For the Sentence was Wrong and I Have Typed It Rightly
I’m generally not a big fan of memes, but I saw this post on Erina’s blog and it hit home. Plus, I need to tag Joanne again.
Anyway, as Erina wrote, the point here is to identify your most common writing mistake and then tag five other bloggers to do the same.
My most frequent writing mistake is the run-on sentence. I am one of the few people that actually enjoyed breaking down* sentences on the chalkboard. Still, I end up with run-on sentences, because I just keep going and going…
It is surprising, too, how many people think they know how to use English correctly. Not just know, but know. Or, know know, as some might say. This despite the fact that they are completely wrong. At my “day job” I had plenty of such situations. Having taken a fair number of English and writing classes, plus being an aspiring writer, I was pretty good with words and grammar. And, in that day job, I had to type other people’s work. I used to try to help them, by pointing out what was wrong with their writing. Mind you, since these were business people, I thought I was doing them a favor, helping them not look foolish to their customers.
I quickly learned not to try to help people. People were convinced they were right, and wanted things left as they were. One time, the person was insistent they were right; that person had been an English major, after all! So, I had to type it as they had insisted. That, of course, despite the fact that person was 100% wrong. I consulted a grammar guide as well as three freelance writers just to confirm that I wasn’t wrong. I wasn’t!
For a good while, reading and typing bad writing ruined my own. It kind of oozes in, and you have to fight it off, sometimes not as successfully as others.
But, I have digressed… So, now to tag five other bloggers:
*The actual term for this has slipped my mind. Hopefully, I’ll remember before I complete this post. If I don’t, you’ll be reading this.
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In grammar school, I think we called this “diagramming” sentences.
This one’s difficult and easy. I can think of one of my big ones. Is it my most frequent mistake? That’s the tough part. Who knows?
I’ll play tomorrow AM. I’ve already written two posts today. Two crappy posts, but still, two posts are two. Posts.
Diagramming sounds familiar. Seems not quite right though. Maybe that’s what it was. Hmmm. I’ll have to let that percolate a bit.
Disection?
You are SO sneaky! GAH!!!
I read Erina’s post as well and thought to myself, “Whew! She didn’t tag me!” Leave it to my dueling partner to keep me own my toes. Now I must retreat back to mull over this meme (as well as a suitably devious counter-attack).
^ON my toes. I need to re-read your proof-reading articles…
I know. Happens to me too often too. ;-(
Ha! WordPress didn’t have a smiley for that one!
Thanks for playing, Dan. I appreciate it.
Doug is correct. What you are referring to is diagramming sentences. I can’t remember the last time I actually did diagram a sentence. I miss that. It was always a joy because I didn’t need to be worried about being called on. I recognized at an early age that many people have struggles in connection with English grammar. Thus, I didn’t worry about making mistakes. I knew that my classmates were in it with me. (Math class would be my pummeling.)
When I tutor, I see a lot of run-on sentences. You are not alone in your struggle.
I have met people like the ones in your story. The most obnoxious was a professor that tried to tell the class how to punctuate a sentence. He punctuated it incorrectly. Even after four students, myself included, tried to reason with him, he insisted that he is an expert; therefore, he knows everything. Bloody Hell.
It was kind of you to try and help your fellow workers seem more professional. However, as you know, some people don’t want help. It is a strike to an individual’s ego.
Yes, writing English appropriately is so much harder than speaking it correctly. I find this particularly true when typing is involved. Scribing to paper first yields much better result.
Conversely, it’s easier to type “asterisk” than to speak it.
For what it’s worth, mine’s up.
You’re the first! That must count for something, no?
[…] was tagged again by Dan at dcrblogs.com in For the Sentence was Wrong and I Have Typed It Rightly. This time it was to identify the pieces of my writing that cause me the most trouble. I’m […]