Essay Correction Codes

After every essay, if you receive any error codes, you will be responsible for completing essay corrections in order to EARN your score. Corrections must be completed by hand, on notebook paper, in cursive. Each time you receive an error code, you must write out the RULE, and then correct the sentence/paragraph in which the error was located. Only after you turn in your corrections, will your score be entered into the grade book. If you do NOT complete the corrections, your score will be notated as an NHI (“Not Handed In”).

Conventions Codes:

1. Misspelled word. Hand write (in cursive) the correct spelling of the word 10 times on your paper. And, yes, those of you who misspelled the same word 17 times will need to write the correct spelling of that word 170 times.
2. Comma error – You have either left out a needed comma or added one where it doesn’t belong.

1. Use a comma between two independent clauses joined by for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.   (FANBOYS)
2. Use commas to separate items in a series

 Ex: I like pears, apples, and oranges.

3. Use a comma between two adjectives of a similar meaning or tone used to describe the same noun.        

Ex: The yard was full of romping, running children.

4. Use a comma to set off introductory elements.        

Ex: Screaming for help, the girl wrestled the raging bear.

5. Use commas to set off the explainers of the direct quotation.        

Ex: The girl sighed, “Just go without me.”

6.  Use a comma to prevent misreading.        

Ex: Ever since, Frank has been a better boy. vs. Ever since Frank has been a little boy (fragment)

7. Do not use unnecessary commas.

3. Sentence fragment. A sentence must have a subject and a predicate. Your sentence is incomplete.
4. Comma-splice and/or Run-on. You’ve joined two or more independent clauses without proper punctuation.

                Incorrect: I got up late this morning, I didn’t have time for breakfast.

                Correct: I got up late this morning. I didn’t have time for breakfast

                Also correct: I got up late this morning, so I didn’t have time for breakfast.

                Also correct: I got up late this morning; I didn’t have time for breakfast.

                Also correct: Since I got up late this morning, I didn’t have time for breakfast.

5. An apostrophe is in the wrong place and/or missing.

1. Use an apostrophe to form the possessive of nouns and indefinite pronouns.
2. “It’s” only ever means “it is.” The possessive form of “it” is “its.”

                Incorrect:  It’s feet are bruised, so it cannot walk.

                Correct:  Its feet are bruised, so it cannot walk.

                Incorrect: Its going to rain today.

                Correct: It’s going to rain today.

3. Use an apostrophe to form the possessive of plural noun ending in “s.”

                Ex: It was my parents’ decision.

6. Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks.
7. Avoid needless shifts in verb tense. Verb tense shifting confuses your reader.
8. Pronoun-antecedent agreement error. A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in gender, person, and number. Most of these errors are fixed by turning the antecedent into a plural form to match a plural pronoun.

It should be clear who or what the pronoun is standing in for. When you have a sentence in which the pronoun’s antecedent is not clear, your reader will likely be confused about the sentence’s intended meaning. Consider the following example: Sarah and Shawna went to the store, but she could not find what she was looking for. Who is she? We do not know if it is Sarah or Shawna. Depending on the intended meaning, “she” needs to be changed to either “Sarah” or “Shawna” OR “she” needs to be changed to “they.”

9. Use parallel construction to create a smooth flow.

                Incorrect: He liked to play basketball and riding horses.

                Correct: He liked playing basketball and riding horses.

10. Title was mishandled. Titles of major works (novels, plays, long poems, etc.) are underlined in handwritten essays and italicized on typed essays. Titles of minor works (short stories, poems, songs, etc.) are placed within quotation marks on both handwritten and typed essays. The title of your own original essay is only capitalized. Since your essay hasn’t been published, it doesn’t receive quotes, underlining, or italics.
11. Subject-Verb agreement error. There are a number of rules regarding s/v agreement, and the basic rule is listed below. If you see a number 11 on your essay, you will need to determine which specific rule you have violated by clicking on this link, reading through the rules, and choosing the one that applies to your error: http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/subjectVerbAgree.asp

Basic Rule. A singular subject (she, Bill, car) takes a singular verb (is, goes, shines), whereas a plural subject takes a plural verb. Example: The list of items is/are on the desk. If you know that list is the subject, then you will choose is for the verb.

12. Capitalize proper names and book/series titles. Don’t capitalize common nouns.

Content Codes:

1. Avoid choppiness in your writing. You likely have stacked several short sentences, used the same sentence starter, or left out crucial transitions.
2. Omit unnecessary words. This section is fluff or filler or just taking up space without saying anything new. Get to the point, already.
3. Stick to third-person pronouns. You’ve slipped unnecessary first- or second-person pronouns into your writing and have, therefore, hurt the power of your essay. Avoid these words: I, me, my, we, us, our, you, your.
4. Never, ever, ever ask a question in a formal essay. Rhetorical questions are a sign that the writer doesn’t really know his/her mind. Instead, make bold, powerful statements.
5. Avoid clichés, tired phrases, and/or slang. This is formal writing, so use formal language while still keeping it fresh.
6. Confused or contradictory language. I’ve read this passage three times and I still don’t understand what you’re trying to say.
7. Avoid unsure language (“may,” “might,” etc.) in formal writing; it makes you sound as though you are not sure of what you are writing about and robs your essay of its power. Such words lead to wishy-washy writing.
8. All literary analysis is written in present tense.
9. You are far too dependent on plot summary instead of providing unique, thoughtful analysis.
10. Weak analysis. You aren’t thinking deeply enough here. You’re either just repeating an earlier point you made, you’ve given strange/off-topic analysis that doesn’t really connect to your thesis, or you’ve played it safe and provided analysis that anyone who read the story could provide. Instead, you must dig deeper in your thinking and provide unique, compelling analysis.
11. Frame or ‘sandwich’ the quote. Do not slap a quote into a body paragraph without providing the proper framing structure, including a transition and lead-in as well as a transition and lead-out. Brain-Book-Brain!
12. All material from the text (whether quoted or paraphrased) must be cited in proper M.L.A. format. You have either neglected to include your citation or you have improperly formatted your citation. Also, your essay might be missing the Works Cited page at the end of the essay. M.L.A. citation is not complete without the Works Cited page.
13. Weak/Missing thesis or topic sentence. ALL essays require a thesis. ALL paragraphs require a topic sentence. The first sentence in an essay should be a HOOK.
14. Weak/Missing conclusion sentence. ALL paragraphs require a conclusion sentence. The last sentence in an essay should be a PROVOKING THOUGHT.
15. Don’t assume the reader knows the story. You need to fill in the story or character background so that someone who doesn’t know the story will still be able to understand. Assume your Aunt Mildred from Iowa is reading this essay. Would she understand what you’re talking about?
16. Avoid empty flattery. Telling me that the author uses “marvelous” imagery or “excellent” symbols is no substitute for actual analysis of that imagery or symbolism.
17. Weak/awkward wording. Your phrasing or word choice is mixed up or awkwardly phrased. Try to re-arrange the words into a more organized, clear pattern or re-word entirely.