Common Errors when writing essays..

Common errors

Some common errors with directed and continuous writing are long introductions. An introduction should be one paragraph long. Some students tend to write two or three paragraphs. Sometimes you have many ideas but you have to be selective. You need to decide which to include and which to discard.

Some students often use incomplete sentences in their essays. Remember, every English sentence must have at least a subject and a verb, e.g. He ran. However, some students forget this and often use sentences without a subject or a verb.

Here are some examples:

i. The major cause speeding.
We can use such sentences in spoken English but not in the written form as the latter is more formal. This sentence can be written in several ways. One example: Speeding is one of the major causes of road accidents. (‘Speeding’ - subject, ‘is’ - verb, one of the major causes of road accidents - complement)

ii. My mother never lets me do the things I enjoy. For example, swimming, mountain climbing.
The second part of the sentence is incomplete. This sentence should be written, My mother never lets me do the things I enjoy such as swimming and mountain climbing.

iii. His partially grey hair and half moon glasses.
In this sentence, obviously something else is missing other than the verb. It should read, His partially grey hair and half moon glasses reminded me of my grandfather.

> Inconsistent use of pronoun
You should always check the expiry date of any food item you purchase. We must make this a habit whenever we go shopping.
Here the pronoun you is used in the first sentence but in the second it is changed to we. Remember to use the same pronoun throughout your essay.

> Incorrect placement of adverb ‘also’ with a modal verb
You also can cut down on sugar intake./ They also must get approval from the authorities/ We also should inform the authorities.

Here the adverb ‘also ‘ should come after the modal verb. It should read You can also…/ They must also…/ We should also…

> Incorrect usage of adverb ‘In conclusion’
Many students and adults make the mistake of using the phrase ‘As a conclusion’.
It should be ‘In conclusion’.


Source : The Star, Sunday September 21, 2008
SPM ENGLISH WITH JUGDEEP KAUR GILL