their contesting.

In the current conflict it is [it’s] uncertain whose borders they are [they’re] contesting.

The Aztecs ritual’s of renewal increased in frequency over the course of time.

The Aztecs’ rituals of renewal increased in frequency over the course of time.

11. Words easily confused

“Effect” is most often a noun (the effect), and “affect” is almost always a verb.

Other pairs commonly confused: “lead”/”led” and “accept”/”except.”

Check a glossary of usage to find the right choice.

The recession had a negative affect on sales.

The recession had a negative effect on sales. (or) The recession affected sales negatively.

The laboratory instructor chose not to offer detailed advise.

The laboratory instructor chose not to offer detailed advice.

12. Misspellings

Spelling errors are usually perceived as a reflection of the writer’s careless attitude toward the whole project.

Don’t allow your hard work to be marred in this way!

In addition to comprehensive dictionaries, you may want to use electronic spell checks, spelling dictionaries, and lists of frequently misspelled words found in handbooks.

Grammar and Punctuation

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Using Dashes

Using Commas

Using Semicolons

Using Coordinating Conjunctions

Using Conjunctive Adverbs

Subject-Verb Agreement

Using Gender–Neutral Pronouns in Academic Writing

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Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist

Clear, Concise Sentences

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Write Better Essays: 7 Mistakes to Avoid

By Cari Bennette

Academic essays are an unavoidable part of the educational journey. Learning to write well may be one of the greatest skills you gain during your college years. Most students, however, will commit many errors before learning the art of academic essay writing.

While you can't avoid writing essays, you can avoid making some of these common mistakes:

Writing a Synopsis, Not An Analytical Essay

Not having a strong thesis statement, using too many quotes in an essay, making grammar, spelling and pronoun mistakes, not having a good bibliography, using resources that aren't credible, want to improve your essay writing skills.

The point of an essay is to create an argument and defend a thesis. If you're writing about a work of literature, some background to clarify the topic can be helpful. But the majority of your essay should involve your analysis based on credible research. Don't simply restate what happened in the book.

Coming up with a strong thesis statement is essential to writing a good essay. The thesis statement is the hook on which the rest of your essay hangs. It should state an opinion and be as specific as possible. Example weak thesis statement: The Great Gatsby is a great example of American Literature. Example strong thesis statement: The Great Gatsby captures the essence of America's Jazz Age in its decadence, materialism and ultimately, its tragic emptiness.

The essay is supposed to reflect your understanding of the topic and the research you've done to back up your argument. Overuse of quotes either from the work you're analyzing or from the research you've done undermines your authority on the topic. Quotes should be used sparingly and only when they drive home a point with an eloquence you can't match with your own words.

Defined as “the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own,” plagiarism is a serious offense. Colleges and universities have strict policies against plagiarism and use various tools to check your work for plagiarised content. You won't get away with it, and sometimes it can even get you suspended. Professors can recognize if something sounds like a student wrote it or if it came from another source, so don't try to fool them.

There are two kinds of plagiarism:

The first kind is directly taking the words from a source and using them in your paper without quoting or giving credit.
The second kind is trickier and you should take special care to make sure you're not committing this kind of plagiarism. It consists of rewording an entire article or section of an article. In this case, instead of coming up with your own original ideas and analysis, you're just rewording someone else's ideas including the order in which they present those ideas.

Your essay should contain your own original thesis, analysis and ideas backed up by credible research from academic authorities.

Worried about plagiarism? ProWritingAid's plagiarism checker checks your work against over a billion web-pages, published works, and academic papers so you can be sure of its originality. Did you know that many of the free plagiarism checkers online sell your writing to other sources? With ProWritingAid, you can be certain that your original work is secure. Paying for this kind of service might feel like a lot, but trust me, it's worth it.

Okay, let's break these down:

Get your contractions right. You're = you are. Your = second person possessive. It's = it is. Its = third person possessive. They're = they are. Their =third person plural possessive.
Make sure your subjects and verbs agree.
Beware of incomplete sentences (there must be both a subject and a verb to be complete).
Use your spell check.
Essays should be written in the third person (he/she/it/they). Don't use the first or second person (I, you or we) in an essay.
Follow proper formatting ( MLA formatting is a common example.

You can check for all of these errors using ProWritingAid. The Homonym report will highlight all of the words in your essay that sound the same as others but are spelled differently. This will help you avoid any 'its/it's or 'their/they're/there' mistakes.

The bibliography format for academic essays is usually the MLA style unless your professor specifically requests a different format. For a complete list of how to cite resources in MLA style, check out this site . Don't lose points over your bibliography. The hard part of your essay should be coming up with an original analysis of your topic. The bibliography is formulaic and easy to get right if you give it a little effort.

In the age of the Internet, it's easy to type in a keyword and find dozens of articles on it. But that doesn't mean all of those articles are credible. Make sure that the resources you use come from academic experts. For tips on how to find credible academic resources online, check out this site .

Avoiding these mistakes will improve your essay writing, so you can achieve higher quality and confidence in your academic writing. And it will make your professors happy, too.

Use ProWritingAid!

Are your teachers always pulling you up on the same errors? Maybe your sentences are too long and your meaning is getting lost or you're using the same sentence starter over and over again.

ProWritingAid helps you catch these issues in your essay before you submit it.

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Cari Bennette

Cari Bennette is an avid blogger and writer. She covers different aspects of writing and blogging in her articles and plans to try her hand in fiction writing.

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5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Essays

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Jordan Sanchez in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

Essay length, cohesive writing, reusing essays.

In this post, we discuss mistakes to avoid when writing your college essay . For more information, check out this post about how to write this year’s Common App essays .

A common college essay mistake is writing an essay that’s too short. For example, the word limit for the Common App essay is 650 words, and you should try as hard as you can to reach that number. A 400-word essay is definitely too short. Make sure you’re using all the words available to you.

If you’re having difficulty meeting the word limit, your essay topic may be too specific. Also, you may not be including enough details or descriptive language. Conversely, if your essay is too long, you may have sections that could be simplified. Look for any areas where the writing may be repetitive or redundant. Consider whether your essay is too broad. Are you trying to cover multiple topics? It can be helpful to break down your essay paragraph by paragraph and ensure that everything you’ve written aligns with the goals of the essay.

Since supplemental essays tend to have low word limits, you can do more telling than showing when writing these. That said, while you don’t want to waste words, if there’s an opportunity to add a bit of personality to a supplemental essay, you should take it.

Another common mistake is incohesive writing. Cohesive essays are easy and enjoyable to read. If an essay is jumping around and doesn’t have a clear narrative or connection between ideas, it can be distracting. The reader will be wondering what’s relevant and what they should be caring about, which takes attention away from the content and purpose of your essay.

Incohesive writing happens in two major ways. The first is when a writer doesn’t use effective transitions. These show the reader how different ideas are related, and without them, an essay can be disorganized and difficult to understand. Transitions can be as short as one or two sentences or as long as a whole paragraph.

Incohesive writing can also happen when the writer is inconsistent. Your essay should maintain the same tense, point of view, and writing style from beginning to end. Don’t use extremely complicated vocabulary in one paragraph and incredibly simple language in the next. Write in your natural style and voice, and you’ll never go wrong.

To check the cohesion of your writing, go over your first or second draft and answer the following questions: “What is the main idea of this paragraph? Does it align with the central theme of the essay? How does this relate to the previous paragraph? Do I illustrate the connection here or later in the essay? What point of view is this written in? What about tense? Is it narrative or creative? Distant or close and engaging? Informative or persuasive?” Your answers should be the same or similar for each paragraph.

It’s crucial to write your essay in the correct form. The Common App essay is similar to a narrative or memoir in that it’s a short personal story. Many students have little to no experience writing in this form, and if you’re one of them, that’s okay, you’re not alone.

Keep in mind that this is not a five-paragraph essay. You won’t have an introduction or conclusion in the traditional sense. Your introduction will be the hook of your essay, whether it comes in the form of dialogue, descriptive language, or imagery. The conclusion will be a short wrap-up, perhaps a few sentences in length.

The essay isn’t a thought piece either. You shouldn’t be writing something speculative. You want to include specific personal details from your life. This will ground the essay so it doesn’t feel lofty, and it will help the reader get to know you better.

Not sounding like yourself is a big issue in college essays. The admissions committee is not expecting the most beautiful prose or intelligent language. They want to read an essay by you and about you, so be sure to write your essay in your own voice.

Don’t include words in your essay that you don’t use regularly. You don’t need big, fancy words to impress admissions officers. Your character and your story will impress them for you. In the same vein, your essay should center around who you are today. It’s okay to write about something that happened in the distant past, but the bulk of your essay should be about events that occurred between 10th and 12th grade. Don’t talk too much about your past without connecting it back to who you are today.

Throughout the college application process, you’ll write several essays, including personal statements and supplements. A few of these essays can be used in applications for several schools, but be careful not to reuse the wrong ones.

Admissions officers can tell when you’re reusing an essay that you shouldn’t. It shows carelessness and a lack of interest in the school and can lower your chances of admission. To avoid this mistake, before writing any of your supplemental essays, copy and paste all the prompts into a single document, and take inventory of how many you’ll actually have to write and how many you can reuse.

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Punctuation in Academic Writing: Common Errors | Examples

Published on April 9, 2015 by Shane Bryson . Revised on July 19, 2023.

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These pages outline some of the most important punctuation rules and common mistakes. Punctuation misuse often causes or is caused by other kinds of mistakes, usually on the level of sentence structure.

Quotation marks (“”)
Apostrophes (‘)
Semicolons (;)
Dashes (– and —)
Parentheses ( )
Question marks (?)

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Bryson, S. (2023, July 19). Punctuation in Academic Writing: Common Errors | Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 2, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/language-rules/punctuation-mistakes/

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Shane Bryson

Shane finished his master's degree in English literature in 2013 and has been working as a writing tutor and editor since 2009. He began proofreading and editing essays with Scribbr in early summer, 2014.

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Write better: The 10 most common writing mistakes you should avoid

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A former editor of mine once described wordy article introductions as "throat-clearing," as in, this person doesn't know yet what they're trying to say, so they're hemming and hawing before getting to the point.

You could chalk it up to writers liking to explain things or the need to dramatically set up the scene, but when it comes to everyday non-fiction writing—especially on the web—it's usually better to get to the hook as quickly as possible. The clock is ticking.

(Already I've spent too much time on this intro.)

If you want to polish your prose—whether you're writing a blog post, an email, or a report for your team—the next time you get to typing, consult this checklist of common writing mistakes. It'll help you communicate more clearly and put the focus on what you're saying rather than on stray commas or needless words.

Thanks to the editors, writers, and readers who chimed in with their advice for this post, which no doubt has several errors in it. Let's just consider them Easter eggs.

Table of contents

The most common m ajor writing mistakes

When approaching a piece of writing, most editors first check for the big picture to do "macro edits." Here, we're dealing with the content of the story—how it flows, if it all makes sense, if the tone is appropriate, and if there are any questions we didn't answer that readers might have. I like to call this "defensive editing," much like defensive driving.

After that, we can get into "micro editing" for the nitty gritty of editing for mechanics and language issues (see the next section if you, too, nerd out on words).

1. The intro is unnecessarily long

Get to the point. The example above isn't as bad as my initial attempt at the lede (the first couple of paragraphs that introduce an article), but, at 152 words, it's long by most web content standards.

1. When you sit down to write, there is only one important person in your life. This is someone you will never meet, called a reader.

2. You are not writing to impress the scientist you have just interviewed, nor the professor who got you through your degree, nor the editor who foolishly turned you down, or the rather dishy person you just met at a party and told you were a writer. Or even your mother. You are writing to impress someone hanging from a strap in the tube between Parson’s Green and Putney, who will stop reading in a fifth of a second, given a chance.

[Re: Writing the lede first or last:] I usually write it first, then delete it, then write it last, then delete it, then delete everything, then drink some tea and contemplate my life choices, then I write something else entirely, and then I write it first again. So... first, then rewrite later. — Joe Yaker (@joeyaker) .css-12hxxzz-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} March 12, 2018

Questions to ask as you're writing or editing the lede: Does the lede make sense—explain briefly what's to come? Is it supported by the rest of the document? Does it quickly hook the reader to continue reading? Bonus if you write for the web: Does the lede have the keywords you're targeting for SEO?

2. Explanations are handwavy or lacking backup

That same editor who introduced me to "throat-clearing" ledes also taught me the word "handwavy," similar to how magicians wave their hands to draw attention away from the actions behind the magic trick. It's not that we're trying to fool the reader when we're handwavy; it's that we haven't provided the reader all the facts or steps they need to understand what we're trying to explain.

So, for example, if I'm writing an article for the general public about transferring files between computers over the internet, I should explain what SFTP is when first mentioning it, since most people might not know that SFTP stands for Secure File Transfer Protocol and that it's a way to transfer and manage files between computers over a secure connection. In the same vein, here at Zapier, we try not to assume the reader knows what Zapier is when they first come to our blog or what "Zaps" (our word for automated workflows) are.

Similarly, you need details to prove your point. If I state that exercise helps prevent colds, I'd best link those statements to research proving that point or to experts, such as doctors, who would back up that claim.

It's about being clear to your readers and also making sure your content doesn't have any "holes," so you can establish trust. As Radford writes: "If in doubt, assume the reader knows nothing. However, never make the mistake of assuming that the reader is stupid. The classic error in journalism is to overestimate what the reader knows and underestimate the reader's intelligence."

Questions to ask as you're writing or editing: Are terms most people don't commonly use explained or linked to definitions? Are claims all linked to relevant research or backed by authoritative sources? If you were the target audience for this content, would it make sense to you?

3. The content was written in passive voice

Passive voice is used too often by writers. Writers use passive voice too often. Active voice, as in the previous sentence, is more direct and stronger because the subject (writers) is doing something (using passive voice), rather than the subject taking a backseat.

By far, the most common thing I wind up editing out or changing is passive voice. It's fairly simple to identify once you understand it, but it can be deceptively difficult to many writers to pick out of their own work, even if they go back and review their writing when they're finished. If the subject isn't clear, undefined, or you're using verb tenses that struggle to describe the action taken by a person or party not named in the sentence, you're probably using passive voice. In the same vein, I find many writers rely too heavily on present participles (-ing words, for example) when the simple present version will work better, and engage a reader more directly. For example, "Bill was setting the table" is fine, but "Bill set the table" is more direct, active, and engaging, which is critical to make sure your reader sticks with you, your story, or your article all the way through—and derives value from what they just read for their own use!

Passive voice isn't always the worst thing in the world, but when it makes a sentence incredibly wordy, you're doing a disservice to your readers. If you catch yourself saying "One of the reasons for this is," or something similar, you should probably rethink what the subject of that sentence is.

That said, sometimes using passive voice does make more sense than the active voice. When the action is more important than who's doing the action, passive voice is totally acceptable. For example: "My computer was stolen yesterday" is more fitting than "Someone stole my computer yesterday," since it puts more emphasis on the event versus an unknown perpetrator.

Here are some examples of when the passive voice is the right option. Rewriting these sentences in active voice would make them decidedly awkward.

Passive: Sergeant Smith was wounded in Vietnam.

Active: Someone wounded Sergeant Smith in Vietnam.

Passive: Joey was hurt during the soccer game.

Active: The soccer game hurt Joey.

Passive: I've been bamboozled!

Active: Someone bamboozled me!

Questions to ask as you're writing or editing: Is the sentence natural and clear? Will active or passive voice make the sentence more direct and engaging? Try to rewrite with as few "to be" verbs as possible and default to active verbs and tangible nouns.

4. Too many words

If you're familiar with the Zapier blog, you've probably noticed that our articles are sometimes more like novellas than blog posts. While we're fans of long-form content, we try not to be wordy .

It's similar to the long lede issue: Wordiness within the body of the piece is beating around the bush. From Strunk and White's seminal guide The Elements of Style :

Omit needless words. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell.

Your writing will be more concise and persuasive when you lose the overused adverbs and adjectives that ultimately detract from the meaning you wish to impart. Does the first of the following two sentences honestly convey any more meaning than the second?

T wo-factor authentication is very important technology. OR Two-factor authentication is important technology.

To take it a step further: Any time you’ve modified a noun or verb with "very," you can probably choose a more precise word, which leads to more powerful writing:

Two-factor authentication is critical technology.

It's fun to edit – Editing is fun

It takes time to write – Writing takes time

There are many people who write – Many people write

There's nothing better than blogging – Nothing's better than blogging

Here are some things to consider: – Some things to consider are:

And it's not just about repeating words—repeating ideas across multiple sentences is another easy trap to fall into. Be concise.

Questions to ask as you're writing or editing: Does this word or sentence add anything to the meaning or the flow of the piece? Can you read the sentence without running out of breath?

5. The conclusion doesn't conclude or doesn't exist

If the lede is meant to hook readers and convince them to keep reading, the conclusion is meant to neatly tie up the piece, so readers come away satisfied. Often, though, I see drafts where the piece abruptly stops, as if the writer expended all their energy on the meat of the post and had no room left for the conclusion (the dessert, in this analogy).

Conclusions can be tricky: How do you tie up everything in a way that makes a lasting impression? Triplett Lentz's advice:

When you don’t know how to conclude a piece of writing, try answering the "so what?" question. Why should anyone care about this? How does your idea apply to the reader as a human being? Can you situate your thesis in a broader context? If your post is about .css-12hxxzz-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} how to work a 40-hour week , for example, use the conclusion to address why that's a goal worth pursuing, or discuss the widespread problems that our culture of overwork creates.

The conclusion is an opportunity to ask readers to engage with you further, direct them to relevant content, or give them more to ponder.

Questions to ask as you're writing or editing: What's the takeaway for the reader, and is that expressed in the conclusion? Bonus points if you don't use "Conclusion" for your header for this section.

Micro writing mistakes we all make

Now that we have the major writing issues out of the way, let's talk about micro issues—the punctuation, word choices, and other things that copy editors usually catch, if you're lucky to have a good one. They're little things like using "their" when you mean "there" or "would of" instead of "would've" (a contraction of would have).

Nitpicky as the Grammar Police might be, grammatical and mechanical errors that are easy to overlook can make your readers do a double-take and perhaps doubt your authority.

It would take years to cover every grammatical mistake or point of contention, so for now, we'll just go over the most common mistakes and point you toward more resources for diving deeper.

6. Heed the homophones

Here's a list of more common culprits:

Accept/Except:

Accept means to acknowledge or agree to receive; e.g., "I accept your proposal."

Except means apart from or excluding; e.g., "Everyone was present except Jane."

Complement/Compliment:

A complement is something that completes or matches something else; e.g., "That nail polish complements your eyes."

A compliment is a flattering remark; e.g., "Thanks for the nice compliment on my article."

Principal/Principle:

Principal can be a noun or adjective. As a noun, it refers to the person in charge of a school, college, or organization; e.g., "Roger was called into the principal's office." As an adjective, it means main, or most important; e.g. "The principal reason for this meeting is to gather content ideas for Q2."

Principle refers to a fundamental truth or belief; e.g., "Roger's educational principles are sound."

Stationary/Stationery:

Stationary means not moving; e.g., "The car remained stationary."

Stationery refers to paper, pens, and other writing materials; e.g., "Simon looked for a blue ink pen in the stationery section."

7. Apostrophe catastrophes

We can blame many cases of homophone confusion on apostrophes, that pesky punctuation mark that turns "your" into "you're." The former, without the apostrophe, means you own something. The latter, with the apostrophe, means you are doing something or are something. Similarly with "its" versus "it's." "Its" means that thing owns something, while "it's" means "it is."

Pro tip: Any time you use an apostrophe in a contraction, where you're combining the verb with the noun (such as "it's" for "it is" or "here's" for "here is"), expand the contraction in your mind so you get the subject-verb agreement right. "Here's the best apps," for example, does not work when you expand the "here's" contraction—"here is the best apps." It should be "here are the best apps." Just don't use contractions in this case.

Here are a couple more common apostrophe mistakes:

Who's/Whose:

Who's is a contraction of "who is"; e.g., "Who's calling Alan at this hour?"

Whose is a possessive pronoun that means "belonging to [someone]"; e.g., "Alan, whose phone hadn't stopped ringing all morning, barely ate anything for breakfast."

Let's/Lets

Let's is a contraction of "let us"; e.g., "Let's consider another example of a writing mistake."

Lets means allows; e.g., "The key lets you open the door."

8. Comma and semicolon confusion

It had nothing to do with anything. The sun was too small, and too cold, and too far away, to keep the world alive. The white ring was not enough. It was feeble and worthless. It was as useless as a memory; it was as off-kilter and hollow and wretched as a memory. When you try your hardest to recall someone’s face, or the look of a place, you see in your mind’s eye some vague and terrible sight such as this. It is dark; it is insubstantial; it is all wrong.

(Hey, if you can write like Annie Dillard, do whatever you want with punctuation.)

That said, if you do use a semicolon, make sure the parts that come before and after the semicolon are both complete thoughts (with both a subject and a verb). "I love semicolons; but hate commas" is incorrect because the "but hate commas" part can't stand on its own, while "I love semicolons; but I hate commas" works—even if you're better off using a comma here. Which brings us to the next point:

Commas are the worst.

They're the trickiest punctuation mark to master and a cause of contention when it comes to style. Should you use the Oxford comma (a.k.a., serial comma) or not? The Oxford comma, if you recall, is the comma that's added before the last item in a list. So, for example: "X, Y, and Z" follows the Oxford comma rule, as opposed to "X, Y and Z" (missing that last comma). Those who are not in favor of the Oxford comma cite aesthetics and one fewer character needed. Those on the side of the Oxford comma cite clarity.

From our blog style guide, here are other guidelines for using commas correctly:

Incorrect: "I'll order the cheeseburger, but don't want the pickles."

Correct: "I'll order the cheeseburger but don't want the pickles" OR "I'll order the cheeseburger, but I don't want the pickles."

"Don't want the pickles" wouldn't be used, in most cases, as a standalone sentence, so we don't need the comma. "I don't want the pickles" is complete with subject and verb, so we add the comma. (Alternatively, you could shorten the sentence to "I'll order the cheeseburger without pickles.")

Incorrect: "Or, you could download this other to-do app."

Correct: "Or you could download this other to-do app" OR "Or, if you want more features, you could download this other to-do app."

Pro tip: Every time you want to add a comma or a semicolon, consider whether the words after the punctuation mark form a complete thought that could stand on its own.

9. Repetitive words repeat

But other times repeating the same words or phrases is a sign that you're struggling to communicate or fully explain your topic without beating around the bush. Readers (that is, people) like variety, and, in some cases, the thesaurus is your friend.

Pro tip: Grammarly's advice: Read your piece out loud, then cut down or replace frequently used words. When writing, ask yourself if you've already made this statement before in your piece.

10. Misused words

Writing is all about choosing the right words in the right sequence to convey your thought or idea. Simple, right? The problem is there are so many words at your disposal and picking the "best" word is impossible. But some words are better than others when you want to get your point across and also be precise and accurate.

One of my pet peeves is when people use "less" when they should be using "fewer." As in, "I have less readers than I did when this post was published"—it should be "fewer." Use "fewer" when you can count whatever you're referring to (in this case, readers) and "less" when you can't, such as less readership or audience. Similarly, you'd say "less water" (not countable) but "fewer raindrops" (countable).

Home in on means zero in on (get closer to a target).

Hone is what you do when you sharpen a knife (or a skill).

Pro tip: The next time you misuse a word and correct it (or your editor corrects it), come up with a mnemonic to remember the right word.

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Citation Styles

Common essay writing mistakes and how to avoid them

Whether you’re writing a research paper , an argumentative essay , or an exploratory essay , there are some key mistakes that you want to avoid. In this post, we discuss common essay writing mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. Failing to stay on topic

One common mistake when writing essays is failing to stay on topic. It's important to stay focused on the main idea and avoid introducing tangential information that does not contribute to the overall argument.

The best way to counteract this is by revising your work throughout the writing process. If you revise your work systematically, you will catch those places in your paper where you might be going off topic.

2. Not properly citing sources

Another common mistake is not properly citing your sources. It's important to give credit to the authors of any sources that you use in your essay, whether you’re quoting directly from a source or simply paraphrasing it.

Not citing your sources can lead to plagiarism , which can have serious consequences. To help avoid plagiarism, use an accurate citation generator like BibGuru . A citation app like BibGuru will also save you time.

3. Poor structure and organization

Because academic essays are often written in multiple steps, papers can become disorganized and disconnected. It's essential to have a clear introduction , body, and conclusion in your paper, and to make sure that each paragraph is focused on a specific point that supports your overall argument.

To combat poor structure or organization, try creating an outline and reading your drafts aloud. These methods will help you construct a more organized paper.

4. Quoting too much

Another mistake to avoid is relying too heavily on quotes, without providing your own analysis or interpretation. While it's necessary to support your arguments with evidence, it's also important to demonstrate your own understanding and critical thinking skills.

Choose quotes wisely and be sure to provide adequate analysis. A basic rule of thumb is that your analysis should be at least as long as the quote that you’re analyzing.

5. Not supporting claims with evidence

Whenever you make a claim in your essay, you need to support it with proper evidence and analysis. Many writers make the mistake of making claims that are not backed up by research. To avoid this, make a clear outline that connects each claim with accompanying evidence from your sources.

You should always strive to avoid making generalizations that cannot be properly proved. Also, choose the best possible evidence from your research, not simply the first few results from Google or an academic database .

6 . Not proofreading

One of the biggest mistakes that academic writers make is not planning enough time to properly proofread their papers. Make time for proofreading your work before you turn it in.

Watch out for spelling or grammar mistakes and make note of places in your essay that may be confusing or overwritten. Aim for a tone that is appropriate for the audience and purpose of your essay.

7 . Procrastination

Finally, avoid procrastination. Writing an essay can be a time-consuming process and waiting until the last minute can lead to rushed and poorly written work. Make a plan and set aside dedicated time for researching, outlining, and writing your essay.

The bottom line

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can improve the quality of your essays and achieve better grades. Remember to give yourself enough time to plan, research, and write your essay, and to seek feedback from others to help improve your writing skills.

Frequently Asked Questions about common essay writing mistakes

Firstly, you should avoid procrastinating when you’re writing an essay. Other things to avoid include plagiarism, poor organization, and not proofreading.

A bad essay is poorly organized, full of grammar and spelling mistakes, wordy and digressive, and/or plagiarized.

Common essay writing mistakes include: failing to stay on topic, not properly citing sources, poor organization, quoting too much, not providing enough evidence and analysis, not proofreading, and procrastination.

The best essays have a well-written introduction, a clearly identifiable thesis, strong signposts, a state of the field or literature review, solid body paragraphs that present evidence and analysis, a clear conclusion, and an accurate bibliography.

Different types of essays may be harder to write than others. However, many writers struggle to come up with a clear and defendable thesis statement. Students also struggle with creating accurate citations and bibliographies.

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99 most common grammar mistakes

The Writer Team

Does proper grammar seem daunting to you? Not sure if you should use the word “irregardless” or “regardless” in a sentence? Or how to use an infinitive verb?

The English language is finicky enough that a single missing comma can radically change the meaning of, well, everything you were trying to say:

Let’s eat friends! is more than a little creepy, while

Let’s eat, friends! sounds warm and inviting.

It’s our hope that this guide helps you avoid such blunders.

99 most common grammar mistakes in writing

One of the questions our subscribers ask most, whether they’re proofreading pros or full-time students, is how they can avoid the most common grammar mistakes. In this list, we outline some of the most common grammatical errors we’re seeing, based on millions of data points from Writer subscribers.

1. Let’s vs. Lets

Let’s not get carried away here — this one is pretty simple:

Let’s = let us. As in, let us not get carried away here…

Lets = to make something possible. This checklist lets you write better.

2. Its vs. It’s

It’s simple:

It’s = it is. As in, it’s so dang cold outside.

Its = associated with something recently mentioned. As in, the weather has a mind of its own.

3. Your vs. You’re

Your is a possessive pronoun that describes ownership of an item: your jacket is sweet!

You’re is the contraction of you are: you’re probably glad you have that jacket.

4. May vs. Might

May indicates a possibility; might indicates a hypothetical probability. I may quit my job — even though I’m good at it.

Then again, I might get fired.

5. Lay vs. Lie

Lay describes the action of placing something flat: lay down, Fido!

Lie describes the status of something resting flat: Fido likes lying (lie-ing) down.

6. Affect vs. Effect

Affect implies action: “I want to affect the world in a positive way,” said Jane. Effect describes its result. “The effects of your intention should be good,” replied her friend. Find out more about Affect vs. Effect here.

7. Too obvious?

Is this one too obvious, or not? Based on what must be billions of text-message bloopers it’s probably worth mentioning! Too refers to, well, too much of something / too many of something: “I have too much money to live in such a small house.”

It can also be used as a form of agreement: “yeah, I feel that way too.”

8. To vs. two

Two is a number (you know, this one: 2). ‘To’ is a word meant to be used in all sorts of different ways.

9. There vs. their

There refers to a location; their refers to a designation:

“See that restaurant over there?” – “Yep, that’s their favorite one!”

10. Their vs. they’re

They’re = they are:

‘They’re going to love that restaurant!’ – “Yeah, like I said it’s their fav.”

11. Loose vs. lose

Loose refers to something that’s been let out of control. While lose-ing is the opposite of winning! “Don’t be afraid to let loose. After all, what do you have to lose?”

12. Peek vs. peak

Peek means to look at something; peak refers to the top of something.

“Can I take a peek of the scenery?” – “Sure, but I heard the view’s better from the peak”

13. Peak vs. pique

We already mentioned what peak means. Just in case you were wondering, though, don’t confuse it with pique, which means ‘to stir up’ — “my interest was piqued.”

14. Compliment vs. complement

While both of these words refer to nice things, their meanings are quite different. A compliment is something nice you tell someone; complement refers to things that go well together.

Here’s a brain-bending compliment: “Your shoes complement your outfit so well!”

15. Piece of mind vs. Peace of mind

A piece of mind refers to one’s perspective or opinion: “My neighbor’s truck is so loud, it’s about time I gave him a piece of my mind!”

Whereas peace of mind refers to a mental framework: “Yeah…all that noise is really hurting my peace of mind.”

16. Literally

If you use the word literally, be sure to use it, well, literally! Watered-down words are no good for anyone.

17. To comma or not to comma

Commas are tricky little beasts. Sometimes skipping an oxford comma or two (even if using one would be grammatically correct) is actually a good call, so trust your instinct.

“Once upon a time, there was this really good writer…”

“Yeah I heard she didn’t always use commas.”

18. Semicolons

Semicolons are actually more like periods than commas. They usher in a new train of thought.

Semicolons are actually more like periods than commas; they usher in a new train of thought.

19. Semicolons + commas

Sometimes, though, semicolons are best followed up by a comma; in cases such as these, it’s totally okay to use them both!

20. Semicolons vs. commas

Many times commas work just fine by themselves, so don’t use semicolons if you don’t need to.

Many times commas work just fine by themselves; so don’t use semicolons if you don’t need to. (Doesn’t that look awkward?)

21. Parentheses and periods

Normally periods and other punctuation marks go after parentheses (normally).

22. Periods inside parentheses

The exception is if you’re writing an entire sentence within parentheses — like the example in mistake #20 above.

23. Quotation placement

“Periods, commas, question marks, exclamation points, quotations within quotations, etc. should always be placed inside quotation marks,” he explained.

24. Unless you’re outside the United States

That’s right: in most other countries, punctuation marks actually go outside quotations. Go figure.

25. Plural or singular!

It really don’t sound good if you doesn’t stay consistent with plural and singular forms…

26. Hyphens vs. dashes

A hyphen, like the one to the right, connects two or more inter-related words — a dash, like the one just to the left, connects two or more related thoughts.

27. En dash or Em dash?

An en dash is about the width of the letter “N,” and it’s meant to show a range, like 1-10.

An em dash is longer — it’s meant to facilitate those fun connections we mentioned earlier.

28. Inappropriate hyphens

In general, don’t use hyphens to connect two parts of one word. The way we spelled ‘inter-related’ up there? Yeah…that’s incorrect. Unless you’re trying to prove a point.

29. Missing dashes

On the other hand, don’t rule out the use of hyphens entirely. They can be insanely-awesomely-silly-ly useful!

30. Don’t be too negative

Actually, forget that — be positive. After all, why negate a negative when you can present a positive instead?

31. The other kind of double negative…

Ever feel like you can’t do nothing right? Maybe like you can’t spell nothing correct at all? Please, don’t ever write like this. Unless you’re authoring a Southern-twanged novel or something.

32. Dot-dot-dot

Some people like doing dots like this…

Others like this method . . .

But feel free to use whatever resonates most with you.

33. Dash spacing

And some people don’t like having spaces around their em dashes—they can get pretty particular about it. Best-selling author Tim Ferris leaves spaces around his, though — so apparently it doesn’t matter too much.

34. 50 cent(s)

This is like the mathematical version of the double-negatives we mentioned earlier. If you’re trying to denote a certain number of cents, either write out the full decimal, or list the number of cents:

50 cents, or $0.50

Don’t do both: $0.50 cents

…unless, of course, you really are talking about half of one cent…

35. The issue of marriage

In this case, marriage is only an issue if the term is used incorrectly:

“She was married with a football player.”

Saying “she was married to a football player” just sounds way better.

36. Each and every student

The term “every” almost always goes with a singular noun:

“Every student passed the test” is correct, while “every students passed the test” is not.

37. Although/but

The words although and but don’t often work well together. Try to use one of them or the other, not both!

Although it was raining, we still went outside.

It was raining, but we still went outside.

38. You and I

“Pam and me went to get some groceries” is incorrect;

“Pam and I went to get some groceries” is spot on.

39. Amount vs. number

‘Amount’ should be used for something uncountable: “a large amount of dirt.”

‘Number’ should be used for things you can quantify: “a large number of people.”

40. Fewer vs. less

‘Less’ should be used for something uncountable: “less dirt.”

‘Fewer’ should be used for things you can quantify: “fewer people.”

41. Shared possessions

If you’re sharing something, then it’s enough to use one apostrophe: This is Tim and Andy’s house.

42. That’s all well & good…

“I slept well” is correct; “I slept good” makes it sound like you need a little more sleep.

43. Or is it good & well?

If you’re describing the quality of something, however, ‘good’ can be a very good fit.

44. The police is coming!

Actually, the police are coming. Unless this is also part of that slang-infused novel you’re writing.

45. A vs. an

Do you have an idea of whether or not this sentence is grammatically correct? Hint: it is!

46. Amicable/amiable

‘Amicable’ should be used to describe pleasant meetings and such; ‘amiable’ should be used as a synonym for ‘kind.’

47. Write vs. right

This article is meant to help you write…the right way.

48. Beside/besides

“Want to sit beside me?” is more correct than “want to sit besides me?”

49. Farther/further

“Want to bike a little farther?” is more correct than “want to bike further?”

50. Can vs. may

‘Can’ implies an ability; ‘may’ implies a possibility.

51. Since/for

I’ve been in Europe for 3 weeks. I’ve been in Europe since the first. If you try swapping ‘since’ and ‘for’ in the above sentences, it just doesn’t work.

52. No one vs. anyone

“He didn’t know nobody” is incorrect; “he didn’t know anyone” is much better.

53. More smart, or smarter?

If you want to sound smarter, try to avoid talking about being “more smart” than others!

54. A lot/alot

Did you know that ‘alot’ isn’t a word? Use ‘a lot’ instead

55. Alot/Allot

Unless, of course, what you’re really trying to say is ‘allot,’ a word which means “to give or assign.”

56. Wreck vs. wreak

The wreck wreaked havoc on several of the cars involved.

57. Pore vs. pour

A pore is a small opening; a pour is what’s done to a drink!

58. Ran vs. run

“I ran fast” and “I run fast” are both correct, but they do have slightly different meanings. If you’re still pretty quick, use the ‘run’ version.

59. Suppose so?

You’re supposed to use ‘suppose’ in the above type of situation.

60. Collocations

Some words just go better together. “Due to the fact that” is one prime example. If you use collocations like these, don’t try to divide them up!

61. Got know-how?

“I know how to write.” “I’ve got business writing know-how.” While both of these sentences are grammatically correct, one is much less awkward than the other.

62. Keep tense consistent!

“I went to the grocery store and buy some eggs.” → See how improper that sounds? Make sure you keep your tense consistent, whether it’s past or present or future tense you’re talking about.

63. Unless you’re talking about something universal…

If you’re talking about a timeless truth, though, you can switch your tense up a little:

“‘The earth revolves around the sun,’ his parents explained.”

64. Seniority

“He’s senior to me” works, and so does “he’s older than me”…but don’t try to flip these around: “he’s senior than me” and “he’s older to me” are both wrong.

65. Neither/nor

‘Neither’ and ‘nor’ go great together: “She was neither stronger nor faster, but she was still a great athlete.”

66. Cardinal vs. ordinal

Cardinal numbers deal in absolutes; this is grammar mistake #66. Ordinal numbers deal with positions; this is the 66th grammar mistake listed.

67. Spell it out

Typically numbers under 10 should be spelled out, though there may be one or two valid exceptions to this rule.

68. Missing articles

Don’t forget to put the word ‘the’ before appropriate items: the book, the blog , the article, and so on.

69. One should stay consistent

If you’re speaking about another person, use consistent pronouns: “One should stay consistent when they are writing” sounds much better than “one should stay consistent when he is writing.”

70. Hard vs. hardly

“Writing is hard.” → Correct

“Writing is hardly hard when you use Writer .” → Also correct!

71. Hardly vs. hardy

“Carrots are very hardly vegetables.” → ??

“Carrots are very hardy vegetables.” → Correct.

72. First come, first served?

Though most people (i.e., restaurants) will say “first come, first serve,” what makes much more sense is “first come, first served.”

73. Shoulda woulda coulda

‘Should of,’ ‘would of,’ and ‘could of’ are actually all incorrect, though they might sound decent enough.

The proper usage, of course, is ‘should’ve,’ ‘would’ve,’ and ‘could’ve.’ These are contractions for “should have,” “would have,” and “could have.”

74. Wait, so you could or couldn’t care less?

Many people use the phrase I could care less’ to describe something they don’t really care about. If you think about it, though, what they’re trying to say is that they couldn’t care less.

75. “I” shouldn’t come last

“At the restaurant, it was just her and I” just doesn’t sound as good as “At the restaurant, it was just me and her.”

76. But “me” shouldn’t come first

The above writing mistake also has an inverse:

“Me and her went to the restaurant” just doesn’t sound as good as “her and I went to the restaurant” — but that’s not right, either. Why? Because if you take away “I,” the sentence would read “her went to the restaurant.“ The correct usage is “She and I went to the restaurant.”

77. Apostrophe calamity

The Johnson’s. The 70’s. The Jones’s…life is simpler without all these apostrophe’s!

For plurals, try the Johnsons, the 70s, and (if you’re trying to keep up with them) the Joneses instead. But if the Joneses own something, it’s the Joneses’ (see number 93).

78. Mmm, expresso

While ‘expresso’ might sound correct to some, it’s actually spelled ‘espresso.’ Just FYI.

79. A sleight of hand

That’s right: a ‘slight of hand’ is actually incorrect!

80. Forte, niche, and other mispronunciations

Forte’s pronunciation = fort .

Niche’s pronunciation = neesh .

Just don’t spell either of them that way…

81. Exact revenge!

If you must have your revenge, don’t extract it, exact it!

82. Soggy appetites

“That really wet my appetite.” → Incorrect

“That really whet my appetite.” → Correct

83. Do your due diligence

See what we did there? It’s ‘due diligence,’ not ‘do diligence.’

84. Per say

‘Per se’ is a Latin phrase meaning ‘in itself’… per say is how you pronounce it.

85. Worse comes to worst

While we’ve all heard the phrase “if worse comes to worse,” it doesn’t really make sense unless “worse” goes all the way to “worst.”

86. Chalk it up…

…don’t “chock it up.”

87. Free rein

To give “free rein” to something means to let go of control.

To give “free reign” implies kingship without effort.

88. Nip it where?

In the bud, not in the butt! For those unfamiliar, this phrase’s literal meaning refers to nipping flowers in the bud.

89. Disinterested vs. uninterested

These two terms aren’t actually synonyms. Being disinterested implies that you couldn’t care less; being uninterested means you care enough to turn your interest away.

90. Nauseous vs. nauseated

Don’t worry: almost everyone gets this one wrong. “Nauseous” technically means to be capable of making others nauseated; “nauseated” means not feeling well.

91. The impact of impactful

Is impactful a word? Contrary to what you may have heard, it is — so don’t let people tell you otherwise.

92. However vs. nevertheless

Fans of classic grammar will insist that sentences shouldn’t be started with “however,” at least not when they can be started with “nevertheless” instead. We’d say use whichever sounds better to you.

93. Too many s’s

When in doubt, drop the extra s. Arkansas’ is usually preferred over Arkansas’s, for example.

94. Run on sentences

Contrary to popular belief run-on sentences aren’t necessarily long they simply occur when commas and/or other types of punctuation are missing like this.

95. Too many commas

Using too many commas, on the other hand, isn’t good either, because it can reduce the casual flow, from word to word, that you should strive for.

96. A break from parallel

“He was studying math, science, and digital photos” might not sound that bad, but why not say, “he was studying math, science, and digital photography” instead?

97. Sentence splice

I wanted to cook a great dinner, however I was just too tired.

I wanted to cook a great dinner; however, I was just too tired.

I wanted to cook a great dinner. However, I was just too tired.

The first of these three sentences is incorrect. Why? Because it’s spliced together without the appropriate punctuation.

98. Misplaced semicolons

On the other hand; using semicolons where they’re not needed (say, in place of commas) isn’t good either.

99. Incorrect capitalization

You probably know to capitalize proper nouns and the first word of each sentence. But sometimes you also need to capitalize after a semicolon or the first word of a quote.

Christine explained, “Community is key to building a successful online business.”

7 major types of grammatical errors

Bad grammar can make a poor first impression, whether you’re writing a business email or messaging a potential date . People tend to make assumptions about your abilities based on how you communicate. If you’ve made it this far and want to learn how to write better , let’s look at some examples of bad grammar.

Verb tense errors

One of the most common grammar mistakes is using the wrong verb tense. The verb tense tells your reader when the action takes place: in the past, present, or future. When writing anything, you want to be consistent on verb tense unless there is a good reason to switch tenses.

The mistake: I drive to the store and I bought shoes.

Why it’s wrong: A verb tense shift happens when the writer changes tense in a sentence or paragraph. In this case, drive is present tense and bought is past tense.

The correction: You should change drive to drove , or change bought to buy to make the sentence correct. Be mindful of shifting tenses within a paragraph.

Subject-verb agreement

The subject of the sentence (the person or thing doing the action) and verb (the action) in a sentence must agree with each other. If the subject of the sentence is singular, the verb must be singular. If it’s plural, the verb must be plural also.

The mistake: Michael and Sue is going to the beach.

Why it’s wrong: “Michael and Sue” are plural. The auxiliary verb “is” is singular, which is a lack of agreement.

The correction: The sentence should read, “Michael and Sue are going to the beach.”

Comma splice

A common punctuation mistake is the comma splice. A comma splice happens when two separate sentences take place rather than using a period or semicolon.

The mistake: I went to Steve’s house, and ate lunch.

Why it’s wrong: Writers often use a comma splice when they connect two independent clauses with a comma rather than a comma and a coordinating conjunction.

The correction: Use commas to separate two independent clauses when they are joined by coordinating conjunctions: and, but, or, for, so, yet. In the compound sentence above, “and ate lunch” doesn’t have a subject, so you don’t need to add a comma before “and”.

Small punctuation errors like this seem like a small thing, but punctuation helps guide readers through your text smoothly. You can use a punctuation checker to double check your work and correct these grammar errors in minutes.

Misplaced or dangling modifiers

A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is separated from the word it modifies or describes. A dangling modifier is a grammatical error where the modifying word is too far away from the subject of the sentence, or there is no subject.

Sentences with these mistakes often sound awkward or confusing. But don’t worry, misplaced and dangling modifiers are common writing mistakes and even trouble the experts in English grammar.

The mistake: Disappointed, the story took me forever to write.

Why it’s wrong: The modifier should be as close as possible to the thing it modifies. Since the subject of the sentence is disappointed (not the story), the sentence should have the speaker and modifier closer.

The correction: The sentence should read, “I was disappointed by how long the story took me to write.”

Overuse of adverbs

An adverb is a word that describes a verb—they often end in -ly. Writers use adverbs to give more information about the verb and make it more descriptive. Using adverbs every so often isn’t bad grammar, but too many can mean poor verb choices.

The mistake: The wedding went really bad.

Why it’s wrong: The adverb “really bad” modifies the verb “went”. While “really bad” gets the point across, does it really paint a picture for the reader?

The correction: Use a more descriptive sentence like “the wedding was a disaster” instead.

Passive voice

English grammar experts and teachers consider passive voice a bad writing habit. With the passive voice, the object of the action becomes the subject of the sentence. It’s recommended to turn passive constructions into active voice, where the subject does the action of the verb in a sentence. Active voice can make your writing stronger and more direct.

The mistake: The car was driven by Chris.

Why it’s wrong: The last words in the sentence “by Chris” make up a preposition that tells the reader who is performing the action. Even though Chris is performing the action, he is not the subject of the sentence. You could remove him from the sentence entirely using passive voice.

The correction: The active voice construction would be “Chris drove the car”.

Sentence errors

Sentence structure mistakes are one of the most common grammatical errors. You can break down sentence errors into three categories: sentence fragments, run-on sentences, and overloaded sentences.

Sentence fragments

Sentence fragments are clauses that miss one of the following elements: a subject, a verb, a complete thought. You often miss fragments because they are no big deal in spoken grammar , aka conversation, but can make a big impact on your writing’s clarity.

The mistake: He still loved his parents. Despite everything that had happened.

Why it’s wrong: The second sentence “despite everything that had happened” has no subject or verb. You depend on the first sentence to give the second one meaning.

The correction: The complete sentence for this clause is “Despite everything that happened, he still loved his parents.”

Run-on sentences

Run-on sentences, also known as fused sentences, happen when two complete sentences are brought together without any punctuation or conjunction, such as a semicolon or period. Run-on sentences don’t have to be long to be considered grammatically incorrect.

The mistake: Yesterday was the best day ever my family and I began our ski vacation.

Why it’s wrong: There is more than one idea communicated by two independent clauses.

The correction: Yesterday was the best day ever! My family and I began our ski vacation.

Overloaded sentences

An overloaded sentence is one that squashes too much information together and, as a result, becomes hard to understand for readers.

The mistake: Youth league coaches need to understand that the education of a child is a big undertaking and should be done with care and consistency so that the child can gain maximum benefit from each training in order to set a solid foundation for any follow-up teaching.

Why it’s wrong: A good sentence focuses on one idea. The example above wanders around and takes too much mental effort before understanding the point.

The correction: Youth league coaches need to understand that the education of a child is a big undertaking. It should be done with care and consistency. That way, children can get the most from each training and set a solid foundation for any future teaching.

Related reading: An Introduction to AI Writing Software

Lowering the number of grammar mistakes in your writing

They say rules are meant to be broken — and we’d agree, as long as one is talking about the core grammar rules. Sometimes a missing comma or random sentence splice can make good writing great! So don’t be afraid to follow your intuition. If you’re having fun, chances are your reader will be, too.

(For the words that matter most, take no chances! Make sure you’re using Writer .)

Common grammar mistakes FAQ

What is a grammatical error.

A grammatical error refers to an occurrence of faulty, unconventional or controversial usage, such as a dangling modifier or possessive noun errors. Grammar errors are also called usage errors.

What are examples of grammatical errors?

Faulty sentence structures
Punctuation mistakes
Passive voice misuse
Dangling participles

How do you identify grammatical errors?

You can identify grammatical errors by using a grammar checker to find and fix errors, improve word usage, verb tense, and punctuation for English text.

What are the 10 most common grammar mistakes?

Using millions of data points from Writer subscribers, we identified 10 common grammar mistakes:

Let’s vs. lets
Its vs. it’s
Your vs. You’re
May vs. Might
Lay vs. Lie
Affect vs. Effect
There vs. their vs. they’re
Loose vs lose
Peek vs. peak

What are three most common sentence errors?

--> “A wide screen just makes a bad film twice as bad.” -->

May Habib CEO, Writer.com

Here’s what else you should know about Ascending.

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Common Essay Mistakes—Writing Errors to Avoid [Updated]

One of the most critical skills that students gain during their college years is assignment writing. Composing impressive essays and research papers can be quite challenging, especially for ESL students. Nonetheless, before learning the art of academic writing, you may make numerous common essay mistakes.

Such involuntary errors appear in:

essays’ content;
academic style;
structure and overall organization;
spelling and punctuation;

Good news for you! Our experts prepared a list that contains and explains all of them. Find out about common mistakes in essay writing and do your best not to make them.

📃 Content Mistakes
🔍 Stylistic Mistakes
📝 Structural Mistakes
🔤 Grammar Mistakes
📘 Vocabulary Mistakes
✍️ Spelling Mistakes
⁉️ Punctuation Mistakes

📃 Content Mistakes in Essays

A perfect essay usually has an impressive introduction, well-organized content, and a powerful conclusion. Lousy college essays often lack structure or content and do not impress the reader.

What should you do?

Follow these six tips when writing any type of essay:

Always write an essay that includes relevant facts, concrete details, and specific examples. If you just write down a few paragraphs that have something to do with your topic, you will not succeed in writing a good essay. Read the question carefully before you start writing. Single out the keywords and then elaborate on your ideas with facts, details, and examples.
Write a good introduction. An exciting introduction gives the background for the whole essay. In the introduction, you should make your presentation of the essay topic. To write a good introduction paragraph , tell your reader what you are going to write.
Write a strong thesis statement. The thesis statement expresses the writer’s thoughts on the topic and tells the reader how the idea will be developed. A good thesis statement explains two critical things to the reader: what you plan to argue in your essay and how you plan to do it. Always support your thesis with your ideas in the central part of the paper.
Never write a thesis statement if you do not have enough ideas to support it. While planning your essay, you should think carefully and ask yourself whether you have enough ideas to support your thesis. And if you are not sure, formulate another one that you will be able to argue.
Use ideas that you can prove with examples. Keep in mind: Any idea should be clarified and proved. So always give appropriate examples. If some of your writing has awkward wording, you can use an online sentence changer to fix it.
Write a powerful conclusion. In the end, take advantage of your last chance to say something important to your readers. You should emphasize the purpose and importance of what you wrote in your essay.

The thesis is the hook on which any essay hangs.

🔍 Stylistic Mistakes in Writing

Even if it’s written interestingly, your essay may make a poor impression if you do not use the correct style.

These are five essay mistakes that most students make:

Word repetition. Here is the truth: Your essay will look dull and childish if you use the same lexical sets. So, use synonyms and word substitutes to avoid repeating the same nouns or verbs.
Too many passive structures. When you use the passive voice in your sentences, they sound more impersonal and objective, but they are longer and harder to read. On the contrary, active sentences are clear and direct. So, if you want to write a good essay, you should use both types. A good rule of thumb is to write less than 20 percent of your sentences in the passive voice.
Sentences that are too long or too short. If you use sentences that are too long, you make your essay harder to understand. On the other hand, you can destroy your idea’s logical development if your sentences are too short. Try to use a balance of both long and short sentences.
Sentences beginning with coordinating conjunctions. Coordinating conjunctions are mainly used to connect words and clauses in the same sentence. Sometimes we can also use them to start a sentence. But if you begin too many sentences with coordinating conjunctions, your essay will be monotonous. It’s better to use corresponding conjunctive adverbs like nevertheless , moreover , or however , which have the same meaning. They are more appropriate in a formal context.
Overly formal or informal words and phrases. Many students forget that an academic essay requires a vocabulary layer that we do not use in our everyday lives. Never use slang expressions and nonstandard verb forms like gotta or wanna in your academic papers. Check English slang dictionaries if you struggle to find a proper replacement phrase or word. You should use formal constructions and high-level vocabulary.

Verbs: Don’t use too many passive structure in essay.

In doubt, always consult a good dictionary to choose the proper word. If you’re unsure whether you can implement a phrase in context, see it in other text. You can do it by typing it in a search engine.

📝 Structural Mistakes In Student Essays

An essay is a long-established form of academic writing, and there are strict rules for writing every type. They make it more manageable to organize one’s thoughts without limiting creativity.

The most common structural mistakes are:

You can expand the fragment into a complete sentence by supplying the missing elements such as subjects, verbs, and clauses.
You can incorporate the fragment into an adjacent sentence.
Run-On Sentences: Run-on sentences occur when you join two or more main clauses together without appropriate punctuation. Run-on sentences confuse the reader. What can you do to correct them? Fortunately, this is pretty simple: Divide a run-on sentence into separate sentences to fix it, or add coordinating or subordinating conjunctions.

the introduction,
two main body paragraphs,
and the conclusion.

Your text and sentences should have a clear structure and present your ideas’ complete development.

In the following sections, you’ll see how to avoid grammar, vocabulary, and spelling mistakes.

🔤 Grammar Mistakes in Writing

A successful essay must be grammatically correct. Learn the most common types of such errors in student essays, not to repeat them yourself.

Noun form mistakes. You should study key grammar areas to help you succeed. Review the rules concerning countable and uncountable nouns. Make sure you know how to use determiners with singular and plural nouns.
Subject-predicate agreement Pay attention to the cases when words like both , some , or neither introduce compound subjects and still take the plural predicate.
Pronouns Pronouns always agree with the noun they refer to. Some indefinite pronouns can have only a plural form or merely a singular form, but some can have both depending on the situation.
Verb form mistakes. Remember the main grammar rules related to the use of stative and auxiliary verbs and correct use of the infinitive and modal verbs.

For more information about correcting grammar mistakes in essays, consult grammar and writing resources around the web. To avoid them, proofread your writing. Always check whether you have used the grammar forms mentioned above correctly.

Still uncertain about what not to write in a college essay? You can get help from essay writing companies that provide editing and proofreading services.

📘 Vocabulary Mistakes in Essays

Even if you develop your ideas logically, your grammar is correct, and your style is perfect, your writing can be a disaster. How so? You may make vocabulary mistakes that can ruin your paper.

The three most common language errors in essay writing are:

Misuse of homonyms. Many students typically misuse the following homonyms: hear vs. here , hole vs. whole , its vs. it’s , and many more.
Wrong word form. When we write quickly, we may write a word form that differs from what we meant to write. For example, students often write verb forms instead of adjectives. This can result in an unintended change of meaning ( disable people instead of disabled people ).
Confused words. Spellcheck will not identify the incorrect use of such words as loose – lose , affect – effect , quite – quit – quiet , and accept – except . You should proofread your essay carefully to make sure you’ve used the correct words.

You can use the following strategies to eliminate such errors:

Plan your writing ahead, picking lexicon.
Use a dictionary or Google to ensure the right meaning.
Leave enough time for composing so that you won’t hurry.
Always proofread your writing, paying attention to the language you used.

If you can, leave your paper for several days. Finish your first draft and forget about it for a while. Checking it for essay errors proves to be efficient when you’ve rested and haven’t seen the text some time.

✍️ Spelling Mistakes in Essays

Numerous students say that the English language’s spelling system is the most unpredictable in the world. That is not true. There are some tricky words in English , like weigh , Caribbean , or island . You can do nothing but memorize their spelling. But several other words do follow special rules.

The most common spelling mistakes are the following:

Correct	Not Correct	What to pay attention to
achieve	acheive	first , then
across	accross	one
bizarre	bizzare	one , double
cemetery	cemetary	ends with
coming	comming	one
committee	comitee	double , double , double
environment	enviroment	before the
foreign	foriegn	before
happened	happend	ends with
harassment	harrassment	one , double
necessary	neccessary	one , doube
successful	succesful	double , double
tendency	tendancy	ends with
tomorrow	tommorrow	one , double
weird	wierd	before

After you have written your essay, read it carefully and correct your spelling mistakes. Make a list of the words that you usually misspell and practice writing them over and over.

⁉️ Punctuation Mistakes in Writing

Punctuation is essential in essay writing. It is used to separate ideas, relate ideas to one another, and clarify meaning. Without correct punctuation, your readers will get confused and frustrated rather quickly.

Proper punctuation is required in college essays and research papers. Learn the rules regarding the use of commas, apostrophes, and hyphens to avoid making punctuation errors.

Here is a list of the vital punctuation rules to remember:

Put a comma after the introductory dependent clause.

An introductory dependent clause is a phrase before the subject that does not form a complete sentence.

Incorrect: Since Miss Ostin got promoted to the chief editor position she decided not to change her workplace.
Correct: Since Miss Ostin got promoted to the chief editor position, she decided not to change her workplace.
Use a comma to separate non-essential info in the sentence.

Are there some clarifications that may be removed from the sentence, and the reader will still get the key idea? Separate this information with punctuation marks!

Incorrect: My sister who recently got married is pregnant now.
Correct: My sister, who recently got married, is pregnant now.
Put commas around interrupters.

Interrupters are the words that provide additional detail by breaking the flow of the sentence. Always separate them with commas.

Incorrect: Hopefully my essay topic is suitable for the given type of assignment.
Correct: Hopefully, my essay topic is suitable for the given type of assignment.
Use semicolons in too complex sentences.

Sometimes the sentence is too long, yet the information should be taken together. In such cases, put a semicolon between two parts instead of separating them with a period.

Incorrect: I was planning to study abroad however due to certain family issues I took a gap year and stayed at home.
Correct: I was planning to study abroad; however, due to certain family issues, I took a gap year and stayed at home.

And now, last but not least. Here’s a helpful video about the most common mistakes in ESL student essays. The essay writing techniques explained in this video lesson are useful for any student who wants to write good papers.

Thank you for visiting our page! Use our tips and avoid common errors in essay writing. Don’t forget to leave your comment and share the article with your friends!

This might be interesting for you:

Useful Revising and Editing Checklists
Essay Checklist: How to Write an A+ Essay
Effective Writing Strategies for College Students
How to Control Words per Page
Basic Writing Rules – Common Mistakes & Fixes
200 Powerful Words to Use Instead of “Good”
List of Credible Sources
An Ultimate Punctuation Guide

✏️ Frequent Questions

There are several tips to improve grammar in your article:

Avoid overly complex grammatical structures;
Use ready-made connecting phrases and collocations;
Proofread your text several times, perhaps read aloud and correct your mistakes;
Run your text through a grammar checker (through desktop software or online).

There is quite a few you should avoid in order to write a good essay, e.g.:

Too colloquial phrases;
Excessive repetition of some words;
Misprints, mistakes, and wrong formatting;
Too emotional and subjective sentences;
Too long sentences with complex grammatical constructions, etc.

There are particular “stop”-words that you should not include in an article. They can be divided into the following groups :

colloquial language, rude comments;
simplified connecting words (e.g., “And,” “But,” “Or” at the beginning of a sentence);
excessively complex and almost obsolete words.

You may correct your text in various ways. Some possible strategies are:

Read the essay aloud;
Ask your friend to proofread the essay;
Read the paragraphs from the bottom to the top;
Run an automatic checker (in desktop software or online), etc.
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is there a set author taking credit for publishing this information ? because i would love to reference the author in my paper

Hello! You can reference it as a web source/web page.

People do not have much time for essays and are usually distracted in different things. Essays writing requires tons of concentration and a particular flow that the writer should maintain. Otherwise, it will not be interesting for the audience. Planning is so important in essay writing. Thanks for sharing these tips.

Thanks for your hard work

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5 Common Essay Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Athina hansen.

Writing Tips

5 Common Essay Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Content Writer at Gradehacker

Updated January, 2023

How frustrating is it to hand in an essay you thought was good only to receive a low grade and a heap of corrections? That’s because you need to learn how to avoid essay common mistakes most students make!

Here at Gradehacker, we have years of experience helping students like you with custom-made essays for college students. We have come across many students who feel defeated as they keep receiving the same feedback on different essays. This can leave you feeling like you’re unable to fix the weaknesses in your writing to increase your grades and have a successful essay.

Many of those corrections you might find spread throughout your essay are common mistakes in essay writing ! Though you may feel alone in repeating the same mistakes, this is not the case.

Excellent essay writing is a skill you need to complete college successfully . In this article, we share the five most common essay mistakes we have observed in essays and how to avoid them.

This way, you can solve these essay mistakes and get that A+ essay you desire!

5 Common Essay Mistakes

Mistake #1: thesis statement problems.

A thesis statement is a sentence located at the end of your introduction paragraph that lays out the argument you will be making in your essay and the points that you will include to back this up.

Writing a Vague Thesis Statement

What makes a thesis statement vague and prevents you from making a meaningful essay is leaving out the points that will support why your argument is valid .

Let’s take a look at an example of a vague thesis statemen t:

Children should eat vegetables.

Does this thesis statement make the reader confident that children should eat their vegetables?

This thesis statement isn’t convincing because it presents an argument without any justification . It does not include why children should eat their vegetables.

How do I Make a Strong Thesis Statement?

When crafting a thesis statement, you have to remember to include the why aspect .

When you have an argument, ask yourself, “why is this so?” The answer to this question will be the points that will support your argument and must be included in the thesis statement.

Taking this into account, let’s tweak the previous thesis statement:

“Children should eat vegetables because they provide the necessary nutrients for growth, protect against diseases, and are an excellent fiber source.”

Compare the previous thesis statement to this one. This one sounds a lot more convincing, doesn’t it? This thesis statement was improved by simply including points that back up the claim.

We asked ourselves, why should children eat vegetables? And added on to the thesis statement by putting our answer after a ‘because.’

Thesis statements don’t always address a “why is this so?”. Sometimes, they address a “how did (any event) happen?”

That means that if asking yourself, “Why?” does not fit your thesis statement, ask yourself, “How?” When answering either a why or how, always include your answer as the supporting points.

Ensure you do not just include an empty statement, but you also make a complete sentence to justify your statement.

Choosing a Non-Justifiable Thesis Statement

Another mistake is choosing a thesis statement that you are not able to justify extensively . If you find that you chose a thesis statement but are struggling to find points that will support it, you are making this mistake!

You can end up with a non-justifiable thesis statement for two reasons:

There aren't many facts out there to support the point you make in your thesis statement
You chose a thesis statement before researching thoroughly and only based on your personal opinion

If you have a non-justifiable thesis statement, it will affect your entire essay! Your body paragraphs, which elaborate on the supporting points, will suffer as you end up justifying more with opinions instead of facts and information.

How do I Ensure my Thesis Statement Can be Justified?

Simply put, stick to the facts! And avoid:

Choosing a thesis statement before researching a topic
Picking an argument that has little evidence out there

Do not be afraid to change your thesis statement! Because you will end up losing more time and points on your grade if you stay put with a thesis statement that isn’t easy to justify.

Here’s a visual template you can follow to know if your thesis statement is appropriate for your paper o not.

5 Common Essay Mistakes and How to Avoid Them Appropiate Thesis Statement

Don’t Forget About the Thesis Statement Throughout the Entire Essay

So, we pointed out that having a good thesis statement is a must-have , but is that it? No!

A big mistake is including a thesis statement but not connecting back to it throughout your essay.

This common mistake occurs when we lose sight of it in the writing process. We may follow our essay plan and include the points we planned but forget to relate these back to the essay’s stance.

This error involves leaving the thesis statement in the introduction and forgetting about it in the rest of your essay.

How do Address The Thesis Statement Throughout The Entire Essay?

To avoid this, you must understand that each body paragraph(s) explores a separate point supporting your thesis statement.

Have your thesis statement in sight while writing , so you can always be reminded of your essay’s general argument. When you include evidence or facts within a body paragraph, always explain how this backs up your general thesis statement points.

Think of your thesis statement as a string to which each body paragraph is connected and ties back to.

If you want to learn how to come up with an outstanding thesis statement in a few minutes, check out our video!

Mistake #2: Including Hard-to-Read Sentences

Have you ever had someone else read your essay and ask, what are you trying to say?

Hard-to-read sentences are common errors found in essays. Many include fancy words and long sentences, thinking it will make them sound “academic.”

These sentences, you think, sound academic but will just be confusing to the reader if they are not concise and have superfluous words.

While academic writing does involve formal words and academic language, simple sentences that show clarity is one of the most important things!

How do I Make my Sentences Readable?

Nowadays you can use many online readers and grammar editors that will help you make your sentences easier to read and more accurate.

Usually, online editors look like this:

5 Common Essay Mistakes and How to Avoid Them Online Editors

Getting someone else to read your essay is a great way to avoid having hard-to-read sentences. Having another pair of eyes look over your essay will allow them to catch which sentences are difficult to understand.

You can also highlight lengthy sentences in your essay , review them, and ask yourself:

Is this sentence difficult to read?
Will this sentence be clearer if I shorten it?
Will this sentence be more exact if I change the words?

Hemingway Editor is also a great online tool that points out confusing sentences that are hard to read and lengthy. You can learn more about it in our in-depth review .

Mistake #3 Disorganized Essay Structure

Sometimes, even though the ideas you brainstormed for your essay and the evidence you found are excellent, your essay’s structure is not great .

Having a clear and organized structure is what makes or breaks an essay. It facilitates getting your point across.

However, many students don’t pay much attention to the structure and end up with an essay with no apparent organization.

When you don’t have a good essay structure, your paragraphs will seem like they come from a different essay topic that does not relate to one another or flow effortlessly.

How do I Better Structure my Essay?

The only way to avoid this is to structure your essay before writing! This involves planning out each part of your essay, your introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion .

You can make a bullet point list of what you will write in each section and remember each section is supposed to work together to illustrate a point. This point that each body paragraph needs to work together to present is the argument in your thesis statement.

When planning out what to write in each section, don’t forget to list out:

The thesis statement in the introduction
The evidence you will use in your body paragraphs to prove each point
How each point relates to and backs up your thesis statement
The significance of your argument in the conclusion

This is an example of a good essay structure you can follow so your writing can flow flawlessly.

5 Common Essay Mistakes and How to Avoid Them Good Essay Structure

Make sure to limit each body paragraph to one idea so the structure isn’t confusing. Also, don’t forget to include transition words between paragraphs so that your essay flows nicely.

Always tie everything back to the thesis statement; this will make sure your paragraphs connect to one another.

Mistake #4: Rewording the Introduction for the Conclusion

There is a widespread misconception that all you need to do in a conclusion is reword the introduction. Yes, you cannot forget to revisit the points you make throughout the essay, but a conclusion is not the same as an introduction !

This is why students make the common mistake of not including the bigger picture of their academic essay.

Another mistake is beginning your conclusion with a generic term that marks finality, such as “in conclusion.”

How do I Make my Conclusion Better?

You should check whether your conclusion does these things:

Revisit the points you made and how this supports the thesis statement
Reflect on the argument you made and the "bigger picture"
Mention any further implications of your argument

Try not to begin your conclusion with a generic phrase like ‘in conclusion,’ as these sound amateur. Also, a conclusion should be able to be identified without these introductory phrases .

If you want more tips on how to improve your essay conclusion , take a look at our quick video!

Mistake #5 Not Editing Your Essay Thoroughly

The biggest mistake you can make is not editing your essay thoroughly before handing it in .

By not rereading your essay, your silly mistakes will distract from what you are trying to say . Any mistakes, such as typos or punctuation mistakes, will make your essay harder to read for your professor and disrupt the point you are trying to make.

Skipping this final step in the essay-writing process will rid you of the chance of perfecting your essay and fixing any mistakes . This simple step has a significant impact on getting you from a C or B to an A!

How do I Revise my Essay Better?

Proofread your essay and pay attention to any:

Grammatical mistakes
Spelling mistakes
Punctuation mistakes
Not relating back to the overall message (thesis statement)
Disorganized structure/flow

Asking someone other than yourself to read your essay is very helpful in the revision process. As they are in the reader’s position, they can see which areas are necessary to correct and give you suggestions.

Grammarly is an online tool you can use in the revision process to pick up any grammar and punctuation mistakes you did not catch. If you want more information about it, you can read our honest review to see its benefits, features, and costs!

Learning From Common Essay Mistakes

The best way to avoid making essay mistakes is to identify them in your work and learn from them. Keep these five common errors in essay writing in mind in the essay writing process . You will definitely see an improvement in your essay writing quality.

It is essential to complete each step of essay writing ( research, writing, editing ) precisely. Skipping one of these steps or completing one of these steps half-heartedly will impact your essay’s grade.

We know from personal experience and through our clients, that college essays are not a piece of cake! They involve skill not only in terms of content, but in terms of citing properly and finishing them in a timely manner.

But if you are in a rush or maybe you continue struggling with one essay or even a whole class , we can help you! Here at Gradehacker we have years of experience in the essay writing industry, and offer a variety of services to assist students like you achieve the grades they deserve!

If you need more tips on how to improve your essay writing skills, check out some of our related articles!

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, common college essay mistakes.

Hey y'all! I'm getting started on my college essays, and I'm wondering if anybody knows what some common mistakes are that I should avoid when writing them? Thanks in advance!

Hey there! It's wonderful that you're working on your college essays. I've got some tips on common mistakes to avoid:

1. Writing a generic essay: Make your essay unique and showcase your personality, experiences, and perspective. Avoid clichéd topics or, if you still want to write on those, find a unique angle.

2. Not following the prompt: Be sure to keep your essay focused and directly address the prompt provided by the college.

3. Trying to impress with big words: Use language that comes naturally to you and prioritize clarity. No need to look up fancy words or write complex sentences just for the sake of it.

4. Typos and grammatical errors: Proofread your essay multiple times, and ask friends or family members to review it. It's important to show your attention to detail.

5. Being overly negative or complaining: Focus on personal growth, lessons learned, and conveying your ability to overcome challenges. Avoid dwelling on negative aspects.

6. Waiting until the last minute: Give yourself plenty of time to brainstorm, write, and revise, so that your essay truly reflects your best work.

Good luck with your essays!

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Most common essay writing mistakes (tips from a course instructor)

I've been teaching for over ten years and have a sense of what university students most typically struggle with when it comes to essay writing. I've talked with other instructors and put together a quick list of common errors - if you're heading into your first midterms, watch out for these!

1. Not writing an outline first

The hardest part of writing is starting to write. It's understandable, then, that a lot of students don't spend enough time planning and writing an outline. You want to get it over with, so you write the introduction first and work the rest out as you go along. However, if you don't have a clear outline, you might find that by the time you get to the end of your essay, the thesis you stated in the introduction has changed. It's always worth doing a lot of your critical thinking before you even begin to write. For tips on how to do this, have a look at How Do I Start My Essay? Top Ten Tips for Essay Writing.

2. Writing a lengthy introduction with very general and uninformative claims

Many students have the habit of starting their essays by pointing out that their topic has interested historians / philosophers / scientists for hundreds of years or since the beginning of time. Don't do this. It doesn't tell your reader anything important and it makes a bad first impression on your grader. (Sentences like this are a bit of a pet peeve for most professors.) The introduction of a term essay is very different from the introduction of, say, a newspaper article. You need to get right to the point and avoid using too much of a chatty tone. Concisely explain what your topic is and give your thesis statement. For more detailed guidance on introductions, have a look at How to Write an Introduction for an Essay.

3. Choosing a thesis that is too wide or ambitious

"In this essay, I will argue that nurture is more important than nature." "In this essay, I will argue that utilitarianism about ethics is right."

Each of these thesis statements takes on a huge debate. Even if, instead of 2,000 words, you had 10,000, you would not be able to even scrape the surface of these issues. Make sure that the scope of your thesis statement is sufficiently small. This will help you to write a more focused essay, which is what your professors are looking for. For example, you might choose to focus on one particular author's views on utilitarianism and argue that there is a problem with one of his arguments. It's good to be bold, but don't try to take on questions that are so wide in scope that you are forced to give them a superficial answer.

4. Not taking a position in your thesis statement

"In this essay, I will compare different theories of free will - specifically, compatibilism, which says that free will is compatible with causality and libertarianism, which denies this." "In this essay, I will describe Sigmund Freud's theory of dreaming, focusing on his claims about the purpose of dreaming."

Your thesis statement should work a bit like a conclusion of an argument - it should follow from your premises. If your thesis statement claims that you will simply 'compare', 'describe', or 'observe' something, this is an indication that you might not be taking enough of a position in your essay. The thesis statements above are not arguing for a position: they are not trying to persuade the reader. (Of course there are exceptions to this rule: some questions specifically ask only for comparisons or descriptions - but most questions do not.) Comparing, observing, or describing are all useful things to do when you are arguing for your thesis, but they shouldn't be all that you do in your essay.

5. Sitting on the fence

Sitting on the fence in your essay often goes hand in hand with not taking a position in your thesis statement. It's tempting to feel like you just don't know enough about the main topic of your essay to settle the central debates. After all, these debates have typically been going on between experts for many years. Your instructor knows that and isn't trying to catch you out for taking the wrong position on something. What's important is your reasoning and evidence. You are not expected to forever resolve long-standing disputes in just a few short pages. You are expected to take a clear stance based on your evaluation of the argument(s) presented.

6. Mentioning as many arguments as possible

This is one of the most common mistakes that students make in essay writing. Let's say that you have a word limit of 1500 words. For an essay like this to be focused and thorough, you should only be exploring one or two arguments at most. Many students think that including four or five arguments in their essays will make for a stronger case (five reasons to agree with the thesis are better one, right?). In actual fact, this almost always leads to a bad essay. Firstly, it's impossible to do justice to so many different ideas using a small number of words. Your treatment of each argument will have to be superficial to stay within the word limit. Secondly, including five different arguments does not allow you to show your good judgement in differentiating the stronger ones from the weaker ones. Picking the strongest two arguments shows your grader that you can discriminate. Thirdly, including many different arguments usually leads to the clarity of the essay suffering. Ideas in these kinds of essays tend to get run together and the reader struggles to keep track of the main line of thought.

7. Quoting too much (or using very long quotations)

Many students rely too heavily on quotations. You might think that quoting extensively will show that you have worked really hard on understanding the primary text but in fact this has the opposite effect. Your instructor wants to see that you have understood the material and can explain the ideas independently, in your own words. Be careful not to let quotations do the job of explaining for you. Direct quotation is best used when it is important to establish a writer's exact choice of words. For example, the choice of words may be unclear and you may want to explain why this is and to justify your interpretation of them. A writer might introduce a new term for something and, by using quotation, you can make it clear that this is their term (and not yours). Finally, quotations are useful if you want to provide evidence for a particular claim in your argument (for instance, when you quote an expert).

8. Not including any references

While some students fill their essays with quotations, others forget to include any at all. Make sure to include a few quotations in your essay to support your claims, particularly if you are analysing another writer's work. Additionally, when you give your exposition, you should be paraphrasing some of the ideas that you are explaining (that is, you should be putting the ideas into your own words). And when you paraphrase something from a primary text, you can reference it: cite the source and page number after your paraphrase just as you would with a quote. While page numbers are optional in paraphrase citations, they do show your reader that you understand exactly where the claim is coming from and that your engagement with the original material has been really thorough.

9. Stating rather than showing

When you are arguing that another position is wrong, it is really important to show why this is. Claiming that their overall conclusion is false or implausible is not enough here. You need to explain to your reader exactly why the other position is a bad one. To do this, you cannot presuppose any agreement with your position: assume a neutral reader who needs persuading on the matter.

10. Appealing to the dictionary definition of a concept

Getting started with an analytical essay can be difficult. The first step that many students take is to reach for the dictionary definition of their topic. Here the dictionary definition is typically not used to make a specific point about language but is rather used as a way to introduce discussion. Not only is this not helpful to the substance of the essay, but it usually serves as a red flag to the grader that the writer was running out of time or ideas. Because this is such a common (and unhelpful) student writing technique, it has come to annoy professors. Resist the temptation to start your essay like this!

11. Using non-academic language

This guide is not written in academic language. There are many contexts where it's perfectly fine to use informal, concise, or even slang language. However, for academic essays, you have to adopt a different style of writing. In academic writing you should avoid using any colloquial vocabulary. For example, don't use phrases like "above board", "pretty decent", and "not great". Don't use contractions like "don't", "can't", and "won't" - write out the full words. Academic writing should have a formal tone and should be as clear and precise as possible.

Non-academic writing style: "In this essay I will talk about how the canon isn't wide enough. I feel like these days so much good abstract art is made and ignored by people who study art history." Academic writing style: "In this essay I will argue that the canon of art history is not sufficiently inclusive. Specifically, I will suggest that it ought to include more contemporary, abstract art."

12. Using strawman arguments

The function of a scarecrow is to scare birds away from crops by appearing to be a person. On closer examination, it just looks like sticks and straw. A strawman argument is a reconstruction of an argument that has the appearance of being like the original, but, on closer examination, is in fact much weaker. Strawman arguments are of course easier to criticize. Be careful that you aren't unfairly attributing a weakened position to someone in this way. If your take on the writer whose work you have been asked to analyze is that they are completely incompetent, re-examine your analysis. The principle of charity recommends that we present the strongest possible version of any opposing arguments. This will make your own arguments stronger. Showing that you can deal with a weak objection doesn't do much for your case. Showing that you can deal with the strongest possible objection to your argument is very persuasive.

13. Putting new things in your conclusion

Conclusions should bring together the results of your essay. In a sense, they are a kind of mirror image of introductions. Do not use your conclusion to add further reasons to agree with your main thesis - this work should have already been done by this point in the essay. Explain to the reader what you were able to show in your essay. How did you prove your thesis? What, very briefly, was the reasoning you used? You might want to include a sentence or two explaining the implications of what you have shown for some wider context in society or for the future of research in your area. There's no need to be too bold here - you're not expected to revolutionize anything. Think of the kind of thing you might say if you were explaining to someone why your conclusion is interesting in a more general way.

14. Trying to get around the word limit with font size or margin adjustments

Let's say you've been working all day on your essay and you've ended up 500 words over your word limit. If you're feeling really invested in what you've written - or just too lazy to edit it down - you might be tempted to try to adjust some visuals on your essay to make it look shorter. If 2,000 words is 8 pages double-spaced, then how about narrowing the margins and changing the font size to 11? The problem with this is that, though the layout might not look all that different to you after these changes, it will look strikingly different to the 40 other essays your professor has just graded. Most course instructors will allow you to go 5 or 10% over the word limit, but disguising an extra 500 words is not going to work! Avoid any last-minute panic by making sure that you have a strict word budget in your essay plan (see How Do I Start My Essay? Top Ten Tips for Essay Writing for tips on how to do this).

15. Underestimating the importance of editing your final draft

It's easy to miss this step if you are working to a deadline but it is one of the most impactful stages of the writing process. The overall impression that your essay makes is very influential on a grader. Lots of typos, grammatical errors, and unclear sentences will exhaust your grader and can potentially undermine your hard work. One great way to check for clarity is to ask a peer who is not in your class to read through your essay: if they can understand it all without guidance, that's a good sign. If they can't, ask them to highlight which sentences are unclear. Try to get some distance from your work before reading through it yourself. Leave your draft alone for a day or two and then edit it with fresh eyes. If you're running short on time, one way to quickly create distance from your work is to read it aloud and imagine that you have an audience. Do your explanations sound clear? Are any of your sentences too long? Does your essay fulfill the promise of the introduction?

Not writing an outline first

Writing a bad introduction

Thesis too wide or ambitious

Not taking a position (thesis)

Sitting on the fence

Mentioning too many arguments

Quoting too much

Not including any references

Stating rather than showing

Dictionary definitions

Using non-academic language

Using strawman arguments

Putting new things in your conclusion

Trying to get around the word limit

Not editing

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BLOG Student Hacks

The Most Common Writing Mistakes on College Essays

When you’re studying to be a nurse or healthcare professional, you’re going to have to write essays in school. Essays are an integral part of education, and for good reason. They aren’t just busywork, but times to practice and prepare for writing reports and analyzing patient information. Catching typos and errors can benefit your grades and future career, so once you’ve run spellcheck and read through your essay twice, look for these common writing mistakes before you turn in your college essay.

1. Homophones

Homophones are words like “are” and “our,” “right” and “write,” or “bear” and “bare” that can sound the same to your ear but mean very different things when your professor is reading them on the page. These can be very common writing mistakes, because the spelling is, technically, correct, and because when you write, you’re often speaking the sentences to yourself, so your mind is in an audible mode.

They’re trickiest when homophones mean something similar, too—like “affect” and “effect.” The differences can be slight, but when they’re noticed they’re jarring, drawing the focus away from what you’re saying to how you’re (incorrectly) saying it.

2. Incorrect Apostrophes

Apostrophes have two uses: To indicate possession (“Those are Dawn’s scrubs.”) or to create contractions (“Are not” > “Aren’t”).

They are not used to make words plural (“stethoscopes,” not “stethoscope’s”), not even when you’re writing about multiple family members (hence Fred, Wilma, and Pebbles are “the Flintstones”).

Remembering that can help you avoid a lot of common writing mistakes, but pay close attention to these, which also happen to be homophones:

Who’s is a contraction, meaning “who is,” whereas whose indicates possession: “Annie Wilkes is the client whose pet pig broke her arm.” Its is also possessive, but without the apostrophe, since it’s means “it is.”

3. Comma Splices

You can, and probably should, take a whole course on commas. They’re one of the trickiest parts of grammar, and sometimes debatable, so we can only graze the surface of their rules. One of the most obvious and most common comma mistakes in college essays are splices.

Comma splices occur when you use a comma to separate two independent clauses (subject + verb) without a conjunction (i.e.: and, or, but, for, nor, so, yet, when). You’re essentially mashing two sentences together with just a comma; that’s something only a semicolon or colon can do (and just did).

The good news: There are a lot of solutions. If you’ve written, “Robb entered the hospital with a wound, he’s asking to see his mother Catelyn,” you can either turn that one sentence into two by swapping the comma for a period, keep it as one but swap it for a semicolon, or add a conjunction—in this case “and now” would probably sound best.

They’re relatively easy to spot if you have short sentences, so be especially vigilant when you’ve written something long, when a comma splice is usually called a “run-on.”

4. Sentence Fragments

An opposite but equally common writing mistake is the sentence fragment, which lacks any independent clauses, commas or not.

To create a sentence, you need a subject and a verb. Everything else, technically, is superfluous. “Go.” is a sentence, with the silent, imperative “You” understood as the subject. “Valerie acts.” is also short and sweet and right on the money. Sentence fragments aren’t about length, though that can be an indicator. They just mean that a sentence is lacking both a subject and a verb.

Sometimes they’re used stylistically, set after a correct sentence: “The vice president read about her nicknames. With horror.”

Or, they have a noun and a verb, but they’re technically dependent clauses: “When Patrick first moved to San Francisco.”

Neither of the above examples are full sentences. They’re fragments, and stylistic or not, they’re inappropriate for a college essay.

At Joyce, we’re committed to helping our students succeed in any program they choose. We want to help our students write their best and be their best. If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a Nurse or OTA , request more info .

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WRITING SKILLS

Common Mistakes in Writing

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A - Z List of Writing Skills

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Some writing mistakes are very common and frequently seen in both printed material and online. This page details some of the most common and easily avoidable writing mistakes. By learning to recognise such errors you can improve your writing skills and avoid common writing mistakes in the future.

You should also read our Spelling , Punctuation and Grammar pages to aid your understanding of the writing process and help you avoid other mistakes.

Remember mistakes in writing can be embarrassing and costly - would you buy from a company whose marketing material was peppered with common mistakes that could have been easily avoided?

Take some time to familiarise yourself with the mistakes listed on this page and remember to always get somebody else to check your writing before it is published - even the most confident writers make mistakes sumtimes!

Affect / Effect

Affect is a verb, for example “ Sometimes, the weather affects my mood. ”
Effect is a noun, for example “ The effect of weather on ice cream sales is well documented. ”

By thinking in terms of “ the effect ” you can usually determine whether to use affect or effect since “the” will not work in front of a verb.

To add to the confusion, bear in mind that some people may use “effect” as a verb (for example “Contractors seek to effect a settlement with strikers”) but this usage is slightly archaic and most often used in legal writing.

Apostrophes

Apostrophes strike fear into the heart of many. However by learning a few simple rules, and the inevitable exceptions, you should be able to use apostrophes with ease.

The apostrophe is used for a purpose, either to indicate a possession (implying ownership) or a contraction (in place of other letters). Since its use to indicate a contraction is easiest, we will deal with this first.

Using Apostrophes to Indicate Contraction

Where one or more letters have been dropped, an apostrophe is used as a replacement:

It is = it’s
We are = we’re
Does not = Doesn’t
Of the clock = o’clock

Using Apostrophes to Indicate Possession

Apostrophes are also used to indicate possession:

Matthew’s car
The farmer’s field (one field owned by one farmer)

If the subject (the farmer or Matthew above) has a name ending with an s, then there is a choice to either follow the formal rule (“The Jones’s house”) or to drop the final 's' (hence “The Jones’ house”). The choice is a matter of style but the important thing is to be consistent.

If the subject is plural, the apostrophe is placed after the s:

The teachers’ staff room
The farmers’ fields (multiple fields owned by multiple farmers)

Note that if the word is already plural, for example children or people, then you would write children’s or people's.

When Not to Use Apostrophes

If the word is a plural then do not use an apostrophe (for example kittens or apostrophes). Placing an apostrophe before the final s is universally considered incorrect and commonly referred to as the “greengrocer’s apostrophe” (or “greengrocers’ apostrophe” if referring to more than one greengrocer).

There are possible exceptions to these rule is if the word comprises a single letter, a number or abbreviation where the simple addition of an s could cause confusion. Hence:

There are two t’s in Matthew.

To write “There are two ts in Matthew” may confuse the reader even though it is grammatically correct. Alternatively, you could rephrase this as “There are two “t”s in Matthew”.

However, the modern convention is to avoid using apostrophes in plurals wherever possible even in the plural of numbers and abbreviations.

For example, “I keep buying DVDs” and “He loves 80s music” is preferable to adding an apostrophe.

Could have / Should have / Would have

Even though we might pronounce “could’ve” (a contraction of “could have”) as “could of” this is incorrect. Always use could have / should have / would have.

It’s / Its

It’s is a contraction of two words: it is or it has.
Its is possessive, like hers, his, and whose.

The confusion between it's and its occurs because on virtually every other word 's (apostrophe + s) indicates possession, so English speakers naturally want to use it's to mean "something belonging to it."

But ' it's ' is only used when it is a contraction of ' it is ' or ' it has '.

If you are in doubt as to which version to use, try replacing the word with "it is" or "it has". If this still scans correctly then use it’s, otherwise, use its.

There / Their / They’re

There refers to a place or idea. An example of its use referring to place is “Look over there!” An example of its use referring to an abstract idea is “There are many ways to skin a cat”.
Their is possessive meaning it owns something, for example “Their dog keeps getting into our garden”.
They’re is a contraction of “they are” (the apostrophe replaces the missing letter). An example of its use is “They’re moving in next door”.

There’s / Theirs

There’s is a contraction of there is.
Theirs is the third person plural possessive pronoun and replaces “their + noun”. The idea that theirs needs an apostrophe (hence “their’s”) derives from the convention that, in virtually every other word, ‘s (apostrophe + s) indicates possession. However, theirs is an exception and “their’s” is incorrect.

To / Too / Two

'To' has two functions. First, it is a preposition and always preceded a noun, hence:

I am going to the shops
This belongs to Mary

Second, 'to' indicates an infinitive when it preceded a verb, hence

I need to sleep
He wants to go for a walk

'Too' also has two uses, the first as a synonym for “also” hence:

Can I come too ?
I think that’s his bag too

Second, 'too' means excessively when it preceded an adjective or adverb hence:

I’m too tired to go out
You’re too generous

'Two' is a number as in one, two, three…

The most common confusion is between to and too. Try replacing the word with “also” or “as well” and if the phrase makes sense then use too. Otherwise, and if not a number, then use to.

Frequently Misused Words

Strictly, decimate means to reduce by one-tenth and not to reduce to one-tenth. However, this usage is now increasingly common, and seems likely to become accepted.

Literally, practically, figuratively and metaphorically

Literally means actually or without exaggeration. When you say “I literally…” you are describing something exactly as it happened and without exaggeration. If you were to say “I literally died of boredom”, you are implying that you actually died. The use of literally is therefore incorrect.

Instead, you might use the term ‘practically’, which in this case would mean ‘almost’. “I practically died of boredom” means “If it were actually possible to die of boredom, I would have done so, but as it’s not, I didn’t.”

The opposite of literally is figuratively or, more specifically, metaphorically.

Figuratively means that you are using a figure of speech, such as a metaphor or a simile.
Metaphorically means that you are using a metaphor, which is a specific figure of speech.

In other words, most of the time when people say literally or practically, they actually mean figuratively or metaphorically.

Lose / Loose

Lose is the opposite of win, whilst loose is the opposite of tight or contained.

Weather / Whether

Weather is usually a noun referring to the atmospheric conditions at a particular point in time (What’s the weather like there?) but is also a verb meaning' affected by the weather (for example: " Your fence has really weathered ") or even as a figure of speech meaning to get through or survive something (We weathered the crisis).

Whether is a conjunction that introduces alternatives, for example “Whether I win or lose…” or “You do it whether you like it or not”. Whether is similar to “if”, so if you could replace the word with “if” then use whether.

This page is a very brief introduction to some of the most common mistakes found in English writing.

However, you can see that the English language is unfortunately complex and most spelling and grammar checkers will not pick up subtle distinctions between some of the often-confused words above. Likewise, such checkers will not pick up mistyped words such as “fir” instead of “for”, or “if” instead of “it” or indeed spot all missing words.

It is vital that you therefore do not rely on a spell checker to proofread your writing for you.

The best advice is to read your writing or, better still, to get someone else to read it and check it for you. Most people find it easier to spot errors when reading from a printed copy compared to reading on a computer screen, so print out a copy to read.

Continue to: Grammar Business Writing

See also: Clichés to Avoid Note Taking Editing and Proofreading

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Top 8 Common Mistakes in Essay Writing and How to Avoid Them

Whether you’re an individual writing your first essay or a professional writer crafting many of one research paper, one needs to be careful of a few common essay writing mistakes.

Common writing mistakes reflect in your essay and appeal to the reader accordingly. As a result, you lose the chance of creating an impact you might have thought you could!

Do you need to be made aware of mistakes in essay writing? Do you want to learn about the most common writing mistakes and how to avoid them? If yes, this is the article for you!

Here, we will be listing out the top 8 mistakes in writing and how you can avoid them.

While we can offer you some great tips and advice, you can always refer to PaperHelp essay service for further essay-writing services and learn about writing mistakes to avoid!

1. Lack of Clear Thesis Statement

When you write a compelling essay, it must be able to communicate the proper idea, information, and thesis statement, making it simpler to lead the focus. However, in a study done by Washington City Paper , it was found that most of the essays lack thesis statements. This can result in a lack of focus, and your readers need a clearer idea of what you are trying to say.

Therefore, you must create a proper outline for the essay to present the thesis statement clearly. Further, you can explain the argument or purpose of your essay right in the introduction to make it simple and clear for our readers.

2. Poor Organization and Structure

The next and most common mistake in essay writing is the organization and structure of the content. In most cases, an essay without a proper structure confuses the reader. It weakens the points you’ve mentioned in your article. You might have written a great essay, but it doesn’t add to your viewpoint if you’ve missed a proper structure.

Creating a proper structure and organizing it starts with a brief content outline. When you begin writing your essay, make sure that you adhere to the outline you prepared earlier and include everything. Further, proofread your content to ensure that each paragraph conveys a clear idea and flows logically from one to the next.

3. Introduction and Conclusion

The introduction and conclusion of the essay are most valuable to readers. However, we often see the weakest introduction and conclusion, while the paragraphs in between have strong points. In that case, the reader might need more time to read the essay and gain the idea and information you’re willing to share. You want to create a good impression.

Therefore, we suggest starting with a compelling hook and providing background to the information. In the end, come up with a firm conclusion that summarizes the whole concept of the essay and reinforces our thesis.

4. Inadequate Evidence and Analysis

When you state a fact or information in an essay, it needs to be backed up by proper evidence and analysis. Otherwise, the info you present has no value to be added. Most of the time, solid and valid points are presented in the essay, except for the analysis to back it up. Mistakes in writing can occur in various forms, including needing more evidence.

Conduct proper and detailed research to avoid common essay writing mistakes, such as a lack of evidence and analysis. List all the information and facts you want in your essay and back them up with proper evidence. Further, make sure to analyze the given information to present precise details.

5. Overuse of Passive Voice

Yet, a prevalent mistake in this writing is the overuse of the passive voice. Essay writing is expected to be done with active voice, with 5% overall use of passive voice. However, that’s not always the case. In most of the essays, passive voice is used excessively.

Compared to active voice, passive voice is difficult to understand. It makes it difficult for the reader to understand the point or information presented in the essay, further complicating your writing.

As a result, we suggest writers use active voices all the time. Not only are they simple and easy to understand, but active voice creates a great flow of sentences leading from one to another.

6. Repetitive and Redundant Language

We understand that an essay carries value, and students or writers might feel pressured to fill it out with as much information as necessary. However, in these cases, we often find the essays repetitive and redundant. The repetition of the same information in the essay diverts the readers’ attention, and your essay might appear dull.

Therefore, you need to avoid these mistakes in writing . As mentioned, a content outline can help you be precise about the information you want to convey in each paragraph. You can create a detailed outline highlighting the information you want to present in each section. Further, we suggest using many synonyms for the same word so as not to sound repetitive. For redundant language, we suggest proofreading your writing before submitting it.

7. Ignoring the Prompt

The most common essay writing mistakes also include ignoring the prompt completely and focusing on irrelevant content. This mistake can create irrelevant content and result in a lower grade. When crafting your essay, you need to consider your prompt to be the main aspect and write accordingly.

Therefore, you must be clear about the promotion. Make sure to carefully read and understand the prompt provided to you. Also, make sure that you can answer the specific question and address the topic throughout your essay. The whole idea of compelling your essay is ensuring that you’re offering valid and strong points to the prompt that is provided to you. Ignoring it can result in losing the value of the essay.

8. Grammatical and Spelling Errors

Even after writing essays for years, students still tend to make the same writing mistakes, namely grammatical and spelling errors. The frequency of these errors can distract readers and undermine your credibility. When crafting an essay, it must appeal to readers. If they find repetitive grammatical and spelling errors, they can lose the whole focus of your essay—the ideas and information you’ve presented in it.

Therefore, it’s important that you proofread your essay multiple times for grammar and spelling mistakes. Tools are also available to check these mistakes. Make sure you run your essay through these tools to detect mistakes that you couldn’t have found.

Wrapping Up

Essay writing can help students develop their research skills as they delve deeper into the essay topic and offer information and values accordingly. By avoiding common writing mistakes, students can craft a top-notch essay. In this article, we listed the top 8 common essay writing mistakes and writing mistakes to avoid . Mistakes in essay writing can result in losing credibility, which is why it’s important to avoid them at all costs. You can implement these strategies in your essay writing to ensure that you craft an essay that offers value to the readers.

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8 Common Pitfalls in SAT Writing and Language: How to Avoid

The SAT Writing and Language section can be challenging, especially if you’re not aware of the common mistakes that many students make. Understanding these pitfalls can help you avoid them, improving your overall score. In this article, we’ll cover the most frequent errors students make in the SAT Writing and Language section and provide tips on how to avoid them.

Table of Content

Understanding the SAT Writing and Language Section

Pitfall 1: misunderstanding sentence structure, pitfall 2: misusing punctuation, pitfall 3: confusing pronouns, pitfall 4: failing to recognize modifier placement, pitfall 5: ignoring word choice and diction, pitfall 6: misinterpreting questions, pitfall 7: not reviewing the passage, pitfall 8: failing to practice, tips to avoid these pitfalls, common pitfalls in sat writing and language- faqs.

Before diving into the common pitfalls, it’s important to understand what the SAT Writing and Language section entails. This section tests your ability to edit and revise texts. You’ll be asked to improve sentences, correct grammatical errors, and enhance the clarity and effectiveness of the writing.

One of the most common mistakes in the SAT Writing and Language section is misunderstanding sentence structure. This includes issues with subject-verb agreement, verb tense consistency, and parallelism.

Subject-Verb Agreement: The subject of a sentence must agree with the verb in number. For example, “The team is winning” is correct, while “The team are winning” is incorrect because “team” is a singular subject.

Verb Tense Consistency: It’s crucial to maintain the same verb tense throughout a sentence or paragraph. Mixing tenses can confuse the reader and disrupt the flow of the text.

Parallelism: This refers to the use of consistent grammatical structures within a sentence. For example, “She likes swimming, running, and to bike” is incorrect because “to bike” doesn’t match the structure of the other verbs. The correct sentence would be “She likes swimming, running, and biking.”

Punctuation errors are another frequent issue on the SAT Writing and Language section. These mistakes can change the meaning of a sentence or make it difficult to understand.

Comma Splices: A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined by a comma without a conjunction. For example, “I went to the store, I bought some milk” is a comma splice. The correct way to write this would be “I went to the store, and I bought some milk” or “I went to the store; I bought some milk.”

Misplaced or Missing Commas: Commas are used to separate elements in a sentence, but they are often misplaced or omitted. For instance, “Let’s eat, Grandma!” and “Let’s eat Grandma!” have very different meanings, even though they contain the same words.

Apostrophe Errors: Apostrophes are used to show possession or to form contractions, but they are often used incorrectly. For example, “its” is a possessive pronoun, while “it’s” is a contraction for “it is.” Mixing these up is a common mistake.

Pronoun usage can be tricky, especially when it comes to ensuring that each pronoun clearly refers to a specific noun. Ambiguity in pronoun reference is a common issue.

Ambiguous Pronouns: An ambiguous pronoun is one that could refer to more than one noun. For example, in the sentence “When Susan met Sarah, she was excited,” it’s unclear whether “she” refers to Susan or Sarah. To avoid this confusion, you could rewrite the sentence as “When Susan met Sarah, Susan was excited.”

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: The pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number and gender. For example, “Every student must bring their pencil” is incorrect because “student” is singular and “their” is plural. The correct sentence would be “Every student must bring his or her pencil.”

Modifiers are words or phrases that describe something else in the sentence. Misplacing a modifier can lead to confusing or humorous sentences.

Dangling Modifiers: A dangling modifier is a descriptive word or phrase that doesn’t clearly modify a specific word in the sentence. For example, “Walking through the park, the flowers were beautiful” suggests that the flowers were walking through the park. The correct sentence would be “Walking through the park, I found the flowers beautiful.”

Misplaced Modifiers: These occur when a modifier is too far away from the word it describes, leading to confusion. For example, “She almost drove her kids to school every day” implies that she almost drove them, but didn’t. The correct sentence is “She drove her kids to school almost every day.”

Word choice is crucial in the SAT Writing and Language section. Using the wrong word can change the meaning of a sentence or make it sound awkward.

Homophones: Homophones are words that sound alike but have different meanings, such as “affect” and “effect.” It’s important to choose the correct word based on the context.

Wordiness: Being concise is key in the SAT Writing and Language section. Avoid using unnecessary words or redundant phrases that don’t add value to the sentence. For example, “In order to” can often be shortened to just “to.”

Formal vs. Informal Language: The SAT Writing and Language section expects formal language. Avoid slang, contractions, and overly casual expressions.

Sometimes, students misinterpret what the question is asking, leading to incorrect answers. It’s important to carefully read each question and understand what it requires you to do.

Overlooking Keywords: Pay attention to keywords in the question, such as “most,” “best,” or “least.” These words can significantly change the meaning of the question and the correct answer.

Assuming the Answer: Don’t assume that the first answer choice is correct just because it looks familiar. Always evaluate all the options before selecting your answer.

Many students make the mistake of focusing only on the underlined portion of the passage without considering the overall context. It’s important to read the entire passage to understand the author’s purpose and tone.

Ignoring the Author’s Tone: The tone of the passage should guide your editing choices. For example, if the passage has a formal tone, avoid introducing informal language or slang.

Not Considering the Passage as a Whole: Changes to one part of the passage can affect the overall meaning or flow. Always consider how your edits impact the passage as a whole.

Finally, one of the biggest pitfalls is failing to practice. The more you practice, the more familiar you will become with the types of questions on the SAT Writing and Language section.

Lack of Familiarity with Question Types: The SAT Writing and Language section includes various question types, such as grammar, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills. Practicing these questions can help you become more comfortable with them.

Not Timing Yourself: Time management is crucial during the SAT. Practice under timed conditions to ensure you can complete the section within the allotted time.

Now that we’ve covered the common pitfalls, here are some tips to help you avoid them:

Practice Regularly: Use SAT practice tests and resources to familiarize yourself with the question types and common mistakes.
Review Grammar Rules: Brush up on grammar rules, especially those related to sentence structure, punctuation, and pronoun usage.
Read Carefully: Always read the entire passage and question carefully before choosing an answer.
Use Process of Elimination: If you’re unsure of an answer, use the process of elimination to narrow down your options.
Stay Calm and Focused: Don’t let nerves get the best of you. Stay calm, focus on the task at hand, and trust your preparation.

Avoiding common pitfalls in the SAT Writing and Language section can significantly boost your score. By understanding and addressing these mistakes, you can approach the test with confidence and improve your performance. Remember to practice regularly, review grammar rules, and carefully read each question. With these strategies in mind, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the SAT Writing and Language section.

Also Read: Recent 100+ SAT Exam Math Questions 2024: Download Free Practice Test Top 10 SAT Tips to Help You Study and Ace the Exam in 2024 SAT Math Formulas You MUST Know Lowest SAT Score Accepted 2024 | Minimum SAT Score Requirements for Top Colleges

How to do well on SAT writing and language?

The best option is to choose “no change.” Twenty percent of the time The following are some tactics to think about when you get ready for the SAT Writing exam: Acclimate Yourself to the Time Limit. Understand the Fundamentals of Grammar. Understand Which Grammar Rules Are Tested the Most Frequently. Recognize the Format of Passages and Questions. Recognize your weaknesses.

What is a good SAT writing and language score?

You met or exceeded the benchmark (480 for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and 530 for Math) if you have a checkbox next to your score. This indicates that you will graduate from high school prepared for college. A question mark (*) indicates that you did not meet the standard.

What to expect on the SAT writing and language test?

There are 44 multiple-choice questions in this SAT exam, divided into four reading sections with 11 questions each passage. Students have thirty-five minutes to finish this task. Reading passages range in length from 400 to 450 words, depending on the content, author’s intent, and level of difficulty.

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