1. Common mistakes found in literary essays Grade 10
Revising and Editing
Common mistakes found in literary essays
Grade 10

2. Titles- Be Creative! Weak: A Separate Peace Clever: A Wavering Soul
Critical Lens Essay
Clever:
A Wavering Soul
The X Fall

3. Names
Unless you are writing a friendly note, do not use the person’s first name only. Use the person’s full name or just the last name.
John Knowles uses personification to show that…
NOT
John uses personification to show that…

4. Citations Only COMMON knowledge does not get cited.
Citations do not have any commas in them:
(Nash 3010)
Punctuation comes AFTER THE CITATION:
…red hair and amber eyes (Fraser 13).
If there is no author, use the editor of the work:
…at the University of Padua (Jensen ed. 543).
NO: publishers, commas, first names, letters????

5. (II. 3- III.4)

6. Verb Tense Pick one tense, and stick to it!
Historical research reports are written in past tense.
Literary Essays are written in present tense.

7. Verb Tense Don’t shift tenses within the same essay:
“Finny and Gene are planning to do a double jump off the tree, but Gene had other ideas.”
SHOULD BE
“Finny and Gene are planning to do a double jump off the tree, but Gene has other ideas.”

8. Agreement All subjects must agree with their predicates:
“The use of a metaphor in the novel illustrates that everyone struggles to identify with who they are at one point in their lives.”
Correct: “The use of a metaphor in the novel illustrates that everyone struggles to identify who he is at one point in his life.” OR
“The use of a metaphor in the novel illustrates the everyone struggles to identify who he/she is at one point in his/her life.”

9. What’s the deal with “WOULD”???
Jumping from the tree would be forbidden.
IT IS, so say it:
Jumping from the tree is forbidden.

10. Transitional Sentences
You need to add in transitional statements between your facts to tie the information together. Just listing the facts is basically borrowing EVERYTHING from sources to write your paper.

11. Prepositional Phrases
Punctuate Prepositional Phrases Properly PPPP
If the phrase is more than two words, it must have a comma immediately following the phrase.
“In A Separate Peace John Knowles proves that when characters undergo certain events they grow drastically and change into almost different people.”
Correct: “In A Separate Peace, John Knowles proves that when characters undergo certain…”

12. Isadora Duncan
“As both Gene and Phineas grow up they realize that everything they have done at Devon is stupid.”
First Clause (dependent): “As both Gene and Phineas grow up…”
Second Clause: (independent): “… they realize that everything they have done at Devon is stupid.”
Because the first clause is dependent, you need to put a comma after it:
“As both Gene and Phineas grow up, they realize that everything they have done at Devon is stupid.”

13. Compound Sentences
Two independent sentences joined by a conjunction require a COMMA.
“This quote is about how once Leper returns from the war, he changes and there is a loss of identity.”
First independent clause: “…he changes…”
+ Conjunction: and
Second independent clause: “… there is a loss of identity.”
Correct: “This quote is about how once Leper returns from the war, he changes, and there is a loss of identity.”

14. Personal Pronouns
In formal research reports, there are NO personal pronouns.
you us
we our
I mine
me my

15. Quotes need to be connected to the text. (CTT)
Shocked, Gene tries to console himself. “Hoarse, cracking sobs broke from him…” (148).
Correct: Shocked, Gene tries to console himself: “Hoarse, cracking sobs broke from him…” (148).
or: Gene cries and, “Hoarse, cracking sobs broke from him…” (148).

16. Commas in a series
Use a comma in between all items in a series: Peter, Paul, and Mary.

17. Tie Your Ideas Back to Your Thesis
At the end of every body paragraph, tie what you said in your paragraph back to the thesis (direction) you are proving.

18. Avoid Contractions in Formal Writing
Since these are formal literary essays, unless the contraction is part of a directly quoted line in a poem, do not use them.

19. Avoid Absolutes
“This shows that at his lowest moment, the choices Gene makes define him as animalistic and always competing to be on top.”
Correct: “This shows that at his lowest moment, the choices Gene makes define him as animalistic and competitive.”

20. Avoid List Style
The first device John Knowles uses is a metaphor to prove that…”
The second device John Knowles uses is a simile to prove that…”

21. Don’t start sentences (and especially paragraphs) with Arabic numerals.
15 years after Finny’s death, Gene shows how when someone is not willing to accept change, he will not be happy when he finally forgives himself…”
Correct:
Fifteen years after Finny’s death, Gene shows how when someone is not willing to accept change, he will not be happy when he finally forgives himself…”