Technical Editing, Part 4
Question 1: Explain numbers 1-5 of the 20 Most Common Errors in Correctness.
Answer 1: 1.Lacking a comma after an introductory elementIncorrect: Yesterday I fell and skinned my knee.Correct: Yesterday, I fell and skinned my knee.2.Lacking commas with nonrestrictive elementsIncorrect: The teacher who is 40 years old is well-versed in British Literature.Correct: The teacher, who is 40 years old, is well-versed in British Literature.3.Using the wrong wordIncorrect: There wallets were stolen on the bus ride here.Correct: Their wallets were stolen on the bus ride here.4.Vague pronoun referencesIncorrect: Angela and Maria went shopping, and she bought a new coat.Correct: Angela and Maria went shopping, and Maria bought a new coat.5.Lacking a comma in a compound sentenceIncorrect: Quito’s weather is beautiful and its mountains are breathtaking.Correct: Quito’s weather is beautiful, and its mountains are breathtaking.
Question 2: Explain numbers 6-10 of the 20 Most Common Errors in Correctness.
Answer 2: 6.Comma splicesIncorrect: Jaime went to the market, she bought three shirts.Correct: Jaime went to the market; she bought three shirts.7.Incorrect shifts in tenseIncorrect: Amy went to the store where she buys supplies for her trip.Correct: Amy went to the store where she bought supplies for her trip. 8.Incorrect or missing prepositionIncorrect: They went to Manta for taking pictures.Correct: They went to Manta to take pictures.9.Incorrect or missing verb endingIncorrect: He miss his father terribly.Correct: He misses his father terribly.10.Incorrect or missing possessive apostropheIncorrect: The girl’s dresses were intricate and beaded; they felt like princesses.Correct: The girls’ dresses were intricate and beaded; they felt like princesses.
Question 3: Explain numbers 11-15 of the 20 Most Common Errors in Correctness.
Answer 3: 11.Unnecessary pronoun shiftsIncorrect: One must always be consistent if you want to impress your reader.Correct: One must always be consistent if one wants to impress his or her reader.12.Incorrect verb tense or verb formIncorrect: I couldn’t wait to go shopping with my sister one hour from now.Correct: I can’t wait to go shopping with my sister one hour from now.13.Sentence fragmentsIncorrect: The long, flowing haircut of my dreams on the front page of that magazine.Correct: The long, flowing haircut of my dreams was on the front page of that magazine.14.Lacking a comma in a series or listIncorrect: The green freshly-cut grass smelled of spring.Correct: The green, freshly-cut grass smelled of spring.15.Subjects and verbs that do not agreeIncorrect: The dog and its owner was taking a walk.Correct: The dog and its owner were taking a walk.
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