Common Grammar Errors

Emily Heady, Ph.D.

Director, Graduate Writing
Center
 Basic Sentence-Level Errors

Syntactical Errors
Affect/Effect, Compliment/Complement,
Theyre/Their/There, Its/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 students 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 its 20th Annual
Debate Tournament on November 2-4, 2007.

Please be on the look out for a Black, Male,

506, 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.