Common ErrorsAvoiding easy pitfalls

Your/You’reAccept/ExceptTheir/there/

they’reLed/leadIt’s/its

Breath/BreatheToo/to

Affect/EffectThan/thenLose/loose Passed/Past

The first common error we’ll cover in this lesson is concerning word choice. Homonyms are words that sound alike but have different meanings and are spelled differently. It’s easy to make mistakes with these types of words, especially since spell-checkers often won’t catch them. You’ll want to proofread your papers carefully to avoid misuse.

This list contains the most commonly confused words. For a more comprehensive list, see section 45 on Spelling in your LB Brief Handbook (pages 348-350).

Commonly Confused Words

Sentence Fragments

A sentence fragment is a sentence that is missing an essential element like a subject or verb or one that is dependent and incorrectly punctuated.

Dependent clauses must be attached to an independent clause. If they are not, they become sentence fragments, as in this example:

Although I studied all night.

This is a fragment. It cannot stand alone as sentence since it contains a subordinating conjunction (although) and is a dependent clause. Ensure all sentences contain subjects and verbs and all dependent clauses are attached to independent clauses to avoid fragments.

HoweverThereforeMoreoverBesidesInstead

AlsoOtherwise

Thus

In a previous module we learned that the only words we can use to connect two independent clauses with a comma are FANBOYS (coordinating conjunctions). There are only seven FANBOYS. Sometimes, though, certain words feel like they can be used to connect complete sentences, as in this example:

I didn’t have much planned, however, I ended up having a very busy weekend.

However, though, is not a FANBOYS. It is a weakly connective word, and it cannot be used in this way. What we have done here is create a comma splice. Memorize the FANBOYS and remember that no matter how connective they may seem, other words do not function in the same way. This list contains the most commonly misused weakly connective words.

Weakly Connective Words

Let’s Review!

Common ErrorsAlong with errors with sentence boundaries and commas, these are common errors for which you need to proofread carefully in your writing:

Commonly confused words such as their/there/they’re Sentence fragments Weakly connective words such as however and although

Additional ResourcesFor an excellent, condensed list of common writing errors See the Purdue Online Writing Lab resource on common errors. Click here to visit the page (opens in new window). <http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/561/2/>