Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda

Here's one I teach every year once I find evidence in a student's writing. And I always find evidence of it in a student's writing. This common error of transferring what we hear in language to what we write is even tested on the CSTs. I even see this error in emails and postings written by adults.

When we speak about things that could have, would have, or should have happened, we typically use the contraction 've, omitting the h and a from have. What we hear sounds like the word of, so unaware writers understandably but mistakenly use this word in their writing.

Example: I should of worn my rain coat to work, but I was in a hurry. [should've or should have]

Read aloud, the sentence sounds fine because the assumption can be made that the contraction has been used.

I tell students to avoid contractions in academic writing in order to elevate their writer's voice, and when it doubt, write it out.