common errors in essay writing
TRANSCRIPT
Common Common errorserrors
in essay in essay writingwriting
DON’TS• DO NOT CHANGE OR INVENT
INFORMATION FROM THE TEXT The speaker seems to be old , around 70, since…..
• NO RE-TELLING Just refer to the instances you need to answer your question
• DO NOT USE THE WORD “DURING” TO REFER TO THE PLOT, IT RELATED TO TIME.
• “along” or “ throughout” the story…..
• DO NOT UNDERLINE OR SUBMIT A TITLE TO THE PRARAGRAPHS Academic essays do not allow this format
DON’TS CONT
• DO NOT MOVE AWAY FROM THE TOPIC YOU HAVE TO DEVELOP.
Mention the feelings, quote showing the imagery used, and explain what the quotation means ,or how it can be interpreted
• DO NOT CHANGE THE TENSE OF THE VERB.
Stick to the simple present in the correct form • DO NOT PROVIDE DEFINITIONS OF
DEVICEJust apply them in the analysis.
Don’ts cont•Avoid the use of contractions (isn’t- or informal forms: ain’t- ‘cause. The style has to be formal
•Avoid the use of words devoided of meaning- she forgets some things…..Just tell….
Dos•Account for your inferences, or deductions: always explain hoe you came to think like that
•Use hedges: tentative language:
adverbs: possibly, likely, probably…Verbs: maybe, seem, appears….Modal verbs:might, could, would….
•Connect each paragraph with the thesis of your essay
•Reflect over the message of the poem/text
Dos•Open a new paragraph when changing the topic of discussion
•After you write the essay, edit it, that is, check spelling and grammar mistakes
In spelling and grammar
• Deal with, Dealt 1-the teacher dealt with the student’s
indiscipline effectively2- We dealt with this book Last year• “Actual” “actually” : it’s a false cognate,
that is, similar spelling to the Spanish word but different meaning. It means: in fact, really, as in:
They are not English, actually, the are Irish.
• REFER TO SOMETHING ABOUT The poet refers to her poem about
death• DESPITE + NOUNHe kept working despite his illness• Use of pronouns: never use a
pronoun unless you have mentioned the noun before
• Use of demonstratives: This girl- these girls
• Transitive verbs are followed by a noun or noun phrase
Intransitive verbs are NOTe.g. The man appearsThe accident took place Yesterday occurred /happenedThe girls disappearedAdjectives modify nouns, they can not be
used to repace themException : the rich, the handicapped, the
French— “The important” is ungrammatical
• Children .plural/Child . Singular
• Begin- begin+n+ing
• Do not write ”It is shown how….”, but “ The poem shows/ the author shows how….”
• MURDER VS MURDERER