Common Paragraph Writing Errors

1. Common Paragraph Writing Errors

2. Maintain Present Verb Tense Don’t: Tessie did not want to show her slip of paper when the townspeople ask to see it. Past tense Do: Tessie does not want to show her slip of paper when the townspeople ask to see it. Present tense

3. Integrate/Introduce Your Quotations Don’t: Old Man Warner thinks the other villages should not give up the lottery “pack of crazy fools” (3). Sentence Structure Do: Old Man Warner thinks the other villages should not give up the lottery. He calls them a “pack of crazy fools” (3).

4. Integrate/Introduce Your Quotations Don’t: Tessie almost forgets about the ceremony and worries she will be late, “You’re in time, though” (2). Comma splice and switching out of 3rd person perspective Do: Tessie almost forgets about the ceremony and worries she will be late. Mrs. Delacroix tells her “[she’s] in time, though” (2).

5. Cite Quotations Properly Don’t: “It’s Tessie.” Everyone realizes that Tessie has the… “It’s Tessie” (page 5). Everyone realizes that Tessie has the… Do: “It’s Tessie” (5). Everyone realizes that Tessie has the…

6. Follow Proper PPA Structure Do: Point : Firstly, it is important for society to fully understand its traditions so that practicing a tradition yields positive results. The townspeople comment about how many aspects of their tradition have changed over the years which results in many people not fully understanding their current practices. Proof: As part of the lottery, Mr. Summers has to be sworn in, but “at one time, some people remembered, there had been a recital of some sort” (2). Analysis: The tradition of the lottery has been practiced for so many generations that the current generation does not recall how some of the ceremony is supposed to be performed. The lottery paraphernalia is symbolic of this lack of understanding. It is impossible for the current generation to fully understand the ceremony and the reasons behind it because the current generation did not construct the practice or the paraphernalia. Therefore, it is important for society to fully understand its traditions so that practicing a tradition yields positive results.

7. Tie Back to Your Thesis and ECD in Your Analysis Do: Thesis: In Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery”, the symbolism of the black box and other paraphernalia and practices associated with the ritual of the lottery demonstrates that it is important for society to fully understand its traditions so that practicing a tradition yields positive results. If a tradition is not fully understood, there is more opportunity for the tradition to be warped and destructive. Analysis: The tradition of the lottery has been practiced for so many generations that the current generation does not recall how some of the ceremony is supposed to be performed. The lottery paraphernalia is symbolic of this lack of understanding. It is impossible for the current generation to fully understand the ceremony and the reasons behind it because the current generation did not construct the practice or the paraphernalia. Therefore, it is important for society to fully understand its traditions so that practicing a tradition yields positive results.

8. Understanding My Feedback • sp = incorrect spelling • ss = sentence structure (the sentence is grammatically incorrect) • wc/ww = word choice/wrong word (the word you have used is incorrect, strange, or unclear) • cs = comma splice (you have joined two sentences together with a comma) • AWK = awkward phrasing (a combination of incorrect grammar and/or word choice) • p = incorrect punctuation (you’ve used the wrong punctuation mark) • sf = sentence fragment (incomplete sentence) • vt = verb tense (past, present, future tense)