How to Avoid Most Common Writing Errors

Writing is a necessity in our society. However, according to Andrea A. Lunsford of Stanford University, most writers make similar mistakes. Luckily, you do not need a degree in English to amend common oversights. Recognizing the most common errors can help you improve your writing.

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Instructions

Where Do Commas Go?

1. The proper use of commas may seem difficult, but it really isn't. The most common writing mistake is failure to separate two independent clauses with a comma and a coordinating conjunction. Plain English? When you write two complete sentences, sometimes you join them with an "and" or "but." To be correct, a sentence like this needs a comma before the "and" or "but." For example, "I went to the store, and I bought some bread." Insert a comma before the "and" because the phrases on each side are complete sentences. Simple enough?
   
   Another common error is the absence of commas around parenthetical phrases. Put commas around a phrase you could take out of the sentence without changing its meaning. For example, "My best friend, the sweetest girl in the world, will be visiting tomorrow." Notice the commas around "the sweetest girl in the world." You could remove that phrase, and the sentence would still make sense. If the phrase is necessary for the sentence to make sense, you do not use a comma. To illustrate, "My student Tom is very smart." Unless there is only one student, the name is vital to the sentence.

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References

• GrammarBook.com
• The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)
• The Easy Writer- Andrea A. Lunsford- Stanford University

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