Top 20 Errors in Undergraduate Writing

Photo: Pexels

Writing well is critical in college. It helps students share ideas and complete assignments successfully. But mistakes happen, and they can confuse readers or lower grades. This article lists the most common errors and practical ways to fix them.

Top Writing Errors

Errors in writing can create unnecessary problems. Submitting an undergraduate paper with unclear grammar or missing evidence can ruin an otherwise strong argument. Identifying and fixing these issues early makes texts clearer and more effective.

1. Lack of Subject-Verb Agreement

A singular subject uses a singular verb. A plural subject uses a plural verb. Mistakes often happen when extra words between the subject and verb distract the student. These errors make sentences awkward.

  • Incorrect: The pile of books are on the table.
  • Correct: The pile of books is on the table.

Tips:

  1. Look at the subject before choosing the verb.
  2. Ignore phrases like “of books” when checking agreement.
  3. Say the sentence out loud to hear any mistakes.

2. Sentence Fragments

It happens when a group of words looks like a sentence but isn’t. A real sentence needs a subject, a verb, and a complete idea. Fragments leave readers stressed because the thought feels incomplete. These mistakes show up when students stop a sentence too soon or try to sound dramatic.

Imagine a text sentence, “Because I forgot my keys.” That’s confusing, right? The reader of the student’s text will wonder what he means. Now compare that to, “I was late because I forgot my keys.” It’s clear and gets the point across.

Tips:

  1. Make sure each sentence has a subject and a verb.
  2. Ask yourself if the sentence feels complete. If it doesn’t, add what’s missing.
  3. Combine smaller pieces into a full sentence if they seem incomplete.

3. Fused (run-on) Sentence and Comma Splices

When two complete thoughts are crammed together without proper punctuation it’s a mistake. A comma splice is when only a comma separates those thoughts. Both can make your writing hard to read and leave the reader struggling to keep up.

Imagine the text of a pupil’s novel, “I went to the store I bought milk.” It feels rushed, right? Adding punctuation makes it clearer: “I went to the store, and I bought milk.” This slight change keeps the flow natural.

Try this tips:

  1. Use a period or semicolon to separate complete thoughts.
  2. Add words like “and” or “but” with a comma to connect ideas.
  3. Break up sentences that try to do too much.

4. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Modifiers give extra details in a sentence and they are mostly useful. But if they’re in the wrong place, they are hard to understand. A misplaced modifier sits too far from the word it’s describing. A dangling modifier doesn’t connect to any part of the sentence. Both problems leave the reader guessing what you mean.

  • Incorrect (Misplaced): She served sandwiches to the children on paper plates.
  • Correct: She served sandwiches on paper plates to the children.
  • Incorrect (Dangling): Walking to the store, the rain started pouring.
  • Correct: Walking to the store, I got caught in the rain.

Try instead:

  1. Place modifiers right next to the word they describe.
  2. Double-check that every modifier clearly points to something in the sentence.
  3. Rethink any sentence that feels unclear or awkward.

5. Unnecessary or Missing Apostrophe

Students often use them in their text to show ownership. Like “the teacher’s desk.” They combine words too, like “it’s” for “it is.” And make mistakes adding apostrophes to plural nouns. They misuse them with possessive pronouns. Misplaced apostrophes completely change the meaning of sentences. 

  • Incorrect: Its a sunny day.
  • Correct: It’s a sunny day.
  • Incorrect: The students’ assignment is late.
  • Correct: The student’s assignment is late.

Fix it:

  1. Use “it’s” only when replacing “it is” or “it has.”
  2. Avoid adding apostrophes to words like “yours,” “theirs,” or “ours.”
  3. Check plural nouns.

6. Wrong Word

The wrong word makes a sentence unclear or untrue. This happens with words that sound similar but mean different things. Spellcheck tools suggest wrong words and create problems. Pick the correct word to make the text clear.

Young scientists use wrong words almost every day. This is not what you expect when you are doing research. Conclusions are more important than form, right? The scientific community has strict requirements, and a poorly formatted paper will not be taken seriously. Students delegate the tasks of creating a custom research paper to writers from customwriting.com. The authors with whom the site cooperates have years of experience in science and will help you structure any research paper. They know what words to choose for any topic. 

  • Incorrect: The movie had a positive affect on her.
  • Correct: The movie had a positive effect on her.
  • Incorrect: He chose to except the invitation.
  • Correct: He chose to accept the invitation.

7. Inconsistent Verb Tenses

It happens when students switch between verb tenses without reason. It makes it hard to follow the timeline of events. Mixing past and present tense in one paragraph can make the text messy. Stay consistent to create smoother sentences.

  • Incorrect: She writes the essay and submitted it yesterday.
  • Correct: She wrote the essay and submitted it yesterday.

How to Fix It:

  1. Stick to one tense in a sentence or section.
  2. Check your verbs for unnecessary shifts during editing.
  3. Match the tense to the overall flow of the writing.

8. Lack of Parallel Structure

It’s when you use the same grammatical form for similar ideas in a sentence. This makes the text clear and easy to read. Problems happen when lists or comparisons don’t match in structure. 

  • Incorrect: The job requires typing, filing, and to answer phones.
  • Correct: The job requires typing, filing, and answering phones.

Tips:

  1. Use consistent grammar forms in lists or comparisons.
  2. Reread sentences to check for mismatched patterns.

9. Vague Pronoun Reference

They must match the nouns they replace! In number, gender, and clarity. Errors happen when the pronoun doesn’t align with the noun. Or when the antecedent is unclear. Sentences become harder to follow and grammatically wrong.

Examples:

  • Incorrect: Each student must submit their homework.
  • Correct: Each student must submit his or her homework.

Tips:

  1. Match pronouns to singular or plural nouns.
  2. Make sure every pronoun has a clear antecedent.
  3. Use inclusive language where appropriate.

10. Mechanical Errors with Citation and Quotation

Citations help avoid plagiarism in research. Beginners often leave out citations, format them incorrectly, or not integrate quotations at all. Accurate citations show evidence.

  • Incorrect: “Education is key” (Author).
  • Correct: “Education is key” (Author, 2023).

What to do:

  1. Follow the citation style required by your instructor (e.g., MLA, APA).
  2. Include all necessary details, like author names and page numbers.

13. Weak Transitions

Transitions help connect ideas between sentences and paragraphs. Weak transitions make writing feel choppy or disconnected. Strong transitions improve the flow and guide the teacher who evaluates the text through the argument.

Examples:

  • Incorrect: The research was complete. There were some gaps.
  • Correct: Although the research was complete, some gaps remained.

Tips:

  1. Make sure each paragraph connects logically to the next.
  2. Read your work out loud to identify rough transitions.

14. Poor Paragraphs

A quality paragraph starts with a clear topic sentence. It includes evidence or examples and ends with a conclusion. Bad organized paragraphs make it hard to understand the main idea.

  • Incorrect: People like to travel. Traveling is fun. There are plenty of destinations.
  • Correct: Many people enjoy traveling because it allows them to explore new places and meet different cultures.

How to Fix It:

  1. Begin each paragraph with a strong topic sentence.
  2. Add examples or evidence to explain your point.

15. Improper Research Structure

Students must present evidence and arguments based on credible sources in research. Errors happen when they fail to define a clear hypothesis. Using unreliable sources or poorly adding evidence weakens the paper. 

Rule Explanation Correct Example Improper Example
Clear Hypothesis State a focused research question or hypothesis. “How does social media affect productivity?” “Social media has effects.”
Credible Sources Use peer-reviewed articles, books, or reliable online resources. Citing academic journals like “Journal of Communication.” Using unverified blogs or Wikipedia entries as sources.
Proper Citation Follow the required citation style (e.g., APA, MLA). “Smith (2021) argues that…” “Smith said that social media is good” (no citation style).
Logical Structure Organize writing into sections: introduction, methods, results, and conclusion. Introduction explains the hypothesis, methods detail research steps. A paper with random sections and no clear flow.
Evidence Integration Blend quotes and data smoothly into your argument without disrupting the flow of writing. “The study highlights that 75% of respondents prefer…” “75% prefer this. The study said it.” (no integration).

16. Lack of Thesis Clarity

A strong thesis supports every undergraduate paper. It sets the direction and shows the main argument. A vague or weak thesis doesn’t explain to readers about the paper’s purpose. Students should avoid too many ideas in one thesis.

Examples:

  • Incorrect: There are a lot of reasons for climate change.
  • Correct: Climate change results primarily from industrial emissions, deforestation, and unsustainable farming.

Tips:

  1. Write a specific thesis that expresses one main idea.
  2. Keep the thesis concise and avoid unnecessary details.

17. Overgeneralization

Overgeneralization happens when writers make broad claims without enough evidence. These statements often ignore exceptions and oversimplify complex issues. While generalizations might seem easier, they weaken your assignments and make it less credible. Providing specific evidence helps avoid this issue.

  1. Use specific data or examples.
  2. Avoid using words like “always” or “everyone.”
  3. Acknowledge exceptions when relevant.

18. Formatting Mistakes

Usage of inconsistent fonts or margins make papers look unprofessional. Imagine reading a paper where some headings are bold, and others are italicized. This distracts readers. Academic writing follows clear guidelines, and even small mistakes reduce the quality of the work.

Tips:

  1. Follow your instructor’s style guide, such as APA or MLA.
  2. Use the same fonts, margins, and alignment across the paper.
  3. Check formatting carefully before submitting.

19. Too Much Jargon

Using too much jargon makes writing harder to understand. Jargon includes technical words or specialized terms unfamiliar to general readers. Experts may know these terms, but others might not. Write clear and stay simple!

  • Wrong: The ontological paradigm within epistemological frameworks needs heuristic analysis.
  • Right: Understanding different views needs careful analysis.

20. Skipping Proofreading

Not proofreading leads to errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Small mistakes make a paper look rushed or sloppy. Proof-read your text to make it polished.

  • Read the paper aloud to find errors.
  • Use spell-check tools, but don’t trust them completely.
  • Ask someone else to review your work.

Final Thoughts

Mistakes in writing reduce paper quality and harm grades. Correcting common errors improves writing skills and makes ideas clear. Students must proofread and revise their work with care. They can use tools and resources, like writing guides or tutors, to improve their work. Scientists who avoid errors create clearer and professional academic papers.

Recommended For You

About the Author: Lenora Singh