I never intended for this to become a series, but I keep seeing more avenues for errors in writing. And I want to share what I've learned. I truly hope that my readers enjoy this, and that they take something from it. That's why writers write, after all.
In this article, I'll cover two common mechanical errors: misused words and bad apostrophe use.
Homonyms are words that sound alike but are spelled differently and mean different things. A few examples are: write, right; bruise, brews; isle, aisle; to, too; bear, bare; their, there, they're . . . and thousands more.
Let's look at a few sentences.
“He is my confidante.”
This is a mistake that I've found lurking in my novels. “Confidante” and “confidant” aren't technically homonyms because they mean the same thing, but “confidante” regards female and “confidant” regards male. If the one you confide in is male, his word is “confidant.”
So that sentence should read: “He is my confidant.”
“Before you walk down the isle, be sure of what you're doing.”
This one might be easy to miss on first glance; that's why a good proofreader analyzes every word, every mark, no matter how small. It should read: “Before you walk down the aisle, be sure of what you're doing.” Isle implies a small island. (The original paints a humorous picture, though, if you think about it.)
“Currant reports suggest that the product sold well.”
“Currant,” in this case, should be “Current.” You also use “current” or “currents” to describe water. A currant, however (with an “a”), is a small, seedless raisin.
I often see things like this:
“There television isn't as big as mine.” Or: “Their he is.”
It should be: “Their television isn't as big as mine.” And: “There is he.” “They're” is a contraction for “they are.”
Keep in mind that your spelling/grammar checker can't read. The spell checker only checks to see if the word is spelled correctly; it doesn't check to see if you've used the right word. While the grammar checker does check for misused words, it doesn't always catch them. Learning about homonyms is crucial to a writer's success. After all, common sense tells us that the wrong word will show the wrong meaning. So learn the rules, and develop good reading and good proofing skills.
Also, I've noticed that my grammar checker will tell me to do something that is incorrect. Sometimes it tells me to use a comma instead of a semicolon, when I know that a comma will form a comma splice in that situation. It has also told me to put the period outside the quotation marks; there may be times when the end mark comes after the closing quotation, but those times are rare. So don't rely too heavily on your grammar checker.
It isn't enough for a teacher or editor to mark up your work and then for you to correct the errors they've pointed out. One should learn to catch the mistakes themselves. This is what I call the Editor's Eye. Good writing depends on it. If you simply make corrections according to someone else's marks, you're not learning to find your errors.
Now, let's look at apostrophes.
The world we live in is full of bad punctuation. We might see something like, “Used Guitar's for Sale,” or “Kings Computer Store.” (I made these up, by the way.)
An apostrophe should not be used to form a plural noun. In the above example, “guitar's” should be “guitars.” Also, an apostrophe with an added “s” is used to show possession, or to form a conjunction of the phrase, “it is.” In the above example, “Kings” should be “King's.”
If you have a plural noun that ends in “s” and you want to show possession, just add the apostrophe. Such as, “I went to the witches' hideout.” This shows that there is more than one witch, and the hideout belongs to all of them. If there's only one witch, write: “I went to the witch's hideout.”
What about the “MENS” sign everywhere? I can't speak for other writers, but it's annoying to me. “Mens” isn't even a word. There should be an apostrophe there.
The reason why apostrophes are misused so consistently, I believe, is because of the text we see in our everyday lives. One might assume, subconsciously, that a reputable business would use correct punctuation in their ads. Not so. When you write, never assume that everything's correct. Check it out with a style guide or a grammar handbook.
With the word “it,” an apostrophe with the “s” is used only for the conjunction of “it is.” To show possession, you keep the “s” but leave out the apostrophe.
“Its cold outside.” This should read: “It's cold outside.”
“I loved that book; its a gem.” This should read: “I loved that book; it's a gem.”
If you want to show possession with a name that ends in “s,” use an apostrophe and an added “s.” In other words, write Marcus's, not Marcus'.
Leaving off the extra “s” with a name that ends with “s” is done only with names of ancient figures or classical literature, such as, Moses', Jesus', Ramses', or Achilles'. With more modern names, or names you make up (as in a fantasy novel), add the “s” after the apostrophe.
I hope those that read my tips on writing enjoy them and find them helpful. I may have begun publishing pieces with such mistakes as I've listed here, and in my other “writing tips” articles, had I not gone back and refreshed my mind on the basic rules. If your writing is full of errors at the basic level, no publisher will take you seriously.
As for what I'm doing here, I'm simply trying to save others from needless humiliation when they submit their work or publish it online. And remember: If you don't know the basic rules of writing, you can't deliver your true meaning through your words.
