Theme Error Rules

General Rules Follow these rules for each essay that you write.
1. Use the present tense to write literary papers.
EX: incorrect = Hawthorne used the isolation theme in his novel.
correct = Pearl symbolizes adultery.

2. Avoid the passive voice. (The subject of the sentence must be ACTING, must be performing
the action of the verb.)
EX: incorrect = Bens forehead was hit by the ball. (forehead is not DOING anything)
correct = The ball hit Bens forehead. (ball is HITTING)
Remember that passive voice is NOT incorrect writing; it is just weak writing if you use it
repeatedly. In this class, we will avoid it completely.
3. Avoid contractions.
EX: Use cannot instead of cant
4. Use ONLY 3rd person point-of-view in literary papers.
EX: incorrect = You can clearly see the contrast between Hester and Dimmesdale. I think
Hester is the stronger character.
correct = By contrasting Hester and Dimmesdale, one can clearly see that Hester is the
stronger character.
5. All essays will be double-spaced.
6. Final drafts must be TYPED or NEATLY WRITTEN IN INK (blue/black ink only).
7. Spelling counts! (When in doubt, look it up!)
8. Always use correct MLA-style parenthetical documentation when quoting or paraphrasing from
text. (See pages 4-7 for full details on MLA.)
9. Use Title Rules correctly when writing titles of books, poems, etc.
Italicize titles of:
Books Of Mice and Men
Plays The Crucible
Long Poems (Epic Poems) The Odyssey
Magazines Newsweek
Films Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Artwork The Mona Lisa
Newspapers The Hickory Daily Record
Spacecrafts The Enterprise
Watercrafts The Titanic

Enclose in quotation marks titles of:

P oems Upon the Burning of Our House

Short Stories The Cask of Amontillado

Essays Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter
Songs Super Freak
Newspaper Articles HHS Scores Highest in the State!
Sermons Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

(REMEMBER: only underline if

handwriting)

Page 1 of 18

10. Parallel Structure: Make sure to use parallel grammar when listing items. Pay attention specifically in three
broad areas.
ITEMS IN A SERIES (all items must be equal grammatically)
Incorrect:
I like swimming, hiking, and to backpack.
(two gerunds and an infinitive)
Correct:
I like swimming, hiking, and backpacking. (all three are gerunds)
Correct:
I like to swim, hike, and backpack.
(all three are infinitives)
Incorrect:
I tell students that they should write personal journals, that they should study vocabulary,
and to start early on essays.
Correct:
I tell students that they should write personal journals, that they should study vocabulary,
and that they should start early on essays.
Correct (and better): I tell students that they should write personal journals, study vocabulary, and start early on
essays.
ITEMS CONNECTED BY COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS (each item joined by a CC must be equal
grammatically) (FANBOYS = for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
Incorrect: Mary is an outstanding educator, a valuable friend, and loves to make
(two nouns, one verb)
people happy.
Correct: Mary is an outstanding educator, a valuable friend, and a person who loves (three nouns)
to make people happy.
ITEMS CONNECTED BY CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTIONS (each item joined by a COR.C. must be equal
grammatically):
not only / but also
whether / or
neither / nor
both / and
either / or
just as / so
Incorrect:

I either want to go to the movies or to the mall.

this is a verb phrase but this is a prepositional phrase

Correct:

Either I want to go to the movies, or I want to go to the mall.

this is an independent clause

Correct:
(and better)

and so is this!

I want to go either to the movies or to the mall.

both of these are prepositional phrases

ALSO, remember that when you list VERBS, you must keep the following consistent:
verb tense -- Incorrect: I run, play, and slept. (two present tense verbs and one past tense)
verb voice -- Incorrect: I run, play, and was hit. (two active verbs and one passive verb)
verb action Incorrect: I eat pizza, wash my car, and am an agreeable person.
(two action verbs and one linking or state of being verb)

11. Avoid using the word very in your writing.

12. Avoid using alot in your writing because it is not a word. A lot means bunches, but it is informal, so
do not use it. Allot means to parcel out, distribute, or to assign as a portion.
13. Avoid sentence fragments and run-ons.
A. Sentence fragment = an incomplete sentence, a phrase, or clause punctuated as if it were a
complete sentence; a sentence may be a fragment because it is actually a dependent
clause
Examples: Went to the beach yesterday. (lacking subject)
First in line are the Tyson twins. Two enormous, husky fellows. (lacking verb)
I lost my temper. Because I had asked him repeatedly not to bother us.
(dependent clause beginning with a subordinating conjunction)
The battery is dead. Which means the car wont start. (relative pronoun introducing an

adjective clause
is dependent)

B. Run-on sentence = sentence in which independent clauses are joined without proper connective
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punctuation
1. Comma Splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined by a comma
2. Fused Sentence occurs when two independent clauses are joined with no punctuation
IC = independent clause
DC = dependent clause
CC = coordinating
conjunction
CA = conjunctive adverb
SC = subordinate clause

Comma Splice Example: I only had three pennies left to my name, the slushie cost four cents.
Fused Sentence Example: I only had three pennies left to my name the slushie cost four cents.
Revised Sentence: I only had three pennies left to my name; however, the slushie cost four cents.
(IC;
CA, IC pattern = use a semi-colon with a conjunctive adverb followed by a comma)
Revised Sentence: I only had three pennies left to my name, but the slushie cost four cents. (IC,
CC IC pattern = use a comma with a coordinating conjunction)
Revised Sentence: I only had three pennies left to my name. The slushie cost four cents. (IC.
IC pattern = use a comma after the first independent clause)
Revised Sentence: Although the slushie cost four cents, I had only three pennies left to my name. (ISC, IC
pattern = use an introductory subordinate clause made up of a subordinating conjunction and an
independent clause followed by a comma)

14. A subject (noun) must agree in number with its predicate (verb).
Singular nouns and the pronouns he, she, and it take the verb form ending in s or es.
Examples:
he
eats
(Most indefinite pronouns are singular.
it
walks
For example: anybody, anyone, neither,
a ball
bounces
everybody, everyone, somebody, someone,
Susan
screams
either, each.)
Each
laughs
Plural nouns and the pronouns I, you, we, and they take the verb form without an added s or es.

Examples:

I
they
balls
Sue and Bill
Few

eat
walk
bounce
scream
laugh

(Some indefinite pronouns are plural.

For example: many, others, several, few.)
TRICKY!

(Some indefinite pronouns are singular OR plural

depending on how they are used. For example: none,
some, most, many, all, and more

15. A pronoun must agree in number & gender with its antecedent.

EX: Incorrect: A person should have the right to choose what career they want. (pronoun is plural, yet it
points to a singular antecedent)
Correct: People should have the right to choose what career they want.
Correct: A person should have the right to choose what career he or she wants.

Quotation Rules
1. Always place periods and commas within quotation marks (before the closing quotation mark).
incorrect = She said, Good-bye, and then she left the house.
correct = She said, Good-bye, and then she left the house.

2. Place colons and semicolons outside quotation marks.

incorrect = She shouted, I am going to the party; however, her sister said she was not going.
correct = She shouted, I am going to the party; however, her sister said she was not going.

3. If your entire sentence (including a quotation) asks a question, place a question mark outside the quotation
marks. If only the material within the quotation marks asks a question, then place the question mark inside
the quotation marks. The same applies to exclamation marks.
EX:

She shouted, Someone is after me!

(only the quoted material shows emotion)
Did she shout, Someone is after me? (the entire sentence is asking a question, not the quote)

(More specific rules about quotations that come from another source are in the MLA section that follows.)

Page 3 of 18

M. L. A. Parenthetical Documentation Rules

1. When you are writing a paper and want to include word-for-word information from another source, you
must show the text belongs to someone else by enclosing the word-for-word material in quotation marks
and citing the authors last name and page number.
EX: Writing essays can be fun and rewarding (Hamblin 39).

2. Remember that MOST of the time you place the final punctuation mark AFTER the
parenthetical information, NOT inside the quotation marks.
EX:

incorrect = Roller coasters are great fun. (Hamblin 39)

correct = Roller coasters are great fun (Hamblin 39).

3. Periods of ellipsis look like this: ... (three periods in a row). They are used to show that some text is
missing. They are NOT an end punctuation mark. If periods of ellipsis come at the end of sentence, you
need to place a fourth period (which acts as THE period) at the end. Therefore, be careful when you end
quoted material with periods of ellipsis.
EX: incorrect = Snakes terrify me. (Hamblin 39).
correct = Spiders do not bother me that badly (Hamblin 39).

4. You break the final punctuation mark rule in several cases:

1. When the documentation is already given within the sentence, a period may be placed within
the quoted material:
Notice that Hamblin (30) says, The cool thing about summer is that you get more sleep.

2. When you, the writer, wish to show emotion or ask a question with your quoted material,
but the ORIGINAL writer did NOT use an exclamation mark or question mark, you
place those OUTSIDE the quotation marks:
EX:

What on earth are you doing? (Hamblin 54). = the quoted material already asks a ?
What is meant when the author says, Oucha-Ma-Goucha (Hamblin 3)? = the author (Hamblin) is asking a
question; the quoted material is NOT part of a question
Look out for the killer praying mantis! (Hamblin 22). = the quoted material shows emotion
Believe it or not, the writer says, Death to all cute, furry bunnies (Hamblin 40)! = the quoted material does
NOT show emotion; instead, the writer is showing the emotion

5. There are many ways to include parenthetical documentation in your writing. Use them.
EX:

correct = Watching The Birds at a young age scarred me for life (Hamblin 39).
correct = Hamblin says, Watching The Birds at a young age scarred me for life (39).
correct = Hamblin (39) says, Watching The Birds at a young age scarred me for life.
correct = The horror film The Birds scarred [Paige] for life (Hamblin 39) and caused her to fear crows.

6. EVERY QUOTE MUST BE INTRODUCED! Quoted material needs to flow beautifully WITHIN
your own writing. You can NOT just plop quotes down in your writing without introducing them.
Below are a few examples of how you can introduce quotes or paraphrases in your writing.
EX: According to a literary critic, Moby Dick contains a lot of rope tying and blubber (Hamblin 4).
Hamblin goes on to say that Moby Dick contains a lot of rope tying and blubber (4).
A recent journal reported that Moby Dick contains a lot of rope tying and blubber (Hamblin 4).
Famous novelist, Paige Hamblin, says, Moby Dick contains a lot of rope tying and blubber (4).
Although s he argues that Melvilles novel is a masterpiece, Hamblin (4) still maintains that i t contains a lot of
rope tying and blubber.

7. If you introduce a quote with a COMPLETE SENTENCE (an independent clause or IC), you MUST
use a COLON (:) to intro the quoted material.
EX: correct = Hamblin (22) did not enjoy the first ten chapters of Harry Potter 4: I thought if I had to read one more detail
about the World Quidditch Cup, I was going to be ill.
correct = Franklin is clear about his feelings regarding visits from family: Fish and houseguests smell in three
days (98).
Page 4 of 18

correct = Again a clear example of a mirror as a symbol appears in the novel: Hester looked and she saw that, owing
to the peculiar effect of this convex mirror, the scarlet letter was represented in exaggerated and gigantic
proportions, so as to be greatly the most prominent feature of her appearance. In truth, she seemed
absolutely hidden behind it (Hawthorne 77).

8. Use commas to separate the introductory material from the actual quotation UNLESS the quotation
flows within your own text.
EX: correct = Scientist Hamblin says, Dj vu is a complex chemical occurrence in the brain (3).
correct = Horror writer Stephen King says that dj vu is a brain fart (43) and should not be overly analyzed (44).
correct = Ms. Manners says that one should avoid using vulgar or crude language like fart in mixed company.
NOTICE how the 2nd and 3rd examples use quoted material so flowingly within their own text that the reader
hardly knows it is there? STRIVE to do THAT in your writing!

9. When you quote text that contains dialogue in it, BE CAREFUL to use SINGLE quotation marks around
the spoken part. Be careful, too, about closing not only the spoken text with a single mark, but the entire
quoted text with double marks.
EX: correct = Maggie picks up the time-space-continuum obliterator and inquires, What am I going to do with this?
(Hamblin 33).
correct = Hamblin (33) makes her character ask the obvious question: Maggie picks up the time-space-continuum
obliterator and inquires, What am I going to do with this?
correct = Everything is going well with the Pearsons until Maggie picks up the time-space-continuum obliterator and
inquires, What am I going to do with this? (Hamblin 33).

10. When you have a quotation that is longer than three typed lines of text, you must place it in what we
call a BLOCK quote. To create a block quote, you must indent all of the text TWO times (instead of the
regular ONE time when you start a new paragraph). Take a look at the example of a block quote below;
afterward, notice all the rules that block quotes break!
This represents normal text within a paper that you would write for Mrs. Hamblin. Your material, however, would be far
more interesting than this. Now, lets look at how a block quote would enter the scene. We STILL have to introduce a block
quote, so here goes. When describing a block quote, one would say,
This represents a block quote. Did you see how the writer introduced this quotation just like normal? However,
instead of continuing after the comma, the writer hit RETURN/ENTER and began the quotation on the next line.
The quoted
text is here:

Notice that no quotation marks are used. Since the material is indented twice as much as normal, there is no
need to identify this as a quote by using quotation marks. Visually, this quote tells us that it is a quotation.
Remember, however, that we still need to double-space, just like we do for all the rest of the text in an essay. Also
notice that at the end of this quotation, a period appears. That breaks the rules! Two spaces over from this period,
you will see the parenthetical documentation. No period is after it. (Hamblin 34)
After the quoted material has been written, the writer simply hits RETURN/ENTER and begins typing back out at the
original margin.

Rules Broken By
Block Quotes:

*Indent each line for the entire length of the quoted material
*Do not use quotation marks to show that it is a quote; we see that because of the indention
*Place period after the quoted material; THEN place the parenthetical documentation with no period; just
the opposite of what we would normally do!

11. Sometimes you will want to paraphrase instead of directly quote what an author says. Paraphrasing means
that you are putting the written material into your own words. The rule of thumb for paraphrasing is
that you may not have more than three words in a row exactly like the original text has presented them.
Although you do NOT use quotation marks for paraphrases, you still have to give credit for who
Page 5 of 18

came up with the idea.

EX: Original text from an article about greenhouse gases = The atmosphere has a natural supply of greenhouse gases.
They capture heat and keep the surface of the Earth warm enough for us to live on. Without the greenhouse effect,
the planet would be an uninhabitable, frozen wasteland (DuPont 54).
Paraphrased version = DuPont explains that greenhouse gases, occurring naturally in the atmosphere, trap heat
that comes from the sun and thereby keep the Earth a comfortable, hospitable temperature (54).

12. When you include material from another source in your paper, you must create a Works Cited Page
or a Bibliography that is placed after the last page of your paper. This page alphabetically lists all the
sources you have used in your paper so that others may look up the original sources in case they are interested in researching
the same material for themselves. Here is a typical bibliographic entry that may be on a Works Cited page. The parts are
labeled:
Notice that you have a hanging
indent with a bibliographic entry,
meaning that after the first line, all
following lines are indented. This
format highlights the authors last
name. Also note that you do NOT hit
ENTER at all during the typing of the
bibliographic entry: let the computer
wrap the text if it is going to be
longer than one line.

Please note that there are MANY different types of sources: books, periodicals, newspapers, television shows, films, the Internet,
etc. Each different type of source demands a different way to create a bibliographic entry. Instead of memorizing how to do them
all, you can use online citation makers to help you. Once you choose the type of source you have, these tools ask for all the
pertinent information about that source. You fill in the answers and voil! You have a correctly formatted bibliographic entry. The
very best online citation makers I have found (best listed first) are:
Calvin Colleges KNIGHT CITE:
http://www.calvin.edu/library/knightcite/

NCSUs LOBO Citation Builder:

http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/lobo2/citationbuilder/citationbuilder.php

Once you have collected all the bibliographic entries that represent all the sources that will appear in your paper, you create a Works
Cited page (also known as a Bibliography) that lists each source alphabetically by the first piece of information in each entry. Here is
an example of a typical Works Cited page:

Notice that the sources are listed alphabetically and that each has a hanging indent (except when the entry is not long
enough to wrap around to the next line). In your paper when you have a quotation cited as (McCall 39), a reader can then
alphabetically look up that source on your Works Cited page.

13. When you are using a source that does not have an author, you must use the first piece of
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information given in the bibliographic entry for that source. For example, if we were to use The
Gaps Internet site as a source for a paper on sweatshop use in the clothing industry, we should
first make the bibliographic entry for it. We choose an online citation maker of our choice and fill
out the information it asks us about the site. We get the following bib entry:
The Gap. 2 January 2004. Gap.com, Inc. 2 January 2004. <http://www.gap.com>.
Notice that it does not have an author? When we use this source in our paper, it looks like this:
From 2001-2009 no clothing has been manufactured outside of the U.S. (The Gap).
Notice that instead of an author OR page number for this source, there is only the italicized name of the Internet site.

Comma Rules
1. Put a comma after an adverb clause, not before.
* Adverb clause a group of words with a subject and a verb that begins with a subordinate
conjunction (because, if, since, when, while, etc) and modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb.
EX: incorrect = This outfit is a typical one for him, though he looks his best in nice, dark-colored shirts.
correct = Though he looks his best in nice, dark-colored shirts, this outfit is a typical one for him.

2. Put a comma after an introductory prepositional phrase of four or more words.

* Prepositional phrase a group of words that refers to another part of the sentence by beginning with a preposition (of, at,
for, to, etc) and ending with an object (a noun)
EX: During a winter ice storm, you should stay off the roads.

3. Put a comma after two or more introductory prepositional phrases.

EX: In the back of the store, the inspector found a fire hazard.

4. Put a comma after any short introductory prepositional phrase if there is a pause.
EX: After Saturday, they will be graduates of high school.

5. Put a comma after an introductory infinitive phrase if it is not the subject.

* Infinitive phrase a group of words that acts as a unit and begins with an infinitive, a verbal in which the root verb follows the
word to
EX: To arrive at the airport on time, we left at 3 A.M.
EX: To arrive at the airport on time is our goal.

6. Put a comma after an introductory participial phrase.

* Participial phrase a group of words that acts as an adjective and contains a participle. A participial phrase always acts as an
adjective and must be beside the word it modifies.
EX: Speaking loudly, Dane said he had cupcakes.

7. Set off a nonrestrictive (not-needed) adjective clause with commas.

* Nonrestrictive adjective clause a group of words with a subject and a verb that acts as an adjective but is not essential for
the identification of the noun it describes.
EX: The girl who is my sister leaves for college in the fall. (no commas because who is my sister is needed to understand who the
girl is)
EX: Kelley, who is my sister, leaves for college in the fall. (commas because Kelley is specific enough to identify the noun without
who is my sister)

8. Put a comma after an introductory word, a transition word, or a Smooth Beginning Device (SBD).
EX: Initially, she did not want to go to the party.

9. Set off an appositive with commas unless it is a one-word appositive.

EX: Ellen, my neighbor, is a teacher. (commas needed because the appositive is more than one word.)
EX: My best friend Rachel lives in Ohio. (commas not needed because the appositive has only one word)

Page 7 of 18

10. Use a comma(s) to set off a negative phrase at the end of a sentence or within a sentence.
EX: I want a hamburger, not an ice cream.
EX: Edmund would like more Turkish delight, not lemon pie, for dessert.

11. Put a comma between coordinate adjectives.

* Coordinate adjectives adjectives between which you can put and and which you can reverse without changing their
meanings or making the sentence awkward.
EX: The sickly, feeble man died.

12. Put a comma between items in a series that do not already contain commas.
incorrect = My favorite colors are blue purple and gray.
correct = My favorite colors are blue, purple, and gray.
incorrect = My favorite colors are bright, clear blue, cool, soft purple, and harsh, metallic gray.
correct = My favorite colors are bright, clear blue; cool, soft purple; and harsh, metallic gray.

13. Put a comma after every part of a date or address.

EX: I live in Hickory, North Carolina, on 5th Street.
EX: I was born January 30, 1983, on Super bowl Sunday.

14. Put a comma before a coordinate conjunction when it joins two independent clauses (and, or, but comma
rule).
EX: He drove to the store, and he purchased some milk.

15. Use a comma when words are omitted from a mirror image independent clause joined by a
semicolon to another independent clause.
EX: She goes to State; her sister, Carolina.

16. Use a comma for clarity.

unclear = In the kitchen cupboards were empty.
clear
= In the kitchen, cupboards were empty.

17. Use commas to set off interrupters.

EX: Bob, the most terrific handy-man in the company, fixed my wobbly desk. (appositive phrase)
EX: Bob, who is a good runner, tried out for the track team. (adjective clause)

18. Do not use participial phrases as interrupters.

EX: Sarah, running like wind, arrived in a huff! (This sentence is gulpy and poorly written.)

19. Do not interrupt an independent clause with an adverb clause.

EX: Tim, because he hated chocolate cake, decided to order the biscotti instead. (This sentence is gulpy and poorly
written.)

20. Minimize the use of adjective clauses and appositives as interrupters.

21. Set off appositive adjectives with commas.
* Appositive adjectives adjectives that follow the noun they modify rather than precede it.
EX: Spring, bright and youthful, is my favorite time of year.

22. Use a comma to set off quote introductions.

EX: He said, That is one lovely goat.

23. Set off a noun of direct address with commas. EX: Get off the plane, Brittany. Mike, eat the broccoli!

Dash, Colon, and Semi-Colon Usage

1. Use a semi-colon to separate two closely-related independent clauses if they are mirror-images or if the second
clause has a conjunctive adverb.
* Conjunctive adverb an adverb that relates and joins two independent clauses with a semi-colon (examples: however,
therefore, thus, moreover, consequently, nevertheless, etc)
EX: She enjoys dancing; therefore, she takes lessons daily. Theresa makes pottery; Maurice makes crab cakes.

Page 8 of 18

2. Use a semi-colon to separate items in a series that already contain commas.

EX: She wore a bright, shiny dress; red satin shoes; and a rough, wool shawl.

3. Use a colon to join two sentences when the second one explains the first (effect: cause).
EX: The boy frantically ran outside: he was late for the bus.

4. Use a colon to divide the introduction to a quote if it is a complete sentence.

EX: Margaret only had one thing to say about Dimitri: He is as close to perfect as we can come!

5. Use a colon to divide an introductory sentence from a concluding list. (In a list, put a colon after the
following, as following, a number, or after the word several)
EX: I need to buy several items at the grocery store: milk, bread, and cheese.

6. Use a dash to divide an introductory list from a concluding sentence.

EX: Basketball, football, and soccer these sports are my favorite.

7. Use a dash to emphasize an appositive (especially at the end of a sentence).

EX: She has one quality going for her sincerity.

8. Use a dash to set off an appositive made up of items in a series. (A comma or colon is acceptable, but a dash
is preferred.)
EX: My favorite colors blue, purple, and gray are in the painting.

9. Use a dash to signify an abrupt change in thought.

EX: I am going to go to the dont pinch me.

Possessive Errors
1. Do not use apostrophes on two consecutive words.
incorrect = Brenda totaled Kellys sisters car.
correct = Brenda totaled the car of Kellys sister.

2. Do not use inanimate possessive.

incorrect = Manuel ripped the books page.
correct = Manuel ripped the page of the book.

3. Possessive words cannot be antecedents.

4. Do not use double possession.

incorrect = Bobs unhappiness causes him to frown.

correct = His unhappiness causes Bob to frown.

incorrect = The horse of Nicoles is having a baby.

correct = Nicoles horse is having a baby.

5. When you use joint ownership, make the last owner possessive.

EX: Sarah and Amandas employer gave them a Christmas bonus. (Both girls have the same employer.)

6. When you use compound but separate ownership, make both owners possessive.

EX: Sarahs and Amandas employers gave them a Christmas bonus. (Each girl has her own employer.)

7. Use plurals and possessives correctly.

plural = more than one ex: dog / dogs, Williams / Williamses
possessive = ownership ex: dog / dogs or dogs, Williams / Williamss or Williamses

Verbal Errors
A verbal is a verb that acts as another part of speech.
There are three types of verbals:
Participles
o present participles (ing verbs) can only be adjectives
EX: present participle The running water glistens. (acts as adjective)
o past participles (end in en, -ed, -nt) can be adjectives or nouns
EX: past participle The burned food smells atrocious! (acts as adjective)
EX: past participle The burned need immediate medical aid. (acts as noun)
Gerunds
(ing
verbs) can only act as nouns (Ex: Swimming is fun.) (acts a noun the subject)

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 Infinitives (to + verb) can act as nouns, adjectives, and adverbs

o Noun: To forgive is divine. (acts as noun, the subject of the sentence)
o Adjective: Hunger Games is the book to read. (acts as adjective defining book)
o Adverb: Katniss kills to survive. (acts as adverb defining the verb kills)

1. A participial phrase should go beside the word it describes.

incorrect = She listens to the radio, singing along with the tunes. (here it sound as though the radio is singing)
correct = Singing along with the tunes, she listens to the radio.
Be sure to avoid plopped on participial phrases, dangling participial phrases, and misplaced participial phrases.

2. Do not split an infinitive.

incorrect = To boldly go where no man has gone before is the objective. (boldly splits the infinitive to go)
correct = To go boldly where no man has gone before is the objective.

3. Use the possessive case before a gerund.

incorrect = Them understanding the difficult concept was impressive.
correct = Their understanding of the difficult concept was impressive.
incorrect = Xavier did not like Persephone singing.
correct = Xavier did not like Persephones singing.

(understanding is the gerund and needs a

possessive in front of it)
(singing is the gerund and needs a possessive in
front of it)

4. The subject of an infinitive phrase is in the objective case.

incorrect = The players have invited we to go.
correct = The players have invited us to go.

Conjunction Errors
1. Use as or as if in place of like as a subordinate conjunction. Like can be a preposition or a verb, not a
conjunction.
incorrect = He acted like nothing had happened.
correct = He acted as if nothing had happened.

2. Avoid the use of so as a conjunction by itself. Either change so to so that or turn the first clause into
an adverb clause. (You may use so as a conjunction sparingly.)
incorrect = She felt guilty, so she confessed.
correct = Because she felt guilty, she confessed.

3. Never use the first or second part of a correlative conjunction without its partner.
Correlative Conjunctions:
Not only but also
Either or
Neither nor
Whether or
Both and
Just as so

incorrect = She is not only beautiful but smart.

correct = She is not only beautiful but also smart.

4. The material following each correlative conjunction must be parallel.

incorrect = Jeremy must either go out of town, or he must stay at a friends house.
a verb with a prepositional phrase

an independent clause

NOT parallel!

correct = Jeremy must either go out of town or stay at a friends house.

Parallel because verbs follow both correlative conjunctions.

5. If but also joins two independent clauses, a comma must precede it.
6. Do not start a sentence with a coordinate conjunction (one of the FANBOYS).
*For (is acceptable)
And

Nor
But

Or
Yet

So

Page 10 of 18

Adjective Errors
1. Do not string together adjective clauses.
incorrect = Robby lives in a house which is on 2nd Street that runs parallel to 3rd Street where Dane lives.

2. Hyphenate compound adjectives when they come before the noun they describe.
incorrect = The family adored the six week old puppy.
correct = The family adored the six-week-old puppy.

3. Put a comma between coordinate adjectives (see comma rule 11).

Verb Errors
1. If two subjects are joined by or or nor, make the verb agree with the subject closer to the verb.
incorrect = Neither the boy nor his sister take care of the dog.
correct = Neither the boy nor his sister takes care of the dog.
correct = Either the lion or the monkeys make a mess every morning in the food room.

2. Two subjects joined by and take a plural verb.

incorrect = The boy and the girl fights over the toy.
correct = The boy and the girl fight over the toy.

3. Do not let an interrupter confuse subject/verb agreement.

incorrect = Nicole, along with Suzanne and Sarah, are going to the mall.
correct = Nicole, along with Suzanne and Sarah, is going to the mall.

4. A collective noun must agree with its verb and pronoun.

* Collective noun a word(s) that names a group of nouns in which the members either act collectively (when it is singular) or
act as individuals (when it is plural)
incorrect = The family eat dinner together in the kitchen.
Here family is thought of as a unit, so it
correct = The family eats dinner together in the kitchen.
requires a singular verb
incorrect = The band showers and changes their clothes after the game.
correct = The band shower and change their clothes after the game.

Here band is thought of as individuals.

5. When speaking of amount of money, fraction, weight, or volume, use the singular form of the verb. When
such amounts are thought of individually, and not as a unit, use the plural form of the verb.
incorrect = Six feet are his height.
correct = Six feet is his height.
correct = You want more fabric?
Six feet are here.

incorrect = Twenty dollars are all I have as a donation right now.

correct = Twenty dollars is all I have as a donation right now.
correct = You need dollar bills? Twenty dollars are in my hand for you.

6. When every, each, or many a appears before two subjects joined by and, the subject is singular and
requires the singular form of the verb. (Avoid using many a.)
incorrect = Many a boy and girl go to college.

correct = Many a boy and girl goes to college.

7. A compound verb should be parallel in three ways: voice, tense, and action.

incorrect = She is a cheerleader and works at the store.

(is is state of being, and works is action)
correct = She cheers at the school and works at the store. (both cheers and works are action verbs)

8. Do not use passive voice verbs.

* Passive voice a mood in which the subject of the sentence is receiving the action rather than doing the action; when a past
participle follows a form of to be, it is usually passive voice
incorrect = The ball was kicked into the corner.
(the subject ball is not doing the verb)
correct = He kicked the ball into the corner.
(the subject He is doing the verb)

9. Use present perfect tense to indicate an action begun in the past and continuing into the present and or future.
* Present perfect tense a tense in which the helping verb have/has precedes the past participle
Page 11 of 18

correct = The water flows for days.

correct = The water has flowed for days.

(correct if you want to say the water begins flowing and stops after days)
(correct if you want to say the water started flowing days ago and is
continuing to flow now)

10. If two actions occur in the past in one sentence, use past perfect tense for the action that occurred first.
* Past perfect tense a tense in which the helping verb had precedes the past participle
incorrect = They told her that she wore the wrong uniform.
(we cannot tell when if she wore the uniform at the same
time that they are talking with her or before the conversation)
correct = They told her that she had worn the wrong uniform. (we can tell that before they spoke to her she had worn the
wrong uniform)

11. Do not use would have in place of had.

incorrect = If Susan would have gone to the movie, she might have spent her allowance.
correct = If Susan had gone to the movie, she might have spent her allowance.

Pronoun Errors
1. Use who instead of that to refer to people.
incorrect = The boy that drives this car is my neighbor.
correct = The boy who drives this car is my neighbor.

2. Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in person, gender, and number.
incorrect = Each of the girls took their turn.
correct = Each of the girls took her turn.

NOTE: Some indefinite pronouns are always singular:

(1) ones that end in one, thing, and body
(2) each
(3) neither
(4) either
Indefinite pronouns do not have an antecedent.
incorrect = The reader must decide for themselves whether the spinning top will stop. Here the antecedent reader is
correct = The reader must decide for himself whether the spinning top will stop.
singular; therefore, the pronoun
must be singular.

3. Do not use this, that, these, and those (demonstratives) as pronouns. Turn them into adjectives by
putting nouns after them. incorrect = This is devastating.
correct = This accident is devastating.

4. If or or nor joins two subjects, make the personal pronoun agree with the subject closer to the verb.
incorrect = Neither the boy nor his sister likes their teacher.
correct = Neither the boy nor his sister like her teacher.

5. Two subjects joined by and take a plural pronoun.

EX: Katniss and Gale are exceptional archers. They practiced often in the woods near District 12.

6. Avoid starting clauses with expletives.

* Expletive the words there is and there are that are often used to introduce clauses without adequate subjects
(see pronoun rule 3)
* It, there, and here can be demonstrative, so avoid using them to begin clauses.
incorrect = There is the sweater I want to buy.
correct = The sweater I want to buy is there.

7. A collective noun must agree with its pronoun.

If the collective noun is being used as a singular noun, the pronoun must be singular.
incorrect = The band marched. They stopped in front of the entrance to Macys.
The band is thought of here as
correct = The band marched. It stopped in front of the entrance to Macys.
a unit and therefore singular.
If the collective noun is being used as a plural noun, the pronoun must be plural.
incorrect = After the show, the band showered, dressed, and met its families in the parking lot.
Here the band is thought
correct = After the show, the band showered, dressed, and met their families in the parking lot. of in terms of a group of
individuals.

Diction Errors
Page 12 of 18

1. accept to receive or agree

except with the exclusion of

2. advise (v.) to give counsel

advice (n.) an opinion or recommendation

3. affect (v.) to change or alter

effect (n.) meaning result; (v.) meaning to bring

about the desired result

She will accept your invitation.

I want everything on my pizza except anchovies.

My grandfather will advise me on what to do.

The loud music affected her concentration.

Never give advice on matters of the heart.

The effects of sun exposure can be damaging. (n.)

The scientists effected a cure for the disease. (v.)

4. all together all at the same time; in

agreement

altogether wholly; entirely; completely

Im altogether finished with you, so please leave.

Are we as a class all together on this issue?

5. all right everything is fine

alright NOT a word

6. already done before

all ready someone or something is completely

prepared

I heard some loud noises. Is everything all right?

I have seen this film already.

We need to leave soon. Are we all ready?

5. compliment to flatter

complement to add to

6. drag to pull (drag, dragged, dragged)

drug to give medicine (drug, drugged, drugged)

7. eminent distinguished

imminent about to occur

8. everyday an adjective

every day a modified noun

9. farther at a greater distance

further additional

She complimented her new haircut.

That red scarf complements this jacket.

The weak man dragged the heavy bag.

The eminent man received a prestigious award.

Practice is an everyday event.

The doctor drugged the patient.

The cold weather indicated an imminent snowstorm.

I go to practice every day.

California is farther away than Colorado.

The scientists need further data to make a conclusion.

10. hang to kill by suspending with rope

around the neck (hang, hanged, hanged)

hang to suspend (hang, hung, hung)

11. imply to hint

infer to conclude or deduce

12. its contraction in place of it is

its possessive case of it

The executioner hanged the guilty man.

The teacher implied that there would be a quiz.

Its not snowing outside.

13. later after

That event will happen later.

14. lead (v.) to go before or

show the way

She hung the mirror on the wall.

When she began to cry, I inferred that she was upset.

The cat licked its paws.

latter the last item listed

I like bread, salad, and lasagna.

The latter gives me indigestion.

led past tense of the verb to lead

She led me astray.

I will lead the group.

15. lend a verb

She will have to lend me the money.

ladder a structure made for

climbing

She climbed the ladder to rescue the cat.

lead (n.) soft, malleable, bluish-gray

metal
I will lead the way over the lead-colored
tunnel.

loan a noun

The man needed a loan to build his house.

Page 13 of 18

16. lie to recline (lie, lay, lain)

lay to place (lay, laid, laid)

17. passed having completed the act of

passing

past gone by or elapsed in time; the time gone by

18. plead a verb

plea a noun

19. principle basic rule or truth

principal head of a school, monetary investment;

or main

Because she was sick, she lay in bed.

He laid the utensils on the table.

At past parties, he behaved well. In the past, we sang.

The car passed me without even stopping!

The criminal pleaded guilty.

She entered a guilty plea.

Basic science principles are keys to understanding.

Our principal is Mrs. Stalnaker.

20. good an adjective

well can be an adverb or adjective

21. quite completely

quiet making no noise or sound

She was a good student.

I am good. (pred. adj. that means you are virtuous)

She is doing well in school.

I am well. (predicate adj. that means you are healthy)

He was quite sure he locked the car.

All was quiet: not a creature was stirring.

22. rise (rise, rose, risen) to get up

raise (raise, raised, raised) to lift up

23. sit (sit, sat, sat) to rest with the upper body
supported by the buttocks or thighs

set (set, set, set) to put someone or something in a

particular place

I rise in the morning, bright and shiny!

I raise the window shade to greet the sun.

We sit at this bench every day for lunch.

24. there at or in that place

David calmly set the ticking box on the table.

their possessive of they

Put your homework there.

25. to preposition

Haley went to the store.

theyre contraction for they are

Their dog is cute!

Theyre going to the disco.

too adverb meaning also

two the number

Margie wanted to go, too.

They bought two doughnuts.

26. whos contraction for who is

whose possessive form of who

27. youre contraction for you are

your possessive form of you

Do you know whos knocking on my door?

He does not know if youre serious.

Whose shoes are these?

Are these your batteries?

28. Put only as close as possible to the word it describes.

incorrect = I only bought one hot-dog. (incorrect if you are trying to express that your purchased one, not more)
correct = I bought only one hot-dog.

29. AVOID using the following words when you write formal English:
thing
a lot
the fact that

interesting
very
good

due to
stuff
bad

nice
great (do not use when it means wonderful; use when meaning large or
really
grand)
awesome (unless used to mean something awe-inspiring, mighty, powerful)

30. AVOID using these transition words when you write formal English:
first(ly)
second(ly)
third(ly)

last(ly)
to begin (with)
in conclusion

31. each other refers to two objects

The two boys knew each other.

in summary
(Note: within a paragraph, you can use
first, second, and third sparingly)

one another refers to three or more objects

The four girls met one another for lunch.

32. Do not write to try and write to try to

incorrect = He was going to try and finish his paper before the due date.
Page 14 of 18

correct = He was going to try to finish his paper before the due date.

33. number and few refer to objects that can be counted

amount and less refer to objects that cannot be counted (mass nouns)

correct = Because it is a Monday afternoon, the company has few customers. (the number of customers can be counted)
correct = Because it is a Monday afternoon, the company has less business. (business is not a countable object)
incorrect = You poured too much milk. I need fewer milk. (milk is a mass noun; since it cant be counted, use less here)
incorrect = It is too crowded here. We need less chairs. (chairs can be counted, so fewer works here instead of less)

34. Do not use clichs

all walks of life
behind the eight ball
bitter end
bright and early
by hook or crook
calm before the storm
checkered career
chomping at the bit
cool as a cucumber
cry over spilled milk
each and every
fall on deaf ears
from time immemorial
give the devil his due

heavy as lead
hook, line, and sinker
in everyday life
in the nick of time
in the same boat
in todays society
leaps and bounds
leave no stone unturned
lock, stock, and barrel
long arm of the law
march of history
never a dull moment
nipped in the bud
patience of Job

pay the piper

sands of time
scream like a banshee
selling like hot cakes
sleeping like the dead
stick out like a sore thumb
this day and age
tried-and-true
whirlwind tour
winds of change
wracked his brain
writing on the wall

35. Capitalize an academic subject if it has a number after it, if it is a course name, or it is a language.
I have German next period.
He is taking history.
I am required to take Calculus 101.
Are you taking Home Again: Southern Writers Who Left and Returned this year?

36. Capitalize north, south, east, and west when they refer to geographic regions but not when they
give direction.
The gas station is west of here.
She decided to go to college up North.

We will head south in the winter.

Tracy likes to visit the South twice a year.

37. Use could and would in past tense papers; use can and will in present tense papers. (If possible, try
to avoid using can and will at all)
38. Capitalize familial relationships only if they take the place of the persons name.
Next weekend, my grandmother is staying at my house.
Next weekend, Grandmother is staying at my house.

39. Do not use is when, was when, is because, and was because. (Do not put a form of to be in front
of a subordinate conjunction.)
incorrect = The reason I cannot help you is because I broke my foot.
correct = Because I broke my foot, I cannot help you.

40. Do not use tautology (the needless repetition of an idea in different words):
Autobiography of his/her life
A.M. in the morning

P.M. in the evening

visible to the eye

drove by car
true facts

adequate enough
refer back

41. Do not use crazy to mean insane. Crazy means mixed-up, out-of-order, zany, etc.
42. Do not use mad to mean angry. Mad means mentally insane.
43. Use toward, forward, afterward, and backward.
Do NOT use towards, forwards, afterwards, or backwards.
incorrect = The dog ran towards me. The truck moved forwards. Afterwards, it moved backwards.
correct = The dog ran toward me. The truck moved forward. Afterward, it moved backward.

Page 15 of 18

44. Do not use the same word or root words twice in the same sentence.

incorrect = The student gave an example of how the character exemplified a hero.
correct = The student gave an example of how the character was the epitome of a hero.
incorrect = Mary Rowlandsons literature is Puritan literature because it contains Puritan elements.

45. Use deal with, not handle to mean addressing, confronting, resolving.
incorrect = She could not handle the difficult situation.
correct = She could not deal with the difficult situation.

46. Do not use thing or things.

47. Use good-bye, not goodbye. (Also correct: good-by; goodbye is becoming more popular, but is still
not considered the preferred option)
48. Only use remorse to mean feelings of guilt, not feelings of sadness.
incorrect = She felt remorse after his death.
correct = She felt remorse after she killed him.

49. Use jealousy only for a romantic connotation; otherwise use envy.
50. Do not use it is seen or it is shown.
51. almost an adverb

We are almost finished with theme error rules!

most an adjective or indefinite pronoun

Most people share with others. Most are magnanimous.

52. Write out numbers one through nine. Use numerals for 10 and over.
53. Capitalize days of the week, months, and holidays, but do not capitalize seasons.

Syntactic Rules and Points to Remember

1. Put the most important idea in the main clause.
2. Use short sentences only for emphasis such as in clinchers.
3. Use parallelism in three areas: items in a series, two items joined by a coordinate conjunction, and items joined
by correlative conjunctions (see rule 12 in General Rules).
4. Never end a clause with a preposition.
incorrect = Where are you at?
correct = Where are you?

5. Do not end a sentence and begin the next sentence with the same word, a synonym, or a pronoun. Try instead
to make the second sentence an adjective clause.
incorrect = I went to the grocery store. The grocery store is on Highway 127.
correct = I went to the grocery store which is on Highway 127.

6. Do not begin two consecutive sentences with the same word, pronoun, or a synonym.
incorrect = The man ran down the street. He was being chased.
correct = The man ran down the street because he was being chased.

7. In a cause-effect situation, do not use a compound sentence but rather a complex one.
incorrect = She stayed up late, and she needed to study.
correct = She stayed up late because she needed to study. or Because she needed to study, she stayed up late.

8. Use the following structures to form compound sentences:

IC, CC IC
IC; CA, IC
IC; IC
IC: IC

EX: I like spaghetti, and Sarah likes ham.

IC = independent clause
EX: We wanted to go to Carrowinds; however, we did not.
CC = coordinating conjunction
EX: Candy cried for Sam; Bernice wept for John. (must be parallel) CA = conjunctive adverb
EX: Henry had ulterior motives: he planned to steal the diamond.
Page 16 of 18

9. Use the following conjunctive adverbs to join independent clauses with a semicolon:
however
therefore
thus

moreover
nevertheless
consequently

subsequently

10. An adjective clause must go after the word that it modifies.

incorrect = The house is on the corner that is made of stone.
correct = The house that is made of stone is on the corner.

11. Make the longer expression the appositive.

incorrect = The boy who sits next to me, Glen, is never in school.
correct = Glen, the boy who sits next to me, is never in school.

12. Never write a compound sentence with more than two independent clauses. (Do not use independent clauses
as items in a series)
incorrect = He opened the mail, and he tore open the package, and he ran inside with it.
correct = When he opened the mail, he tore open the package, and he ran inside with it.

13. The four acceptable types of sentence structures are:

Simple one independent clause

EX: Lisa bravely held her breath.
Compound two independent clauses
EX: Lisa bravely held her breath, and then she reached her hand into the jar.
Complex one independent and one dependent clause
EX: When she reached her hand into the jar, Lisa bravely held her breath.
Compound complex two independent clauses and one dependent clause
EX: Since she was terrified of spiders, Lisa bravely held her breath, and then she reached her hand into the jar.

14. Always put a subject and a verb after a subordinate conjunction.

incorrect = When painting, the artist keeps all of his supplies close at hand.
correct = When he paints, the artist keeps all of his supplies close at hand.

15. Use subjunctive mood to express a condition contrary to fact by using a plural verb with a singular subject.
incorrect = She wishes she was in Paris.
correct = She wishes she were in Paris.

17. Bury however. Do not begin a sentence with however too frequently.
incorrect = She arrived on time. However, she missed her ride.
correct = She arrived on time; however, she missed her ride.

18. Do not use mixed metaphors.

incorrect = The judge turned a deaf ear to the rumble of the handwriting on the wall.
correct = The judge ignored the warning.

Smooth Beginning Devices (SBDs)

1. Use SBDs to help your writing flow. Begin the following with SBDs:

topic sentences of the 2nd and all following body paragraphs

clinchers
concluding paragraph

2. Always use a comma after SBDs.

3. SBDs include:
Introductory adverb clauses
Although he pitched the ball game, he doesnt remember the score.
Introductory prepositional phrases
In the cold of winter, he went swimming.
Introductory infinitive phrases that are not used as subjects
To answer the question, she had to do research.
Introductory participial phrases (use sparingly)
Crossing the finish line, he won the race.
Introductory adverbs (use sparingly): Obviously, Beowulf is brave.
Page 17 of 18

Spelling Errors
1. Make most words that end in o or y plural by looking at the letter that precedes the last one.
If it is a vowel, add s. If it is a consonant, add es, or change the y to ies.
hero = heroes
tornado = tornadoes

patio = patios
portfolio = portfolios

monkey = monkeys
sky = skies

2. To make nouns that end in o and deal with music plural, simply add s.
3. I before e, except after c or when sounding like A as in neighbor and weigh.
thief
stein

conceive
deceive

weird (an exception to the rule!)

seize (another exception to the rule!)

4. Below is a list of MANY misspelled words not already covered. Be sure that you spell them correctly.
absence
accidentally
accommodate
accompanied
accumulate
achievement
acquaintance
acquire
acquitted
aggravation
amateur
among
analysis
analyze
anesthesia
annual
apartment
apparatus
apparent
appearance
arctic
arguing / argument
arithmetic
ascend
athletic
attendance
balance
battalion
beginning
belief / believe
beneficial
benefited
blatant
boundaries
Britain
business
calendar
candidate
carcass
category
cemetery
changeable / changing
choose / chose
climactic
coming
commission
committee
comparative
compelled
conceivable
conferred
conscience
conscientious
conscious
control
controversial
controversy

criticize
deceitful Tries
deferred
definitely definition
depravity
describe
description
desert (sand)
desperate (having lost
hope)
desperation
dessert (sweet stuff)
determined
develop
dictionary
dinginess
dining
disappearance
disappoint
disastrous
discipline
disparate (diverse)
dissatisfied
dissimilarities
dormitory
eighth
eligible
eliminate
eloquence
emanate
embarrass
eminent
empathetic
encouragement
encouraging
entwining
envies
environment
epitome
equipped
especially
exaggerate
excellence
exhilarate
existence / existent
experience
explanation
familiar
fascinate
February
fiery
foreign
formerly
forty
fourth
frantically
generally

government
grammar
grandeur
grievous
height
hindrance
hoping
humor / humorous
hypocrisy / hypocrite
immediately
immensely
incidentally
incredible
independence
indiscretion
inevitable
inherent
innocence
intellectual / intelligence
interesting
interrupter
intriguing
irresistible
laboratory
lightning
loneliness
loose (to make less tight)
lose (to misplace)/ losing
maintenance
maneuver
manufacture
marriage
mathematics
maybe
mere
miniature
mischievous
monetary
mysterious
necessary
ninety
noticeable
occasionally
occurred / occurrence
omitted
omniscient
opinion
opportunity
optimistic
paid
parallel
paralysis / paralyze
parenthetical
particular
pastime
patently (openly, clearly)

patiently (tolerantly,
understandingly)
performance
permissible
perseverance
personal / personnel
perspiration
pertinent
physical
picnicking
possession
possibility / possible
practically
precede / precedence
preference / preferred
prejudice
preparation
prevalent
principal / principle
privilege
probably
procedure
proceed
profession
professor
prominent
pronunciation
pursue
quantity
quizzes
recede
receive / receiving
recommend
reference / referring
repetition
restaurant
rhyme / rhythm
ridiculous
sacrifice
sacrilegious
sadness
salary
schedule
sense
separate / separation
sergeant
severely
Shakespearean
shining
sibilant
similar
similes
sincerely
sophomore
specifically
specimen
statue

studying
succeed
succession
surprise
suspense
technique
temperamental
tendency
therefore
tragedy
transferring
tries
truly
tyranny
unanimous
undoubtedly
unnecessary
until
usually
village
villain
weather
whether
woman
women
writing

Page 18 of 18