Writing Portfolio Packet Name ______________________ Period ____

Paper title and date Common errors: Summarize the errors from your paper

Grammar

Issues Quick tip

Reference (add the page

# of a text or a resource)

Subject /Verb Agreement

Singular subjects need singular verbs, and plural subjects need plural verbs. (He runs. They run)

Fragments Run Ons

Fragments are incomplete sentences. Usually correct them by removing the period and adding or connecting the main clause. Run-ons are two independent clauses which are joined together with no connecting word or punctuation to separate the clauses. Usually correct by adding in punctuation.

Parallel structure Use the same pattern of words. Errors occur most often in a series. Check that all words are the same tense, have the same ending, or follow the same pattern.

Active and passive voice

Active voice is preferred. In active voice the subject performs the action. (The dog bit the man.) In passive voice the action is performed on the subject. (The man was bit by the dog.)

Tense Shifts Do not change tense forms. INCORRECT: Sally laughs until she cried. I was watching them until I slip and fall. CORRECT: Sally laughed until she cried. I was watching them until I slipped and fell.

Misplaced/ dangling modifier

Modifiers should come next to the word they modify ( refer to) (INCORRECT: Screaming all the way, the roller coaster thrilled us.) Reads as if the roller coaster is screaming.

Missing or misplaced possessive apostrophe

For possession, add ’s or just an apostrophe if the word ends in s (That is Jim’s bag. That is Ross’ bag) In the case of it's, the apostrophe is used to indicate a contraction for it is. Incorrect: Its a cold day in October. Correct: It's a cold day in October.

Vague pronoun reference

Pronouns (she, yourself, her, he, it, they, who, etc.) need to be clear about the word or words they are replacing. (INCORRECT: The restaurant prohibited smoking, which many customers resented.) Do the customers resent the restaurant or smoking?

Comma after introductory element

Use a comma after an introductory phrase. (Determined to pass the test, we studied all night.)

Comma in a compound sentence

Compound sentences have two or more parts that can stand as their own sentences. If they are joined by a conjunction (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) the use a comma before the conjunction.

Comma with a nonrestrictive element

A nonrestrictive element is one that is not necessary to make basic meaning in a sentence. When these appear, use commas before and after. (John, who was a culinary student, prepared us a meal.)

Comma splice When a comma acts as end punctuation basically making a run on sentence.

Comma in a series Use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses written in a series.

It’s = it is Its = possessive Who’s = who is Whose =possessive To = preposition Too = also, excessive You’re = you are Your = possessive They’re = they are Their = possessive There =place, abstract Incorrect: Would of, could of, should of Correct: Would have, could have, should have Incorrect: alot Correct: a lot Incorrect: use to Correct: used to

Be Concise Instead of writing… Write….

is able to can

has the ability to can

due to the fact because

for the reason that because

this is why because

at all times always

in spite of the fact that though

call your attention to the fact that remind you

the question as to whether whether

the reason why is that because

100 Commonly Misspelled Words

absence harass YOUR MISSPELLINGS

acceptable height

accidentally heroes

accommodate hoping

amateur humorous

argument immediately

achieve intelligence

appropriate interesting

attendance irrelevant

beginning irresistible

believe jewelry

business judgment

calendar kindergarten

cemetery knowledge

choose laboratory

chose leisure

collage liaison

college license

column lightning

commitment maneuver

conscience marriage

conscious mathematics

convenient miniature

definitely mischievous

desperate misspell

discipline neighbor

effect necessary

eighth occasionally

eliminate occurrence

embarrass perseverance

emphasize personnel

encouragement practically

environment privilege

equipment receive

especially recommend

exaggerate reference

exceed restaurant

excellence rhythm

exercise schedule

existence separate

experience sophomore

familiar succeed

February surprise

foreign technique

forty tragedy

fourth unnecessary

government usually

grammar vacuum

grateful weird

guarantee writing

Commonly Confused Words

affect (verb) to cause something to change

effect (noun) a result brought about by a cause

all ready prepared

already previously

allusion referencing something else

illusion a false vision or fantasy

bad adjective (We own a bad dog)

badly adverb (He plays tennis badly)

between shared by only two people or things

among shared by more than two people of things

breath Noun (I can hold my breath.)

breathe Verb (I breathe in the smoke.)

capital uppercase letters

capitol legislative body building

compare to similarity between the things compared

compare with similarity or difference

complement to go well with

compliment a flattering statement (or act of making one)

further time or degree

farther physical distance

irregardless Non-standard English. Avoid using it.

regardless without regard. The man left regardless of warnings.

good adjective- describes a noun

well adverb – describes a verb

lay when the subject acts on a direct object

lie used when there is no direct object

less quantities that cannot be counted

fewer quantities that can be counted

loose (rhymes with noose) not tight, unleash

lose (rhymes with snooze) fail to keep, misplace

much quantities that cannot be counted

many quantities that can be counted

principle An idea, moral precept

principal High rank (the school’s principal is your pal)

real adjective- describes a noun

really adverb – describes a verb

then time (Let’s go to the movies then lunch.)

than comparisons (This date was better than the last one.)

real adjective- describes a noun

really adverb – describes a verb

then time (Let’s go to the movies then lunch.)

than comparisons (This date was better than the last one.)

whether situations of speculation or uncertainty (I wonder whether the plane will arrive soon.)

if on the condition that

who is a subject (Who is coming to the party?)

whom is an object (Whom should I invite?)

i.e. In other words

e.g. for example

Revision Tips & Techniques

Revision (RE – VIS means seeing it again) THE BIG PICTURE –

Revision might require adding or taking away content, changing paragraph order, rewriting

the introduction or conclusion. o If time allows, put your paper away for a day or two. Then, try to read it with the freshest eyes as if you know

nothing about the subject.

o Is your thesis narrow and manageable? Does your paper fully address it?

o Is support CREDIBLE? How much space do quotes and support fill? You should have a balance. Your ideas should be

backed by support. Do your details go BEYOND the obvious?

o Check your assignment again. Have you addressed all elements? Answered all questions?

o Introduction: does your paper start in the right place? Is the introduction unique and interesting?

o Look at each paragraph—does it relate directly to the thesis?

o Have you been repetitive? A common error. Make sure each sentence and paragraph shares something new.

o The conclusion does not have to restate the thesis but it should remind the reader of your point.

Editing this stage comes after revision and it involves looking at the paper as a writer. Must

read aloud here. Listen for fluency. o Read aloud and mark any places that sound awkward.

o Check for “be” verbs. If you have a lot, change half of them.

o Vary your sentences in length and structure.

o Look for, and remove, repetition of words or phrases unless used stylistically.

o Active voice is better than passive voice. The lunch was delivered by the boss. The boss delivered the lunch.

o Do the paragraphs transition smoothly? (These do not have to be words from a list, but content-driven.)

o The voice is appropriate for this piece: an academic / formal paper avoids “I” and “you”

o “There are” sentences….avoid them.

o Make sure your quotes have lead ins and follow ups. Do not just DUMP them there.

o Check for sentence fragments—read each sentence starting from the end of the paper.

o If your paper is written in MLA, APA, or CMS style, check the formatting of all elements.

Proofreading is the final (and quickest) stage. You are simply looking for any formatting,

grammar, or spelling issues you might have missed.

o Have you given your paper an original and meaningful title—not just a restatement of the assignment or a simple

description?

o Look for YOUR common grammar and spelling errors and review the list of commonly confused words.

o Read the paper backwards—word by word—to spot spelling errors.

o Look at formatting requirements again and make sure you have adhered to all.

o Ask someone to read your paper to spot any remaining errors.

Your work is never done only due.

Real writing happens in revision. Don’t put your pen down and say you’re done when you finish the

first draft. Revise. Revise. Revise.

Drafting Revising Editing Proof -reading

TRY THIS

Find a few abstractions in

your paper. Replace

these words or phrases

with longer phrases or

sentences that are rich in

sensory images.

TRY THIS

Find a few general, but

important, nouns in your

paper and revise them to

a more specific noun.

TRY THIS

Highlight all the “be”

verbs in your paper. Pick

a few where more details

are necessary and simply

change the sentence to

include better verbs.

Writing the Details How many times has your teacher said you need more detail in

your writing? What does this mean? How does one do this? Three

simple techniques will help you create more detail in your writing

through the use of

1. USE MORE CONCRETE LANGUAGE Abstractions = ideas or concepts that have no connection to the senses:

love, joy, pain, boredom, all –isms, good, evil, ugly, pretty, freedom…

Concrete noun = objects or events that are available to the senses:

desk, car, apple, puppy, clock, river, lavender, paper, constitution...

2. USE MORE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE When the context is important, use specific, narrow details.

General = groups Specific = individual

Car Toyota Corolla

Dog Poodle

Textbook Statistics 101

Soft drinks Coca-Cola

3. CHANGE YOUR “BE” VERBS

“Be” verbs are lazy. “Be” verbs rush to get the sentence out and do

not add anything to the subject other than its state of “being.”

STRONG verbs indicate an action; they portray a mood and tone;

they reveal character. But mostly, they produce strong writing.

be is am are were was been being

STRONG VERBS & NOUNS

Abstraction: The main character is depressed.

Concrete: Every day James sat down in the emptiest part of the bus and stared, bleary-

eyed and thoughtless, out the window. He’d only shuffle off when the driver would tell him it

was the third time past his stop.