Your the proofreader, er... You're the proofreader! Can you find 28 errors in this passage?

Mistakes in grammer, usage and spelling can seriously effect a writer's credability. Readers loose faith in a writer who makes a high amount of errors. If a writer is all together careless about these kind of slips, readers begin to question the writer's accurracy.

Even imminent author's, irregardless of their genius, can suffer lapses. Their failure to observe grammatical principals often lays in their smug assumtion that no mistake will get passed the editors who are suppose to make sure everything is alright.

Perhaps I'm being an optomist, but alot of people beside me (more then you might expect) do care about the proper use of words. In regards to this subject, they are adament. They feel badly when they encounter poor usage, and they are quick to complement those who spell correctly. Based off their concerns, they feel that studying grammar, usage and spelling should be a right of passage for every student and that this would lead to less mistakes.

CORRECTIONS:

First Paragraph: 1. grammar 2. affect — "Affect" means to influence; "effect" means to bring about. 3. credibility 4. lose 5. number of errors — Use "number" for countable objects (number of errors) and "amount" for uncountable quantities (amount of grain). 6. altogether — "Altogether" means entirely. 7. these kinds or this kind 8. accuracy

Second Paragraph: 9. eminent — "Eminent" means outstanding, distinguished; "imminent" means about to happen. 10. authors (no apostrophe) 11. regardless — "Irregardless" is nonstandard. 12. principles 13. lies — "Lie" means to recline, be established; "lay" means to put or place. 14. assumption 15. past 16. supposed to 17. all right — "Alright," though appearing with increasing frequency in print, is still regarded as nonstandard.

Third Paragraph: 18. optimist 19. a lot — "Alot" is nonstandard. 20. OK, wise guys, it's possibly "beside" (next to me), but more likely "besides" (in addition to me). 21. than — The conjunction is "than"; the adverb is "then." 22. regard — It's either "in regard to" or "as regards." 23) adamant 24. bad — The adjective "bad" follows state of being verbs such as "feel," "seem" and "appear." 25) compliment — "Compliment" means to praise; "complement" means to go with, complete. 26. based on 27. rite of passage 28. fewer mistakes — Use "fewer" for countable items, "less" for uncountable items (less rain).

Rob Kyff, a teacher and writer in West Hartford, Connecticut, invites your language sightings. His book, "Mark My Words," is available for $9.99 on Amazon.com. Send your reports of misuse and abuse, as well as examples of good writing, via email to [email protected] or by regular mail to Rob Kyff, Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254.

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