Before you turn in your writing, PASS ME SALT!

Writing in French can be tricky and may require a bit of extra attention to certain areas. If you are a student, you probably know it takes quite some effort to produce good quality writing. If you are a teacher, you probably know it takes quite some effort to grade/correct all those writing assignments!

Here is a list of areas students should verify before they submit any piece of writing:

Prepositions
Agreement
Structure
Spelling

Meaning
Effort

Speech parts
Articles
Level
Task

Prepositions. Some verbs take prepositions while others don't. Sometimes a verb will require a certain preposition in one context but another preposition (or no preposition) in another context. When you do need a verb, is it à or de? sur or pour or avec or envers? If you're not sure, check a good dictionary.

Agreement. Some words in French are marked with agreement (accord) in gender (feminine/masculine) and number (singular/plural). These words include nouns, adjectives, articles, certain pronouns, and sometimes verbs.
quick reference: http://french.about.com/library/weekly/bl-agreement.htm

Structure. Verify the structure of your writing at both the sentential level and discourse level. Are your word order and phrasing correct? Is your writing, on the whole, coherent and organized appropriately?
quick reference: http://french.about.com/library/weekly/bltopicsub-wo.htm

Spelling. If you're not sure of the spelling of a word, look it up. If you're typing, take advantage of spell-check/grammar check functions but be sure you understand your mistakes and choose the correct suggested changes (this requires having your language set to "French"). Many times, a misspelling is the result of incorrect agreement (see above) or incorrect accentuation. There are a number of ways to insert accents. When using Microsoft Word, the easiest way to insert French accents is to use shortcut keys. Other ways involve pressing ALT + a combination of numbers or selecting accents from a table of symbols.
quick reference: http://homepages.westminster.org.uk/it_new/faq/accent_shortcuts.html
quick reference: http://language.la.psu.edu/tell/workshops/accents_in_word/index.html

Meaning. Be sure the meanings of your ideas are not obscured by incorrect word choice or literal translation. If you don't know how a word or expression should be translated, your best bet is to consult a GOOD dictionary - one that contains many entries for each word as well as many examples. Pocket dictionaries are generally not recommended. For hard-copy dictionaries, I recommend those published by Harrap's or HarperCollins Robert. The type of dictionary you would use would depend on your level and needs. As for online dictionaries, the most reliable one I know of can be accessed through the link below. Make sure you select the correct source and target languages (English-French or French-English).
quick reference: http://www.wordreference.com/

Effort. Remember that effort can be reflected by more than just accuracy. Effort can also be seen in creativity and presentation, among other things.

Speech Parts (Parts of Speech). It's not very uncommon that people use the wrong parts of speech. For example, make sure you're not using an adjective when what you really need is an adverb and vice versa. Also pay attention to the context of your words and, if you are consulting a dictionary, choose the correct translation. Words almost always have multiple meanings (and therefore multiple translations) and it's up to you to identify the correct one. For instance, if you need to translate the verb "sleep" you would not choose "sommeil," since that would be the noun form of "sleep." If you don't understand the concept of parts of speech, check the links below.
quick reference: http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/parts.htm
quick reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Parts_of_speech

Articles. This area can be confusing! Do you need an article or not? If so, is it definite, indefinite, or partitive??
quick reference: http://french.about.com/library/weekly/bl-articles.htm

Level. Make sure you are writing at the level at which you are expected to write. For example, if you are an intermediate French student, make sure you are writing at an intermediate and not elementary level. It's generally a good idea to incorporate the grammar and vocabulary you have recently learned into your writing. While it is great to aim even higher, you also don't want to fall into the trap of trying to write at an advanced level when you are not yet ready. Remember, it is normal for an individual to not be able to express herself or himself with the same degree of profundity or sophistication in the target language as in the native language. It's a great source of frustration for language learners everywhere, but instructors understand it and expect it.

Task. You may just have written the most grammatically accurate and interesting composition (or paragraph or sentence), but be sure you've followed the directions and met the requirements of the assignment or exercise!