Common Errors

1. Common Errors

2. Sentence fragment • A complete sentence contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. Common error #1

3. Comma Splice • A comma splice occurs when a comma is used for a semicolon or period. Common error #2

4. Run-on sentence • A run-on sentence occurs when a necessary semicolon or period is omitted. Common error #3

5. Illogical use of a semicolon • For example, between a clause and a phrase or between a dependent and an independent clause Common error #4

6. Lack of agreement between subject and verb Common error #5

7. Faulty use of pronoun – case, reference, number Common error #6

8. Other comma errors • Failure to use comma between independent clauses joined by a conjunction • Failure to use comma after introductory clause or phrase Common error #7

9. Misspelling common words Common error #8

10. lead = v.: to guide • Ex. – I will lead the way. • lead = n.: metallic element • Ex. – She hit him with a lead pipe. • led = v.: past tense of the verb lead • Ex. – I led him to the treasure. lead – lead - led

11. primitive • questionnaire • receive • rhythm • separate Spell it correctly!

12. principal = adj.: main, chief; n.: head of school, leader • Ex. – Our principal, Mrs. Mote, will be the principal speaker at graduation. • principle = n.: law, truth, doctrine, or code of conduct • Ex. – Most of the moral principles that people live by are learned from their parents. principal - principle

13. their = possessive pronoun • Ex. – their car, their friend, their house • they’re = contraction for “they are” • Ex. – They’re going to a party. • there = adv.: toward that place • Ex. – Stand over there. their – they’re - there

14. to = prep. & infinitive • Ex. – I plan to read tonight. • two = n.: number • Ex. – I have two sons. • too = adv.: more than enough • Ex. – You study too much. to – two - too

15. succeed – successful • suppressed • truly • unnoticed • woman – women • quite – quiet – quit • going to • occasion Spell & use it correctly!

16. embarrassment – harassment • exaggerate • familiar – similar • grammar Spell & use it correctly!

17. stationary = adj.: not moving • Ex. The seats in the auditorium are stationary. • stationery = n.: writing materials • Her letter was written on pink stationery. stationary - stationery

18. until = prep.: before a specified time, up to the time of • Ex. – We can’t leave until Monday. • till = vt.: prepare land for planting crops • The farmer tilled the land. until - till

19. weather = n.: temperature • whether = conj.: used to introduce alternatives • Ex. – How favorable the weather is will determine whether or not we’ll go camping. weather - whether

20. then = adv.: consequently; at the time; next • Ex. – If you’re running late, then you better hurry. • than = conj.: comparative • Ex. – I am a safer driver than you. then - than

21. through = prep.: in one side and out the other; finished • I went through the garage door. • threw = v.: discharged into the air (past tense of the verb “throw”) • Ex. – I threw the ball through the window. through - threw

22. were = verb • Ex. – You were being paged. • where = adv.: at or in what place • Ex. – Where are the restrooms? were - where

23. belief = n.: something accepted as true • Ex. – Christians share a belief in life after death. • believe = vt.: to have confidence in the truth or existence of something • Ex. – Many people believe Seinfeld is very funny. belief - believe

24. People are hanged. • Lynching = always use hang. • Ex. – They hanged him at sunrise. They decided to hang him. • Objects are hung. • Objects = past tense = hung • Ex. – I will hang the clothes out. The clothes hung on the line. • Hung also indicates a standstill: • Ex. – hung up in traffic, a hung jury, hung on every word hanged - hung

25. complement = n.: something that completes; vt.: serve as complement to • Ex. – The dessert was a complement to the delicious dinner. • compliment = n.: an expression of courtesy or praise • You have paid me a great compliment. complement - compliment

26. allusion = n.: an implied or indirect reference • Ex. – He has the Midas touch. • illusion = n.: something that deceives or misleads • Ex. – We see motion movies because of an optical illusion. • disillusion = vt.: to disappoint • Ex. – The Viet Nam veterans were disillusioned by the war. allusion – illusion - disillusion

27. affect = vt.: to influence; strong feeling having active consequences • Ex. – Was your decision affected by his comments? • effect = n.: a result; vt.: to accomplish • Ex. – What effect will his promotion have on you? (noun) • Ex. – The heavy ice and snowstorm effected a change in their vacation plans. (verb) • HINT: for effect, substitute “result” or “resulted in” affect - effect

28. advice = n.: a recommendation, an opinion, information • advise = vt.: to inform, to notify, to recommend • Ex. – I advise you to follow your parents’ advice. advice - advise

29. accommodate • acknowledge – acknowledgment • judge - judgment Spell it correctly!

30. loose = adj.: not tight • Ex. – The pants are loose. • lose = v.: unable to find or keep • Ex. – You may lose your parking space. loose - lose

31. Use “a” before a word beginning with a consonant sound. • Use “an” before a word beginning with a vowel sound. • Ex. – a house an hour ago an early departure a - an

32. your = possessive pronoun • Ex. – your mother, your car • you’re = contraction for “you are” • Ex. – You’reyour mother’s child. your – you’re

33. because = conj.: since; for the reason that • Ex. – The students failed because they did not hand in their assignments. • DO NOT use because after “the reason” • cause = n.: something leading to an effect or consequence; vt.: to be the cause of • Ex. – The cause of freedom is noble. • The shark was the cause of great fear. because - cause

34. analysis = n.: separation of a whole into parts • Ex. – The blood analysis revealed no infectious disease. • analyzing = vt.: to separate into parts • Ex. – The lab assistant was analyzing the blood. analysis - analyzing

35. all right, a lot = two words! • Do NOT use “a lot” in formal writing. • allot = vt.: to divide or distribute by share • Ex. - We will allot the scholarships alright - alot

36. desert = n.: a very dry region • Ex. – We made sure we had enough water when we crossed the desert. • dessert = n.: sweet food • Ex. – We eat dessert after every evening meal. desert - dessert

37. forty • fourth • forth Spell & use these correctly!

38. foreword = n.: preface of introductory note at the beginning of a book • Ex. – The author’s explanation was in the foreword. • forward = adj. & adv.: at, near or belonging to the front; forward/bold; frontward • Adj. Ex. – a forward nation • Adv. Ex. – come forward; I look forward to seeing you. foreword - forward

39. explain = v.: to make understandable • Ex. – I will explain the rules. • explanation = n.: something that explains • The explanation was brief. explain - explanation

40. capital = city • capitol = building • Ex. – We toured the capitol in Austin, thecapitalof Texas. capital - capitol

41. council = n.: a group of deliberators • Ex. – The council met yesterday. • counsel = n.: advice, guidance • Ex. She accepted his wise counsel. • consul = n.: advisor to another country • The consul in Mexico is negotiating for the U.S. council – counsel- consul

42. conscious = adj.: capable of thought or perception • Ex. – Please remain conscious in class. • conscience = n.: to know wrong • Ex. – The serial killer had no conscience. conscious – conscience

43. argue – argument

44. accept = vt.: to receive with consent • except = prep.: but, with the exclusion of • Ex. – I accept all of your suggestions except this one. accept - except

45. genius = n.: exceptional intellectual & creative power • Ex. – My brother is a genius. • ingenious = adj.: imaginative, brilliant in creating & devising • Ex. – His plan was ingenious. • ingenuous = adj.: lacking worldliness & sophistication; honest • Ex. – Her ingenuous spirit was refreshing. Genius – ingenious - ingenuous

46. A speaker IMPLIES. A listener INFERS. • imply = v.: to suggest, to hint • Ex. – Mrs. Lane implied that women were superior. • infer = v.: to draw a conclusion by reasoning or from evidence. • Ex. – I inferred that she was teasing. imply - infer

47. height – eighth • irritable • lonely – loneliness • misspell – misspelling • Negroes – heroes – tomatoes • obstacle • occurred – occurrence • possession - possessed Spell these correctly!

48. proceed = v.: to advance, continue • Ex. – I think we should proceed. • precede = v.: to be, go or come ahead of something else • Ex. – In the procession, the faculty precedes the students. • procedure = n.: a course of action • Ex. – If you want to develop the film, you must follow the proper procedure. proceed – precede - procedure

49. businessman – businessmen • committee • dilemma, condemn • disastrous • controversy • hypocrisy • democracy • decide • divide • devices How do we use these words?

50. criticize = vt.: to judge harshly • Ex. – The minister was criticized unfairly. • criticism = n.: making discriminating judgments • Ex. – The criticism of the novel reveals differing viewpoints. criticize - criticism