The Most Pervasive Grammar Gaffes (INFOGRAPHIC)

Editors share the top blunders and snafus they encounter every day.

   Robby BrumbergMany writers are meticulous angels who diligently proofread and polish their copy before submitting a piece.Others, bless their hearts, seem to delight in dropping 1,500 words’ worth of unedited slop into the nearest editor’s lap.“It’s they’re problem now!”As you might imagine, editing can be a bit like “Groundhog Day.” You encounter the same mistakes, over and over, day after day. Its fine. Really, it’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.Of course, if you want to reap a whirlwind of disastrous karma and pointy objects, by all means, carry on with youre careless ways.

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For those who aspire to be one of those saintly scribblers who will surely inherit the earth, Grammar Girl has an infographic for you. The grammar and style expert surveyed a group of eagle-eyed Macmillan Publishers editors to identify the most common blunders they encounter—even from professional writers.The top offenders include:1. Misplaced commasCommas are confounding little pieces of… punctuation. Microsoft Word’s editor won’t help you here, and neither will your gut. Grammar Girl writes, “Commas are one of the most commonly used punctuation marks, and there are a baffling number of ways to use them.” So, it pays to do your homework. Continue reading here...