Revision

Sentence-Building Problems

Word Choice Problems

Problems with Conventions

M, V, O, &P

Other Problems


	Major sentence-building errors S1 Write with a sentence structure that is easy to understand. See more. S2 Don't clutter up a sentence with unnecessary words and phrases. See more. S3 A sentence must contain a complete thought. See more. X a) The subject is missing. X b) The verb is missing. X c) This is only a prepositional phrase. X d-e) participles and appositive phrases X f) This is half of an if-then sentence. S4 Limit the length of the sentence. (Use a period once in a while!) See more. Moderate sentence-building errors S5 Write sentences that are consistent. See more. XX a) parallelism XX b) plural-singular XX c) verb tense Minor sentence-building errors: S6 Use variety in sentence length XX and structure. XXa) Avoid a series of short, choppy sentences. XXb) Avoid repetitive sentence beginnings. S7 Don't begin sentences with XX conjunctions such as and, but, or, XX or so. These words should be used to XX connect things within the sentence. S8 Avoid placing words between the XX word to and the verb that follows it. XX (a split infinitive) XX See more.


	Major word choice errors W1 Use strong, specific language. See more. a) Replace weak verbs with action verbs. b) Move beyond that got a lot of stuff writing. c) Pronouns must be clear. d) Avoid all-inclusive or all-exclusive words. e-g) Other problems. See more. W2 Know the elementary-level homophones. See more. a) are our or b) because cause c) have of d) knew new now know e) then than f) too, to, two g) there their they're h) your you're i) were wear where W3 Match the verb and its subject. See more. W4 Use the correct word. See more. W5 Don't switch verb tense without a reason. See more. XXXX Moderate word choice errors: W6 Use variety in word choice. W7 Use the correct pronoun. XX a) When someone’s doing it, use I, he, she, they, or we. XX b) When it’s done to someone, use him, her, them, or us. XX c) After prepositions use me, him, her, them. XX d) In comparisons, use I, he, she, they, or we. XX e) predicate pronoun XXXX Minor word choice errors: W8 A pronoun before an ING verb should be possessive. W9 When describing a wish or an imaginary situation, use "were" instead of "was". (subjunctive)

Major Errors in Conventions
C1 Place the correct end punctuation at the end of the sentence.
(Should it be a period, a question mark, or an exclamation mark?)

C2 Don't use unneeded apostrophes. See more.

C3 Capitalize correctly. See more.

C4 Don't join two sentences with just a comma (or worse, no punctuation at all). See more.

C5 Don't break a sentence in two by placing a period where a comma belongs. See more.

Moderate errors in conventions:
C6 Avoid unnecessary punctuation and formatting. See more.
Xxa) !!!! and ???
Xxb) by:
Xxc) Avoid the slash /
Xxd) prefer the comma to fancier punctuation
Xxe) no comma between subject and verb
Xxf) no comma betwn verb & predicate noun or adj
Xxg) A list must have three items to need commas.

C7 Use apostrophes when needed. See More.

C8 Use commas when needed. See more.
XX a) in pairs like parentheses
XX b) in a compound sentence
XX c) with multiple adjectives or adverbs
XX d) after an introduction
XX e) with a direct quote
XX f) in a list
XX g) separating end elements

C9 Use quotation marks correctly. See more.

C10 Use correct spelling See more.
XX a) Do not split compound words. Do not
XX combine into compounds words that shouldn't be.
XX b) Use hyphens when needed.

Minor errors in conventions:
C11 Write titles correctly.

C12 Periods and parentheses.

C13 If a sentence introduces a list, use a colon. video

C14 Use semicolons in a list containing lists.

C15 Leave out the conjunction when linking a compound sentence with semicolon.

C16A writer may need to use a long dash to join a long appositive to the end of a sentence.

C17 When using numbers, know when to spell or use numerals.


	Voice V1 Write in the third person, except in fiction or autobiography. (Avoid words like you and I.) V2 Write in a consistent voice. V3 Place the person or thing doing the action toward the front of the sentence XX (Use the active voice, not the passive voice). V4 Use Standard English in an essay. (Dialect and slang are for fiction; shorthand English is for texting or a sticky-note.)


	Organization O1 Organize material into paragraphs. O2 Organize with a three-part structure: Begin with an introduction; develop with a body; end with a conclusion. O3 Use transitions. Don't just jump from one topic to another. O4 Information that is not appropriate should be moved or deleted. O5 Find a strong opening line. O6 Don't cut a good paragraph in two.


	Message, Content M1 Stay focused on a specific topic. M2 Use specific examples. M3 Develop deeper detail.


	Presentation P1 Double space everything except a works cited. P2 Use reasonable fonts. P3 Use one-inch margins all around. P4 Align text appropriately. P5 Use two spaces after end punctuation (. ! ? …). Use one space after interior punctuation (, ; :).


	Index for Teachers


	Acronyms, capitalization C2-f active Voice V3 Agreement, other than subject-verb agreement, subject-verb W3 Alignment (centering, left-align, etc.) Apostrophe XXX in a contraction C6-a XXX in a plural C1 XXX in a possessive C6 XXX unneeded.C1 Appositive, as a sentence fragment Capitalization C2 XXX first letter of sentence C2-c XXX proper nouns C2-a XXX titles C10 Clarity Colon, unnecessary C5-b colon introducing a list C12 Commas C7 XXX with compound sentence halves C7-b XXX with direct quote and tag C7-e XXX with end-of-sentence elements C7-g XXX with a list C7-f XXX with multiple modifiers C7-c XXX parenthetical use C7-a XXX splice C3 XXX unnecessary C5 Compound sentence, comma use C7-b Compound sentence, repairing comma splice Compound words, split C9-a conjunctions beginning sentences S8 Contractions, apostrophe use C6-a Dialect avoiding in an essay V4 Direct quote and tag, comma use C7- Double negative V4-c


	end-punctuation, correct C4 End punctuation, with direct quotes C8-c End-punctuation and parentheses C11 focus, lack of M1 Fonts P2 Fragments S3 XXX missing subject S3-a XXX missing verb S3-b XXX only a prepositional phrase S3-c XXX only a participles phrase S3-d XXX only an appositive phrases S3-e XXX half an if-then compound S3-f Gerund and possessive pronoun W8 Hanging Modifier homophones W2 Hyphenation If-Then sentence fragment Infinitive, split List, comma use Lists, with semicolons long dash C15 Margins P3 Modifiers XXX Hanging S1-c XXX intensifier with a weak word W1-e XXX misplaced S1- XXX commas with multiple C7-c numbers, to spell or not to spell C16 Numerals, Roman C16-c Omitted words Paragraph structure in organizing Paragraphing with dialogue Parallelism S5 Parentheses and end-punctuation Paragraphing failure to use O1 Participle Phrase, as a sentence fragment


	passive Voice V3 Periods and parentheses.C11 Plurals, misapplied apostrophe C1 Plural-singular Mix-up Point Of View Shift Possessive pronoun and gerund Possessive, apostrophe use C8 Predicate pronoun, case of Prepositional phrase, as a sentence fragment Prepositional phrase, too many S2-d Pronouns XXX of deities, capitalization C2-g XXX case as predicate noun W9-a XXX case after a preposition W9-c XXX case in a comparison W9-b XXX case, possessive before a gerund W8 XXX unclear antecedent W1-c XXX you and I V1 Punctuation, unnecessary C5 quotation marks C8 repetitive content M4 Roman numerals needed C16-c Run-on sentences S4 Semicolons XXX conjunction in compound sentence C14 XXX repairing comma splice C3 XXX in a list C13 Sentence, broken S7 Sentence Fragment S3 XXX missing subject S3-a XXX missing verb S3-b XXX only a prepositional phrase S3-c XXX only a participles phrase S3-d XXX only an appositive phrases S3-e XXX half an if-then compound S3-f


	Sentence, passive Voice V3 sentence run-on, length S4 sentence splice C3 sentence, split. S7 sentence variety S6 Slang, avoiding in an essay V4-d Slash, avoiding C5-c Spacing, line (double or single) P1 spelling C9 Split infinitive S9 Standard English V4 Subject, doubled V4-f Subject, omitted S3-a subjunctive mood W7 Third person verbs, adding S Titles, capitalization C10-c Titles, formatting C10 Topic Transitions O Vagueness Verbs XXX agreement W3 XXX Tense, Unnecessary change in S5-c XXX omitted S3-b XXX Weak W1-a Voice, using a consistent V2 Word order confusion S1-d Wordiness S2 Words, commonly misused W4 Words, omitted Word Choice, Weak word correct choice W4 You V1