By Lessa Harding
By a show of hands, how many of you still have emotional scars caused by the red pen your English teacher used to grade your writing assignments? Come on, raise your hands. I’m definitely raising my hand. Fifteen years after graduating from high school, I still appreciate it when a professor uses a blue pen instead of a red one. I’ve always struggled with where to use commas, how to use modifiers, and how to properly cite sources. So, to help us all out, I asked Suzy Bills and Marianna Richardson, who teach editing and writing courses at BYU, to list some of the most common mistakes they see in university writing assignments and professional publications. Here’s what they shared:
Mistake 1: Using a comma after a conjunction when it links two dependent clauses
Rule: If or, and, or but links two phrases that couldn’t be complete sentences on their own, then don’t use a comma before the linking word.
Example: I went to the store and then went to the park.
Mistake 2: Following for example or for instance with and so forth
Rule: When a list starts with for example or for instance (or e.g.,), the list should not end with and so forth (or etc.) because for example and for instance indicate a finite number of examples will be listed, whereas and so forth indicates the list isn’t finite.
Example: For example, you can use red, orange, blue, and green.
Mistake 3: Using unclear and weak pronouns
Rule: Beware of weak pronouns (e.g., it, there, this) since they can cause confusion in meaning or can lead to being wordy or using the passive voice.
Examples:
- The Book of Mormon focuses on Jesus; this emphasis changed how I live. (Not: The Book of Mormon focuses on Jesus; this changed how I live.)
- Some people don’t like to run. (Not: There are some people who don’t like to run.)
Mistake 4: Misplacing modifiers
Rule: The modifier should be placed right before the word it modifies. Pay particular attention to the word only.
Examples:
- Only Steve likes the team when it wins. (Meaning: No one but Steve likes the team when it wins.)
- Steve likes the team only when it wins. (Meaning: Steve doesn’t like the team when it loses.)
Mistake 5: Using i.e. instead of e.g.
Rule: i.e. means “that is” or “in other words,” whereas e.g. means “for example.”
Examples:
- Please, wear nice clothes (i.e., a suit and tie).
- Beware of weak pronouns (e.g., it, there, this).
Mistake 6: Using that instead of which
Rule: Use that when what follows is essential to the meaning being conveyed in the sentence. Use which when what follows isn’t essential to the meaning being conveyed.
Examples:
- I went to the beach, which is my favorite vacation spot. (Meaning: Beaches in general are my favorite vacation spot.)
- I went to the beach that is my favorite vacation spot. (Meaning: One specific beach is my favorite vacation spot.)
Mistake 7: Using lead instead of led
Rule: Led is the past tense of the verb lead. The noun lead refers to a metal. People often confuse the verb led with the noun lead because the words have the same pronunciation.
Example: I led him away from the statues, which was made of lead.
Mistake 8: Using less instead of fewer
Rule: Use less when the object you are referring to is uncountable. Use fewer when the object is countable.
Example: I have less water and fewer pieces of candy than you.
Mistake 9: Using who instead of whom
Rule: Use who as the subject of a sentence. Use whom as the object of a verb or preposition.
Examples:
- Who spilled this milk and didn’t clean it up?
- To whom did you address the letter?
Mistake 10: Using a hyphen instead of an em dash
Rule: Use a hyphen to join two words together. Use an em dash to set off a statement that is parenthetical or that signifies a break in idea or sentence structure.
Examples:
- I love my mother-in-law.
- You think you have to go to the party—the biggest event of the year.
In case you want even more guidance, here are some resources suggested by Suzy, Marianna, and a few of our readers:
- HBR Guide to Better Business Writing, by Bryan A. Garner
- The Chicago Manual of Style, by the University of Chicago Press
- Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace, by Joseph M. Williams
- Chicago Style Workouts, available at https://cmosshoptalk.com/chicago-style-workouts/
Happy writing!
Leave a Reply