Common Errors from Diagnostic Essays

1.Tenses Present Perfect Tense Wrong - I have went / Correct=I have gone Wrong - He has did it / Correct= He has done it. Past Perfect Tense Wrong – They had refuse to do the job. Correct= They had refused to do the job. Present Perfect Passive Voice Wrong – They have being given the admission. Correct= They have been given the admission.

2. Subject-Verb Agreement Wrong - He go to the shopping center on Fridays. Correct= He goes to the shopping center on Fridays. Wrong – There is many people waiting on the line. Correct= There are many people waiting on the line. Wrong – A lot of books was on the table. Correct= A lot of books were on the table.

Pronoun Referencing Wrong – If anybody wants to answer the question, let them raise their hands. Correct= If anybody wants to answer the question, let him or her raise his or her hand. / If students want to answer the question, let them raise their hands. Wrong – Every student is expected to respect themself. Correct= Every student is expected to respect himself or herself. / All students are expected to respect themselves.

3. Apostrophe Wrong – The dog is eating it’s food. Correct= The dog is eating its food. Wrong – Its been a long time since we talked on the phone. Correct= It’s (It has ) been a long time since we talked on the phone. Wrong – Your going to miss your bus. Correct= You’re ( You are) going to miss your bus.