Common Grammar Errors

Emily Heady, Ph.D.Director, Graduate Writing Center

Basic Sentence-Level Errors

• Syntactical Errors– Affect/Effect, Compliment/Complement,

They’re/Their/There, It’s/Its/Its’, etc.

• S-V Agreement– Each of the boys are going to college.

• Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement– Each student had their books.

• Fragments and Run-ons

Mid-Level Sentence-level Errors

• Modification Errors– Bored in Convo, the new podium caught my

attention.

• Parallel Structure Errors– I told him that he must not only complete his work,

but I also said he should check it over.

• Misused punctuation, especially apostrophes, quotation marks, and commas

High-level Grammar Errors

• Covert fragments and/or run-ons (especially long fragments and run-ons created with comma splices)

• Unnecessarily split infinitives• Unnecessary passive voice

Grading for Grammar

• Gauge the student’s ability level before you start marking (especially important for ESL students).

• Do not proofread!

• Distinguish typos from real errors.

• Learn the names of common errors.

• Develop a consistent marking symbol system.

Continued…

• Focus on errors that harm clarity.

• Isolate patterns of error (label up to three patterns per paper).

• Follow up on your previous comments; hold students accountable.

• Provide worksheets if necessary.

• Remember: Grammar is the suit that papers wear to an interview.

Courtesy of LUPD

• Liberty University will be hosting it’s 20th Annual Debate Tournament on November 2-4, 2007.

• Please be on the look out for a Black, Male, 5’06”, 150 pounds, Brown eyes, short Black hair last seen wearing knee length camouflaged shorts, grey shirt with cut-off sleeves, coral colored flip-flops whose conduct has been inappropriate on campus.

Courtesy of the News & Advance

• At the ripe old age of 90, God has smiled from His golden throne and welcomed him home.

• Despite taking the pork loins out, the heat coming from the fryer keeps the kitchen hot.

Courtesy of a Student

According to King David, writing in Psalm 23, says that he is like a “sheep” where God is a “shepherd.” (Psalm 23) First, he says he will not want. Second, he says he is with him in peaceful places and to the extent of the valley of death. God provides for his sheep “in the presence of mine enemies”, (verse 5). King David shares something beautiful with us Christians, God will always take care of you, love you, and etc. David will live with God forever.