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Agreement : Error in either subject-verb agreement or pronoun-antecedent agreement.

How to fix the error: 

Subject-verb agreement:

Find your subject and then put it next to your predicate. Make sure that if the subject is singular, your predicate is also singular. Or if plural, then the predicate is also plural.   Remember: singular indefinite pronouns such as everyone, anyone, anybody, somebody, everybody, nobody, someone, each, either take singular predicates.

Pronoun – antecedent agreement:

Find the antecedent of your pronoun. The antecedent is the noun that the pronoun is referring to. For example, in the sentence John lost his book. John is the antecedent of his.   Make sure the pronoun and the antecedent are both singular or both plural. Often, errors in pronoun agreement are caused by the singular indefinite pronouns. For example: each of the students passed her (not their) test.

Apostrophe/Possessive: Error in apostrophe use or error in omitting apostrophe.

How to fix the error: 

Most commonly, the error is that you have used a noun in possession (such as John’s book is very interesting).   Another example of apostrophe error is if you have confused the possessive pronoun with a contraction. Examples: it’s (instead of its), you’re (instead of your), they’re (instead of their). Check the words commonly confused at the back of the booklet.

���ɰ�ɲ�����:��Error in wording- the way it is written is awkward. This may have to do with the verb form or word order.

How to fix the error:

Try rephrasing the group of words or sentence to make the meaning clear. Make sure you are not using unnecessarily difficult vocabulary.

Capitalization (caps): Capitalized incorrectly.

How to fix the error:

Some common capitalization examples:

• Names of subjects: Spanish, math, English, Algebra II, an algebra course
• Religion: Muslim
• Professions: Senator Jones, a senator from any state
• Directions: a school in the Midwest, the western route
• Brand Names: Oscar Meyer hot dogs, Pontiac Firebird
• Locations: Yellowstone National Park
• Titles: The Red Badge of Courage

CASE (Case of Pronouns): Error in pronoun case.

How to fix the error:

Subject (nominative) Case: I, we, he, she, they

• Use for subject and after the verb “to be”

Object Case: me, us, him, her, them

• Use with direct object and object of the prep

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I am taller than she (is).                                       (subject of second “implied” clause)

Between you and me, I am very tired.              (object of the preposition)

The best writer, it seems, was she.                   (subject case after “to be” verb)

Give this book to whoever wants it.                  (relative pronoun is subject of its own clause)

Give this book to whomever you choose.         (direct object of choose)

Whom do you choose for the prize?                  (direct object of choose)

Combine Sentences: Sentences are too short and too choppy and do not have a smooth flow, so combine them for depth or variety.

How To Fix The Error:

1. Perhaps you need to use more subordinating conjunctions such as although, because, since, while or as to note the relationship of one sentence to the next. Perhaps the two sentences are showing a contrast (use although or while) or the two sentences are showing cause and effect (use because or since).

2. Perhaps you need to combine sentences for variety by making the first sentence into a participial phrase or a subordinate clause.

Examples:

• Poor: Tom threw his books on the couch and then he raced for the refrigerator.
  • Better: Throwing his books on the couch, Tom raced for the refrigerator.
• Poor: Many soldiers were needlessly massacred in World War I.   The generals were slow to realize that technological advances were making traditional combat obsolete.
  • Better: Because the generals in World War I were slow to realize that technological advances made traditional combat obsolete, many soldiers were needlessly massacred.

3.  Perhaps you need to get rid of extra words by reducing an entire sentence to a phrase or clause or single word.

4. Perhaps you need to use more transition words.

Important: Usually when the error of choppy sentences is indicated, it means that you have not organized your sentences clearly around the topic sentence or “controlling idea” of the paragraph. Make sure that every sentence connects to the idea or argument of the paragraph and you will often eliminate the choppiness of your sentences.

Subordinating conjunctions:         

after	how	till
although	if	unless
as	in as much as	until
as if	in order that	when
as long as	provided	whenever
as much as	since	where
as soon as	so that	wherever
because	than	while
before	though

���������Գ���:��Evidence to support claim is missing, there is not enough, or what is there is not appropriate.

�����������Գ�:��Sentence is not complete. 

How to fix the error:

Check for three things:

1. Do you have a complete subject and predicate?
2. Have you written a subordinate or dependent clause and no independent clause?
3. Have you written a subject followed by a participial phrase with no complete predicate?

Informal or Informal Diction: Expression is too informal.

How to fix the error:

•  Do not use slang in formal analytical writing.
•  Do not address the reader.
•  Do not refer to a character with a nickname.

Modifier: Modifier is not next to the noun or pronoun it describes.

How to fix the error:

All modifiers (prepositional phrases, participial phrases and adjective clauses) must be next to the nouns they describe.

• Error: I bought a small computer for the accounting staff, which gave everyone trouble.
  • Correct: I bought the accounting staff a small computer which gave everyone trouble.
• Error: Carrying a heavy pile of books, her foot caught on the steps.
  • Correct: Carrying a heavy pile of books, she caught her foot on the steps.

(Parallelism): Sentence elements are not parallel.

How to fix the error:

Parallel ideas must be written in the same grammatical form.

• Error: At the gate they tried both persuasion (noun) and to force (infinitive) their way in.
  • Correct: At the gate, they tried both persuasion (noun) and force (noun).
• Error: My journal reveals that I like hiking, dancing, to take photos, and running.
  • Correct: My journal reveals that I like hiking, dancing, photographing, and running (all gerunds)

Pronoun Reference: Confusing, unclear, or weak pronoun use.

How to fix the error:

1. Weak pronoun reference occurs when the antecedent of the pronoun is not specifically stated but is implied in the writer’s mind.
   • Error: Hannah locked her keys in her car last week and it made her very nervous.
   • ��ǰ����𳦳�:��Locking her keys in her car last week made Heather very nervous.
2. Ambiguous pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun refers to two antecedents.
   • Error: Tom told Jack that he was tired of doing homework.
   • ��ǰ����𳦳�:��Tom told Jack that Tom was tired of doing homework.
3. General or implied pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun refers to a general idea instead of a specific noun. Often the general idea is vague to the reader (although it may be very clear to the writer). The words this, that, which and it are the most common pronouns that are used in this vague, general way.
   • Error: There have been recent bombings in Iraq which worries the     current administration.
   • ��ǰ����𳦳�:��The recent bombings in Iraq worry the current administration.
   • Error: She has been taking AP courses all through high school but this doesn’t mean that   she will get into a competitive college.
   • ��ǰ����𳦳�:��Her decision to take AP classes throughout high school does not ensure that she will get into a good college.

Punctuation: Misuse of the colon, semicolon, period, or comma.

Rep/Repetition: Information is repeated or a term is redundant.

How to fix the error:

• Original: We did not go swimming on account of the rainy weather.
  • Improved: We did not go swimming because it was raining.
• Original: Snow continued to keep on falling, so we had to repeatedly shovel the sidewalk over and over again.
  • Improved: Snow continued to fall, so we continued to shovel.

Shift of Tense: The person is not consistent through the sentence.

• Error: When one tries to study for the SAT’s, you can get very anxious and lose focus.
  • ��ǰ����𳦳�:��When one tries to study for the SAT’s, one can get very nervous and lose focus.

First person: I, me, my, mine, we, our, us

Second person: you, your

Third person: he, she, it they, their, her, them, its

Title: Title is not correctly placed in either italics/underlined or quotation marks. Never underline or put in quotations your own title.

How to fix the error:

Quick guide to what is in quotation marks and what is in italics:

“short story”	“Mending Wall”
“chapter in a book”	“America in the Second World War” in Rise of the American Nation
“short poem”	“C�󲹰������”
Newspaper	the Boston Globe
book	To Kill A Mockingbird
long poem	Beowulf
film	Pulp Fiction
play	Macbeth
magazine	Newsweek

�ձ����:��Error in the use of a verb.

How to fix the error: 

1. Check to make sure that you have not shifted the tense, such as from past to present.
   • Remember: when writing an analysis of literature, use the present tense.
   • Error: Because the day was windy, leaves fall from the trees.
   • ��ǰ����𳦳�:��Because the day was windy, leaves fell from the trees.
2. Check to make sure that the verb is not in the passive voice. If it is, change the passive voice to the active voice to make the writing stronger and clearer.
   • Error: The new song, which had been taught to the chorus by the music teacher, was completely forgotten by them after they left the class.
   • Correct: The music teacher taught the chorus a new song, but they completely forgot it after class.
3. Check to make sure that the verb is vivid or strong. Avoid using the verb “to be” as much as possible. Strong and specific verbs are the core of powerful writing.
   • Forms of the verb “to be”: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been, have been
4. Check to make sure that you have used the correct past participle of the verb.
   • Error: He had knew she liked cake.
   • ��ǰ����𳦳�:��He had known she liked cake.

Diction or Word Choice: The wrong word was used or there is a diction error or there is a better word to use.

How to fix the error: 

1. Make sure that you have used the correct word. Did you, for example, write defiantly instead of definitely or did you use affect when the correct word is effect?
2. Have you used the wrong homonym? Did you write their instead of there?
3. Have you tried to use a vocabulary word that is overly formal or pretentious when a simple, clear word is better? Beware of word-processing programs that encourage you to use overly elaborate vocabulary in an effort to impress. Often the words suggested are awkward and unclear.

Note: There is a complete list of “words commonly confused” at the back of this booklet.

�´ǰ��徱�Ա����:��Too many words are used, so be concise- use as few words as possible. 

How to fix the error: 

1. Combine a phrase into one word.
2. Cut out any repetitive sentences.
3. Combine sentences.
4. Cut accessory words, words that only accessorize a sentence, not add to its meaning.