English teachers identified these common problems in writing assignments:
• Difficulty grasping the concept of a topic sentence. A topic sentence is the main sentence of the paragraph, one that all other sentences support or elaborate on. Determine your paragraph’s topic sentence; then read every other sentence separately and ask yourself if it elaborates on the topic sentence. If it doesn’t, eighty-six it.
• Trouble focusing on the subject at hand. Go back through your paper and read each sentence separately. Ask yourself if each sentence deals with the topic sentence of its paragraph and also if each sentence relates to your thesis sentence. If you’ve strayed away from either your topic or your thesis, delete or reword the sentence.
• No transition from paragraph to paragraph in language or thought. As you reread your work, locate where you move from one point to another or from one example to another; then use appropriate transitional words or phrases to make a meaningful connection.
• Inconsistency in verb tense (especially present and past tense). Go back and determine which tense you’ve used. Unless you have a reason for a tense change, reword the sentences that change tense.
• Reliance on the computer’s spell check for proofreading. Although spell checkers are helpful, all they can do is offer suggestions about what you may have intended to spell. Using a dictionary, look at the suggested word’s definition to be sure that what the checker suggests is in fact the word you intended to write.
• Comma splices. For example: “I went to the store, I bought a jug of milk and a six-pack of cola.” Review each comma in your work.
• Sentence fragments. Read each sentence separately and ask yourself if the words in that sentence make sense when you read them alone. If they don’t, your “sentence” is a fragment.
• Confusion of homophones. Homophones are words that sound alike but have different meanings and perhaps different spellings, like to, too, and two; they’re, their, and there; and here and hear. Look up the correct usage of the homophones you often misuse, and then develop your own mnemonics to remember them.
• No sense of who the audience is. Be sure you’re clear about who your intended audience is (that is, to whom or for whom you’re writing). Then make sure that each sentence addresses that audience. Common problems arise in the tone used (for instance, don’t use language or reasoning that insults people if you’re trying to persuade them to your line of thinking) and in addressing someone who isn’t part of the audience (for instance, writing “When you take freshman English . . . ” when the audience—in this case, the instructor—isn’t taking freshman English).
• Colloquial usages that are inconsistent with the rest of the writing or inappropriate for the type of writing. Look through your writing for slang words or idiomatic phrases. Unless your work calls for a relaxed or conversational tone (and your instructor or supervisor agrees that tone is necessary), reword your piece and use more formal language.
• No sentence variation (writing only noun-verb-complement sentences). Reword some of your sentences so they begin with phrases or dependent clauses. Also try combining two related sentences into one to create less monotonous sentences.
• Not following directions. Realize that you’re not making up the rules for the assignment, and that—strange as it may seem—your teacher or supervisor probably has a reason for every direction that he or she has given. Keep the directions in mind as you write a rough draft, and then reread them after you’ve completed your assignment. If you’ve “violated” any of the directions, rewrite those parts.
• Use of generalities instead of specifics. Your paper must detail any general statements you make. One way to generate details or supporting evidence is to ask who? what? when? where? why? and how? questions about your topic or thesis sentence.
• Use of “nonsentences” that have lots of fluff but little substance. (For example, “Language is important to everyday life and society.”) Look for generalizations, clichés, and platitudes in your work. Reword your sentences to be more specific, to be less hackneyed, or to give more details.
• Point of view that changes (sometimes first person, sometimes third) or is inappropriate (usually second person). Check each sentence of your manuscript and determine its point of view. If you’ve changed from one point of view to another without a reason, reword your sentences. Also, check to see if using first- or second-person point of view is permitted (third person is the only point of view allowed in many formats of academic writing).