How to Write Great Essays

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One of the best ways to accurately convey your ideas is to choose the right
words. Doing so ensures that your audience understands the meaning you
intend.
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Many words are confused because they sound or look almost identical, but
have very different meanings.
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Word Choice
CHAPTER 3 
HOW TO WRITE GREAT ESSAYS
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Take the time to learn the denotative meanings of the most commonly mis-
used words to ensure proper usage.
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Some words and word usages appear frequently in print although they are not
considered standard English. Avoid them in your writing.
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Choose words by keeping in mind their implied (connotative) as well as literal
meanings. Their connotations involve emotions, cultural assumptions, and
suggestions that can be positive, negative, or neutral.
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Understanding the purpose of inclusive language and using it in your essay,
will assure that your message gets across without creating or perpetuating
negative social stereotypes.
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Almost all of the most common spelling errors can be corrected by learning
and applying four basic spelling rules.
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Always use a spell checker, but never rely on it completely.

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T
he majority of grammar, punctuation, and capitalization mistakes are just a few dozen
common ones. If you learn these common errors and how to avoid or correct them,
your writing will greatly improve. Therefore, the focus of this chapter is on those errors
that occur most frequently.
No matter how original an idea you come up with, the inability to express yourself clearly
and accurately through the written word will hinder the success of your essay. The rules of
mechanics are complex; in fact, they sometimes confuse even professional writers. How-
ever, you do not need to become a strict grammarian in order to write well.