Common Punctuation Errors

Below are some of the common errors students make with punctuation:

Lack of Full Stops

When you don’t end a sentence, the examiner will not know where the sentence begins and where it ends. Due to this, the meaning of the text will change and affect your score. Full stops are essential for creating cohesive writing.

Improper Use of Commas

Sometimes people don’t end sentences. Instead, they keep on adding things by using multiple commas creating a run-on sentence because they think it’s “complex” or its common to write that way in their native language. In English, however, if your text contains more than 3 or 4 clauses or ideas without a full stop, something is wrong with your writing. I tell students to limit their sentences to 2, maximum 3 clauses / ideas per sentence. Be clear and precise in your writing.

Another common mistake is using a comma to connect two independent clauses instead of a coordinating conjunction. 

False Use of it’s to Show Possession

The apostrophe it’s is only a contraction of it is, or it has. 

For possession, the correct word is “its”.