| Word Mix-ups
Accept: v., to receive or agree to receive something.
I accepted Pedro’s gift.
Except: prep., not including something.
Everyone went to the movies except me.
Principal: adj., primary or main.
The principal theme of the book is slavery.
Principle: n., a guiding idea or notion.
I believe in the principle of democracy.
Dominant: adj., someone or something superior to others.
That gorilla is the dominant one in the cage.
Dominate: v., exerting power over another.
I saw that gorilla dominate the smaller gorillas.
Decent: adj., in line with moral standards or appropriate.
My father was a decent man.
Descent: n., going downward.
The descent down Mt. Everest is famously difficult.
Reign:
1. n., the period of rule by a king or queen.
Queen Victoria’s reign spanned many years.
2. v., prevailing or predominating.
Chaos reigned in Detroit when the Tigers lost.
Rein:
1. v., to slow down or subdue.
The teacher could not rein in the unruly students.
2. n., straps used in horseback riding to guide the horse; often used figuratively.
President Putin holds the reins of power in Russia.
Rain: n., water that falls out of the sky.
I own an umbrella because I hate the rain.
Effect: n., a change or result of an action.
The drug had an effect on my brain.
Affect: v., to have an effect on something.
That drug affected my brain.
Climactic: adj., acting as a climax to something.
The Ottoman Turkish Empire confronted the Holy Roman Empire in a climactic battle at Vienna.
Climatic: adj., relating to the climate.
Excessive carbon emissions cause climatic change.
Who’s: a contraction of “who” and “is.”
Who’s on first base?
Whose: the possessive form of “who.”
Whose book is this?
It’s: a contraction of “it” and “is.”
It’s cold outside today.
Its: the possessive form of “it.”
Its fur is very soft.
To: a preposition indicating direction.
I drove my car to Cleveland.
Too:
1. Denotes a higher degree of something.
This trail mix has too many peanuts.
2. Denotes additional information.
Preston loves history. Clyde loves history, too.
Two: the written form of the numeral 2.
There are two eyes in my head.
Than: used in comparisons.
Jiang plays tennis better than Ingrid.
Then: denotes time and sequence.
First I ate a cheesecake, then I ate a taco.
They’re: A contraction of “they” and “are.”
They’re going to the store.
Their: the possessive form of “they.”
Their living room is spacious.
There: denotes location; the opposite of here.
I saw a big stinky pile of garbage over there. |
General Writing Problems
-Word Salad
If you’re having problems composing a sentence, read it aloud. What might seem elegant and clear in your head can sound bizarre and confusing when you actually hear it.
-Passive voice
Passive voice is not a grammatical error. It is, rather, a way of structuring a sentence that involves the use of an auxiliary verb. Here’s an example:
“I was punched in the stomach.”
A fine sentence – but passive voice can also prevent you from getting your point across. Compare the original version of this famous line from The Godfather with a version written in passive voice:
1. Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes.
2. The fishes are slept with by Luca Brasi.
Sometimes it’s impossible to avoid using the passive voice (”I was born.”), but you should try to write in the active voice as much as you can.
1. This sentence was written by me in the passive voice.
2. I wrote this sentence in the active voice.
-Agency
Many students write that things “emerge” or “appear.” While that’s true in some sense, you should try to describe the specific individuals or forces that give rise to historical events.
Bad: Communism appeared in Russia in 1917.
Good: The Bolsheviks seized power in Russia in 1917 to create a communist government.
-Unclear Antecedents
When you use “this,” “it,” “he,” “her,” or other words like that, make sure that it’s clear to the reader what the antecedent (the thing you’re referring to from the previous sentence or clause) is. Unclear antecedents can create serious problems in your writing, especially if you tend to write longer sentences.
Bad: Reza’s favorite composer is Rachmaninoff. He’s an outstanding piano player. (Reza or Rachmaninoff?)
Good: Rachmaninoff, Reza’s favorite composer, is an outstanding piano player.
-Things Do Not Feel
Avoid using “feel” for anything other than feelings. If you want to discuss the perception of something, use “seem” or some other word instead.
Bad: The Nazi Party’s Nuremberg Laws felt bad for German Jews.
Good: The Nazi Party’s Nuremberg Laws discriminated against Germans Jews.
Bad: At first, the Colombian Exchange felt good for many indigenous peoples because they gained new crops and livestock.
Good: At first, the Colombian Exchange seemed to benefit many indigenous peoples because they gained new crops and livestock.
-Adverbs
Feel free to use adverbs, just don’t go overboard.
Bad: The extremely violent show trials of the French Revolution generally ended quickly and bloodily.
Good: Show trials spread rapidly through revolutionary France.
-Appropriate Vocabulary
Bad: Nationalism was big in 19th century Europe.
Good: Nationalism proliferated in 19th century Europe.
-Avoid Colloquialisms
A colloquialism is a word or phrase from everyday speech. Most colloquialisms are inappropriate in formal, academic writing.
Bad: The Rwandan Genocide sucked for many Tutsis.
Good: The Rwandan Genocide tragically affected the lives of many Tutsis.
-Split Infinitives
An infinitive is the basic form of a verb. “To run,” “to be” and “to write” are all infinitives. Grammar cops have long opposed “splitting” them by putting an adverb after the “to.” Star Trek’s catchphrase “To boldly go where no man has gone before,” for example, contains a split infinitive. These don’t really bother me, but be aware of them – other graders will nail you on it.
-Literally
Literally means without metaphor, exaggeration, or abstract meaning. Many people mistakenly use it to convey the exact opposite of that definition. So many people misuse it, in fact, that some have proposed changing the definition of the word to accommodate them. Well, I refuse to give up on this. As long as I grade your papers, use it in the following way:
Good: The atomic bomb literally destroyed Hiroshima.
Bad: If this waiter mixes up my order again, I am literally going to explode. |