Virginia is a university English trainer for more than two decades. She focuses on assisting individuals compose essays quicker and easier.

Want An Improved Grade?

Numerous things have actually changed within the 23 years i have taught university English, but the one thing has not yet. Pupils nevertheless result in the exact same typical mistakes on their documents. I guarantee that in the event that you follow my directions to eradicate these errors on the paper, you’re getting a far better grade. perhaps maybe Not enough time? My suggestions are purchased most abundant in important people first.

Spelling and Grammar

The difficulty: pupils rush to complete their documents plus don’t just take the time and energy to find and fix mistakes they can potentially correct.

The Perfect Solution Is:

  1. Spell-check your essay utilizing your word program that is processing.
  2. Utilize Grammarly to simply help search for mistakes (Bing « Grammarly’ to download the free version). After making use of this myself for per year, we finally need my students utilize it too as it does get many word that is common errors and comma errors.
  3. Re-read your essay gradually (out loud is most beneficial) from beginning to end. That can help you discover a complete lot of errors and typos that could be missed by the spellchecker.
  4. Ask some other person to learn your essay to consider errors. Often a close friend is able to see one thing you cannot.

Why Fix? Misspelled words and typos tell your instructor you do not care. More to the point, these types of mistakes at work inform your employer that you’re a sloppy worker, and therefore make you get passed away over for the advertising (but no body will say to you for the reason that you do not spell check!). Therefore figure out how to be described as a careful proofreader.

Check Word Useage

The situation: Students write the real means they talk, making their writing too informal.

The perfect solution is: Look at your essay to observe that you aren’t utilizing these words that are common expressions which are either:

  • wrong sentence structure
  • confused terms
  • poor term alternatives
  • maybe perhaps not suitable for a scholastic piece

To resolve this Forever: Keep a listing of the word errors which you find in your documents, or that your particular trainer has marked on graded essays. Attempt to discover the principles. Make sure those words by using them if not whenever you proofread.

Why Fix? The principles of all of those terms are taught in primary school. Perhaps those lessons were missed by you, did not comprehend, or have a couple of of these you do not keep in mind. As these are classes taught to small children, it ought to be a piece of cake them now for you to learn. Do your self a benefit and see your standard mistakes to ensure that you can easily considerably boost your writing money for hard times.

Common Term Mistakes

Whenever You Fix Grammar Errors..

Revise Boring, Short and Repetitive Sentences

Problem: Sentences are wordy, boring, and appear the exact same.

Original: The Ebola outbreak is in western Africa. The Ebola virus is deadly. The Ebola virus is frightening to lots of people. Individuals wonder should they can be the following victims of the life-threatening virus. Individuals do not trust government sources that assure us the Ebola virus is included.

The Fix:

  1. Circle every expressed word that you apply to begin a phrase.
  2. Try to find sentences which have the exact same first terms, specially if they’re in identical paragraph and alter them in a single associated with after methods:

include a change phrase or word to start out the phrase (nevertheless, despite the fact that, furthermore, in addition, additionally, consequently). See my « change words » chart to get more examples.

Utilize various sentence kinds, like concerns, interjections and commands.

  • Which can be actually the many way that is important avoid Ebola?
  • We must work now!
  • Bear in mind that as the world shrinks, what goes on in Africa and somewhere else has importance that is great everybody.

Re-arrange the phrase with an Introductory Element. Basic elements are phrases that can come before the topic of the phrase. Frequently you are able to make the finish of a phrase and go it towards the front side to create an even more interesting phrase. Remember a comma following the Introductory Element.

Western Africa could be the destination where in fact the Ebola that is deadly virus hit. Wondering in the event that virus that is deadly distribute, people are frightened by Ebola. Perhaps maybe Not trusting federal government sources, residents in hard-hit nations are wondering should they or somebody they love would be the next target.

  • Combine brief sentences and eradicate repeated terms.

Original: The Ebola outbreak is in western Africa. The Ebola virus is lethal. The Ebola virus is frightening to lots of people.

Re-write: The Ebola that is deadly virus in western Africa is frightening to numerous individuals.

  • Make use of a semicolon to mix sentences.

The terrifying and deadly Ebola outbreak in western Africa causes visitors to wonder who can function as next target; furthermore, many individuals do not trust the federal government sources that state the herpes virus is included.

Why changing phrase framework works: if you have sentences beginning with exactly the same term, maybe you are utilising the « subject-verb-object » variety of phrase that English speakers use as soon as we talk. You don’t have to always keep the subject as the first word in the sentence when you write. Then when you revise the very first term, your writing immediately appears more expert and smart.

Test Revisions: despite the fact that federal government sources guarantee us the Ebola outbreak in West Africa would be included, many individuals are frightened which they can become the following victims of the life-threatening virus.

maybe Not trusting federal government sources which guarantee us that the Ebola virus is included, many individuals are frightened and wonder if they’re going to get to be the next victims with this lethal virus which originates from western Africa.

Transition Words

Always check Commas, Semicolons and Colons

The difficulty: Commas look when they’ren’t needed or are lacking when they’re needed. Your trainer may compose « comma splice, » « run-on phrase » or « no comma required. »

The Solution: Proofread your paper while taking a look at the Rules for making use of Commas, and Easy Rules for Semicolon and Colon.

Here you will find the Fundamental Comma Rules:

  1. Work with have a glimpse at the weblink a comma in a list.Example: James really loves bananas, oranges, peaches, and strawberries.
  2. Work with a comma before a combination (and, but, or, so, for, yet, nor) when there is a sentence that is fullsubject and verb) pre and post the conjunction. instance: James really loves bananas which are ripe, buthe will not consume any good fresh fruit which has spots that are brown.
  3. Make use of a comma after an Introductory Element ( phrase or word) which comes prior to the topic in a phrase. Instance: In spite of eating a complete bowl high in fresh fruit at meal, James ended up being still hungry.
  4. Use commas to mark down unimportant information. Then try saying the sentence without that phrase if you aren’t sure if it needs a comma. Then you should probably use commas if the sentence still makes sense. Example: James, whom really loves all kinds of good fresh fruit, constantly attempts to come with me once I’m shopping during the Farmer’s marketplace, that will be just available on mornings saturday.

2 approaches to make use of Semicolon

  1. Make use of a Semicolon in place of an interval to place two sentences together.Example:James constantly goes we always argue over whether to get green, red, or black seedless grapes with me to the grocery store.
  2. Make use of Semicolon having a transition term + comma. Example:James constantly goes we usually spend most of our time arguing over which sort of grapes to buy with me to the grocery store; however.

Just how to Use a Colon

A colon is employed before an inventory, an example or explanation. Example: James constantly argue about which grapes will be the most useful: red, green or .

Check always Your Quotes and Sources

: pupils do not always utilize quote markings precisely or tell where they got information.

The clear answer: look for where you require sources. While you read your paper over, mark the components that had been some ideas that originated in some body else. Have actually the reader was told by you in which you have that information? You particularly need certainly to cite your supply for facts, data, quotations or any other information that isn’t basic knowledge.

place your sources in your paper. The way that is easiest to ensure that you are not in big trouble for perhaps not including your sources would be to point out in which you got the details in your writing. here are some test platforms:

  • In Damian Reed’s article, « Where wild birds Fly South, » he states that.
  • in accordance with Damian Reed in « Where wild birds Fly South, » the hummingbird does not migrate.
  • Hummingbirds do not migrate the moment expected, notes Damian Reed in « Where wild birds Fly South » (Reed 24).