Written communication is a vital skill. Even if you are not a professional writer, writing correctly pays off.
There are several rules to follow when writing, and you should cautiously apply them every time you write.
Let’s explore five bad writing mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. Misalignment with subject and verb
A subject and verb need to agree. If a verb is singular or plural, the subject should match.
For example, if you write, Christmas mark the celebration of the birth of Jesus, it is wrong because the subject “Christmas” is singular while the verb “Mark” is plural. Your sentence should read Christmas marks the celebration of the birth of Jesus.
2. Irregular Verb Forms
Using incorrect words or phrases discourages a reader. Check that each word before a verb corresponds with the subject. So instead of Joyce read every night before bedtime, it would be Joyce reads every night before bedtime.
3. Incorrect Use of Semicolons
Semicolons are used to join two independent clauses together. You can also include a semicolon in place of conjunctions such as and, or and but.
4. Excessive Use of Commas
A comma is used to separate words and ideas. It also shows that the first part of a sentence has ended and that the second part of a sentence begins. Include commas appropriately in a sentence to guide the reader. Avoid the incorrect use of commas.
5. Poor Pronoun Reference
A sentence should refer clearly to a pronoun. For instance, Angela spoke to her mother about her final decision, and she was relieved.
Who was relieved, Angela or her mother? We want the ‘she’ to refer to Angela, so we need to change this sentence for clarity. It would become, Angela was relieved after she told her mother about her final decision.
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We would love to hear from you. Have you made any of these writing mistakes? Let us know.
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