• First, determine whether the error is a matter of carelessness, or a pattern of error.

If you find a single run-on in your paper, there's probably not much to worry about. Fix it, and be on your way. But if you notice that you tend to run on again and again, it's time to think about the run-on. Do you understand the boundaries of the sentence? Do you understand the grammatical principles at work in determining these boundaries? If you think that you don't, consult a tutor and/or a handbook. Come up with strategies for addressing the problem so that it doesn't occur in future drafts.

• Second, prioritize among your errors.

If you find that your grammar problems are serious ones, determine which of the problems are most serious and address them first. Problems that interfere with a reader's understanding of your paper - misplaced modifiers, for example, or mistakes in punctuation - ought to be addressed first. If you have trouble determining which mistakes are most serious, visit RWIT. Our tutors can help you to map a course of study in matters of grammar.

• Third, practice writing sentences.

The only way to learn to write grammatically is to practice, practice, practice. If your writing is very weak, you might benefit from doing sentence exercises in handbooks to strengthen your understanding of grammatical principles. You will also want to use our Grammar Drills. If your writing is fair to middling, you can play with your own sentences, writing and rewriting them to see how using commas, for example, might change the effect or even the meaning of a sentence.

• And finally, understand that grammar counts.

Your professors expect writing that is correct. They are irritated when you give them papers plagued by error. Your professors may or may not mark the errors on your papers. Don't expect that if you have no red ink on your paper that it is error free. Some professors feel that you should have mastered grammar before college and that it is not their responsibility to point out your mistakes to you. Others will be more helpful and will let you know when your grammar has gone astray. Still, it is your responsibility to master the rules of the language that you speak and write. Learn them well.

Useful Links

Note: Many of these sites will have links to other grammar guides and resources.

Grammar & Style Guides

• Grammar and Style Notes by Jack Lynch

Grammar Points

• Online Writing Lab Handouts, Purdue University

• Punctuation Made Simple

Dictionaries & Thesauri

• Oxford English Dictionary

• Thesaurus.com

Attending to Style

On this page:

• Introduction

• Principle One: Focus on Actors and Action

• Principle Two: Be Concrete

• Principle Three: Be Concise

• Principle Four: Be Coherent

• Principle Five: Be Emphatic

• Principle Six: Be in Control

• Principle Seven: Write Beautifully

• Useful Links

Introduction

Most of us know good style when we see it. We also know when a sentence seems cumbersome to read. However, though we can easily spot beastly sentences, it is not as easy to say WHY a sentence - especially one that is grammatically correct - isn't working. We look at the sentence; we see that the commas are in the right places; we find no error to speak of. So why is the sentence so awful? What's gone wrong?

When thinking about what makes a good sentence, it's important to put yourself in the place of your reader. What is a reader hoping to find in your sentences? Information, yes. Eloquence, surely. But most important, a reader is looking for clarity. Your reader does not want to wrestle with your sentences. She wants to read with ease. She wants to see one idea build upon the other. She wants to experience, without struggling, the emphasis of your language and the importance of your idea. Above all, she wants to feel that you, the writer, are doing the bulk of the work, and not she, the reader. In short, she wants to read sentences that are forceful, straightforward, and clear.

How do you manage to write these kinds of sentences? We hope to instruct you. But before we begin, we'd like to recommend a book to you: Joseph Williams' Style: The Basics of Clarity and Grace — the required style book for English 2-3 and English 5. In this book, Williams outlines ten different ways to think about and to improve your sentences. If you are interested in becoming a better writer, consult this book. It informs much of what we say to you here.