Writing Pet Peeves
Learning to write clearly and effectively is at the heart of Hamilton College’s mission statement: “Hamilton students learn to think independently, embrace difference, write and speak persuasively, and engage issues ethically and creatively.” We asked our professors to share some common writing mistakes.
| Pet Peeve | Examples of Incorrect Usage |
|---|---|
| utilize vs. use | Descartes utilizes the wax argument to show that we know physical objects with the mind, not the senses. |
| bloated diction | Once liberty is actualized, justice will burgeon. |
| inflated, imprecise words | The lifestyles of the majority of individuals were difficult due to what society utilized against them. |
| misuse of prove/proof | The results prove that our hypothesis was correct. (A study supports a hypothesis; it does not prove it.) |
| burying the subject | The significance of the study is that there is.... |
| unnecessary subordinate clause and passive voice | There was one factor that was ignored by the “con” side: …. |
| use of I as object of verb | They went with Dido and I to tour the Colosseum. The family came to see David and I perform. |
| loose vs. lose | Forecasters fear that stocks will loose value next year. |
| entitled vs. titled | My favorite song is entitled “Darwin Derby” by Vulfpeck. (Entitled means “a right to do or have.”) |
| treating data as singular | The data shows that medication affects ADHD symptoms. |
| than vs. then | The data indicate that Americans work more hours then Europeans. |
| vacuous first sentences | Scientists have studied DNA for years. |
| affect vs. effect | We studied the affect of the angle on acceleration. |
| misuse of apostrophes | The 1920’s marked the height of the Swing Era. (Apostrophes indicate omitted numerals: the ’80s. Show plural by adding s.) |
| less vs. fewer | The incumbent received less votes than the challenger. |
| general sloppiness | My English professor cares to much about grammer and speling. |
Express Yourself
Developing the ability to communicate in a clear, organized, and effective way is a central goal of a liberal arts education — and a prerequisite for a successful career. That’s why we established centers for writing and speaking.
Contact
Office / Department Name
Nesbitt-Johnston Writing Center
Contact Name
Jennifer Ambrose
Writing Center Director
Office Location
Kirner-Johnson 152
Email
Hours
M
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10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Tu
–
10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
W
–
10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Th
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10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Fr
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10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Su
–
2 p.m. - 10 p.m.
