Frequently Seen Writing Errors

• Do not abbrev.

• About sentence fragments.

• Check to see if you any words out.

• Do not never use no double negatives.

• Do not, use commas, that are not, necessary.

• Only Proper Nouns should be Capitalized o this includes names of literary works

• 1 important point is to never start a sentence with a numerical figure (spell out the number itself). o If the number occurs midsentence, use the following rule:

spell out numbers one through nine, use numerical figures for numbers 11 – 5,378,903,398,498,420,789,098

Writing Rules!

DON’T begin sentences with “Because” / “And” / “But”

as these are connective or joining words. With the use of proper punctuation, these

should be occurring in the middle of your sentences, not at the beginning of them.

Writing Don't!

DON’T use contractions in formal writing. Save these for informal writing opportunities and/or conversations with your peers. Remember that your own voice counts, especially when you are trying to

sound edumacated through your writing.

Writing Don‘t!

DON’T use first person point of view (POV) in formal writing unless your personal experiences

and/or beliefs will help to strengthen your position. For most academic writing purposes, your

explicit opinion (saying “I think” or, “For me”) is redundant and actually weakens your credibility.

Use a third person point of view instead.

Writing Don't!

DON’T use second person point of view (POV) in formal writing. For most academic writing purposes, you should not address your reader

directly. Use a third person point of view instead.

Writing Don't!

Use grade-level appropriate (advanced!!) vocabulary words to enhance your writing. Remember that you are an educated, high school student and not a 3rd grader.

Words such as • like / thing / a lot / many

or other words commonly used by a 10 year old are not appropriate for your formal writing assignments.

Word Choice 101

INFORMAL FORMALyou (people in general) we / one / peoplestart begin / commencesomebody / anybody everybody / nobody

someone / anyone / everyone / no one

guy man / gentleman / young man / boykid child / youth / adolescentlady womana lot a great deal / much / very much /

greatly / immensely a lot of several / a number of /

a great deal of

Word Choice 101

INFORMAL FORMALvery / really / extremely

highly / exceedingly / excessively

kind of / sort of / pretty

somewhat / rather / moderately

too also / as welltotally completely / entirely / thoroughlymom / dad mother / fatherBut (as a sentence starter) HoweverAnd (as a sentence starter) Furthermore / AdditionallySo (as a sentence starter) Therefore / As a result

Word Choice 101

INFORMAL FORMALstuff items / belongings /

possessions / materialsbe going to (future tense) will / intend tohave to must / be required to / be

compelled toright now / right away at once / immediatelylike (as a comparison) such as towards toward pretty much essentially / for the most part /

virtually

Word Choice 101

lj

Homophone HorrorsJust because two words sound the same,

that doesn't mean they are the same.

They’re over there with their friends.• They're is a contraction of they are. • There refers to a place; • Their is a possessive pronoun;

Other examples of this maddening phenomenon are: where/were/we’re no/know/now your/you’reto/too/two when/went are/ourhere/hear weather/whether led/lead right/write through/threw red/read

The way you format the title of a work (a book, an article, a poem, a television show, etc.) can affect the clarity of

what you are trying to communicate in your paper.

Formatting Titles

Type of Source / Document Title Formatbook or a play

periodical (magazine, newspaper) film or TV show

CD or Albumreference book (dictionary, encyclopedia)

Underline or Italicize (be consistent!)

short storypoem

article from a periodical song

single episode of TV show

“Quotation Marks”

Your own title (the title of your paper)

Plain Text (no bold, no quotation marks,

no all caps, no underline)