This document provides an overview of common grammar errors and strategies for improving proofreading skills. It discusses topics like spelling, punctuation, capitalization, subject-verb agreement, pronoun usage, parallel structure, dangling modifiers, and run-on sentences. Readers are encouraged to learn the rules to avoid errors and make proofreading a regular habit to strengthen their writing.

1. Proofreading & Editing Grammar Skill Checks Gayla S. Keesee Education Specialist Mack Gipson, Jr. Tutorial & Enrichment Center 2/2007

2. Have You Ever? Been penalized for too many errors on your paper? Sharpen your eye for correct English. Make proofreading a habit. Learned something and then found you couldn’t remember it? Practice and application of skills help you remember.

3. Have You Ever? Made a grammatical error but couldn’t explain why? Learn how to identify common errors and ways to correct them—and why. Questioned whether you will ever use what you are learning? You will be writing to communicate for the rest of your life.

4. Errors = Social Markers Speaking and writing errors signal Social background Educational background/level One's concern for correctness

5. Common Errors Spelling Punctuation Capitalization Pronouns Verbs Sentence Fragments Run-on Sentences

6. Common Errors Usage Dangling/Misplaced Modifiers Parallel Structure Homonyms

7. Spelling Serious Errors: common words Be aware of your “enemies” Words you often misspell Create mnemonic tricks Help remember

8. Usage Errors Usage— words often confused Accept, except Advice, advise Affect, effect Between, among Lie, lay Than, then Really, real Good, well More errors A lot alot All right alright Could have could of From off of Regardless irregardless Through thru

9. Homonym Errors Homonyms— similar sounds; different meanings To, too, two Their, they’re, there Your, you’re Whose, who’s Coarse, course Complement, compliment Council, counsel Principal, principle

10. Capitalization Titles—all words 4+ letters long First word in complete sentence Including direct quotes Proper nouns Names with Titles—President Bush Sacred Names—God, Allah

11. Capitalization Seasons Only when personified—Spring danced joyfully. Directions When naming specific regions—The North won. School Subjects Names of languages—French, English Numbered courses--Biology I, History 211

12. Review: Sentence Elements Subject Who is doing the action Verb Action—State of being Complete Thought Independent Clause—IC Stands alone Dependent Clause—DC Must be attached

13. Phrases Prepositional phrase—most common Mnemonic trick: Preposition = anything a plane can do to a cloud To, From Over, Under Through, Around Inside, Outside The Subject will NOT be in a prep. phrase

14. Review: Sentence Structure Who Did (What) Subj. Verb Obj. Tom hit the ball. Where? When? How? Why? Where? When? How? Why? (Optional) Moveable (Optional) Moveable

15. Punctuation Commas Apostrophes Quotation marks Underlining Semi-colons

16. Comma Usage Compound Sentence IC ,conj IC (IC=Independent Clause=sentence) Coordinating Conjunctions—see mnemonic device F F or A A nd N N or B B ut O O r Y Y et S S o Tom hit the ball , and he ran the bases.

17. Comma Usage Set off nonessential elements—not necessary to the meaning of the sentence Phrases/clauses Mary, who has a great deal of talent , is a senior. Shaneka, wearing a jacket , walked into the room Parenthetical expressions however, of course, for example Each student, however , expected a new computer.

18. Comma Usage Separate items in a list—3+ The store sold potatoes , carrots , and beans . Kevin ran , leaped , and pranced for joy. She learned of her husband’s loss , of his great labor , and of other efforts to make amends. Maintain Parallel Structure

19. Comma Usage Who Did What Subj. Verb Obj. Tom hit the ball. Where When How Why Where, When, How, Why, At May Park , Saturday , With my bat , Because he was mad , Separate introductory words, phrases, and clauses with a comma.

20. Parallel Structure Items joined by a conjunction must be expressed in the same grammatical form. Word, word, and word reading, dancing, and cooking Phrase, phrase, or phrase over the hill, under the bridge, and into the cave either move to Kansas or move to Texas

21. Parallel Structure The new school is large, rambling, and it looks ugly. The new school is large , rambling , and ugly . All items needed to be adjectives. The last item was an IC. Wrong!

22. Parallel Structure I enjoy reading, writing, and to dance. I enjoy reading, writing, and dancing. First two items end in –ing . The last item was an infinitive. (to + verb) Wrong!

23. Parallel Structure Charlie is not only talented as a writer but also as an artist. Charlie is talented not only as a writer but also as an artist. Move verb to indicate both items. Items following not only and but also must be worded exactly the same. Wrong!

24. Parallel Structure The juniors decided that they neither found the dance nor the breakfast enjoyable. The juniors decided that they found neither the dance nor the breakfast enjoyable. Place neither and nor directly in front of ideas that are parallel. Wrong!

25. Apostrophes Possessives ‘ s singular noun dog’s Mary’s s’ plural noun or ends in -s dogs’ Charles’ Contractions Did not = didn’t Are not = aren’t It is = it’s Do Not Add an ‘ to a possessive pronoun—your’s Do Not Add an ‘ to form the plural of a noun—paper’s

26. Quotation Marks Direct Quotations Mary said, “You will be hungry because it’s late.” “ You will be hungry,” Mary said, “because it’s late. Are you going to New York?” asked Bernie. “ I remember that she said, “Turn here,’” said Al.

27. Titles Underline the titles of long works Books Magazines Newspapers Movies “ Quotes” around titles of short works Short stories Poems Chapters Magazine articles Songs Essays

28. Semicolons Between IC not joined by a ,conj Between IC joined by one of the following: However, therefore, consequently, moreover Between series of items if those items contain commas The Student Council elected its officers: Sarah Long, president ; Megan Wright, vice-president ; and Peg Miller, secretary/treasurer.

29. Capitalization Titles—all words 4+ letters long First word in complete sentence Including direct quotes Specific nouns Names with Titles—President Bush Sacred Names—God, Allah

30. Capitalization Seasons When personified—Spring danced joyfully. Directions When naming specific regions—The North won. School Subjects Names of languages—French, English Numbered courses--Biology I, History 211

31. Pronouns Pronoun Shifts Do not shift between person I, we, us He, she, it, they, them Pronoun Reference Make sure clear She was one of those people who is always helping others. YOU

32. Pronouns Pronoun Agreement Agree with antecedent Number—singular, plural Gender—masculine, feminine Case—subject, object, possessive Pronouns ending in –one , –body , or –thing Always singular Has everyone brought his/her book?

33. Verb Forms Subject-Verb Agreement Problem areas—finding the subject Prepositional phrases Sentences beginning with It, There, Here Questions—verb before subject Appositive phrases Problem areas—deciding number Indefinite pronouns—anybody, few, some Collective nouns—faculty, team, class Compound subjects—Tom and Shaneka

34. Verb Forms Verb Tense—indicates time of action Keep tenses consistent Past perfect tense (had done, had left…) Indicates which of two actions took place earlier When we entered the room, the fire started. When we entered the room, the fire had started. -ing verbs must have a helping verb

35. Sentence Fragments Missing one or more elements of an IC. Phrase Dependent Clause Corrections: Add the element(s) Attach the fragment to the IC before or after it.

36. Correcting Sentence Fragments She lived in China. Where her parents were missionaries. She lived in China, where her parents were missionaries.

37. Correcting Sentence Fragments Our country has many famous musicians. Such as Pearl Bailey and Bing Crosby. Our country has many famous musicians such as Pearl Bailey and Bing Crosby.

38. Correcting Sentence Fragments Because she was too tall. Because she was too tall, Anna had to duck to enter the room.

39. Correcting Sentence Fragments I saw him carrying a package. A big one with a red bow. I saw him carrying a package, a big one with a red bow.

40. Run-On Sentences Two or more sentences joined together (usually with only a comma) Corrections: Use a period to separate the two sentences. Add ,conj Use a semi-colon—esp. if they’re closely related. Rewrite the sentence completely.

41. Usage Errors Usage— words often confused Accept, except Advice, advise Affect, effect Between, among Lie, lay Than, then Really, real Good, well More errors A lot alot All right alright Could have could of From off of Regardless irregardless Through thru

42. Homonym Errors Homonyms— similar sounds; different meanings To, too, two Their, they’re, there Your, you’re Whose, who’s Coarse, course Complement, compliment Council, counsel Principal, principle

43. Dangling/Misplaced Modifiers Modifiers—adjectives & adverbs Adjectives + nouns/pronouns Which one? How many? What kind? Adj, Adj + noun The small, blue hat Driving down the street, I ran over a bag of trash.

44. Dangling/Misplaced Modifiers Modifiers—adjectives, adverbs Must be placed as close to word being described as possible Running down the hall , his jacket caught on a nail. At the age of four , Alice’s family moved to Texas. To improve our wrestling team , new weight equipment was purchased by the school.