Regardless of whether you are trying to complete some writing task for school or wish to create an inspiring blog post, things have to be accurate and precise. Assuming that you already have certain objectives in mind, it’s important to focus on the editing aspect. The same is true for proofreading, which should be the final step that must be taken to ensure that your writing is flawless. It can be quite time-consuming and challenging, yet taking time to check your writing is always beneficial, especially when you know about the most common mistakes to avoid.
Contrary to popular belief, not all writing mistakes belong to grammar and spelling issues since there are also stylistic and logical mistakes that are worth fixing as well. As a way to help you come to terms with and identify the most common flaws, here are ten of the most common writing mistakes that you have to avoid. Remember that turning to editing and proofreading is the only method to get these spotted, as at least one will definitely be there!
10 Common Writing Mistakes to Avoid
1. Wrong Word Choice.
It’s one of those mistakes that most modern systems that help to check your writing won’t catch because it takes a human being to identify these. It’s the use of wrong words where we say “illusion” instead of “allusion” or choose a spell-checker’s advice that replaces synergy with allergy.
2. Placing Comma After Introductory Elements.
This is seen clearly in the following example: “Wishing to make it on time, she was in a great hurry”. As you can see, the comma is missed by intention, which represents one of the most common mistakes. If it does not make sense to you or English is not your cup of tea, consider the best essay writer companies as a helpful solution. Sometimes you only have to get things checked, yet time is short, and you cannot do it properly! It’s a reason why turning to an expert always helps to avoid mistakes!
3. Missing Vital Citation Information.
While it may not relate to writing techniques per se, it’s part of academic writing and thus represents a serious issue. When you cite a journal or a book, it’s necessary to include the vital elements for citation. If you cannot locate the complete citation data, most college professors recommend avoiding the source or using it only when it’s absolutely necessary!
4. Excessive Use of Pronouns.
Some types of academic writing do not allow the use of “I” and “you” pronouns, as you have to write in the third person. It is made to ensure that you are not speaking on behalf of your research by making it sound like a reflective journal or a blog.
5. Spelling Mistakes.
Now these probably need no introduction and represent an issue for almost every student out there. It’s where spell-checkers will help you, yet use them with great care as they are prone to false corrections and word replacements!
6. Mistakes in Quotation Styles.
These include wrong in-text citations and mistakes on the final References page. Make sure to refer to the style manual for your task!
7. Using Extra Commas in a Sentence.
Sometimes people tend to place extra commas in a sentence. For example: “Many kids, of poor parents, have chosen to deliver the newspapers and, considered social work.
8. Mistakes in Capitalization.
While each academic style has exceptions, sometimes people use the wrong capitalization, like “Student Debt is a serious issue for University Learners”. The same is true for missing capitalization for words like “spring term” or “in aberdeen’s city hall”
9. Missing Words and Repetitions.
When you are working with complex content or trying to compose a reflective journal, it’s easy to have all the right terms in mind but much harder to put them in writing. Even professional writers tend to get creative in writing and miss words purely by accident. The same relates to repetitions when we forget to edit some term that has already been used.
10. Run-on Sentences.
It’s the case of using two different clauses together in the same sentence, like “The boy was happy with his presents, the car drove past the house” type of run-on.
Learning More About Formatting and Structure
While both structure and citation style does not represent the majority of writing mistakes and may not belong to this field per se, most students these days have to do a fair share of editing. When a citation must be placed as the in-text quote or some referencing made, it’s easy to get confused! As a result of enormous editing, students make accidental mistakes, and college professors spot odd sentences and repetitions. Once again, when you bring a change to your written content, always double-check things not only in terms of grammar but take a look in the formatting rules and structure of the overall assignment.
It is also helpful to proofread things aloud as it helps you to evaluate how things sound. Do not be shy to do so, as it will help you improve your speech and social skills even as you learn to deliver written ideas verbally. It’s also helpful for bloggers who have to memorize large portions of text, so proofreading your writing aloud also makes it easier to train your memory and evaluate the level of confidence that your text radiates!
