Writing Tips
The following tips are offered purely as information. I am in no way lecturing (believe me, I cause my Beta Readers to weep in despair =>) nor am I attempting to pass myself off as an expert.
GRAMMAR
When proofreading a paper, try reading it out loud. You will be able to catch errors that you might normally skim right over as you hear the words.
Remember that apostrophes (') are used for possessive nouns and contractions not plural words.
Two negatives cancel each other out. If you say, "I don't want no more," you are really saying that you want more. It would be proper to say, "I don't want any more."
Avoid using "should of." Even though it might sound like "should of" when speaking, the proper phrase is "should have." This also applies to "could of - could have," "would of - would have," "may of - may have," and "must of - must have."
Use "who" as the subject of a sentence and "whom" as the object. One way to tell if you have it right is to answer the question. If you would answer it with "he," then use "who." If you would answer the question with "him," then use "whom."
Regarding using I or me: If you would say "I went to the store," then you would say "Jason and I went to the store." If you would say "Stacy went with me," then you should say "Stacy went with Jason and me."
SPELLING
A good way to check for spelling errors is to look through your paper starting at the end, word by word. By not reading the sentences, you will be able to focus on individual words.
Accept - to receive, understand
Except - not included
Advice - recommendation regarding a decision or course of conduct
Advise - to give advice to (when you advise someone you give them advice) verb
Affect - to influence
Effect - the result
Allusion - to indirectly reference
Illusion - to mislead or deceive
A lot is two words
Allot - means to assign
Among - more than two choices
Between - two choices
Can - ability to do
May - to be allowed
Capital - city, letter, $
Capitol - a governmental building
Complement - to complete
Compliment - to flatter
Confidant - someone entrusted with another's secrets
Confident - to be assured of something
Connotation - implied meaning
Denotation - actual meaning
Diner - A small, usually inexpensive restaurant with a long counter and booths
Dinner - The chief meal of the day, eaten in the evening or at midday.
Discover - finding something
Invent - creating something
Emigrate - moving from
Immigrate - moving to
Fewer - smaller in number, actually countable
Less - reduction
Its - possessive form of "it"
It's - contraction for "it is"
Lay - put something down
Lie - to recline
Loose - not tight
Lose - defeated or misplaced
Passed - past tense of "pass"
Past - time or distance
Principal - person
Principle - rule or standard
Sight - to visually see
Site - a place
Stationary - to not move
Stationery - writing paper
Than - to compare
Then - used with time
Their - possessive form of "they"
There - that place
They're - contraction of "they are"
To - toward a direction
Too - also
Two - number 2
Waist - The part of the human trunk between the bottom of the rib cage and the pelvis
Waste - use, consume, spend, or expend thoughtlessly or carelessly
Wander - To move about without a definite destination or purpose
Wonder - A feeling of puzzlement or doubt.
Your - possessive form of "you"
You're - contraction of "you are"
Additional entries will be accepted at ranma@cox.net Subject = tips - please include definitions