SYMBOL TYPE OF ERROR RULE

SVA√ subject-verb-agreement Noun and verb must agree in number

(The girls in the bus are (not is ) all wearing jeans.)

NPA√ noun-pronoun agreement Noun and pronoun referring to it must agree in number.

(Every fan stood on his (not their) feet.)

pron. agree√ pronoun agreement Pronouns must agree in number in a sentence.

(Everyone picks up his (not their) toys,)

vpr√ vague pronoun reference Pronouns such as it, that, which, and this need to have clear antecedents.

(Her actions led to his despair. This despair (not this alone) led to his anger.)

frag√ sentence fragment Sentence must have a subject and a verb for that subject.

(Such as my mother. No verb present.)

CS√ comma splice Two complete sentences may not be joined by only a comma. (Use a semicolon between them if the second is added related information to the first, or join the two with a comma then a conjunction like and, or, but, so.))

(I could not open the door; I had lost my keys.)

RUN-ON√ run-on sentence Two sentences can not be joined without appropriate punctuation or conjunctions.

VT shift√ verb tense shift Don’t jump back and forth between past and present.

(After she had filled out the application, she mailed it.)

par. const√ parallel construction Phrases connected by “and” need to be parallel in form.

(He likes running, swimming, and hiking (not “to hike”.)

C√ comma error Choose the correct rule:

a)Join two sentences connected with a conjunction (and, but, or, so) with a comma

b)Use a comma after an introductory adverb clause (beginning with When, Because, While, Though, Since,After, As, etc.)

c)Use a comma after two prepositional phrases in the beginning of a sentence.

(In the beginning of the world,)

d)Use a comma after said in dialogue.

(He said, “Why aren’t you available?”)

d) Use a comma around interrupters:

(He is, in my opinion, a charming man.)

e) Use after an introductory gerund phrase:

(Having no money, I brought my lunch.)

Slang or collog.√slang or colloquial language Use more formal diction.

(That car is sick attractive.)

Use of you/your inexact pronoun use Do not use you or your when referring to people in general

(When you student sign up for the wrong class, you they create more paperwork for everyone.

WW√ weak or wrong word Substitute the correct word

Awk√ awkward word or structure Reword

Misp. Mod√ misplaced modifier Make clear what noun your adjective or phrase refers to.

(He could find only one book in the house.) ( Not , “He could only find one book.)

apostr√ apostrophe error Use an apostrophe for a contraction or to show possession, not for plurals.

(It is a boy’s sport, not The boy’s like to play this sport.)

CAPs√ capitalization error Capitalize proper nouns.

:√ colon Use a colon after a complete statement that introduces a quotation.

Use a colon after the words “as follows” or “the following.’

;√ semicolon Use a semicolon to separate two complete sentences related in meaning.

SP√ spelling error (no rule needed)

P√ end punctuation error Check for ? ! or .