7 Common Writing Errors to Avoid
There are many writing rules, and it can be easy to make mistakes. Here are seven of the most common errors to avoid in your writing. By being aware of these mistakes, you can improve your writing skills and produce high-quality content.
1. Incorrect use of homophones
Homophones are words pronounced the same way as other words but have different meanings, even if they are spelled differently.
This mistake can obviously create confusion and lead to errors in your writing. Some common examples of homophones include:
- they’re/their/there
- you’re/your
- it’s/its
- I/eye
- here/hear
- break/brake
- flower/flour
- our/hour
So make sure you take care when using homophones in your writing!
2. Incorrect use of apostrophes
Apostrophes are used in several ways, but a common error is using them to make a word plural.
For example, people often write apple’s when they should write apples. Apostrophes are only used to show possession or to indicate that a letter has been omitted from a word (e.g., don’t, can’t).
So, be careful not to overuse them!
3. Run-on sentences
A run-on sentence occurs when two independent clauses are joined together without any form of punctuation.
A lack of punctuation in this case can make your writing difficult to understand, so it is vital to avoid run-on sentences where possible.
For example:
The cat slept through the storm it was very tired afterward.
This could be rewritten as:
The cat slept through the storm and it was very tired afterward.
How to avoid run-on sentences
To avoid run-on sentences, the main thing to keep in mind is sentence clarity. Ensure each sentence conveys one complete thought before moving on to the next idea.
Sometimes, this may require breaking a long sentence into two or more shorter ones.
Another helpful tool is the Period-Question Mark-Exclamation Point test: If a sentence can be split into multiple separate sentences by simply adding one of these punctuation marks, then it's probably a run-on.
Of course, there are also instances where combining short sentences can add emphasis and flow to your writing. In those cases, make sure to use appropriate punctuation, such as a semicolon or conjunction, to connect the ideas.
By being conscious of sentence structure and keeping an eye out for run-ons, you can improve the clarity and effectiveness of your writing.
4. Sentence fragments
A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence that cannot stand alone as a grammatically correct sentence, usually because it is missing a subject or a verb.
For example:
After eating too much cake.
This could be rewritten as:
I felt sick after eating too much cake.
As a writer, you must pay attention to grammar and sentence structure to create clear and well-written content. A common mistake is the use of sentence fragments or incomplete sentences.
An easy technique for avoiding this error is to always include a subject and a verb in each sentence.
Additionally, make sure the sentence expresses a complete thought instead of just providing part of an idea.
It can also help to read your work aloud - if it doesn't sound like a complete thought when read, it probably isn't one in written form either.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your writing is error-free and easily understandable for your readers.
5. Lack of subject-verb agreement
Subject-verb agreement simply means that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural).
So, if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular; if the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural.
For example:
The boy on the bike was wearing a helmet but his friend wasn’t.
Some boys on their bikes were wearing helmets but other boys weren't.
6. Incomplete comparisons
When making comparisons, you must always compare like with like – otherwise, your comparison will be inaccurate or incomplete.
For example:
She’s taller than me – this should be - She’s taller than I am.
They eat more pizza than us – this should be - They eat more pizza than we do.
7 . Overuse of adjectives
Adjectives are words that describe nouns, e.g., big, small, happy, angry, etc.
It is fine to use adjectives in your writing but be careful not to overdo it, as this can make your writing seem childish or amateurish.
A good rule of thumb is to limit yourself to one adjective per noun; any more than this and your writing will start to sound clunky and unnatural.
If you can avoid these seven writing errors, you'll be well on your way to producing quality content. Be mindful of these common mistakes and take care to edit your work. With a little practice, you'll soon develop a keen eye for error-free writing!