Free Course: Essentials of Academic Writing
Let’s face it: Clear communication skills are vital. As there is an increasing reliance on the written word to communicate in the digital age, businesses and educational institutions are increasingly valuing competent writers. Surprisingly, the introduction of word processors and spell check has not led to an improvement in writing ability. There are still approximately 2.299 errors per 100 words, a rate that is stable across the past century of grammar studies (Lunsford & Lunsford, 2008). So, how can we improve writing skills? At CertCentral, we believe that concise online training programs can be an effective way to address key problem areas in academic writing. Lunsford and Lunsford (2008) found 20 of the most common grammatical errors committed by college students. Below are the results of their study.
Top 20 Grammatical Errors
- Wrong word
- Missing comma after an introductory element
- Incomplete or missing documentation
- Vague pronoun reference
- Spelling error (including homonyms)
- Mechanical error with a quotation
- Unnecessary comma
- Unnecessary or missing capitalization
- Missing word
- Faulty sentence structure
- Missing comma with a nonrestrictive element
- Unnecessary shift in verb tense
- Missing comma in a compound sentence
- Unnecessary or missing apostrophe
- Fused (run-on) sentence
- Comma splice
- Lack of pronoun-antecedent agreement
- Poorly integrated quotation
- Unnecessary or missing hyphen
- Sentence fragment
Considering these findings, we created a grammar course consisting of six comprehensive modules. Each module highlights key problem areas critical in proper academic writing. After each module, users are prompted to take a mini-test to reinforce grammar concepts. Modules include instructions on proper incorporation of the comma, colons and semicolons, apostrophes, and pronouns. Further, modules focus on fixing common errors such as comma splices, sentence fragments, run-on sentences, and so much more. Why let these common errors continue? Contact us to download our free grammar training.
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