And How to Avoid Common Mistakes
Below are some basic writing rules, along with an example of the rule being broken. Learn how to avoid these common mistakes.
| 1. Be Consistent |
| Sequence of Tenses |
After he broke his arm, he is home for two weeks. |
| Shift of Pronoun |
If one is tense, they should try to relax. |
| Parallelism |
She skis, plays tennis, and flying hang gliders. |
| Noun Agreement |
Eric and James want to be a pilot. |
| Pronoun Reference |
Several people wanted the job, and he or she filled out the required applications. |
| Subject-Verb Agreement |
There is eight people on the shore. |
| 2. Express Ideas Logically |
| Coordination and Subordination |
Jen has a rash, and she is probably allergic to something. |
| Logical Comparison |
Joey grew more vegetables than his neighbor's garden. |
| Modification and Word Order |
Barking loudly, the tree had the dog's leash wrapped around it. |
| 3. Be Clear and Precise |
| Ambiguous and Vague Pronouns |
In the newspaper they say that few people voted. |
| Diction |
He circumvented the globe on his trip. |
| Wordiness |
There are many problems in the contemporary world in which we live. |
| Improper Modification |
If your car is parked here while not eating in the restaurant, it will be towed away. |
| 4. Follow Conventions |
| Pronoun Case |
He sat between you and I at the stadium. |
| Idiom |
Jack had a different opinion towards him. |
| Comparison of Modifiers |
Of the sixteen executives, Gretchen makes more money. |
| Sentence Fragment |
Abby having to go home early. |
| Double Negative |
Andie has scarcely no free time. |
If you're not sure whether you're following the rules of writing correctly, be sure to ask your teachers or parents for help.
