It’s a common occurrence for anyone to have errors in their writing—we’re all human, right? But wouldn’t it be nice to avoid them altogether?
By being more alert to typical pitfalls, you’ll save a lot of time on revisions and write essays that are clearer and more coherent from the start. Also, readers will find your message more trustworthy; even small errors in your writing can take away from your credibility.
The most commonly made mistakes tend to fall into five categories:
Format and Style
Essay organization and inconsistencies in overall tone and style are an important place to be on the lookout for errors. Here are a few steps to help you format your own writing correctly:
Use paragraphs
This one seems easy, right? But it might surprise you to find how often paragraphs aren’t put together correctly or are left out altogether. Always remember to layout all written work using structured paragraphs.
Include all parts of your essay
Double-check to make sure you have an introduction, supporting details, and a conclusion. Without all of these essential parts, your essay won’t be coherent or complete.
Keep the focus on your central purpose
Everything you write should support your main idea. Don’t wander. Always refer back to your thesis statement or essay’s purpose to make sure you are staying on point.
Avoid fragments and run-on sentences
Incomplete thoughts or thoughts that go on and on are poor writing tactics. Be sure you are writing in complete sentences; at a minimum, each sentence should include a noun and a verb.
Don’t be repetitive or lengthy
State what needs to be stated and then move on. Repetitive and lengthy essays are boring for your reader and ineffective in getting your message across on paper.
Keep your tone and point of view consistent
Decide what your tone is and stick with it throughout your essay. If you are serious in your introduction, stay serious throughout. If you are trying to be humorous, keep up the humor throughout.
Also, keep your point of view consistent. Choose to tell your story in the first, second, or third person and avoid switching in between!
Grammar
When you are writing anything, regardless of what it is for, make sure the grammar is accurate. In writing (as opposed to speaking), there is a permanent record of your words. Improve your grammar usage with these helpful hints:
Make sure subjects and verbs agree
This means that the subject has the correct verb form next to it.
For example,
I was at the party. We were at the party.
I was and we were are both in agreement. However, if you flip them, I were and we was, you are using the wrong verb form for each subject.
Take a look at this example:
I seen this girl at the party. She was hot!
The correct verb tense is I saw this girl. Verbs need to agree in the present and past tenses as well.
Identify pronouns
Spelling
While Spelling is very helpful, it doesn’t catch everything. Start by being aware of words that are often misspelled and keep track of your own words that seem to stump you.
Learn to spell the most commonly misspelled words
Here are a few words to learn and file away for future use. Write this list on a big piece of paper and keep it nearby when you start an essay:
Word Usage
Choosing the correct word to use can sometimes be tricky. Here are a few of the most common words people confuse when writing:
Onto vs. On To
Use onto when you mean on top of:
He lifted the book onto the shelf.
Use on to when the verb needs on in order to function:
He logged on to his computer.
Affect vs. Effect
Affect is a Verb. Effect is a noun.
Punctuation
Puncuation mistakes can be the hardest to detect since they are minor details. But keep in mind even the smallest details can have an enormous impact on your writing.
Commas
There are way too many comma rules to mention all of them here. However, one of the most basic is to use a comma to address someone or separate a thought.
Check out this common example:
Let’s eat, Grandma.
Let’s eat Grandma.
In the first sentence, you’re suggesting to grandma that it is time to eat. In the second, you’re suggesting that you eat Grandma. That’s a BIG difference made by one little comma.
Possessives
To make a singular noun possessive, you usually add an apostrophe then an s.
This is the little girl’s room.
To make a plural possessive, simply add an apostrophe to the word.
All of the girls’ rooms need to be cleaned.
Capitalization
Wondering what to capitalize? Do you capitalize seasons? Do you capitalize holidays?
Here are a few reminders:
By avoiding some common writing errors, your writing will be more clear, coherent, and intelligent. If you pay attention to these details, you can write a college essay that stands out for all of the right reasons. Being precise in your word usage, punctuation, and grammar will create an essay that looks polished and is ready to be taken seriously.