Essay Writing-Correcting Common Mistakes

Avoiding Errors Helps Readers Understand One’s Paper

Sep 28, 2009

Some errors in essays are easy to overlook, but others can make a paper difficult to read. Below find some common writing mistakes and how to avoid them.

An earlier article looked at mistakes in essays involving the use of pronouns. This essay looks at other common mistakes. Errors in writing can make readers dismiss one's message, not just because it makes it seem like the writer didn't care enough to polish his writing, but also because the mistakes can be distracting to readers. Here are other common writing mistakes found in essays and how to fix them.

Sentence Fragments

All sentences must have a subject and a verb (for example, "he talked" or "the dog ran") to be considered a complete sentence. Sometimes a writer may be unsure if a sentence is complete, but very often he will “add” another sentence to a thought that is actually only a fragment and should be incorporated into the previous or next sentence.

Here is an example of a sentence fragment: High school teachers very often only have one planning period in which they must grade papers, prepare for other classes, etc. Which is why they must utilize this time wisely. The second “sentence” is only a fragment. Viewing the phrase as a fragment may be easier when you pull it out of context: Which is why they must utilize this time wisely. By itself, writers can usually see that this phrase is not a complete thought.

There are several ways this error can be corrected. One way is to combine the two sections: High school teachers very often only have one planning period in which they must grade papers, prepare for other classes, etc., which is why they must utilize this time wisely. Another way is to make the fragment into another complete sentence: High school teachers very often only have one planning period in which they must grade papers, prepare for other classes, etc. They must utilize this time wisely to get all of their work done.

Relying Solely on Spell Checkers

While word processing programs’ spelling and grammar checkers (found in Microsoft Word, for example) can be helpful, don’t rely on them to always be accurate. Writers should always use their own judgment and look at a dictionary if necessary. Peer reviews are helpful as well, because sometimes classmates will find mistakes that a writer and his spell checker have missed (writing labs and tutors can also provide helpful feedback). See the “poem” called “Eye halve a spelling chequer," which passes muster for the most part when cut and pasted into word processing programs.

Awkward Phrases

Writers should remember that when they're writing a college (or even high school) essay, their speech should be more formal than when they're talking with friends. For example, instead of writing colloquial phrases such as "being that" or "being as how," writers can try a clearer, simpler phrase such as "because." Which one would sound better in an essay?

It's best for a writer to read through his essay, looking for colloquial phrases that seem out of place in an academic essay. Again, taking one's essay to a writing lab or having a tutor look it over can help with this problem.

Aim for Professionalism

If writers continually try to improve their papers, they will begin to correct their most common writing mistakes. The fewer errors they have in their essays, the easier readers will find their papers to read. Easy reading often translates to a better grade.

The copyright of the article Essay Writing-Correcting Common Mistakes in Essay Writing is owned by Cynthia Jones-Shoeman. Permission to republish Essay Writing-Correcting Common Mistakes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.