Introduction

The primary purpose of this web page is to give students easy access to tools that might help their writing. Poor grammar or a dysfunctional writing style will create obstacles throughout your life, ranging from poor grades in college to ineffective essays on law school or grad school applications and unflattering job evaluations from employers or supervisors. I can not guarantee that this page will magically improve your grades, get you into Harvard Law School, or get you a raise and a promotion -- but I do hope that you find it useful.

NOTE: Some of the entries on this page were verified or extended with the help of Strunk and White's Elements of Style (3rd ed., 1979), Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary (6th ed., 1979), Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers (5th ed., 1987), and the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (4th ed., 1995).

Top Specific Problems

The following links deal with the most common problems that I have found in grading student papers. Students will laugh if I mention these problems in class, but almost every student paper will include at least one of these problems -- and I've seen more than a few papers and exams that make over half of these mistakes.


"Accept" versus "Except"


"Affect" versus "Effect"


"Block" versus "Bloc"


"Border" versus "Boarder"


"Could/should/would have" versus "Could/should/would of"


"Do" versus "Due"


"Dominate" versus "Dominant"


"e.g.," "i.e.," "etc.," and "et al."


Except versus Accept: see "Accept versus Except" (above)


Effect versus Affect: see "Affect versus Effect" (above)


"For all intents and purposes" versus "For all intensive purposes"


Irregardless versus Regardless: see "Regardless versus Irregardless" (below)


"It's" versus "Its"


"Lead" versus "Led"


"Lose" versus "Loose"


"Now," "Know," and "No"


"Populous" versus "Populace"


"Principle" versus "Principal"


"Regardless" versus "Irregardless"


"Should have" versus "Should of": see "Could/should/would have" versus "Could/should/would of" (above)


"Supposedly" versus "Supposably"


"Than" versus "Then"


"That," "Which," and "Who"


"There," "Their," and "They're"


"To," "Too," and "Two"


"Where" versus "Were"


"Who's" versus "Whose"


"Would have" versus "Would of": see "Could/should/would have" versus "Could/should/would of" (above)

General References


http://www.paulhensel.org/teachprob.html
Last updated: 27 August 2019
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