Common Common errorserrors

in essay in essay writingwriting

DON’TS• DO NOT CHANGE OR INVENT

INFORMATION FROM THE TEXT The speaker seems to be old , around 70, since…..

• NO RE-TELLING Just refer to the instances you need to answer your question

• DO NOT USE THE WORD “DURING” TO REFER TO THE PLOT, IT RELATED TO TIME.

• “along” or “ throughout” the story…..

• DO NOT UNDERLINE OR SUBMIT A TITLE TO THE PRARAGRAPHS Academic essays do not allow this format

DON’TS CONT

• DO NOT MOVE AWAY FROM THE TOPIC YOU HAVE TO DEVELOP.

Mention the feelings, quote showing the imagery used, and explain what the quotation means ,or how it can be interpreted

• DO NOT CHANGE THE TENSE OF THE VERB.

Stick to the simple present in the correct form • DO NOT PROVIDE DEFINITIONS OF

DEVICEJust apply them in the analysis.

Don’ts cont•Avoid the use of contractions (isn’t- or informal forms: ain’t- ‘cause. The style has to be formal

•Avoid the use of words devoided of meaning- she forgets some things…..Just tell….

Dos•Account for your inferences, or deductions: always explain hoe you came to think like that

•Use hedges: tentative language:

adverbs: possibly, likely, probably…Verbs: maybe, seem, appears….Modal verbs:might, could, would….

•Connect each paragraph with the thesis of your essay

•Reflect over the message of the poem/text

Dos•Open a new paragraph when changing the topic of discussion

•After you write the essay, edit it, that is, check spelling and grammar mistakes

In spelling and grammar

• Deal with, Dealt 1-the teacher dealt with the student’s

indiscipline effectively2- We dealt with this book Last year• “Actual” “actually” : it’s a false cognate,

that is, similar spelling to the Spanish word but different meaning. It means: in fact, really, as in:

They are not English, actually, the are Irish.

• REFER TO SOMETHING ABOUT The poet refers to her poem about

death• DESPITE + NOUNHe kept working despite his illness• Use of pronouns: never use a

pronoun unless you have mentioned the noun before

• Use of demonstratives: This girl- these girls

• Transitive verbs are followed by a noun or noun phrase

Intransitive verbs are NOTe.g. The man appearsThe accident took place Yesterday occurred /happenedThe girls disappearedAdjectives modify nouns, they can not be

used to repace themException : the rich, the handicapped, the

French— “The important” is ungrammatical

• Children .plural/Child . Singular

• Begin- begin+n+ing

• Do not write ”It is shown how….”, but “ The poem shows/ the author shows how….”

• MURDER VS MURDERER