THE COMMON

ErROrS

WORKSHOP

conjunctions

• NO ‘BUT’ with although. Choose one

AND, BUT, BECAUSE, SO

Don’t start sentences with these.WHAT CAN you USE INSTEAD? e.g.but: however, nonetheless, yetAND: in addition, furthermore, moreoverSo: therefore, hence, as a result, subsequently

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

Golden RuleGolden Rule•Singular Singular

Subject – Subject – Singular Singular VerbVerb

•Plural Plural Subject – Subject – Plural VerbPlural Verb

PUNCTUATION

•Use Capital letters with Title Case & Proper Nouns (names of ppl, places).

e.g. Titles: The Sun and MoonA Man, an Orange and the CowThe Role of Women in Society

;The semi-colon is used when 2 sentences are INTIMATELY linked.

e.g. Oil prices soared (complete sentence); all other commodity prices followed suit plunging many national economies into recession (complete sentence).

Golden rule: Both sides of the semi-colon must be complete sentences and can stand alone.If you aren’t sure how to use it, DON’T. You can do without. Use a full-stop.

Don’t use Commas with conjunctions (and, but, or, so,

because)

Run-on sentences

• The grammar crime: Run-on sentences join two or more complete sentences with no punctuation.

Michaela loves to draw horses she is a talented artist.

The airport is about to shut down because of the snow and if the plane doesn't land soon it will have to go on to Boston.

Marcellino always knew his way around the woods this is something he could always depend on.

Run-ons• 1. We can separate the two clauses

into two sentences.• Outlaw: Miranda was the lead vocalist

in her band it was a punk rock band.

• Rehabilitated: Miranda was the lead vocalist in her band. It was a punk rock band. 

Run-ons

• 2. We can replace the comma with a semi-colon.

• Outlaw: Gordon laughed at Sandy's joke it was lewd.

• Rehabilitated: Gordon laughed at Sandy's joke; it was lewd. 

Run-ons

• 3.  We can replace the comma with a co-ordinating conjunction (and, but, or, for, yet, nor, or so).

• Outlaw: The night was cold we forgot to bring our coats.

• Rehabilitated:The night was cold, and we forgot to bring out coats. 

Run-ons

• 4. We can replace the comma with a subordinating conjunction (e.g., after, although, before, unless, as, because, even though, if, since, until, when, while).

• Outlaw: Maria and John like skiing Karen does not.

• Rehabilitated: Although Maria and John like skiing, Karen does not. 

Run-ons

• 5.  We can replace the comma with a semi-colon and transitional word (e.g., however, moreover, on the other hand, nevertheless, instead, also, therefore, consequently, otherwise, as a result).

• Outlaw: I expected to pay ten dollars for the bus ride to Halifax I was wrong.

• Rehabilitated: I expected to pay ten dollars for the bus ride to Halifax; however, I was wrong. 

WANNA, GONNA,guys.cool!

Colloquialisms/SLANG are not for formal writing no matter how cool they sound

TO BUY / FOR BUYING

These boots are made for walking. (to state the function only).

Use the infinitive ‘to buy’ in all other cases e.g. I took money with me to buy those very fashionable boots.

speling

‘I’ before ‘e’ except after ‘c’With the /i/ sound

Conceive concieve Receive receive

perceive percieve

believe believe

WHEN PRONUNCIATION DOESN’T MATCH spelling

Comparative Comperative

Sincerly sincerely sinciearly

Separate Seperate

Wednesday Wensday

Weird wierdFriend freind

When it does

• puting (like puking) putting • Swiming (like sun shining) swimming

• Studing (like pudding) studying• Writting (like hitting) writing• Suprise (like supper) surprise

• Thier (like cashier) their• Responsability responsibility

• Than (taller than me) then (next)

DOUBLING UP

• possession

• Mississippi

• Commitment - YES, THAT’S CORRECT

• Committee

• TRY THIS: EMBARASSMENT? EMBARRASSMENT?

confused words

• Accept, Except• Affect, Effect• Advise, Advice• Conscious, Conscience• Idea, Ideal• Its, It's• Lead, Led• Than, Then• There, They're• To, Too, Two• We're, Where, Were• Your, You're• All ready/already• All right/alright• All together/altogether

Anyone/any one• Anyway/any way • Awhile/a while

Maybe/may be

MIXING PARTS OF SPEECH

John is kindness(n. – should be an adj.), so many people want to chat with him.

John is so kind that many people want to chat with him.  

tenses

• Randy, had you come to Korea ? NO

• Have you ever been to Korea, Randy ? 

questions

• Direct: Where do you live?(WH- + aux verb + subject + base verb)

Who is his sister?

(WHO + verb-to-be + subject)

INDIRECT QUESTIONS• Can you tell me where the bank is? (not where is the

bank). Direct question: Where is the bank?• I don’t know where he lives. (not where does he live –

this is for DIRECT questions)

I am agree

‘VERB TO BE’ AND OTHER VERBS‘PRESENT CONTINUOUS’ – this gives you 2

verbs directly next to each other which is incorrect.

e.g. of 2 verbs next to each other - incorrectI'm heard music. I am listen to some music now.  (‘am listening’ is 1

verb although it uses 2 words) I have go to Flekke Shop. (‘have gone’ is 1 verb)

Too cold VERSUS so cold

• NOT SO GOOD (slang) How are you? Not so good. • NOT VERY GOOD. The film was not

very good.

Relative clauses

The research what she is currently working on is the most important in the University.

• The research that she is currently working on is the most important in the University.

The research she is currently working on is the most important in the University, what is remarkable.

• The research she is currently working on is the most important in the University, which is remarkable.

passive

Many students is support by their parents.

• (subject-verb agreement + two verb error)

• Many students are supported by their parents.

ARTICLESARTICLES

Go online and do exercises till you crack this one.

Common errors in

LiTERARY

ESSAYS

The Title

1. Use Title Case – see punctuating titles in earlier slide2. A title should not say ‘Comparative Commentary’ or ‘Critical Essay’. Name the THEME or ISSUE to be discussed

Introducing Texts• AUTHOR• TYPE OF TEXT (e.g. biography, poem, play/dramatic presentation, article)• TITLE OF TEXT

Punctuating Titles of TextsUNDERLINE full works , books, novels, anthologies, playsSomehow Tenderness Survives The Picture of Dorian GrayUse ‘inverted commas’ for short stories and poems ‘A Rose for Emily’ ‘Lady Lazarus’

The Introduction• Start w a few interesting, general

comments on the topic (2-3 sentences, don’t be long-winded)

• Lead in to the Thesis Statement (1 sentence only. Let it be concise)

• Starting an introduction with the thesis is a harsh beginning.

• Let the thesis stmt be the last sentence in the introduction.

Write in Paragraphs• Leave a line between paragraphs to

make it obvious that you are starting a new one.

• Start each paragraph with a TOPIC SENTENCE (a detailed, concise mini-thesis for the paragraph).

• Discuss ONE idea per paragraph and do it thoroughly so you won’t repeat the same points later in other paragraphs.

REDUNDANT SENTENCES• Would you lose anything if you took

out that sentence or phrase? If your answer is ‘no’, take it out.

• Why say something if it doesn’t mean much?

• Why point out something if you don’t relate it to the theme or issue?

• Ah, a cup! (Great. So what?)

WHAT WHAT EXACTLYEXACTLY ARE YOU ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? TALKING ABOUT?

“This shows that there are different points of view which sometimes overlap with one another and at other times differ although they both highlight the theme.” - pointless

This (what?) shows that there are different points of view(what are they?) which sometimes overlap with one another (how?) and at other times differ (when?) although they both highlight the theme(what theme?).”

Is the Pope Catholic?

DON’T STATE THE OBVIOUS. IT IS AN INSULT TO INTELLIGENCE.

“There are differences between the two works.”

(Hell, yeah.)

Each sentence counts!Each sentence counts!

Make every sentence MEANINGFUL (RICH WITH MEANING)

Avoid short or vague sentences. You can easily connect them to the previous sentence or add more detail to give them more weight.

Formal Register

• Avoid writing in first or second person – I, you, we. ‘We’ is a little more forgivable but aim to write in 3rd person as far as possible in academic writing

• Write in full – Cannot, not can’t. Do not, not don’t.

• Say ‘no’ to colloquialism, slang and informal expressions. (say ‘man’, not ‘guy’)

I didn’t say that!

• Don’t put words into the character’s/author’s mouth.

• If you can’t prove it from the text either directly or indirectly, you’re making it up and the author/character is not going to like that.

THE READER CAN READ

If you are going to re-tell the story, don’t bother.

The reader of your essay can read the story himself.

Your job is to INTERPRET THE MEANING of what happened in the story.

This might seem contradictory but….

Assume the reader hasn’t read the text.

Now what? You can’t re-tell the story but you have to assume the reader hasn’t

read it. What do you do?Go on and interpret but give sufficient

detail about the character or events while you do this so that the reader can put two and two together even without

reading the text.

INTERPRETATION FIRST

State the argument in the topic sentence of the paragraph and use

details/events from the texts as EVIDENCE. (not the other way

around)

avoid rhetorical questions

THE SHOPPING LIST

You recognise all the stylistic devices in the book! That’s great BUT can you explain how they each support theme/purpose of the text? If you can’t, don’t mention the device in the first place.

Where should you discuss them? Immediately after you quote evidence in

each paragraph. Analyse the evidence’s style.

Use the

simple present tense

“First person narration is subjective”

Generalisations about devices that don’t tell you about the theme specifically are useless.

The more relevant question is: So what if you get a subjective p.o.v.

or if it is more objective? What’s the difference in relation to this THEME in particular? If you can’t answer that question, don’t mention the device.

“Quote, end quote”

•Don’t use brackets.•e.g. X describes Y as “ …” continue with your interpretation

•As X says, “…..”, it can be argued that ..

•The narrator makes a complaint: “……”.

OVERQUOTINGYou know you’re overquoting when most of the

paragraph is in inverted commas than in your own words.

When should I “quote directly”?

a) if you plan to analyse the quote’s stylistic devices

b) when your INTERPRETATION is more complicated than it is obvious.

You don’t have to quote directly if it’s more or less obvious. Paraphrase but cite line e.g.

Billy feels like he is flying (line 19) when he is able to create spontaneous comedy.

The blue phrase says what is written in the text but not ad verbatim and doesn’t need to be, since the meaning is direct.

The Conclusion• Reiterate the Thesis Stmt• Don’t waste time summarising all the

points you just made in the body. You’ll end up sounding like a broken record

• Think broadly and engage in a ToK discussion on the topic, even when writing a personal response. Be insightful. Don’t just say something that more or less means this: “I thought it was interesting” or “I like it”

AHEM…THAT REALLY WAS THE CONCLUSION