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Common Errors of English

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Hari Rynn
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12 views

Common Errors of English

Uploaded by

Hari Rynn
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Most Common

Writing Errors
For Formal and Academic
Papers
Academic writing is different from
creative writing or journalistic
writing!
• Do not write the way you speak.
• Do not use slang.
• Do not expect your reader to know what
you mean.
• Do not write in fragments.
• Use complete sentences.
• Always use Standard Written English
(SWE)
Bad Habits to Avoid in Academic
Writing
• Second person “you”
• Inconsistent person
• Inconsistent tense
• Abbreviations
• Do not use: ya, thru, wanna, gonna
• Do not use: etc., &
• Avoid ending verbs with “en” or “in”
instead of “ing”: waitin, watchen
Pronoun/Antecedent
Agreement and Reference
• Pronouns take the place of nouns
(he, she, it, they, I, you)
• The antecedent is the word to
which the pronoun refers. For
example: Mary went to the store
and she bought candy. (Mary is the
antecedent for the pronoun she.)
Mechanical Rules
• Numbers – Never begin a sentence
with a number.(Spell it out.)
• All numbers below 100 should be
spelled out. Those above 100 are
optional but should be consistent.
Commonly Misspelled Words

• your you’re
• to too two
• there their they’re
• its it’s
• quite quiet
• than then
• whose who’s
Unnecessary Repetition

• A round circle
• Refer back
• An eyewitness present at the scene
• The whole entire world
Words and Phrases to Avoid
• A-lot is two words – very, thing, you, I
• Avoid beginning sentences with conjunctions (for, and,
nor, but, or, yet, so)
• Avoid contractions
• There are no such words as: theirself, hisself, alright. Write
themselves, himself, all right.
• Do not capitalize subjects like biology, math, science,
history.
• Use the word “finish” instead of “done”
• Use “who” when referring to people.
• The party would (of, have) made me happy.
Parts of Speech
• Nouns – person, place, thing
• Pronouns – take the place of a noun
• Verbs – action words
• Adjectives – Describes a noun or pronoun
• Adverbs – Describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb
• Prepositions – Form a phrase modifying another word in a
sentence. Usually show movement such as around, under,
over, into, through, etc.
• Conjunctions – Connect words, phrases, clauses: for, and,
nor, but, or, yet, so
• Interjections – Express surprise or emotion. (Oh! Hey!
Wow!).
Review of
The Notorious Confusables
1. His dismissal (affected, effected) me.
2. My goal is to (affect, effect) a change
in this company.
3. We know that many obstacles (lay,
lie) in our path.
4. You can (lay, lie) the report on my
desk.
5. We were (all together, altogether) in
the conference room.
Review
6. His argument was (all together,
altogether) wrong.
7. Be sure to (bring, take) your laptop
to the meeting in Chicago.
8. Please (bring, take) me that memo.
9. I (accept, except) your offer.
10. John’s boss (accepted, excepted)
him from the general criticism.
Review

11. (Less, fewer) than 100 people


work for our company.
12. Now that he’s earning (less,
fewer) money, he’s making (less,
fewer) large expenditures.
Spell-check won’t catch these!

• cite/site
• complement/compliment
• council/counsel
• farther/further
• liable/libel
• principal/principle
• stationary/stationery
Avoid Redundancy in
Speech and Writing

 At this point in time-NOW


 In spite of the fact that-ALTHOUGH
 Cooperate together-COOPERATE
 Owing to the fact that-BECAUSE,SINCE
 On account of the fact that-BECAUSE
 During the time that-WHILE
 In an efficient manner-EFFICIENTLY
 Where we’re at-WHERE WE ARE
Exercise 1-Common Errors
1.I and he went to the park.
2.They had been looking for me, you
and Amir.
3.The committee were divided on the
question of whom to elect as chair.
4.Inspite of our persistent efforts my
group failed to meet the target.
•5.He is one of my acquaintance but
I have no access to his house.
Continued
6.One of my best friend lives near my
house.
7.Each of them were busy with their
work.
8.Either the architect or the builder
were to blame.
9.Neither of the bills are accurate.
10.English cars are inferior in quality
and in appearance than imported
ones.
Answer Key-1
1.I and he went to the park.
•He and I (2nd person,1st person
always in the end)
2.They had been looking for me, you
and Amir.
•Amir, you and me (3rd, 2nd, ist
person)
Continued
3.The committee were divided on the
question of whom to elect as chair.
•Was, Committee-collective
noun ,singular verb
4.Inspite of our persistent efforts my
group failed to meet the target.
•In spite of (written separately) or
despite our ......
Continued
5.He is one of my acquaintance but I
have no access to his house.
•Acquaintances (one of..... follows
plural noun)
6.One of my best friend lives near
my house.
•Friends (one of..... follows plural
noun)
Continued
7.Each of them were busy with their
work.
•Was (each....follows singular verb)
8.Either the architect or the builder
were to blame.
•Was (either....or.....followed by
singular verb)
Continued
9.Neither of the bills are accurate.
•Is (neither ….followed by singular
verb)
10.English cars are inferior in quality
and in appearance than imported
ones.
•To (inferior, superior, junior, senior
followed by to)
Quiz/Exercise 2-Common
Errors
1.Your’s sincerely.
2.The driver who’s leg was
amputated has had to take early
retirement.
3.My aunty and uncle are selling
there car.
4.The cat moves it’s tail with venom.
Continued
5.He does’nt expect to pass the
examination and he is thoroughly
depressed.
6.Their house is infront of our’s.
7.Our rivals have been more
aggressive in marketing then us.
Continued
8.I went back to insure that the
children were not upto any mischief.
9.It has been snowing since four
days.
10.The principle of the college
addressed the assembly.
11.The new school regulations will
have various different effects.
12.The head came of the hammer, it
broke the glass.
Continued
13.The spokesman said, ‘No
comment’, ‘No comment?’ said the
journalist unbelievingly. ‘That’s what I
said!’ Insisted the spokesman. ‘No
comment.’
14.As she turned into the street, she
abruptly applied the breaks in front of
the five story building.
15.The affects of the storm could be
seen everywhere.
Answer Key-2
1.Yours sincerely.
2.The driver whose leg was
amputated has had to take early
retirement.
3.My aunty and uncle are selling
their car.
4.The cat moves its tail with venom.
5.He doesn’t expect to pass the
examination and he is thoroughly
depressed.
Answer Key-2
6.Their house is in front of ours.
7.Our rivals have been more
aggressive in marketing than us.
8.I went back to ensure that the
children were not upto any mischief.
9.It has been snowing for four days.
10.The principal of the college
addressed the assembly.
Answer Key-2
11.The new school regulations will
have various/different effects.
12.The head came off the hammer,
it broke the glass.
13.The spokesman said, ‘No
comment’. ‘No comment?’ said the
journalist unbelievingly.
‘That’s what I said!’ Insisted the
spokesman. ‘No comment.’
Answer Key-2
14.As she turned into the street, she
abruptly applied the brakes in front
of the five storey building.
15.The effects of the storm could
be seen everywhere.
Any Questions?

Thanks!

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