Irregardless and unthaw

These are not words. "Regardless" and "thaw" are sufficient and don't need any senseless prefixes mucking them up.
Impact, affect, and effect
Using "impact" as a verb has become so ubiquitous I've pretty much given up on this one, but if you want to say things like "The cutbacks greatly
impacted the bottom line" know that the grammar geeks of the world may cringe. Why? Because "affected" is what you really mean and once upon a
time "impact" was used strictly as a noun. Maybe you've never mastered the difference between "affect" and "effect" and use "impact" just to be safe.
If that's you, it's time to understand these words now. "Affect" is a verb that means to do something that causes an "effect," which is noun. Just think
of the "a" in "affect" also is used in "action," which is what verbs do.
Loose and lose
The first one means your dog escaped his kennel, your change is clinking in your pocket, or your clothes are too big. "Lose" is what happened to you
when you can't find your keys, you have to settle a bet, or were beat in a game.
Overuse of apostrophes
Apostrophes indicate one of two things: Possession or letters missing, as in "Sara's iPad" and "it's" for "it is" (second "i" missing). They don't belong
on plurals. When you have more than one of something there's no need to add an apostrophe. Same thing with your last name. If you want to refer to
your family but don't want to list everyone's first name write "The Johnsons" not "The Johnson's." Years also shouldn't have apostrophes. For
example, "1980s" is correct but "1980's" is not.
Principle and principal
These words are easily confused. One definition for "principle" is "a moral rule or belief that helps you know what is right and wrong and that
influences your actions," according to Merriam-Webster.com. As for "principal" think of the person who presides over a school--someone who's first
in rank. Here's a trick for keeping the two straight: The "a" in principal is first in the alphabet, just like a principal is someone who's first in rank.
Lay and lie
Generally, if you can replace the word in question with some variant of "put" or "place," use "lay." If not, use "lie." So, it should be "I need to lie
down" and "He laid his keys on the table." "Lying down" gets confusing when you're talking about doing it in the past, however. For example, it
should be "Mark lay on the bed after coming home from work yesterday." Take heart, even Grammar Girl has a hard time with this one. Check out
her advice for navigating this minefield.
Borrow and lend
Some people incorrectly use the word borrow instead of lend. It would be wrong to say "He borrowed me his car for the afternoon" or "Can you
borrow me a dollar?" The correct way: "He lent me his car" or even "He loaned me his car," although be warned that some grammar snobs take issue
with using loan as a verb.
Someone doesn't borrow something to someone, but from someone, as in "I borrowed her calculator." Likewise, lending is something only a giver
does. Just remember, the person doing the giving lends and the person receiving something borrows it.
Adverse and averse
Adverse means harmful or unfavorable: "Adverse market conditions caused the IPO to be poorly subscribed." Averse refers to feelings of dislike or
opposition: "I was averse to paying $18 a share for a company that generates no revenue."
But you can feel free to have an aversion to adverse conditions.
Affect and effect
Verbs first. Affect means to influence: "Impatient investors affected our roll-out date." Effect means to accomplish something: "The board effected a
sweeping policy change." How you use effect or affect can be tricky. For example, a board can affect changes by influencing them, or can effect
changes by implementing them. Use effect if you're making it happen, and affect if you're having an impact on something someone else is trying to
make happen.
As for nouns, effect is almost always correct: "Once he was fired he was given 20 minutes to gather his personal effects." Affect refers to an
emotional state, so unless you're a psychologist, you probably should not be using it.
Compliment and complement
Compliment is to say something nice. Complement is to add to, enhance, improve, complete, or bring close to perfection. So, I can compliment your
staff and their service, but if you have no current openings you have a full complement of staff. And your new app may complement your website.
For which I may decide to compliment you.
Criteria and criterion
"We made the decision based on one overriding criteria" sounds pretty impressive but is wrong.

Remember: one criterion, two or more criteria, although you could always use "reason" or "factors" and not worry about getting it wrong.
Discreet and discrete
Discreet means careful, cautious, showing good judgment: "We made discreet inquiries to determine whether the founder was interested in selling her
company."
Discrete means individual, separate, or distinct: "We analyzed data from a number of discrete market segments to determine overall pricing
levels." And if you get confused, remember you don't use discreetion to work through sensitive issues; you exercise discretion.
Elicit and illicit
Elicit means to draw out or coax. Think of elicit as the mildest form of extract or, even worse, extort. So if one lucky survey respondent will win a
trip to the Bahamas, the prize is designed to elicit responses.
Illicit means illegal or unlawful. I suppose you could "illicit" a response at gunpoint ... but you best not.
Farther and further
Farther involves a physical distance: "Florida is farther from New York than Tennessee." Further involves a figurative distance: "We can take our
business plan no further." So, as we say in the South, "I don't trust you any farther than I can throw you." Or, "I ain't gonna trust you no further."
(Seriously. I've uttered both of those sentences. More than once.)
Imply and infer
The speaker or writer implies. The listener or reader infers. Imply means to suggest, while infer means to deduce (whether correctly or not). So, I
might imply you're going to receive a raise. You might infer that a pay increase is imminent. (But not eminent, unless the raise will be prominent and
distinguished.)
Insure and ensure
This one's easy. Insure refers to insurance. Ensure means to make sure. So if you promise an order will ship on time, ensure it actually
happens. Unless, of course, you plan to arrange for compensation if the package is damaged or lost--then feel free to insure away.
Number and amount
I goof these up all the time. Use number when you can count what you refer to: "The number of subscribers who opted out increased last month."
Amount refers to a quantity of something that can't be counted: "The amount of alcohol consumed at our last company picnic was staggering."
Of course it can still be confusing: "I can't believe the number of beers I drank" is correct, but so is "I can't believe the amount of beer I drank." The
difference is I can count beers, but beer, especially if I was way too drunk to keep track, is an uncountable total--so amount is the correct usage.
Precede and proceed
Precede means to come before. Proceed means to begin or continue. Where it gets confusing is when an ing comes into play. "The proceeding
announcement was brought to you by..." sounds fine, but preceding is correct since the announcement came before.
If it helps, think precedence: Anything that takes precedence is more important and therefore comes first.
Principal and principle
A principle is a fundamental: "We've created a culture where we all share certain principles." Principal means primary or of first importance: "Our
startup's principal is located in NYC." (Sometimes you'll also see the plural, principals, used to refer to executives or (relatively) co-equals at the top
of a particular food chain.)
Principal can also refer to the most important item in a particular set: "Our principal account makes up 60 percent of our gross revenues."
Principal can also refer to money, normally a sum that was borrowed, but can be extended to refer to the amount you owe--hence principal and
interest.
If you're referring to laws, rules, guidelines, ethics, etc., use principle. If you're referring to the CEO or the president (or the individual in charge of
the high school), use principal. And now for those dreaded apostrophes.
It's and its
It's is the contraction of it is. That means it's doesn't own anything. If your dog is neutered (the way we make a dog, however much against his or her
will, gender neutral), you don't say, "It's collar is blue." You say, "Its collar is blue." Here's an easy test to apply. Whenever you use an apostrophe,
un-contract the word to see how it sounds. In this case, turn it's into it is: "It's sunny" becomes "It is sunny." Sounds good to me.
They're and their

Same with these: They're is the contraction for they are. Again, the apostrophe doesn't own anything. We're going to their house, and I sure hope
they're home.
Who's and whose
"Whose password hasn't been changed in six months?" is correct. "Who is (the noncontracted version of who's) password hasn't been changed in six
months?" sounds silly.
You're and your
One more. You're is the contraction of you are. Your means you own it; the apostrophe in you're doesn't own anything. For a long time a local
nonprofit had a huge sign that said "You're Community Place."
Hmm. "You Are Community Place"?
Probably not.
Who and Whom
This one opens a big can of worms. Who is a subjective or nominative pronoun, along with "he," "she," "it," "we," and "they." Its used when
the pronoun acts as the subject of a clause. Whom is an objective pronoun, along with "him," "her," "it", "us," and "them." Its used when the
pronoun acts as the object of a clause. Using who or whom depends on whether youre referring to the subject or object of a sentence. When in
doubt, substitute who with the subjective pronouns he or she, e.g., Who loves you? cf., He loves me. Similarly, you can also substitute whom
with the objective pronouns him or her. e.g., I consulted an attorney whom I met in New York. cf., I consulted him.
Which and That
This is one of the most common mistakes out there, and understandably so. That is a restrictive pronoun. Its vital to the noun to which its
referring. e.g., I dont trust fruits and vegetables that arent organic. Here, Im referring to all non-organic fruits or vegetables. In other words, I only
trust fruits and vegetables that are organic. Which introduces a relative clause. It allows qualifiers that may not be essential. e.g., I recommend you
eat only organic fruits and vegetables, which are available in area grocery stores. In this case, you dont have to go to a specific grocery store to
obtain organic fruits and vegetables. Which qualifies, that restricts. Which is more ambiguous however, and by virtue of its meaning is flexible
enough to be used in many restrictive clauses. e.g., The house, which is burning, is mine. e.g., The house that is burning is mine.
Lay and Lie
This is the crown jewel of all grammatical errors. Lay is a transitive verb. It requires a direct subject and one or more objects. Its present tense is
lay (e.g., I lay the pencil on the table) and its past tense is laid (e.g., Yesterday I laid the pencil on the table). Lie is an intransitive verb. It needs
no object. Its present tense is lie (e.g., The Andes mountains lie between Chile and Argentina) and its past tense is lay (e.g., The man lay waiting
for an ambulance). The most common mistake occurs when the writer uses the past tense of the transitive lay (e.g., I laid on the bed) when he/she
actually means the intransitive past tense of lie" (e.g., I lay on the bed).
Moot
Contrary to common misuse, moot doesnt imply something is superfluous. It means a subject is disputable or open to discussion. e.g., The idea
that commercial zoning should be allowed in the residential neighborhood was a moot point for the council.
Continual and Continuous
Theyre similar, but theres a difference. Continual means something that's always occurring, with obvious lapses in time. Continuous means
something continues without any stops or gaps in between. e.g., The continual music next door made it the worst night of studying ever. e.g., Her
continuous talking prevented him from concentrating.
Envy and Jealousy
The word envy implies a longing for someone elses good fortunes. Jealousy is far more nefarious. Its a fear of rivalry, often present in sexual
situations. Envy is when you covet your friends good looks. Jealousy is what happens when your significant other swoons over your goodlooking friend.
Nor
Nor expresses a negative condition. It literally means "and not." Youre obligated to use the nor form if your sentence expresses a negative and
follows it with another negative condition. Neither the men nor the women were drunk is a correct sentence because nor expresses that the
women held the same negative condition as the men. The old rule is that nor typically follows neither, and or follows either. However, if
neither either nor neither is used in a sentence, you should use nor to express a second negative, as long as the second negative is a verb. If the
second negative is a noun, adjective, or adverb, you would use or, because the initial negative transfers to all conditions. e.g., He wont eat broccoli
or asparagus. The negative condition expressing the first noun (broccoli) is also used for the second (asparagus).
May and Might
May implies a possibility. Might implies far more uncertainty. You may get drunk if you have two shots in ten minutes implies a real
possibility of drunkenness. You might get a ticket if you operate a tug boat while drunk implies a possibility that is far more remote. Someone who
says I may have more wine could mean he/she doesn't want more wine right now, or that he/she might not want any at all. Given the speakers
indecision on the matter, might would be correct.

Whether and If
Many writers seem to assume that whether is interchangeable with if." It isnt. Whether expresses a condition where there are two or more
alternatives. If expresses a condition where there are no alternatives. e.g., I dont know whether Ill get drunk tonight. e.g., I can get drunk tonight if
I have money for booze.
Fewer and Less
Less is reserved for hypothetical quantities. Few and fewer are for things you can quantify. e.g., The firm has fewer than ten employees. e.g.,
The firm is less successful now that we have only ten employees.
Farther and Further
The word farther implies a measurable distance. Further should be reserved for abstract lengths you can't always measure. e.g., I threw the ball
ten feet farther than Bill. e.g., The financial crisis caused further implications.
Since and Because
Since refers to time. Because refers to causation. e.g., Since I quit drinking Ive married and had two children. e.g., Because I quit drinking I no
longer wake up in my own vomit.
Disinterested and Uninterested
Contrary to popular usage, these words arent synonymous. A disinterested person is someone whos impartial. For example, a hedge fund manager
might take interest in a headline regarding the performance of a popular stock, even if he's never invested in it. Hes disinterested, i.e., he doesnt
seek to gain financially from the transaction hes witnessed. Judges and referees are supposed to be "disinterested." If the sentence youre using
implies someone who couldn't care less, chances are youll want to use uninterested.
Anxious
Unless youre frightened of them, you shouldnt say youre anxious to see your friends. Youre actually eager, or "excited." To be anxious
implies a looming fear, dread or anxiety. It doesnt mean youre looking forward to something.
Different Than and Different From
This is a tough one. Words like rather and faster are comparative adjectives, and are used to show comparison with the preposition than, (e.g.,
greater than, less than, faster than, rather than). The adjective different is used to draw distinction. So, when different is followed by a
preposition, it should be from, similar to separate from, distinct from, or away from. e.g., My living situation in New York was different from
home. There are rare cases where different than is appropriate, if than operates as a conjunction. e.g., Development is different in New York than
in Los Angeles. When in doubt, use different from.
Bring and Take
In order to employ proper usage of bring or take, the writer must know whether the object is being moved toward or away from the subject. If it
is toward, use bring. If it is away, use take. Your spouse may tell you to take your clothes to the cleaners. The owner of the dry cleaners would
say bring your clothes to the cleaners.
Impactful
It isn't a word. "Impact" can be used as a noun (e.g., The impact of the crash was severe) or a transitive verb (e.g., The crash impacted my ability to
walk or hold a job). "Impactful" is a made-up buzzword, colligated by the modern marketing industry in their endless attempts to decode the
innumerable nuances of human behavior into a string of mindless metrics. Seriously, stop saying this.
Affect and Effect
Heres a trick to help you remember: Affect is almost always a verb (e.g., Facebook affects peoples attention spans), and effect is almost always
a noun (e.g., Facebook's effects can also be positive). Affect means to influence or produce an impression to cause hence, an effect. Effect is
the thing produced by the affecting agent; it describes the result or outcome. There are some exceptions. Effect may be used as a transitive verb,
which means to bring about or make happen. e.g., My new computer effected a much-needed transition from magazines to Web porn. There are
similarly rare examples where affect can be a noun. e.g., His lack of affect made him seem like a shallow person.
Irony and Coincidence
Too many people claim something is the former when they actually mean the latter. For example, its not ironic that Barbara moved from
California to New York, where she ended up meeting and falling in love with a fellow Californian. The fact that theyre both from California is a
"coincidence." "Irony" is the incongruity in a series of events between the expected results and the actual results. "Coincidence" is a series of events
that appear planned when theyre actually accidental. So, it would be "ironic" if Barbara moved from California to New York to escape California
men, but the first man she ended up meeting and falling in love with was a fellow Californian.
Nauseous
Undoubtedly the most common mistake I encounter. Contrary to almost ubiquitous misuse, to be nauseous doesnt mean youve been sickened: it
actually means you possess the ability to produce nausea in others. e.g., That week-old hot dog is nauseous. When you find yourself disgusted or
made ill by a nauseating agent, you are actually nauseated. e.g., I was nauseated after falling into that dumpster behind the Planned Parenthood.
Stop embarrassing yourself.

1) They're vs. Their vs. There

One's a contraction for "they are" (they're), one refers to something owned by a group (their), and one refers to a place (there). You know the
difference between the three -- just make sure you're triple checking that you're using the right ones at the right places at the right times. I find it's
helpful to search through my posts (try control + F, or command + F for Mac users) for those words and check that they're being used in the right
context before hitting publish.
Correct Usage: They're going to love going there -- I heard their food is the best!
2) Your vs. You're
With these, it's the difference between owning something and actually being something:
You made it around the track in under a minute -- you're fast!
How's your fast going? Are you hungry?
See the difference? "Your" is possessive and "you're" is a contraction of "you are." Again, if you're having trouble keeping them straight, try
searching for it through your post while editing to double check your usage.
3) Its vs. It's
This one tends to confuse even the best of writers. "Its" is possessive and "it's" is a contraction of "it is." Lots of people get tripped up because "it's"
has an 's after it -- which normally means something is possessive -- but it's actually a contraction. Do a control + F to find this mistake in your
writing. It's really hard to catch on your own, but it's a mistake everyone can make.
4) Incomplete Comparisons
This one drives me up a wall when I see it in the wild. Can you see what's wrong with this sentence?
Our car model is faster, better, stronger.
Faster, better, stronger ... than what? What are you comparing your car to? To a horse? A competitor? An older model?
When you're asserting that something should be compared to something else, make sure you are always clarifying what that something else is ...
otherwise it's impossible for your readers to judge whether the comparison actually means anything.
5) Passive Voice
If you have a sentence with an object in it -- basically a noun that receives the action -- passive voice can happen to you. Passive happens when the
object of a sentence is put in the beginning of a sentence instead of at the end. With passive voice, your writing is perceived as poor writing to your
audience.
Hold up. Read that last paragraph I just wrote -- there's waaaaaay too much passive voice. See how it seems kind of jumbly and not quite punchy?
Let's try that again.
Passive voice happens when you have a sentence with an object in it -- basically a noun that receives the action -- and that object appears as the
subject of the sentence. Normally, the object of the sentence appears at the end, following a verb. Passive writing isn't as clear as active writing -your readers will thank you for your attention to detail later.
Make sense? It's kind of a complicated thing to describe, but active voice makes your writing seem more alive and clear. Want to get into the nittygritty of passive voice? Check out this tip from Grammar Girl.
6) Dangling Modifiers
I love the name of this grammar mistake -- it makes me think of a life or death situation, hanging precariously off a cliff or something equally as a
drastic. (Of course grammar mistakes are never that drastic, but it helps me remember to keep them out of my writing.)
This mistake happens when a descriptive phrase is followed by a noun that shouldn't be described by that phrase. It's easier to see in an example
taken from my colleague over on the HubSpot Sales blog:
After declining for months, Jean tried a new tactic to increase ROI.
... What exactly is declining for months? Jean? In reality, the sentence was trying to say that the ROI was declining -- not Jean. To fix this problem,
try flipping around the sentence structure (though beware of passive voice)!
Jean tried a new tactic to increase ROI after it had been declining for months.
Better, right?
7) Possessive Nouns
Most possessive nouns will have an apostrophe -- but where you put that apostrophe is confusing.

If the noun is plural, add the apostrophe after the s. For example: dogs'.
If the noun is singular and ends in s, you should put the apostrophe after the s. For example: dress'.
If the noun is singular and doesn't end in an s, you'll add the apostrophe before the s. For example: lizard's.
Simple, right?
If a noun is plural and possessive -- which isn't often -- the rules vary. If you want a deep dive, check out the rules over on this site.
8) Affect vs. Effect
This one is another one of my pet peeves. Most people confuse them when they're talking about something changing another thing. When you're
talking about the change itself -- the noun -- you'll use "effect." For example: That movie had a great effect on me. When you're talking about the act
of changing -- the verb -- you'll use "affect." For example: That movie affected me greatly.
9) Me vs. I
Most people understand the difference between the two of these ... until they end up writing a sentence with themselves and another group. Like this
sentence, for example:
When you get done with that lab report, can you send it to Bill and I?
Nope, that's wrong. Try taking Bill out of that sentence -- it sounds weird, right? You would never ask someone to send something to "I" when he or
she is done. The reason it sounds weird is because "I" is the object of that sentence -- and "I" should not be used in objects. In that situation, you'd use
"me." See what I mean?
When you get done with that lab report, can you send it to Bill and me?
Much better.
10) Dos and Donts
I'm not talking about the do's and don'ts of grammar here -- I'm talking about the actual words: "do's" and "don'ts." They look weird, right? That's
because of two things: 1) There's an apostrophe in one to make it plural ... which typically isn't done, and 2) the apostrophes aren't put in the same
place in both words. It just looks like a mess.
Unfortunately, it's AP Style ... so we just have to live with it. It's a sexy angle for content formats, so I wouldn't shy away from using it, but just
remember that the apostrophes should be in different places -- and that's okay. (Or, you know, you can always use a different style guide!)
11) i.e. vs. e.g.
Confession: I never remember this rule, so I have to Google it every single time I want to use it in my writing. I'm hoping by writing about it that the
trend will stop.
Lots of people use the terms interchangeably when trying to elaborate on a point, but they really mean two different things. "i.e." roughly means "that
is" or "in other words" while "e.g." means "example given" or "for example." See the difference? One's used to clarify something you've said, while
the other adds color to a story through an example.
12) Peek vs. peak vs. pique
You know the difference between the three ... right? This is another that I often see people mess up even if they know what they mean. Peek is taking
a quick look at something -- like a sneak peek. Peak is a sharp point -- like the peak of a mountain. And pique means to provoke or instigate -- you
know, like your interest. If you're going to use one in your marketing, stop and think for a second -- is that the right "peek" you should be using?
13) Who vs. That
This is a tricky one. These two words can be used when you're describing someone or something through a phrase like "Ginny is a blogger who likes
ice cream." When you're describing a person, be sure to use "who." When you're describing an object, use "that." For example, you should say "My
computer is the one that overheats all the time." It's pretty simple, but definitely something that gets overlooked frequently.
14) Alot vs. A lot vs. Allot
Hate to break it to all of you "alot" fans out there ... but "alot" is not a word. If you're trying to say that someone has a vast number of things, you'd
say they have a lot of things. And if you're trying to say that you've set aside a certain amount of money to buy something, you'd say you alloted $20
to spend on gas. If you're trying to remember to stay away from alot, check out this awesome cartoon by Hyperbole and a Half featuring the alot.
That face will haunt you for the rest of your content creation days.
15) Into vs. In to
Last but certainly not least is the "into" versus "in to" debate. They're often confused, but "into" indicates movement (Ginny walked into the office)
while "in to" is used in lots of situations because the individual words "to" and "in" are frequently used in other parts of a sentence. For example, "to"
is often used with infinitive verbs (ex: to drive). Or "in" can be used as part of a verb (ex: call in to a meeting). So if you're trying to decide which to
use, ask yourself whether 1) either "in" or "to" fits in with another part of the sentence, or 2) the sentence

Error #1: Run-on Sentence or Comma Splice

A run-on sentence is a sentence that joins two independent clauses without punctuation or the appropriate conjunction. A comma splice is similar to a
run-on sentence, but it uses a comma to join two clauses that have no appropriate conjunction.
Fixing a run-on sentence or a comma splice can be accomplished in one of five different ways:

Separate the clauses into two sentences.

Replace the comma with a semi-colon.

Replace the comma with a coordinating conjunction--and, but, for, yet, nor, so.

Replace the comma with a subordinating conjunction--after, although, before, unless, as, because, even
though, if, since, until, when, while.

Replace the comma with a semi-colon and transitional word--however, moreover, on the other hand,
nevertheless, instead, also, therefore, consequently, otherwise, as a result.

For example:

Incorrect: Rachel is very smart, she began reading when she was three years old.
Correct: Rachel is very smart. She began reading when she was three years old.

Correct: Rachel is very smart; she began reading when she was three years old.

Correct: Rachel is very smart, and she began reading when she was three years old.

Correct: Because Rachel is very smart, she began reading when she was three years old.

Correct: Rachel is very smart; as a result, she began reading when she was three years old.

Error #2: Pronoun Errors

Pronoun errors occur when pronouns do not agree in number with the nouns to which they refer. If the noun is singular, the pronoun must be singular.
If the noun is plural, however, the pronoun must be plural as well. For example:

Incorrect: Everybody must bring their own lunch.

Correct: Everybody must bring his or her own lunch.

Many people believe that pronoun errors are the result of writers who are trying to avoid the implication of sexist language. Although this is an
admirable goal, correct grammar is still important.
Error #3: Mistakes in Apostrophe Usage
Apostrophes are used to show possession. However, you do not use an apostrophe after a possessive pronoun such as my, mine, our, ours, his, hers,
its, their, or theirs. For example:

Incorrect: My mothers cabin is next to his' cabin.

Correct: My mother's cabin is next to his cabin.

In the case of it's, the apostrophe is used to indicate a contraction for it is. For example:

Incorrect: Its a cold day in October.

Correct: It's a cold day in October.

Error #4: Lack of Subject/Verb Agreement

When speaking or writing in the present tense, a sentence must have subjects and verbs that agree in number. If the subject is singular, the verb must
be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural as well. For example:

Incorrect: The recipes is good for beginning chefs.

Correct: The recipes are good for beginning chefs.

Error #5: Misplaced Modifiers

To communicate your ideas clearly, you must place a modifier directly next to the word it is supposed to modify. The modifier should clearly refer to
a specific word in the sentence. For example:

Incorrect: At eight years old, my father gave me a pony for Christmas.

Correct: When I was eight years old, my father gave me a pony for Christmas.

1. Missing commas to set off nonessential information

Commas are used to call attention to information that interrupts and does not alter the meaning of a sentence. If the sentence could provide
a similar meaning without the extra information, then the commas help to illustrate that the extra information is there to provide
nonessential rather than essential information.
CORRECT: John Smith, who won the writing contest, is in my class.
(The commas are necessary because "who won the writing contest" is only adding extra information about John Smith.)
INCORRECT: John Smith who won the writing contest is in my class.
(Commas around "who won the writing contest" are necessary because this phrase is intended to add only nonessential
information about John Smith. Only if the information is essential are commas not needed. If more than one John Smith could be
indicated, then the words "who won the writing contest" convey information essential to identify which John Smith is being
referred to.)
2. Unnecessary commas to set off essential information
Commas are used to call attention to information that interrupts and does not alter the meaning of a sentence. If information is necessary to
the meaning of a sentence, you should not set off this information in commas.
CORRECT: The student who won the writing contest is in my class.
(No commas are needed because "who won the writing contest" is necessary to understand the meaning of the sentence.)
INCORRECT: The student, who won the writing contest, is in my class.
(The commas setting off "who won the writing contest" are incorrect because the information is necessary to understand the meaning of the
sentence.)
3. Missing comma before coordinating conjunction combining two independent clauses
Commas are used before coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) if the coordinating conjunction is used to connect two
independent sentences.
CORRECT: I wanted to go to the beach, but I couldn't afford to pay for a hotel room.
("I wanted to go to the beach" is a complete sentence as is "I couldn't afford to pay for a hotel room," so when they are joined with a
coordinating conjunction, a comma should be placed before the conjunction.)
INCORRECT: I wanted to go to the beach but I couldn't afford to pay for a hotel room.
("I wanted to go to the beach" and "I couldn't afford to pay for a hotel room," are complete sentences joined with a coordinating
conjunction, so a comma should be placed before the conjunction.)
CORRECT: I wanted to go to the beach but couldn't afford to pay for a hotel room.
("I wanted to go to the beach" is a complete sentence, but "couldn't afford to pay for the hotel room" is not a complete sentence, so it
cannot stand alone and a comma should not be placed before the coordinating conjunction.)
4. Missing comma after introductory element
Commas help to call attention to opening ideas. A comma follows an introductory word, phrase, or clause.
CORRECT: Furthermore, everyone must wait thirty minutes after eating before they go swimming.
("Furthermore" is an introductory word and should be followed by a comma.)
INCORRECT: Furthermore everyone must wait thirty minutes after eating before they go swimming.
("Furthermore" is an introductory word and must be followed by a comma.)
CORRECT: From his perch in the top of the tree, John could see the neighbor's dog chewing on the children's missing Frisbee.
("From his perch in the top of the tree" is an introductory phrase and should be followed by a comma.)
CORRECT: Even though he knew that his brother would be angry over the lost Frisbee, John wasn't brave enough to go get it.
("Even though he knew that his brother would be angry over the lost Frisbee" is an introductory clause and should be followed by a
comma.)
INCORRECT: Risking his life over a Frisbee, just didn't seem worth it.
("Risking his life over a Frisbee" is the subject of the sentence and should not be followed by a comma.)
5. Comma splice
A comma splice results when two independent clauses (two separate sentences) are joined with a comma rather than a period or semicolon.
Writers often create comma splices when using transitional words, such as however, therefore, moreover, nevertheless, furthermore etc.
These conjunctive adverbs seem like coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, or, but, yet, so), but they cannot be used in the same way.
Therefore, these transitional words must either be used with a coordinating conjunction or set off by a period or a semicolon.
CORRECT: I had planned to enroll over the summer; however, I couldn't find any classes to fulfill my major requirements.
("However" is not a coordinating conjunction and must be preceded by a semicolon.)
INCORRECT: I had planned to enroll over the summer, however, I couldn't find any classes to fulfill my major requirements.
("However" is not a coordinating conjunction. A comma is not enough to join the two sentences)
CORRECT: I had planned to enroll over the summer, but I couldn't find any classes to fulfill my major requirements.
("But" is a coordinating conjunction, so the comma is enough to join the two sentences.)
INCORRECT: I; however, couldn't find any classes to fulfill my major requirements.
("However" in this sentence is not joining two sentences, so the semicolon is not needed here.)
6. Semicolon mistakes
A semicolon is used to separate two independent clauses (two separate sentences) that are closely related. Often, semicolons appear before
transitional words, such as however, therefore, moreover, furthermore, nevertheless, etc. Semicolons can also be used to separate detailed
items in a series. Experienced writers use semicolons infrequently.
CORRECT: John should enroll in an upper-level sociology class; he has fulfilled all of the prerequisites, and he is interested in the topic.
(The semicolon joins to two closely related sentences.)
INCORRECT: John should enroll in an upper-level sociology class; he has always wanted to join the swim club.
(The semicolon should not be used to join these two complete sentences because the sentences are not closely related.)
CORRECT: Many important members of the university attended the talk: Dr. Becker, the university president; Dr. Palms, the provost; and
Dr. Stout, the dean of students.
(The semicolons are necessary to clearly divide the complex items in the list.)
INCORRECT: Many important members of the university attended the talk: Dr. Becker, the university president, Dr. Palms, the provost,
and Dr. Stout, the dean of students.

(The items in this list contain commas, so semicolons are needed here to distinguish between the items.)
7. Possessives mistakes
Possessives illustrate ownership. Most of us know the rules of possession, but in the heat of the moment, while we're trying to get our ideas
across, we either forget to add the possessive or we accidentally add the possessive to a word that should simply be plural.
CORRECT: Simon decided to join the men's group.
("Men" is already plural and only needs the "'s" to make it possessive.)
INCORRECT: Simon decided to join the mens' group.
(The "s" is not needed to make "men" plural. It is necessary to show possession and should come after the apostrophe)
CORRECT: The professor was concerned about the students' lack of interest.
(A plural noun ending in "s" only needs an apostrophe. Assuming "students" is plural in this sentence, no "s" is needed after the
apostrophe.)
INCORRECT: The professor was concerned about the students's lack of interest.
("Students" is plural, so the "s" is not necessary after the apostrophe.)
8. Colon mistakes
A colon is used after a complete sentence to introduce a word, phrase, clause, list, or quotation. The colon indicates that what follows
proves or explains the sentence before the colon.
CORRECT: Students choose GSU for three main reasons: its urban environment, its diverse student body, and its rigorous academic
reputation.
(The list that follows the colon explains the complete sentence that precedes the colon.)
INCORRECT: Students choose GSU for: its urban environment, its diverse student body, and its rigorous academic reputation.
("Students choose GSU for" is not a complete sentence.)
9. Wrong word
Always choose the right word for the meaning you are trying to communicate. In writing, choosing a wrong word often occurs because one
word sounds like another. "Their," "there," and " they're" sound the same, but have very different meanings. Contractions can also cause
problems. "Should've" sounds like "should of," but the contraction is actually of the words "should have."
INCORRECT: You're semester is difficult because your taking too many classes.
("You're" means "you are" and "your" is possessive. Both are used incorrectly in this sentence. )
CORRECT: Your semester is difficult because you're taking too many classes.
("You're" and "your" are used correctly in this sentence.)
10. Lack of parallel structure
A list or comparison of equally significant ideas should use the same grammatical pattern. Unparallel structure can confuse a reader
because different grammatical patterns within a list suggest that the items in a list don't belong together.
INCORRECT: Biology is my major because the subject is challenging, interesting, and excites me.
("excites me" does not have the same grammatical construction as the other items of the list, so it reads awkwardly. )
CORRECT: Biology is my major because the subject is challenging, interesting, and exciting.
(The three items in the list are equal and parallel in structure.)
INCORRECT: Biology is my major because the subject is challenging, interesting, and I plan on being a veterinarian.
("I plan on being a veterinarian" does not have the same grammatical construction as the other items of the list, so it reads awkwardly.)
CORRECT: I plan on being a veterinarian, so biology is my major. I also chose biology because I find it challenging and interesting.
("I plan on being a veterinarian" seems more significant than the other two items on the list, so it is appropriate to break the discussion
into two sentences.)
11. Misplaced modifier
A modifier (a word, phrase, or clause that describes something else) goes next to the thing it modifies. A misplaced modifier can confuse a
reader because the modifier appears to describe the wrong element in the sentence.
INCORRECT: Jamie ate a sandwich wearing a GSU sweatshirt.
("Wearing a GSU sweatshirt" modifies Jamie, so the phrase should be next to Jamie in the sentence. This sentence seems to suggest that
the sandwich is wearing the sweatshirt.)
CORRECT: Wearing a GSU sweatshirt, Jamie ate a sandwich.
("Wearing a GSU sweatshirt" clearly modifies Jamie in this sentence.)
12. Dangling modifier
A modifier (a word, phrase, or clause that describes something else) must modify something in the sentence. A dangling modifier occurs
when the element being modified is implied rather than stated.
INCORRECT: Turning the corner onto Peachtree Street, the park looked scenic.
(In this sentence, it is unclear who or what turned the corner. Grammatically, it seems that the park turned the corner.)
CORRECT: Turning the corner onto Peachtree Street, we noticed the park looked scenic.
("We" turned the corner, so "we" needs to be in the sentence.)
13. Split infinitives
An infinitive is "to" with a verb. A split infinitive is an infinitive with a word or words in between the "to" and the verb. Split infinitives do
not necessarily cause confusion, but many readers disapprove.
INCORRECT: The professor asked the students to quickly take the quiz.
("To take" is an infinitive and should not be split by an adverb.)
CORRECT: The professor asked the students to take the quiz quickly.
("Quickly" can be moved after "to take the quiz." It is important not to create misplaced modifier by placing "quickly" at the beginning of
the sentence.)
14. Run-on sentences
A run-on sentence is two or more independent clauses joined without the necessary punctuation separating them or the appropriate
conjunction. Complex or long sentences are sometimes necessary, but you must join your ideas in a way that will not confuse the reader.

INCORRECT: It was snowing last Wednesday school was shut down.

("It was snowing last Wednesday" and "school was shut down" are both complete sentences and need the appropriate punctuation and/or
conjunction to connect them.)
CORRECT: It was snowing last Wednesday, so school was shut down.
(The two complete sentences can be combined with a comma and the appropriate coordinating conjunction. A period or semicolon without
the coordinating conjunction could have also fixed the run-on sentence.)
15. Fragments
A fragment is an incomplete sentence. A sentence is incomplete because it is a part of a sentence separated from an independent clause or
because it is lacking a subject or predicate.
INCORRECT: GSU will have to raise tuition next year. Because the state government will not raise taxes to support education.
("Because the state government will not raise taxes to support education" does have a subject and predicate, but "because" makes this a
dependent clause. It must connect to the main clause to be a complete sentence. )
CORRECT: GSU will have to raise tuition next year because the state government will not raise taxes to support education.
(The dependent clause is now a part of the main clause.)
INCORRECT: The inevitable laying off of faculty and staff.
(This sentence has no predicate. )
CORRECT: The laying off of faculty and staff is inevitable.
(The sentence is no longer a fragment because there is now a subject, "the laying off of faculty and staff," and a predicate, "is inevitable.")
16. Lack of subject/verb agreement
The verb in a sentence must agree with the subject in number and person. If the subject is plural, the verb form must also be plural. If
singular, then singular. Additionally, if the subject is first person, the verb must be also.
INCORRECT: One of my professors always spill coffee on my papers.
(Although "professors" is plural, the subject of this sentence, "one of my professors," is singular. The plural form of the verb is wrong.)
CORRECT: One of my professors always spills coffee on my papers.
(Both the subject and verb are now singular.)
17. Vague pronoun reference
A pronoun must clearly refer to a subject. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one subject or the
subject that the pronoun refers to is only implied. Either way, the reader can be confused as to what subject the pronoun refers to.
INCORRECT: If your students don't do well on their quizzes, they must not be very good.
("They" is a vague pronoun in this sentence because it could refer to the students or the quizzes.)
CORRECT: Your quizzes must not be very good if your students don't do well on them.
(In this sentence, it is clear that "they" refers to the quizzes and not the students.)
18. Lack of pronoun agreement
Use pronouns exactly and consistently. The pronoun must agree with the number, gender, and type of subject.
INCORRECT: Each member of the rowing team had to set their alarm for three in the morning.
("Each member" is singular, so the pronoun must also be singular.)
CORRECT: Each member of the rowing team had to set her alarm for three in the morning.
(The noun and pronoun are both singular.)
19. Unnecessary tense shift
Use verb tenses consistently. If you start out in the present, don't shift for no reason into the past. Sometimes you need to shift tenses to
reflect a change in time, but an unnecessary shift can confuse the reader as to relationship between time in what you are writing.
INCORRECT: Someone pulled the fire alarm yesterday, so we get out of class without taking the quiz.
(In this sentence there is not a clear reason to switch from the past tense, "pulled," to the present tense, "get.")
CORRECT: Someone pulled the fire alarm yesterday, so we got out of class without taking the quiz.
(Both verbs are in the past tense because there is not a clear reason to shift in time.)
20. Inappropriate passive or active voice
The active and passive voice are not grammatically correct or incorrect; however, writers often choose inappropriately which voice to use.
The passive voice has the effect of removing the actor from the subject position or from the sentence entirely. This removal is appropriate
in certain situations, particularly in science and business. Otherwise, you should typically use the active voice.
INCORRECT: I poured the solution into the beaker.
(The active voice would be inappropriate here if this is part of a lab report. In science writing, the person performing an experiment should
be irrelevant to the process.)
CORRECT: The solution was poured into the beaker.
(Using the passive voice, the "I" can be removed from the sentence.)
INCORRECT: Native Americans were repeatedly pushed further west.
(Removing the actor from this sentence is inappropriate because it is important here to know who caused this action to occur. )
CORRECT: European settlers repeatedly pushed Native Americans further west.
(Using the active voice makes it clear who caused the action.)