BookHooks

Bookhooks Style Guide

Using our Word template, you can annotate student work, adding comments for the 30 Common Errors listed in this style guide. The template facilitates mark up by teachers, and generates comments with links to these resource pages!

Parenthetic Expression Error

30 Common Writing Errors and Their Solutions

Sentence Fragment
Run On/Comma Splice
Parenthetic Expression
Series
Comma Before Independent Clause
Semi-Colon
Colon
Punctuation at end of Quotation
Single Quote Marks
Dialogue
Titles
Possession
Its/It's
Dangling Modifier
Misplaced Modifier
Vague Pronoun Reference
Me/Like
Number Agreement
Parallel Structure
Verb Tenses
Fused Words
Spelling
Passive Voice
Negative Form
Cliches
Choppy Sentences
Wordiness
Qualifiers and Intensifiers
Hedging
Vague, Stilted or Flowery Language

This listing of 30 common writing errors was compiled by The Pingry School and is used with permission.

Use a pair of commas to set off such parenthetic expressions as a name or its equivalent in direct address; an interjection; a transitional expression (for example, I believe, in fact, on the other hand, etc.); the year in a date; the second (or succeeding) element in a place name; the abbreviations etc., i.e., and e.g.; abbreviations for academic degrees; an appositive (when not used restrictively); or a nonrestrictive clause.

Look, Ma, Im dancing! [Direct address]

Well, your cause is, as you must know, lost. [Interjection, transition]

He died on May 1, 1953, at 99 Duke St., Weston, Idaho. [Year, place]

My finest professor, i.e., Rex Mundis, Ph.D., retired. [Abbreviations]

Moby Dick, Melvilles great novel, met mixed reviews. [Appositive]

The novel Moby Dick met mixed reviews. [Restrictive appositive]

Every senator who voted yea was reelected. [Restrictive clause]

Senator Bob, who voted yea, was reelected. [Nonrestrictive]