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TCS Written ability: Five Glaring Grammatical Errors…and How to Fix Them

Today’s fast-paced world is marked by its ease of communication. Instant messaging, text messaging, and email are common methods of quickly exchanging information and ideas. With this type of communication, good grammar tends to take a backseat to the need for speed. Of course, this isn't a problem when the audience is informal. When you are composing an academic essay or a letter intended for a teacher or an admissions officer, however, proper grammar is essential to your success. Making simple grammatical errors can prevent you from creating a positive impression. Fortunately, these types of mistakes are easy to avoid. If you’re not a grammar guru, read on to pick up some basic grammar tips.

Mistake #1: Its versus It’s
Example	The class lost it’s privileges.
False Assumption	If you want to show possession, you must use an apostrophe.
The Truth	It’s always equals “it is.” The possessive form of the word is always its, without an apostrophe.
The Correction	Ask yourself, “Do I mean it is?” If not, skip the apostrophe.  Similar common errors include the misuse of there/their/they’re and who’s/whose. Be sure to avoid these errors as well.
Mistake #2: Pronoun/Antecedent Disagreement
Example	Every person (antecedent) must make their (pronoun) own decisions.
False Assumption	To stay gender neutral, you can use their instead of his or her.
The Truth	While you are canceling out gender, you are also making the reader think that you can’t match up singular and plural words.
The Correction	Use his or her. The sentence above, for example, could be written like this: "Every person (antecedent) must make her (pronoun) own decisions." Or you can change the singular antecedent to a plural. In this case, you could write: "All people (antecedent) must make their (pronoun) own decisions."
Mistake #3: Lack of Parallel Structure
Example	All Sophia ever wanted was to finish high school, to graduate from college, and a good job.
False Assumption	As long as a series of words has the same topic, parts of speech do not have to match up.
The Truth	Using parallel structure will make your sentence much clearer. It will keep the reader’s focus on the idea at hand and off the nagging feeling that the sentence doesn’t sound right.
The Correction	Make sure that terms in a series are always the same part of speech. If you end one verb with -ing, end them all with -ing. If you begin your list with a noun, stick to nouns throughout. Here's a better version of the sentence above: "All Sophia ever wanted was to finish high school, to graduate from college, and to find a good job."
Mistake #4: Run-on Sentences
Example	John left before Sue could make her point, so she was angry, she chose to stay silent, however, rather than express her true feelings and risk hurting his.
False Assumption	When you’re on a roll, keep going until you complete your entire thought.
The Truth	Independent clauses that contain a subject and a verb can be joined only with certain conjunctions such as and, but, and so. In addition, when you connect too many clauses in one sentence, you increase the chance of losing your focus and confusing your reader.
The Correction	Break down run-on sentences with periods or semicolons. This will allow you to keep the point of a sentence clear and to better control the pace of your text. The example above should be made into two sentences by inserting a period after the word angry.
Mistake #5: Spelling Errors
Example	Common spelling errors are too numerous to list here.
False Assumption	Spelling doesn’t count.
The Truth	In this day and age, errors in spelling are perceived as laziness or carelessness on the part of the writer.
The Correction	Use a spell-checker, proofread your text, and then have someone else proofread it. This may seem like overkill, but spell-checkers won't catch certain spelling and grammatical errors, so it's important to proofread as well.

Using proper grammar in formal text will earn you the respect of the reader. It will make your writing clearer, and it will also make you stand out as a proficient and intelligent student.

How to Avoid Common Mistakes & Four Tips to Improve Your Writing Skills

Below are some basic types of ERRORS in left column , along with example each of  the ERROR in the right coulmn.  Learn how to avoid these common mistakes.

1. Be Consistent
Sequence of Tenses	After he broke his arm, he is home for two weeks.
Shift of Pronoun	If one is tense, they should try to relax.
Parallelism	She skis, plays tennis, and flying hang gliders.
Noun Agreement	Eric and James want to be a pilot.
Pronoun Reference	Several people wanted the job, and he or she filled out the required applications.
Subject-Verb Agreement	There is eight people on the shore.
2. Express Ideas Logically
Coordination and Subordination	Jen has a rash, and she is probably allergic to something.
Logical Comparison	Joe grew more vegetables than his neighbor's garden.
Modification and Word Order	Barking loudly, the tree had the dog's leash wrapped around it.
3. Be Clear and Precise
Ambiguous and Vague Pronouns	In the newspaper they say that few people voted.
Diction	He circumvented the globe on his trip.
Wordiness	There are many problems in the contemporary world in which we live.
Improper Modification	If your car is parked here while not eating in the restaurant, it will be towed away.
4. Follow Conventions(Rules of Grammar)
Pronoun Case	He sat between you and I at the stadium.
Idiom	Jack had a different opinion towards him.
Comparison of Modifiers	Of the sixteen executives, Gretchen makes more money.
Sentence Fragment	Arun having to go home early.
Double Negative	Anthony has scarcely no free time.

If you're not sure whether you're following the rules of writing correctly, be sure to ask your teachers for help.

Tips for Tackling Your Essays and Papers

The Keys to Effective Writing

Writing skills are essential for succeeding in high school, college, and on the job. If essays and papers stress you out, keep in mind that writing is not just an end result, but also a process that helps you develop your ideas and think logically.

Get Started

Begin by brainstorming topics, collecting information, taking a lot of notes, and asking a lot of questions. Keep your notes and sources organized as you go.

When developing your topic, look for patterns and relationships. See what conclusions you can draw. Try discussing your ideas with classmates or your teacher. A new perspective can help shake up your thinking, and keep your momentum going.

Organize Your Writing

Develop an outline to help you stay on track as you write, identifying your main points and your conclusions. Keep in mind basic essay structure:

• Introduction:  Give your reader an idea of the essay's intent, including a basic statement of what the essay will discuss.
• Body:  Present the evidence that supports your idea. Use concrete examples and avoid generalities.
• Conclusion:  Summarize and make sense of the evidence you presented in the body.

Draft Your Essay

You may find, as you write, that you end up with a different idea from the one you began with. If your first topic or conclusion doesn't hold water, be open to changing it. If necessary, rewrite your outline to get yourself back on track.

Other important writing tips:

• Keep your audience in mind:  Write for the general reader, unless your teacher tells you otherwise. The general reader refers to anyone of average intelligence with a fairly sound, basic education.
• Get acquainted with the vocabulary:  Become familiar with the vocabulary of your subject. For example, when writing about fiction, drama, and poetry, critical writers use words such as syntax, tone, attitude, voice, speaker, and thesis.

Refine and Proofread

When you're done with the rough draft, take a break so you can come back to your writing with fresh eyes. Ask yourself:

• Is the writing clear?
• Do the ideas make sense?
• Are my ideas supported by evidence?
• Are all of my requirements fulfilled?
• Did I avoid repetition?
• Have I used proper grammar and spelling?
• How does it sound read out loud?

Leave enough time to show your draft to others—use your school's writing center, if possible. A fresh perspective can help you polish your paper, and catch inconsistencies and mistakes.