The 5 fatal mistakes in English usage Papers (or journal or blog entries with these errors will not receive a grade)

1.Misspelling words jumpjump 2.Beginning a sentence without a capital jumpjump 3.Using text-messaging abbreviations Jump 4. Writing sentence fragments jumpjump 5. Writing run-on sentences (and comma splices) jump jump

Misspelled Words

We live in the spell check era. Use it.

To a large extent, the worlds of education, business, and government are closed to you if you cannot turn in text without misspellings.

The habit of checking, and re- checking, the spelling of documents you create is vital.

No school assignment should be handed in with words misspelled.

Beginning a sentence without a capital (or failing to capitalize “I”)

Not capitalizing the first word of each sentence is the quickest and easiest way to:

1. Not get that job you want. Few employers will bother with someone who can’t or doesn’t write standard English.

2. Not be taken seriously by other people. People will assume you’re dumb if your writing is sloppy. In fact, not taking the time to fix simple problems is dumb.

3. Not to pass this class.

It’s true that some online communities Have relaxed rules about capitalization. Sometimes, no capitalization is used.

This is okay, in those places, just as it’s okay to lounge around the house in slippers and a ragged t-shirt.

But it’s not okay at school or at work.

Using text-messaging abbreviations

If u wan2tlk to tptb u need 2tlk in English

Translation: If you want to talk to the powers that be, you need to speak in English. tkmwfi (take my word for it)

Sentence fragments A complete sentence expresses a complete thought

Are these groups of words sentences?

Although Rachel worked hard on her paper My student editor Derrick A freshly watered houseplant Because I couldn’t find the right program

They aren’t sentences because they aren’t complete thoughts.

► ► What happened although Rachel worked hard? ► ► What about my student editor Derrick? ► ► What about that freshly watered house plant? ► ► What happened because you couldn’t find the program?

What’s wrong with the following “sentence”?

Jesse loves to write poetry he’s a talented writer.

The sentence is wrong because “Jesse likes to write poetry” and “He’s a talented writer” can both stand as complete sentences. Therefore, we can’t merge them into a single sentence without separating them in some way.

It’s a “run-on sentence.” It’s not good enough to join the two thoughts with a comma. That’s called a “comma splice”: Jesse stopped at the grocery store, he needed a lunch for the field trip tomorrow.

If you have two independent clauses, they need to be separated by something more powerful than a comma.

A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.

► Dependent clauses cannot stand alone as sentences:  Although I was on time for work  Because Alice was the first one in line ► Independent clauses can stand alone as sentences:  Gary did want the sandwich  My brother, Greg, was late for the meeting

There are 5 ways to fix run-on sentences

► Make the two clauses into two sentences: WrongRight Brandon played drums in the band it was a hard rock band. Brandon played drums in the band. It was a hard rock band.

► Use a semi-colon WrongRight Craig accepted Lisa’s gift it was nice. Craig accepted Lisa’s gift; it was nice.

► Use a comma and a coordinating conjuction (and, but, or, for, yet, nor, or so): WrongRight It was snowing we forgot to bring our coats. It was snowing, but we forgot to bring our coats.

Use a comma and a subordinating conjunction (after, although, before, unless, as, because, even though, if, since, until, when, while, etc.) WrongRight Jessica and Waylon like pizza Allison doesn’t. Though Jessica and Waylon like pizza, Allison doesn’t.

► Use a semi-colon and a transition (however, moreover, on the other hand, nevertheless, instead, also, consquently, otherwise, as a result, etc.) WrongRight I thought the colors would go together well I was mistaken. I thought the colors would go together well; however, I was mistaken.

Getting these things right isn’t hard. They have more to do with habits of carefulness than with any great knowledge of writing.

Habit, if not resisted, soon becomes necessity. St. Augustine

We first make our habits, and then our habits make us. John Dryden

Laziness grows on people; it begins in cobwebs and ends in iron chains. Thomas Buxton

Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired. Mortimer Caplan