9/30/2019

Common Errors
In Writing

Most Common Errors

• Shifts in Point of View and Tenses
• Pronoun Antecedent Agreement
• Pronoun Reference
• Commas with Coordinating Conjunctions

1
 9/30/2019

Point of View
POV Focus
• 1st person I On Writer
• 2nd person You On Reader
• 3rd Person Nouns On Subject
Generally, choose a point of view and stick
with it throughout the whole assignment or
essay.

Point of View
• 1st person is for personal essays and more informal
styles of writing. Generally, 1st person point of view is
avoided in academic or business writing because it puts
the focus on the writer. If the assignment requires a
personal opinion, 1st person is appropriate.
• Example: I like going horseback riding. (puts the
emphasis on the writer)

2
 9/30/2019

Point of View
• 2nd person is used when writing directly to
the reader as in a letter. It puts the focus on
the reader. 2nd person is avoided in most
academic and formal writing.
• Example: Your letter asking for a refund has
been received and processed. (puts the
emphasis on the reader) I have processed
your letter. (puts the emphasis on what the
writer has done)

Point of View
– 3rd person is used in formal or academic writing.
It takes the focus off of the writer and reader and
places it on the subject or content of the essay.
The easiest way to write using 3rd person point of
view is to use nouns as the subjects. Avoid using
“I” or “you.”

• Example: The themes of novel emphasized

the importance of education and self-
reliance.

3
 9/30/2019

Error 1: Point of View

Shifts
• Incorrect: The most important decision I
make is my career choice. You need to
pick a career that you like.
Correct: The most important decision I
make is my career choice. I need to
pick a career that I like.

Error 2: Tense Shifts

– Incorrect: Telephone marketers always
call when we were eating.
– C: Telephone marketers always called
when we were eating.
– C: Telephone marketers always call when
we are eating. One of the most common
mistakes in writing is a
lack of tense consistency.
Writers often start a
sentence in one tense but
ended up in another.

4
 9/30/2019

Exercise
• About noon the sky darkened, a breeze
sprang up, and a low rumble announces the
approaching storm.
• We viewed A Caribbean Mystery and watch
intently as Joan Hickson portrays Agatha
Christie’s Miss Marple.
• I climbed out of the car, walked through the
door, and prepared to meet “the parents,” but
instead a large, honey-colored dog runs to
meet me at the door.

Maintain a
consistent tense
• Incorrect: Whenever Mavis goes to the
grocery store, she had made a list and
stick to it.
• It is very important to maintain a
consistent tense. Decide if something
happened, is happening, or will happen
and then stick with that choice.

5
 9/30/2019

Error 3:
Pronoun/Antecedents
• Pronouns take the place of
nouns(antecedents)
• Pronouns must agree in person and
number (singular or plural)
Incorrect: A teacher should explain their
assignments.
Correct: Teachers should explain their
assignments.

Error 3:
Pronoun/Antecedents
• Problems occur when nouns such as everyone are
used. Everyone is a singular noun, so it should have a
singular pronoun.
• Incorrect: Everyone should bring their books to class .
• Correct: Everyone should bring his or her books to
class. ( technically correct but sounds awkward.
Replace everyone with a plural noun such as
students.)
• Students should bring their books to class. (correct
and doesn’t sound awkward.)

6
 9/30/2019

Exercise
• Everyone should make their own
decisions.
• Each speaker maintained their poise.

Error 3:
Pronoun/Antecedents
• Incorrect: I took the DVD player back to the
store, but they wouldn’t let me return it.
[They refers to the store which is not a person
but a thing; not only that, it’s a singular noun
with a plural pronoun taking its place.]
Correct: I took the DVD player back tot he store,
but the customer service rep wouldn’t let me
return it.

7
 9/30/2019

Error 4: Pronoun
Reference
• Avoid Vague Pronouns
– This, that,or which - should have a specific noun
that it replaces
– You, it, or they - should have a specific noun that
it replaces
I: In Hollywood, they don’t know what movies to
make. They = ? Movie directors
I: It is well known that sunscreen prevents skin
cancer. It = ?

Error 5: Commas with

Coordinating Conjunctions
• FANBOYS - For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
• These words connect two independent
clauses.
• Always us a comma before a coordinating
conjunction.
• Correct: I like ice cream, and I eat it everyday.
• Incorrect: I like ice cream and, I eat it everyday.

• The game was over, but the crowd refused

to leave.
• Yesterday was her birthday, so they went
out to dinner.

8
 9/30/2019

Error 6: Misused forms

Go for a ride on a bicycle, etc., not go
for a walk on a bicycle, etc.
• Incorrect: We went for a walk on our
bicycles.
• Correct: We went for a ride on our
bicycles.
• Note: We ride on a bicycle, on
horseback, etc., but we ride in a bus,
train, or other public vehicle.

Error 6: Misused forms

Make a mistake, not do a mistake.
• Don't say: I did one mistake in dictation.
• Say: I made one mistake in dictation.
Turn (switch) the light on or off, not
open or shut the light
• Don't say: Please open (or shut) the light.
• Say: Please turn on (or off) the light.
• Or: Please switch on (or off) the light.

9
 9/30/2019

Error 7:Wrong repetition of subject.

• Don't say: My little brother he is at

school.
• Say: My little brother is at school.
• Never repeat the subject by using a
pronoun after the noun My little
brother and he denote the same
person. Therefore, use one or the
other as subject but not both.

Error 8: It’s or Its?

It’s means “it has” or “it is”.
• It’s sunny today.
• It’s a good film.
• It’s not time to go yet.
• It’s been a long day.
• Look at that dog. It’s got spots on it.
• It’s taken a long time to get to our destination.

10
 9/30/2019

Error 8: It’s or Its?

“Its” is simply the possessive form for
“it”. This can cause confusion because
possessives often have an apostrophe. It is
similar to words like “his” and “hers”, which
also don’t need an apostrophe.
• I’m not enjoying this book. Its content is quite
dull.
• The tree had lost its leaves.
• I’m watching a film. Its title is “Gone with the
Wind”.

• If you’re unsure whether to use it’s or

its, try saying the whole sentence aloud
with “it has” first, followed by “it is”. Now
does it make sense?
• I’m watching a film. It has title is
“Gone with the Wind” (incorrect).
or
– I’m watching a film. It is title is “Gone
with the Wind”? (also incorrect).

11
 9/30/2019

Error 9: Your – You’re

• These words are easy to muddle up

because they sound identical.
• However, they have very different
meanings.
• “Your” – indicates possession. For
example: “This is your umbrella”.
• “You’re” – is the contraction of “you
are”. For example: “You’re coming
back soon”.

Error 10: There – Their –

They’re
1. “There” is used to refer to a place that isn’t
here. E.g. It’s over there.
• It can also be used to begin a statement –
such as “There are no appointments left”.
2. “Their” is used something belonging to
someone. E.g. Their cakes are in the bag.
3.“They’re” is short for “they are”. E.g. They’re
coming over on Tuesday.

12
 9/30/2019

Error 11. Who/ Whom

• These words both mean the same
thing but are used for the subject and
object of a sentence respectively.
• “Who” is for the subject of the
sentence. E.g. “Who is responsible
for this?”
• “Whom” is for the object. E.g. “Whom
should I vote for?”

Error 11. Who/ Whom

• As a simple rule to help you
remember which is correct, think of
the “he/him” distinction and apply it to
your “who/whom” dilemma. If you’d
use “he” you need “who”, and if you’d
use “him” you need “whom”.
• For example: “Who/whom wrote the letter?” He
wrote the letter, so “who” is correct.
• For example: “We wondered who/whom the story
was about”. It was about him, so “whom” is
correct.

13
 9/30/2019

Error 12: Subject-Verb

Agreement
• Incorrect: Neither he nor I has money
• Correct: Neither he nor I have money
[When subjects connected by ‘nor’ or ‘or’
are of different persons the verb should
agree in persons with subject nearest
to it]
• Incorrect: He and I am at Oxford.
• Correct: He and I were at Oxford.
• Incorrect: Oil and water does not mix.

Subject- Verb Agreement

The basic idea behind sentence agreement is pretty simple: all the
parts of your sentence should match (or agree):
Verbs need to agree with their subjects in number (singular or
plural) and in person (1st,second, or third).
In order to check agreement, you simply need to find the verb and ask
who or what is doing the action of that verb, for example:
• I really am (1st-person singular) vs. We really are (1st-person
plural)
• The boy sings (third-person singular) vs. The boys sing (third-
person plural)

14
 9/30/2019

References
• [Link]/people/[Link]/cour
ses/c1/s2/common_errors.ppt

15