Punctuation
❌ Older generations often rely on traditional media whereas younger generations tend to get their news online.
✅ Older generations often rely on traditional media, whereas younger generations tend to get their news online.
→ Add a comma before whereas.
❌ People learn foreign languages in order to they want to communicate with others.
✅ People learn foreign languages in order to communicate with others.
→ In order to + infinitive:
in order to communicate, not in order to they want.
❌ Because of bad weather, school trip was cancelled.
✅ Because of the bad weather, the school trip was cancelled.
→ Use the with bad weather and school trip when referring to the specific weather and trip.
❌ The reason why many young people choose to study abroad to experience a different culture.
✅ The reason why many young people choose to study abroad is that they want to experience a different culture.
→ The reason why + clause + is that + clause. The original sentence is missing the main verb is.
❌ Many students use digital textbooks due to the fact, that they are easy to access.
✅ Many students use digital textbooks due to the fact that they are easy to access.
→ No comma between fact and that.
❌ The school trip was cancelled because of the weather was bad.
✅ The school trip was cancelled because of the bad weather.
OR
✅ The school trip was cancelled because the weather was bad.
→ Because + clause (the weather was bad), but because of + noun phrase (the bad weather).
❌ The reason for cancelling school trip was because of bad weather.
✅ The reason for cancelling the school trip was the bad weather.
→ Use the reason for + noun / -ing.
→ Do not use because of after the reason was. Also, use the before school trip.
❌ They want to communicate with others so that people learn foreign languages.
✅ People learn foreign languages so that they can communicate with others.
→ The ideas are in the wrong order.
So that introduces the purpose of learning foreign languages.
❌ The reason why many young people choose to study abroad, is that they want to experience a different culture.
✅ The reason why many young people choose to study abroad is that they want to experience a different culture.
→ No comma between the subject and verb: The reason ... is.
❌ The town has few attractions, many tourists visit it every year yet.
✅ The town has few attractions, yet many tourists visit it every year.
→ Yet is a coordinating conjunction here and goes between the two independent clauses, with a comma before it.
❌ Some people treat cultural traditions like as if they have no value today.
✅ Some people treat cultural traditions as if they have/had no value today.
→ Do not use like and as if together.
→ You can also use as if + past tense to emphasise that the situation is unreal.
❌ So as not to cause any misunderstanding, I am writing the situation clarify.
✅ So as not to cause any misunderstanding, I am writing to clarify the situation.
→ Use write to + infinitive:
I am writing to clarify.
❌ Fast fashion appeals to many consumers, however it has a serious environmental impact.
✅ Fast fashion appeals to many consumers. However, it has a serious environmental impact.
✅ Fast fashion appeals to many consumers; however, it has a serious environmental impact.
→ A comma alone cannot join two independent clauses with however.
❌ I am writing to clarify the situation, so as not to because I do not want to cause any misunderstanding.
✅ I am writing to clarify the situation so as not to cause any misunderstanding.
→ So as not to + infinitive expresses negative purpose: so as not to cause.
❌ Despite that fact that film deals with an important social issue, it received little attention.
✅ Despite the fact that the film deals with an important social issue, it received little attention.
→ The correct expression is despite the fact that + clause.
→ Use the film when referring to a specific film.
❌ Due to the fact that many students use digital textbooks, they are easy to access.
✅ Many students use digital textbooks due to the fact that they are easy to access.
✅ Due to the fact that digital textbooks are easy to access, many students use them.
→ The original sentence reverses the cause and result. Digital textbooks being easy to access is the reason students use them.
❌ Living abroad can be challenging, it may also be a valuable experience though.
✅ Living abroad can be challenging. It may also be a valuable experience, though.
→ Avoid the run-on sentence and put a comma before though.
❌ Despite the book was written decades ago, its message is still relevant today.
✅ Despite being written decades ago, the book’s message is still relevant today.
OR
✅ Despite the fact that the book was written decades ago, its message is still relevant today.
→ Despite cannot be followed directly by a clause. Use despite + noun / -ing or despite the fact that + clause.
❌ In spite of the town has few attractions, many tourists visit it every year.
✅ In spite of the town having few attractions, many tourists visit it every year.
✅ In spite of the fact that the town has few attractions, many tourists visit it every year.
→ In spite of cannot be followed directly by a clause. Use in spite of + noun/-ing or in spite of the fact that + clause.
❌ Though organisation responded like nothing had gone wrong.
✅ The organisation responded as though nothing had gone wrong.
→ Use as though, not though, to mean as if.
→ Also, a specific organisation needs the.