Part 3: Mistakes Identified

After going through steps to writing web content in Part 1 , you sat in the editor's chair in Part 2 to reorganize and rewrite. In this part, we examine some common grammar, punctuation, spelling, and related mistakes.

On this page:

• Grammar
  
• Punctuation
  
• Spelling and compound words
  
• Abbreviations and capitalizations

The numbers in parentheses refer to the paragraph numbers in Part 2 . Some of the examples have more than one type of error; the relevant error is bolded. Where the correct form isn't clear from the example, it's shown after the example and a separating vertical line (|).

The explanations with the errors are summaries only. For more explanations of grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes, see Wordsweave.com Editors' Resources .

Grammar

Agreement

In grammar, the subject of a sentence is who or what does the action. Singular verb forms follow singular subjects, and plural verb forms follow plural subjects. Problems with subject-verb agreement:

• Setup fees of $20 per acct applie s (4) | fees...apply
  
• We provide many different ways ...which cover s (7) | ways...which cover

Countable nouns (nouns that can be singular or plural) and uncountable nouns (nouns that don't have a plural form and are about things that can't be counted) don't have the same grammar rules. Non-native English speakers in particular confuse the articles and other words that go with these nouns. Native English speakers also make mistakes with this grammar. Examples of mistakes:

• A singular adjective with a plural noun: this Package s (3) | this package
  
• A word for an uncountable noun with a countable noun: amount of Reseller Package s (3) | number of reseller packages
  
• A singular article with an uncountable noun: a good support (6) | good support

Restrictive and non-restrictive clauses

Restrictive clauses contain information that restrict the meaning of the main clause. The clause starting with that in the previous sentence is a restrictive clause — it restricts what the noun information refers to. Non-restrictive clauses, which begin with the pronoun which and not that to refer to things, contain extra information. Restrictive clauses don't have commas around them, while non-restrictive clauses do.

• Correct pronoun and punctuation for a non-restrictive clause: knowledge base, which covers (7)
  
• Incorrect pronoun for a non-restrictive clause: top of the line software, that 's installed (3) | which is installed

Wrong word forms or word choice

Some words are often confused with words that look similar to them. One example is continuously (without stopping; uninterrupted) and continually (repeated many times). The following is not correct:

• continuously strives to provide low prices (6) | continually

In these examples, adjectives are incorrectly written as verbs:

• we are more than please to help you (7) | pleased
  
• keeping our customers satisfy (7) | satisfied

Punctuation

Correct punctuation helps readers recognize relationships and omissions. Incorrect punctuation forces readers to slow down to understand, and it sometimes changes the meaning.

Apostrophes

Apostrophes are used to show possessives (except with its ) and contractions (including the contraction it's for it is or it has ). The first two bolded examples need apostrophes before the final s ; the first one is possessive, and the second one is a contraction. The third example is a plural possessive noun, so it needs an apostrophe after the final s .

• the worlds best (2)
  
• Its in a... (2)
  
• click here for our customers testimonials (6)

Apostrophes are not used for plural nouns or its as a possessive adjective. The following examples should not have apostrophes:

• our competitor's are not very good (1)
  
• maintained by skilled tech's (2)
  
• it's own server (5)
  
• and our FAQ's (6)

Comma after the subject

A comma doesn't go between a subject and a verb. The following commas should not be in these sentences:

• We believe that our mission , is (6)
  
• Providing superior support , is a passion (7)

Comma splices

Comma splices occur when two independent clauses (containing a subject and a verb) are separated with a comma instead of a period or a semicolon. Commas and periods are not interchangeable. The bolded commas should be replaced with periods or semicolons:

• We are honest and straight forward people , however our competitors are not very good. (1)
  
• We only have a limited number of reseller packages , we reccomend you click here to buy now , otherwise you may be too late. (3)
  
• Providing superior support is a passion , we are more than pleased to help you. (7)

Independent clauses can also be joined with a comma and a coordinating conjunction, such as and , but , or so . If you join two independent clauses with a conjunctive adverb such as however or otherwise , you must use a period or a semicolon between the first independent clause and the conjunctive adverb.

Hyphens

When two or more words function together as a phrasal adjective, they're hyphenated if they come immediately before a noun. If phrasal adjectives come after a noun, they are not hyphenated:

• Our... state of the art servers (2) | state-of-the-art servers
  
• feature packed ready to install top of the line software (3) | feature-packed, ready-to-install, top-of-the-line software
  
• easy to use control panel (3) | easy-to-use control panel
  
• installed with one click installs (3) | one-click installs
  
• toll free support (3) | toll-free support
  
• 30 day money back guarantee (4) | 30-day money-back guarantee

The following examples should not be hyphenated:

• maintained...from the ground-up (2)
  
• to provide a full-line of services (5)
  
• that covers a wide-range of...services (7)

Spelling and compound words

Spelling mistakes

When you aren't sure if a word is spelled correctly, check in a dictionary.

• secuirty (2) | security
  
• lightening (2) | lightning
  
• seperate (2) | separate
  
• fruther (3) | further
  
• reccommend (3) | recommend
  
• recieve (5) | receive
  
• costumers (6) | customers
  
• dissapointed (7) | disappointed

Two words written as one word

Two-word verbs (verb-preposition combinations) are written as two words when they're verbs and as one word or as hyphenated words only when they're adjectives or nouns. Other words are also sometimes incorrectly written together. Check in a dictionary when you aren't sure.

These bolded words should be written as two words:

• we setup accounts for no charge (4)
  
• we are going to add alot (5)
  
• To signup to receive (5)
  
• good support aswell (6)
  
• in anyway we can (7)

One-word compound nouns written as two words

The bolded words are one word, not two.

• We are honest and straight forward people (1)
  
• if you pay monthly where as starting (4)
  
• receive our news letter (5)

Abbreviations and capitalization

Shorthand writing is common in forums and newsgroups, but it doesn't look professional on web pages. Names and the first words of sentences are capitalized, while nouns that are not names of some type are not.

• Word abbreviated that shouldn't be abbreviated: acct (4)
  
• Word not capitalized that should be capitalized: august (4)
  
• Capital letters where they aren't needed:
  
  
  
  • This Packages (3)
    
  • dedicated Servers (5)