Common Errors
Please refer to the text or simply ask me for help if you need more explanation of the common errors described here.
Punctuation Problems
When you have a series of items, you must use a comma before the ‘and’ or the ‘or.’ When you use ‘however’ within a sentence, you must have a comma on either side of the word. Or, you could have no commas at all. But, you cannot use just one comma unless ‘However’ is the first word in the sentence.
Introductory subordinate clauses need a comma to set them off from the rest of the sentence. Subordinate clauses start with subordinating conjunctions (while, after, if, when, as, etc.) and must be set off from the main message with a comma. For example: If I win the lottery, I will retire.
When you join two complete thoughts with a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, so, for, nor, yet), you must have a comma before the conjunction. For example: We went to the movie, and we were disappointed with the plot.
Generally, you will include punctuation such as commas and periods within the quotation marks.
You will almost never need a comma before or after the word “because.”
In general, spell all numbers under one hundred and all numbers above one hundred if they can be expressed in two words…as in two thousand. This does not apply to expressions representing money, time of day, Biblical citations, and a few other things.
When using a specific date (month, day, and year), you must have punctuation on either side of the year.
Today is September 23, 2012, and it is a Monday. Today is September 23, 2012.
When indicating a specific city and state, you need punctuation on either side of the state.
We are in Indianapolis, Indiana, headed for Chicago. We are in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Structure A comma splice is a type of run-on sentence where you put two complete thoughts together with a comma. You
Punctuation Problems
When you have a series of items, you must use a comma before the ‘and’ or the ‘or.’ When you use ‘however’ within a sentence, you must have a comma on either side of the word. Or, you could have no commas at all. But, you cannot use just one comma unless ‘However’ is the first word in the sentence.
Introductory subordinate clauses need a comma to set them off from the rest of the sentence. Subordinate clauses start with subordinating conjunctions (while, after, if, when, as, etc.) and must be set off from the main message with a comma. For example: If I win the lottery, I will retire.
When you join two complete thoughts with a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, so, for, nor, yet), you must have a comma before the conjunction. For example: We went to the movie, and we were disappointed with the plot.
Generally, you will include punctuation such as commas and periods within the quotation marks.
You will almost never need a comma before or after the word “because.”
In general, spell all numbers under one hundred and all numbers above one hundred if they can be expressed in two words…as in two thousand. This does not apply to expressions representing money, time of day, Biblical citations, and a few other things.
When using a specific date (month, day, and year), you must have punctuation on either side of the year.
Today is September 23, 2012, and it is a Monday. Today is September 23, 2012.
When indicating a specific city and state, you need punctuation on either side of the state.
We are in Indianapolis, Indiana, headed for Chicago. We are in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Structure A comma splice is a type of run-on sentence where you put two complete thoughts together with a comma. You