Clear, correct grammar is the bedrock of effective communication. Grammatical errors can obscure your meaning, undermine your credibility, and leave a poor impression on your readers, whether you're writing an email, a blog post, an academic paper, or a business report. While even seasoned writers make occasional slips, being aware of common pitfalls can help you significantly improve the quality and professionalism of your work.
This guide highlights ten of the most frequent grammar mistakes that writers encounter and provides simple explanations and examples to help you identify and correct them. Polishing your grammar is a key step after using tools like our Word Counter for length or Case Converter for style, and our proofreading guide offers more tips.
1. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors
The verb in a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural) with its subject. This sounds simple, but it can get tricky with complex sentences or when the subject and verb are separated.
Pay close attention to the true subject of the sentence, especially when phrases come between the subject and the verb. For example, in "The results of the study, which were published in several journals, *shows* a clear trend," the subject is "results" (plural), so the verb should be "show." Collective nouns (like "team" or "committee") can be singular or plural depending on whether they are acting as a single unit or as individuals. Indefinite pronouns like "everyone," "each," and "nobody" are singular and take singular verbs.
2. Comma Splices
A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses (complete sentences) are joined together with only a comma, without an appropriate conjunction or other punctuation.
Comma splices create run-on sentences that can be confusing for the reader. Learning to identify independent clauses (clauses that can stand alone as a complete sentence) and connect them correctly is crucial for clear sentence structure. For example, instead of "Our website offers many tools, users find them very helpful," you could write "Our website offers many tools, and users find them very helpful." Alternatively, a semicolon can be used if the two clauses are closely related: "Our website offers many tools; users find them very helpful."
3. Run-On Sentences (Fused Sentences)
Similar to a comma splice, a fused sentence (or run-on sentence) occurs when two or more independent clauses are joined with no punctuation or conjunction at all.
A sentence can be very long and still be grammatically correct if its clauses are properly connected. The error in a fused sentence is the lack of any connection, making the sentence hard to follow. "He enjoys coding he spends hours on his projects" should be "He enjoys coding, and he spends hours on his projects" or "He enjoys coding; he spends hours on his projects." Breaking it into two separate sentences is also a perfectly valid solution: "He enjoys coding. He spends hours on his projects."
4. Apostrophe Errors (Possessives vs. Plurals, Its vs. It's)
Apostrophes are frequently misused, especially for forming possessives and plurals, and in contractions like "it's."
One of the most common errors is using an apostrophe for simple plurals, like writing "apple's" when you mean multiple "apples." Remember, apostrophes show possession (the apple's core) or mark a contraction (it's = it is). The "it's/its" confusion is another frequent offender; a simple test is to try substituting "it is" – if it works, use "it's." For possessives, if a singular noun ends in "s" (like "boss"), you can often use either "boss's" or "boss'." Style guides may differ, so consistency is key. For plural nouns already ending in "s," simply add an apostrophe after the "s" (e.g., "the dogs' leashes").
5. Misplaced or Dangling Modifiers
A modifier is a word or phrase that describes another word. It's misplaced if it's not close enough to the word it's supposed to modify, leading to confusion or unintended humor. A dangling modifier modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence.
These errors often occur when a sentence starts with a participial phrase (a phrase containing a verb form, usually ending in -ing or -ed, that acts as an adjective). Always ask yourself what the introductory phrase is modifying and ensure that subject is clear and immediately follows the phrase, or is clearly incorporated into the main clause. For instance, instead of "Running for the bus, my bag fell," it should be "Running for the bus, I dropped my bag," or "As I was running for the bus, my bag fell."
6. Pronoun Agreement Errors (Pronoun-Antecedent)
A pronoun (he, she, it, they, their, etc.) must agree in number and gender with its antecedent (the noun it refers to).
The main challenge here often arises with indefinite pronouns (like "everyone," "each," "someone," "nobody," which are singular) or when trying to be gender-neutral. While "his or her" is grammatically correct, it can be cumbersome. Making the antecedent plural (e.g., "All students must submit their assignments") is often a smooth solution. The use of singular "they/their" as a gender-neutral pronoun for a singular antecedent is becoming widely accepted in many contexts, but it's good to be aware if your specific style guide has a preference. For entities like "company" or "team," use "it/its" unless you are specifically referring to the individuals within the group.
7. Incorrect Use of Homophones (e.g., There/Their/They're, To/Too/Two, Your/You're)
Homophones are words that sound alike but have different meanings and spellings. These are very common sources of error because spell checkers won't catch them if the word used is a valid (albeit incorrect) word.
These errors require careful proofreading. When in doubt, pause and think about the specific meaning you intend. For "affect" vs. "effect," remember RAVEN: Remember, Affect is a Verb, Effect is a Noun (usually). For instance, "The new policy will *affect* everyone; its primary *effect* will be increased productivity." This level of detail in checking is vital, something our proofreading guide emphasizes.
8. Vague Pronoun Reference
This occurs when it's unclear which noun a pronoun is referring to, leading to ambiguity.
Always ensure that pronouns like "he," "she," "it," "they," "this," or "that" have a clear, single, and nearby antecedent. If there's any doubt, rephrase the sentence to eliminate the ambiguity, perhaps by repeating the noun or restructuring the sentence entirely.
9. Incorrect Tense Shifting
Consistency in verb tense is important for clarity and smooth reading, especially within a paragraph or a specific narrative section. Unnecessary shifts between past, present, and future tense can confuse the reader.
While there are legitimate reasons to shift tenses (e.g., when discussing literature where plot events are often in present tense, while historical context is in past tense), accidental and illogical shifts should be avoided. Decide on the primary tense for your piece and stick to it unless there's a clear narrative or rhetorical reason to change.
10. Using Adjectives Instead of Adverbs (and Vice Versa)
Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Confusing them is a common error.
Remember that adjectives describe *things* (nouns/pronouns), while adverbs describe *how actions are done* (verbs) or the *degree* of an adjective or another adverb. Ask yourself: "What word is this describing?" If it's a verb, an adjective, or another adverb, you likely need an adverb. For example, "The process was *quick*" (adjective describing "process"), but "She completed the process *quickly*" (adverb describing how she "completed").
Conclusion: Striving for Grammatical Excellence
Mastering grammar is an ongoing journey, but by being aware of these common mistakes and actively working to avoid them, you can significantly enhance the clarity, professionalism, and impact of your writing. Regular proofreading, using grammar resources, and even employing grammar-checking tools (with a critical eye) can all contribute to producing error-free text.
Remember that clear and correct writing builds trust with your audience and ensures your message is understood as intended. Make grammatical precision a priority in all your written communications.