Common Grammar Mistakes: Examples

Grammar is a crucial aspect of effective communication. Here are some common grammar mistakes along with examples to highlight the correct usage:

1. Subject-Verb Agreement:

Mistake: “The team are winning.”
Correction: “The team is winning.”

2. Misuse of “Me” and “I”:

Mistake: “John and me went to the store.”
Correction: “John and I went to the store.”

3. Incorrect Use of “Their,” “They’re,” and “There”:

Mistake: “Their going to the party over there.”
Correction: “They’re going to the party over there.”

4. Dangling Modifiers:

Mistake: “Running late, the bus was missed.”
Correction: “Running late, she missed the bus.”

5. Double Negatives:

Mistake: “I don’t need no help.”
Correction: “I don’t need any help.”

6. Incorrect Use of “Less” and “Fewer”:

Mistake: “I have less books than you.”
Correction: “I have fewer books than you.”

7. Confusing “Affect” and “Effect”:

Mistake: “The new policy will have a positive affect.”
Correction: “The new policy will have a positive effect.”

8. Misplacing Apostrophes:

Mistake: “The cat chased it’s tail.”
Correction: “The cat chased its tail.”

9. Run-On Sentences:

Mistake: “I love hiking it’s my favorite outdoor activity.”
Correction: “I love hiking; it’s my favorite outdoor activity.”

10. Comma Splices:

Mistake: “She enjoys hiking, he prefers cycling.”

Correction: “She enjoys hiking, but he prefers cycling.”

11. Incorrect Use of “Between” and “Among”:

Mistake: “The cookies are divided between the three of us.”
Correction: “The cookies are divided among the three of us.”

12. Using “Good” Instead of “Well”:

Mistake: “I’m doing good, thank you.”
Correction: “I’m doing well, thank you.”

13. Unnecessary Capitalization:

Mistake: “The President Visited the City.”
Correction: “The president visited the city.”

14. Misuse of “Bring” and “Take”:

Mistake: “Can you bring me to the airport?”
Correction: “Can you take me to the airport?”

15. Confusing “Who” and “Whom”:

Mistake: “Whom should I talk to about this issue?”
Correction: “Who should I talk to about this issue?”

16. Forget to use “the”:

Mistake: “Watch this! I want to buy a new car.”
Correction: “Watch this! I want to buy the new car.”

In this case, the definite article “the” should be used instead of the indefinite article “a.” The speaker is referring to a specific car in front of him, not just any new car. Therefore, “the new car” is required.

Being aware of these common mistakes can significantly improve the clarity and correctness of your written and spoken English. Regular practice and attention to these nuances contribute to stronger and more effective communication.

17. Subject-verb agreement error:

Mistake: “The way in which we communicate with others have changed dramatically.”
Correction: “The way in which we communicate with others has changed dramatically.”

The mistake in this sentence is a subject-verb agreement error. The subject “The way in which we communicate with others” is singular, but the verb “have” is plural. In English, the verb must agree with the subject in terms of number.

The correction fixes this error by changing the plural verb “have” to the singular verb “has” to match the singular subject “The way in which we communicate with others.” Now, the subject and verb agree in number, and the sentence is grammatically correct.

18 . usage of “other” and “another”:

Mistake: “I have two books left. Take this one. Thanks, but I want the another.”
Correction: “I have two books left. Take this one. Thanks, but I want the other one.”

The mistake in this sentence is using “the another” instead of “the other.” When we refer to an additional option or alternative, we use “the other” instead of “the another.” “Another” is used when we refer to a singular, different item, whereas “other” is used when we refer to multiple options or alternatives.

The correction changes “the another” to “the other one” to indicate that the speaker wants a different book from the options available. Now, the sentence uses the correct form, distinguishing between a singular option (this one) and the other option (the other one).