Common Errors And Literary Mistakes

THE COMMON ErROrS WORKSHOP

conjunctions

• NO ‘BUT’ with although. Choose one

AND, BUT, BECAUSE, SO

Don’t start sentences with these. WHAT CAN you USE INSTEAD? e.g. but: however, nonetheless, yet AND: in addition, furthermore, moreover So: therefore, hence, as a result, subsequently

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT Golden Rule • Singular Subject – Singular Verb • Plural Subject – Plural Verb

PUNCTUATION • Use Capital letters with Title Case & Proper Nouns (names of ppl, places). e.g. Titles: The Sun and Moon A Man, an Orange and the Cow The Role of Women in Society

; The semi-colon

is used when 2 sentences are INTIMATELY linked. e.g. Oil prices soared (complete sentence); all other commodity prices followed suit plunging many national economies into recession (complete sentence).

Golden rule: Both sides of the semicolon must be complete sentences and can stand alone. If you aren’t sure how to use it, DON’T. You can do without. Use a full-stop.

Don’t use Commas with conjunctions (and, but, or, so, because)

Run-on sentences • The grammar crime: Run-on sentences join two or more complete sentences with no punctuation. Michaela loves to draw horses she is a talented artist. The airport is about to shut down because of the snow and if the plane doesn't land soon it will have to go on to Boston. Marcellino always knew his way around the woods this is something he could always depend on.

Run-ons • 1. We can separate the two clauses into two sentences. • Outlaw: Miranda was the lead vocalist in her band it was a punk rock band. • Rehabilitated: Miranda was the lead vocalist in her band. It was a punk rock band.

Run-ons • 2. We can replace the comma with a semi-colon. • Outlaw: Gordon laughed at Sandy's joke it was lewd. • Rehabilitated: Gordon laughed at Sandy's joke; it was lewd.

Run-ons • 3. We can replace the comma with a co-ordinating conjunction (and, but, or, for, yet, nor, or so). • Outlaw: The night was cold we forgot to bring our coats. • Rehabilitated:The night was cold, and we forgot to bring out coats.

Run-ons • 4. We can replace the comma with a subordinating conjunction (e.g., after, although, before, unless, as, because, even though, if, since, until, when, while). • Outlaw: Maria and John like skiing Karen does not. • Rehabilitated: Although Maria and John like skiing, Karen does not.

Run-ons • 5. We can replace the comma with a semi-colon and transitional word (e.g., however, moreover, on the other hand, nevertheless, instead, also, therefore, consequently, otherwise, as a result). • Outlaw: I expected to pay ten dollars for the bus ride to Halifax I was wrong. • Rehabilitated: I expected to pay ten dollars for the bus ride to Halifax; however, I was wrong.

WANNA, GONNA, guys. cool! Colloquialisms/SLANG are not for formal writing no matter how cool they sound

TO BUY / FOR BUYING These boots are made for walking. (to state the function only). Use the infinitive ‘to buy’ in all other cases e.g. I took money with me to buy those very fashionable boots.

speling ‘I’ before ‘e’ except after ‘c’ With the Conceive Receive perceive

believe

/i/ sound concieve receive percieve

believe

WHEN PRONUNCIATION DOESN’T MATCH spelling Comparative Comperative Sincerly sincerely sinciearly Separate Seperate Wednesday Wensday

Weird Friend

wierd freind

When it does • • • • • • • •

puting (like puking) putting Swiming (like sun shining) swimming Studing (like pudding) studying Writting (like hitting) writing Suprise (like supper) surprise Thier (like cashier) their Responsability responsibility Than (taller than me) then (next)

DOUBLING UP • possession • Mississippi • Commitment - YES, THAT’S CORRECT • Committee • TRY THIS: EMBARASSMENT? EMBARRASSMENT?

confused words • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Accept, Except Affect, Effect Advise, Advice Conscious, Conscience Idea, Ideal Its, It's Lead, Led Than, Then There, They're To, Too, Two We're, Where, Were Your, You're All ready/already All right/alright All together/altogether Anyone/any one Anyway/any way Awhile/a while Maybe/may be

MIXING PARTS OF SPEECH John is kindness(n. – should be an adj.), so many people want to chat with him. John is so kind that many people want to chat with him.

tenses • Randy, had you come to Korea ? NO • Have you ever been to Korea, Randy ?

questions • Direct: Where do you live? (WH- + aux verb + subject + base verb) Who is his sister? (WHO + verb-to-be + subject)

INDIRECT QUESTIONS • Can you tell me where the bank is? (not where is the bank). Direct question: Where is the bank? • I don’t know where he lives. (not where does he live – this is for DIRECT questions)

I am agree ‘VERB TO BE’ AND OTHER VERBS ‘PRESENT CONTINUOUS’ – this gives you 2 verbs directly next to each other which is incorrect. e.g. of 2 verbs next to each other - incorrect I'm heard music. I am listen to some music now. (‘am listening’ is 1 verb although it uses 2 words) I have go to Flekke Shop. (‘have gone’ is 1 verb)

Too cold VERSUS so cold • NOT SO GOOD (slang) How are you? Not so good. • NOT VERY GOOD. The film was not very good.

Relative clauses The research what she is currently working on is the most important in the University. • The research that she is currently working on is the most important in the University. The research she is currently working on is the most important in the University, what is remarkable. • The research she is currently working on is the most important in the University, which is remarkable.

passive Many students is support by their parents. • (subject-verb agreement + two verb error) • Many students are supported by their parents.

ARTICLES Go online and do exercises till you crack this one.

n i s r o r r e n o m m o S C Y SA

S E Y R A R E T i L

The Title 1. Use Title Case – see punctuating titles in earlier slide 2. A title should not say ‘Comparative Commentary’ or ‘Critical Essay’. Name the THEME or ISSUE to be discussed

Introducing Texts •AUTHOR •TYPE OF TEXT (e.g. biography, poem, play/dramatic presentation, article) •TITLE OF TEXT

Punctuating Titles of Texts UNDERLINE full works , books, novels, anthologies, plays Somehow Tenderness Survives The Picture of Dorian Gray Use ‘inverted commas’ for short stories and poems ‘A Rose for Emily’ ‘Lady Lazarus’

The Introduction • Start w a few interesting, general comments on the topic (2-3 sentences, don’t be long-winded) • Lead in to the Thesis Statement (1 sentence only. Let it be concise) • Starting an introduction with the thesis is a harsh beginning. • Let the thesis stmt be the last sentence in the introduction.

Write in Paragraphs • Leave a line between paragraphs to make it obvious that you are starting a new one. • Start each paragraph with a TOPIC SENTENCE (a detailed, concise minithesis for the paragraph). • Discuss ONE idea per paragraph and do it thoroughly so you won’t repeat the same points later in other paragraphs.

REDUNDANT SENTENCES • Would you lose anything if you took out that sentence or phrase? If your answer is ‘no’, take it out. • Why say something if it doesn’t mean much? • Why point out something if you don’t relate it to the theme or issue? • Ah, a cup! (Great. So what?)

WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? “This shows that there are different points of view which sometimes overlap with one another and at other times differ although they both highlight the theme.” - pointless This (what?) shows that there are different points of view(what are they?) which sometimes overlap with one another (how?) and at other times differ (when?) although they both highlight the theme(what theme?).”

Is the Pope Catholic? DON’T STATE THE OBVIOUS. IT IS AN INSULT TO INTELLIGENCE. “There are differences between the two works.” (Hell, yeah.)

Each sentence counts! Make every sentence MEANINGFUL (RICH WITH MEANING) Avoid short or vague sentences. You can easily connect them to the previous sentence or add more detail to give them more weight.

Formal Register • Avoid writing in first or second person – I, you, we. ‘We’ is a little more forgivable but aim to write in 3rd person as far as possible in academic writing • Write in full – Cannot, not can’t. Do not, not don’t. • Say ‘no’ to colloquialism, slang and informal expressions. (say ‘man’, not ‘guy’)

I didn’t say that! • Don’t put words into the character’s/author’s mouth. • If you can’t prove it from the text either directly or indirectly, you’re making it up and the author/character is not going to like that.

THE READER CAN READ If you are going to re-tell the story, don’t bother. The reader of your essay can read the story himself. Your job is to INTERPRET THE MEANING of what happened in the story.

This might seem contradictory but….

Assume the reader hasn’t read the text. Now what? You can’t re-tell the story but you have to assume the reader hasn’t read it. What do you do? Go on and interpret but give sufficient detail about the character or events while you do this so that the reader can put two and two together even without reading the text.

INTERPRETATION FIRST State the argument in the topic sentence of the paragraph and use details/events from the texts as EVIDENCE. (not the other way around)

avoid

rhetorical questions

THE SHOPPING LIST You recognise all the stylistic devices in the book! That’s great BUT can you explain how they each support theme/purpose of the text? If you can’t, don’t mention the device in the first place. Where should you discuss them? Immediately after you quote evidence in each paragraph. Analyse the evidence’s style.

Use the simple present tense

“First person narration is subjective” Generalisations about devices that don’t tell you about the theme specifically are useless. The more relevant question is: So what if you get a subjective p.o.v. or if it is more objective? What’s the difference in relation to this THEME in particular? If you can’t answer that question, don’t mention the device.

“Quote, end quote” •Don’t use brackets. •e.g. X describes Y as “ …” continue with your interpretation •As X says, “…..”, it can be argued that .. •The narrator makes a complaint: “……”.

OVERQUOTING You know you’re overquoting when most of the paragraph is in inverted commas than in your own words. When should I “quote directly”? a) if you plan to analyse the quote’s stylistic devices b) when your INTERPRETATION is more complicated than it is obvious.

You don’t have to quote directly if it’s more or less obvious. Paraphrase but cite line e.g. Billy feels like he is flying (line 19) when he is able to create spontaneous comedy. The blue phrase says what is written in the text but not ad verbatim and doesn’t need to be, since the meaning is direct.

The Conclusion • Reiterate the Thesis Stmt • Don’t waste time summarising all the points you just made in the body. You’ll end up sounding like a broken record • Think broadly and engage in a ToK discussion on the topic, even when writing a personal response. Be insightful. Don’t just say something that more or less means this: “I thought it was interesting” or “I like it”

AHEM…THAT REALLY WAS THE CONCLUSION