Examines the sometimes puzzling behavior of writing teachers as they look for errors in language usage. Questions whether many of these teachers would notice the occurrence of certain features they call errors if they were not searching for errors in the first place. (RL)

Describes the authors' error-frequency research, relating how they collected 19,615 teacher-marked student papers from the 1980s, analyzed them, and determined the major patterns of formal and mechanical error in current student writing. (SR)

Presents results of a study on how accurately instructors in composition identified various kinds of errors. (RL)

Considers "unpacking" or "deconstructing" sentences (the reverse of sentence combining) an effective teaching technique that helps students to develop clear predication and eliminate their tendency to use vague, confusing nominalized verbs. (RL)

Discusses the collected research on free modifiers and "minor sentences," or "formal fragments." Asks English teachers for less concentration on initial placement of modifiers, less rigidity concerning fragments, and more practice with punctuating final free modifiers. (RL)