Common Errors

1
Common Errors

• In Writing

2
Most Common Errors

• Point of View
• Shifts in Point of View and Tenses
• Pronoun Antecedent Agreement
• Pronoun Reference
• Commas with Coordinating Conjunctions

3
Point of View

• POV Focus
• 1st person I On Writer
• 2nd person You On Reader
• 3rd Person Nouns On Subject

4
Shifts

• Point of View Shifts
• I The most important decision I make is my
  career choice. You need to pick a career that you
  like.
• C The most important decision I make is my
  career choice. I need to pick a career that I
  like.

5
Shifts

• Tense Shifts
• I Telephone marketers always call when we were
  eating.
• C Telephone marketers always called when we were
  eating.
• C Telephone marketers always call when we are
  eating.

6
Pronoun/Antecedents

• Pronouns take the place of nouns(antecedents)
• Pronouns must agree in person and number
  (singular or plural)
• I A teacher should explain their assignments.
• C Teachers should explain their assignments.

7
Pronoun Reference

• Avoid Vague Pronouns
• This, that,or which - should have a specific noun
  that it replaces
• You, it, or they - should have a specific noun
  that it replaces
• I In Hollywood, they dont know what movies to
  make. They ? Movie directors
• I It is well known that sunscreen prevents skin
  cancer. It ?

8
Commas with Coordinating Conjunctions

• FANBOYS - For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
• These words connect two independent clauses.
• Always us a comma before a coordinating
  conjunction.
• I like ice cream, and I eat it everyday.