5 Common Mistakes in Writing an Essay on English Literature
The English language is largely considered very tricky, and when it is time to write an essay on a topic like English literature, things seem to be all the more tricky. It is important to ensure that you do not make any mistakes when writing this type of an essay because not only would it earn you a bad grade but also leave a poor impression of your writing and English skills on the reader.
There are many native English speakers who have average writing skills and end up making many common mistakes. Let’s look at the 5 common mistakes that people make when writing essays on English Literature.
1) Contractions – Contractions like ‘don’t’, ‘wouldn’t’, ‘shouldn’t’, etc., should not be used when writing an English literature essay. Formal essays should be devoid of all such informal words. One important skill of a good writer is to make sure that contractions are avoided at all time. This greatly improves the professionalism and quality of an essay.
2) Unverifiable or difficult to verify details – An essay on English literature will, needless to say, contain quotes and names of critics and researchers. Make sure that you always use quotes and names that are easily verifiable. Over the years, there have been various different critics discussing the same work and saying things about it, but when you need to quote a person or add a name, make sure that it is not too obscure. The reader should not end up thinking that it is a made up detail, or something that is very difficult to verify.
3) Sentence structure – When writing an essay on English literature, make sure that the sentence structure is correct. Very long sentences often cause confusion and you might end up losing track and making a mistake. Keep the sentences short and crisp and make sure that you get your point across well. ‘Over-writing’ never impressed anyone. If anything, it will confuse the reader.
4) Very long essays – When you start to write an essay on English literature, no matter what your topic, you will find a lot of relevant information. You might find it hard to decide what to keep and what to delete, especially if there no specified word or page limit. It is, however, important to keep the essay as concise as possible. An essay needs to be interesting and it must keep the reader engaged. An overly long essay, however, will just make the reader turn away before finishing it and it could greatly affect your grade.
5) Unrelated/Irrelevant information – Make sure that you stick to the topic at hand at all times. English literature is one topic on which you will find a lot of information and it might be very distracting. Do not try and fit in points just because they sound good. If it is not directly relevant to the topic that is being discussed in the essay, leave it out.
When reading an essay, especially for grading purposes, a reader will always look for clarity, relevant points, good structure and impeccable grammar. Once you have all these under control, you can rest assured that your essay will be a success.
