Top 10 Mistakes Students Make in English Writing

English transcends being merely a subject; it represents the culmination of a rich history, evolving from West Germanic roots to become a vital part of the UK’s national curriculum. Despite its significance, students often encounter common mistakes in English writing that impede their academic progress. This article highlights the most prevalent errors and offers essential tips for enhancing grammatical proficiency.

### 1. Spelling Fallacy

Spelling errors, particularly with homophones, are widespread in English writing. Commonly confused words like “hour-our,” “sell-cell,” and “blue-blew” can lead to mistakes. For instance:
– Incorrect: Madeline bought a new course pack.
– Correct: Madeline bought a new coursebook.

### 2. Overuse of Adverbs

Students tend to overuse adverbs, modifying verbs excessively in sentences. While adverbs enhance writing, their misuse can diminish the quality. For example:
– Incorrect: He ran very fastly in the marathon.
– Correct: He ran fastly in the marathon.

### 3. Possible Wordy Sentences

Excessive wordiness in sentences can diminish the credibility of writing. Students often include unnecessary repetitions, as seen in the following example:
– Incorrect: It has come to our knowledge that your projects are not submitted yet, and we urge you to please submit within an hour.
– Correct: Your project is pending. Kindly submit within an hour.

### 4. Punctuation Error

Punctuation errors, especially comma splices, are common. Adding clarity through proper punctuation is essential:
– Incorrect: Allyn was hungry, she ate a whole pizza.
– Correct: Allyn was hungry, so she ate a whole pizza.

### 5. Ambiguous Pronoun Reference

Ambiguous pronoun references create confusion. Clear antecedents for pronouns are crucial:
– Incorrect: Larry had an appointment; therefore, could not deliver the parcel to him.
– Correct: Larry had an appointment; therefore, he could not deliver the parcel to Celery.

### 6. Sentence Fragments

Sentence fragments, lacking nouns, are common mistakes:
– Incorrect: Making an assessment will help.
– Correct: Tutors should practice regular assessments in class.

### 7. Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement errors arise from confusion between singular and plural forms:
– Incorrect: She eat her meal.
– Correct: She eats her meal.

### 8. Run-on Sentences

Run-on sentences, joining two complete sentences without proper punctuation, are prevalent:
– Incorrect: Joe was playing in the garden Marline was watching the children.
– Correct: Joe was playing in the garden, and Marline was watching the children.

### 9. Tautologies

Tautologies involve redundant expressions of similar ideas, diminishing writing quality. Thorough proofreading helps in avoiding repetition.

### 10. Common Error Irregular Verb Form

Incorrect use of irregular verb forms, especially with present and past participles, is a common pitfall.

Enhancing English writing skills requires recognizing and rectifying these common mistakes, ensuring more effective and compelling academic communication.