Top 10 Punctuation Mistakes Students Make

Welcome to our Web Story on punctuation! Punctuation can make or break your writing. Let's dive into the top 10 mistakes students often make.

Mistake 1 - Comma Splice

What It Is: Joining two independent clauses with just a comma. Example: "I went to the store, I bought some milk." Correction: Use a period, semicolon, or a conjunction. Correct: "I went to the store. I bought some milk."

Mistake 2 - Missing Commas in Lists

What It Is: Omitting commas between items in a series. Example: "I need eggs milk and bread." Correction: Add commas between items. Correct: "I need eggs, milk, and bread."

Mistake 3 - Apostrophe Confusion

What It Is: Using apostrophes incorrectly for plurals or possessives. Example: "The cats toy is missing." Correction: Use apostrophes for possession, not plurals. Correct: "The cat's toy is missing."

Mistake 4 - Misplaced Semicolons

What It Is: Using semicolons where commas or periods are needed. Example: "She loves books; she reads every day." Correction: Use a semicolon between closely related independent clauses. Correct: "She loves books; she reads every day."

Mistake 5 - Run-On Sentences

What It Is: Failing to properly punctuate separate ideas. Example: "I went to the park it was raining." Correction: Separate independent clauses with a period or semicolon. Correct: "I went to the park. It was raining."

Mistake 6 - Incorrect Use of Quotation Marks

What It Is: Misplacing quotation marks or not closing them. Example: "I can't wait to read that book. Correction: Ensure quotation marks are used correctly. Correct: "I can't wait to read that book."

Mistake 7 - Misusing Colons

What It Is: Using colons where they are not needed. Example: "She bought three things: apples, oranges, and bananas." Correction: Use a colon to introduce a list or explanation. Correct: "She bought: apples, oranges, and bananas."

Mistake 9 - Confusing Its and It's

What It Is: Mixing up "its" (possessive) and "it's" (contraction for "it is"). Example: "The dog wagged it's tail." Correction: Use "its" for possession and "it's" for "it is." Correct: "The dog wagged its tail."

Mistake 10 - Forgetting to Use Question Marks

What It Is: Not using a question mark at the end of a question. Example: "What time is it" Correction: End questions with a question mark. Correct: "What time is it?"