Top Ten Common Writing Mistakes

Transcription

1 Top Ten Common Writing Mistakes (According to nutsandboltsguide.com) Many students, and some teachers, think of language as a fixed logical structure with timeless rules. A guide such as this one that presumes to teach the "right" way to write for college may well reinforce this view of an eternal, ideal language. But such a view misunderstands what language is. Language, our species' greatest invention, is a rich, rough-and-tumble, and ever-changing mix of formal rules and informal custom. In a broad sense usage is always logical, but the logic of rhetoricians (who have traditionally tried to base all their rules for English on how Latin works) and of a living language can be quite different. Things that were once against the rules gradually win popular acceptance to the point that they become part of "standard English"; other things, once respectable English, are gradually driven into disrepute by scholarly opinion. Thus there is an element of artificiality in any list of the leading mistakes in English. The list presented here will undoubtedly change over time. Apostrophes, for instance, are probably on the way out, in the judgment of most language scholars today. But they're not gone yet, and the audience for formal college English tends to be conservative. Thus the wisest course is to give your readers what they are used to in terms of usage. And now, the Top Ten List 10. Apostrophes Apostrophes have two functions: to show contractions (I won't) and possession (Shakespeare's tragedy). They are not used to show the plural of a noun: Many have criticized the degree to which American's revere personal freedom. Machiavelli uses stories of actual prince's to support his argument. Many have criticized the degree to which Americans revere personal freedom. Machiavelli uses stories of actual princes to support his argument. Contractions are acceptable in academic writing, though since some teachers disagree you may have to adapt to different requirements. The main problem apostrophes present for students is in showing possession. The rule is simple, mostly use an apostrophe followed by s for singular nouns, and an apostrophe alone for plurals: The Prime Ministers memoirs contain numerous inaccuracies. For now, the conspirators aspirations survive. The Prime Minister's memoirs contain numerous inaccuracies. For now, the conspirators' aspirations survive.

2 . Some writers use an apostrophe alone for nouns ending in s or z, especially when the next word begins with the same sound. But many teachers will mark this as wrong. There is one case where it is preferable to use an apostrophe without an s: for multisyllabic names ending in s or z, especially those of biblical and classical origin: Moses leadership, Socrates teachings, etc. 9. Nouns Ending in y Nouns ending in y often produce similar confusion with regard to possession. If you want to talk about something belonging to a country, for instance, write country's, not countries. 8. Conjunction Confusion Conjunctions like and, but and for join independent clauses: I studied for hours but he never opened a book and we both got A's. Students often use however, therefore, and thus as if they were conjunctions, too, but they are not. They're adverbs, and can't connect independent clauses you'll still need a semicolon or period. Truth is a good thing, however it is not the highest political good. Truth is a good thing; however, it is not the highest political good. It's usually more graceful, however, to place however, therefore, and similar words not right at the beginning but at some convenient pause later on: Truth is a good thing; it is not, however, the highest political good. 7. Infamy and notoriety Infamous is not a fancy way of saying famous. It means quite the opposite: famously wicked or bad. Churchill was famous; Hitler was infamous. Likewise, notoriety doesn't mean just being widely known it means being known for being bad (though in British as opposed to American usage this distinction doesn't hold). Calling someone with a record of hefty contributions to charity "a notorious altruist" is a gaffe. Although point-of-sales (POS) equipment was Although point-of-sales (POS) equipment was

3 introduced over two decades ago it is only now receiving the notoriety it deserves. introduced over two decades ago it is only now receiving the attention it deserves. 6. Cannot One word, not two (not can not). 5. Affect and Effect Many writers confuse these two words. The common mistake is to use effect when you should use affect, typically when using it as a verb. Effect can be used as a verb, but its meaning is restricted, and is synonymous with produce: She effected a change in the way the IRS conducted its audits. For the sense of to have an effect upon, use affect: She affected the IRS's procedures. A legacy of foreign rule significantly effects a nation's political culture. A legacy of foreign rule significantly affects a nation's political culture. 4. Intents and purposes Not intensive purposes. For all intensive purposes, Microsoft has won the browser wars. For all intents and purposes, Microsoft has won the browser wars. 3. Plural or singular It or they In American English, corporations and other collective entities are singular.

4 The Limited has been experiencing problems with their Limited Express and Lerner New York divisions. The Limited has been experiencing problems with its Limited Express and Lerner New York divisions. Criterion or criteria The former is singular, the latter plural. 2. Principal/principle Don't bother with that "The principal is your pal" stuff, because that's not the usage that trips students up. In terms of what causes problems, principal is an adjective meaning "foremost" or "most important," while principle is a noun meaning "fundamental law" or "guiding idea." Grand Forks Industrial Works was founded in 1917 on the basic business principals of honesty and quality. Grand Forks Industrial Works was founded in 1917 on the basic business principles of honesty and quality. Here's how to remember the difference: principal: a for adjective, and the first or foremost letter principle: e for ethics or elementary rule 1. It s/its Because apostrophes are used for possession as well as contraction, many students get confused about the distinction between it's and its. The solution here is to remember that it's is a contraction, not a possessive: It's = it is. It, like other pronouns (he, his; she, her) doesn't take an apostrophe to show possession: The essay's comic tone clashes with it's dark subject. The essay's comic tone clashes with its dark subject. Who's and whose have the same distinction:

5 Sicinius, who's modern equivalent would be a congressman, accuses the old warrior of being a traitor. Sicinius, whose modern equivalent would be a congressman, accuses the old warrior of being a traitor.