Common Essay Writing Mistakes

Test your knowledge of common essay writing mistakes and best practices for academic writing, including structure, grammar, plagiarism prevention, style, proofreading, and revision techniques.

15 Questions Published

Questions

Question 1 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Which of the following is NOT a common essay writing mistake?

  1. Using slang or colloquialisms
  2. Lack of focus or organization
  3. Using a conversational tone
  4. Lack of evidence or support
Question 2 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

What is the most important element of an essay?

  1. Introduction
  2. Body paragraphs
  3. Conclusion
  4. Thesis statement
Question 3 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Which of the following is NOT a good way to introduce a thesis statement?

  1. With a question
  2. With a startling statement
  3. With a personal anecdote
  4. With a definition
Question 4 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

How many body paragraphs should an essay typically have?

  1. 2-3
  2. 4-5
  3. 6-7
  4. 8-9
Question 5 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Which of the following is NOT a good way to conclude an essay?

  1. Summarize the main points
  2. Restate the thesis statement
  3. Introduce new information
  4. End with a call to action
Question 6 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Which of the following is NOT a common grammatical error in essays?

  1. Subject-verb agreement
  2. Pronoun-antecedent agreement
  3. Tense consistency
  4. Comma splices
Question 7 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Which of the following is NOT a good way to avoid plagiarism?

  1. Cite all sources correctly
  2. Paraphrase or summarize information
  3. Use quotation marks around direct quotes
  4. Change the words of the original source
Question 8 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Which of the following is NOT a good way to improve the style of an essay?

  1. Use active voice instead of passive voice
  2. Use strong verbs instead of weak verbs
  3. Use specific nouns instead of general nouns
  4. Use complex sentences instead of simple sentences
Question 9 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Which of the following is NOT a good way to proofread an essay?

  1. Read the essay aloud
  2. Have someone else read the essay
  3. Use a grammar checker
  4. Rely on spellcheck
Question 10 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Which of the following is NOT a good way to revise an essay?

  1. Cut out unnecessary words and phrases
  2. Rearrange the order of the paragraphs
  3. Add more details and examples
  4. Change the topic of the essay
Question 11 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Which of the following is NOT a common essay writing mistake?

  1. Using slang or colloquialisms
  2. Lack of focus or organization
  3. Using a conversational tone
  4. Lack of evidence or support
Question 12 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

What is the most important element of an essay?

  1. Introduction
  2. Body paragraphs
  3. Conclusion
  4. Thesis statement
Question 13 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Which of the following is NOT a good way to introduce a thesis statement?

  1. With a question
  2. With a startling statement
  3. With a personal anecdote
  4. With a definition
Question 14 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

How many body paragraphs should an essay typically have?

  1. 2-3
  2. 4-5
  3. 6-7
  4. 8-9
Question 15 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Which of the following is NOT a good way to conclude an essay?

  1. Summarize the main points
  2. Restate the thesis statement
  3. Introduce new information
  4. End with a call to action