List of deplorable errors.

Count yourselves warned!!!

Word Confusion

1. Their, there and they're
   

• Their – belonging to them – plural possessive
  
• There – referring to a place or direction sometimes used as an interjection "So There!"
  
• They're – contraction of "they are" – don't forget the apostrophe!
  

1. It's and its
   

• It's – contraction of "it is" – if you can't use two words, don't add the apostrophe
  
• Its – belonging to it - possessive.
  

1. Lose and loose
   

• Lose – to experience the loss of something. To misplace, or be defeated.
  
• Loose - not tight, a descriptive word.
  

1. Your and you're
   

• Your – second person possessive – belonging to you
  
• You're – contraction of "you are" - don't forget the apostrophe!
  

Confusions of these homonyms are common errors that can be avoided by editing. Always try to give yourself time to read through your work, or have a classmate or friend help you edit.

Commonly Misspelled Words

1. A lot – this is not one word although a lot of people think it is!
   
2. Tomorrow – break it down – tom-or-row. Double r, one m.
   
3. Business – a place of employment in which people are busy. busi-ness.
   
4. Government – don't forget the n!
   
5. Necessary – you need only one c, but two s's are necessary.
   

Add your own troublesome words to refer to when editing and revising your assignments.

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Dr. McAdam=s Deplorable Errors (do NOT lose this)

 

1. No Works Cited or Bibliography on a separate page at the end. This is worth a 5 % deduction. You should use either the MLA Handbook or the Chicago Manual of Style form of documentation. I will NOT penalize for slight variations from these (although many professors do) but my minimal requirement is a list of primary and secondary sources on a separate page at the end, in alphabetical order according to author=s last name.

 

2. Improper quotation format. I will NOT penalize for occasional slip-ups, but consistently wrong quotation format throughout an essay will earn a 4 % deduction. Remember that the rules are different concerning quotations of prose and quotations of poetry. Remember that block quotations do NOT have quotation marks. Remember that slash marks are only used for short, internal quotations of poetry; never anywhere else (never in quotations of prose).

 

3. The confusion of its and it=s. Since the latter is a contraction, it should not even appear in a formal essay, where you should avoid contractions. (Each instance=1 % deduction.)

 

4. The confusion of loose and lose. (Each time=1 % deduction.)

 

5. ANY noun possessive without an apostrophe. (Each time=1 % deduction. These can really add up!) You must also know the difference between singular and plural possessives.

 

6. The past tense and past participle of the verb Ato lead@ spelled Alead.@ (It=s LED). (Each time= 1 % deduction.)

 

7. The pages of your essay are not numbered--this is worth a 3 % deduction. It is conventional that the first page is not numbered; you start numbering at page two. I won=t penalize the essay if you place a number on page one.

 

8. Your essay is NOT double spaced--this is worth a 5 % deduction. It is your choice whether to single or double space block quotations. (MLA has altered this rule over the years; therefore I accept either.)

 

9. You discuss a work of literature consistently in the past tense. This is worth a 5% deduction. I will NOT penalize for the occasional tense shift.

 

10. Your essay is not stapled, but instead uses some form of creative origami at the corner, or you simply shrug and say, AI don=t own a stapler.@ (This earns you a 3% deduction.) (Staplers are cheap and every student must own one.) Please, no plastic covers. Just staple it. You can put a cover page on if you wish, but you don=t have to.