The 15 Most Common Errors in Writing

Check out the list of the most common student writing fails and tell us which one you are guilty of committing the most often!

Keep scrolling down and you will find 6 ways to reduce the number of errors you make whilst writing. And this not for just students! If your job involves any writing or you an aspiring author, you too will benefit from the tips below.

Let’s have a look…

How to reduce errors in writing

1. Write first and edit later

We can separate two types of tasks when it comes to writing: the creativity of the work, and the correcting. One requires freedom of thought and flow, the other needs a good eye to detail. So don’t try to do them at the same time: first, write, write, write. Then: edit, edit, edit. You will get much better results than if you try to do both at the same time.

2. Give yourself time

Stress is your enemy! Remember it is often a case of quality over quantity: write a little less but make sure you have the time to read it over many times, to check for spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and good structure.

3. Print your paper out

Seeing your work in a different medium, i.e. paper and not a will help see it in a different light and can serve the purpose of highlighting where you need to make a correction, explain a little more or delete redundant passages.

However, also try not to be wasteful! Maximise the use of paper by minimizing the borders, printing on both sides and using a small font.

4. Find yourself a proofreader

It’s great to find a new pair of eyes to read over your paper. Why? Well, maybe there are aspects you give for granted, maybe there are words or sentences that are hard to understand for another person. Ask a friend or family member to read it and give you constructive feedback.

5. Read lots of well-written prose

We say it all the time: one of the best ways to improve your writing is to read more. Join the ABA Book Club and see if there is a book you would like to read. You’ll find out review, plus all the links to find more information.

6. Focus on one error at a time

A tip we would give you is to scan your work for different types of mistakes. What do we mean? Well, focus your brain on first, finding the spelling mistakes. Then, focus on finding grammatical mistakes. Finally, read over to make sure your paragraphs use good linking words and are coherent.

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