This second instalment of common mistakes I encounter when revising and editing texts that have been written by non-native speakers of English kicks off with “data”. Should it be followed by a singular or a plural verb? I’ll base my response to this on the New Oxford Style Manual, as this is the style guide I use for my work, but I’ll also check The Chicago Manual of Style to see if it differs.
Most of these places in Spain in the list below are obvious and/or there’s no change. However, surprisingly (and randomly), some lose their accents and others don’t. The English versions all appear in the New Oxford Spelling Dictionary and/or the New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors.
The services I offer include editing papers for publication. As most of these have been written directly into English by Spanish university researchers, more often than not they contain a number of errors. In this first of what I hope will be many blog posts on the subject, I have highlighted ten mistakes which crop up again and again. I base my work on the New Oxford Style Manual, but I have also indicated the preference of The Chicago Manual of Style where this differs.
Tranix Translation & Editing Services 