COMMON ENGLISH GRAMMAR MISTAKES

- GATE academy

Mastering English grammar can be challenging, but you would agree it is important for clear and effective communication. In this blog post, we will discuss some common grammar mistakes and provide tips on how to avoid them.

1. Subject-Verb Agreement: One of the most frequent errors is subject-verb disagreement. The subject and verb must agree in number; singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs.

- Incorrect: The books is on the table.

- Correct: The books are on the table.

2. Incorrect Pronoun Usage: Pronouns must match the nouns they replace in both number and gender.

- Incorrect: Every student must bring their pencil.

- Correct: Every student must bring his or her pencil.

3. Misplaced Modifiers: Modifiers should be placed as close as possible to the words they describe to avoid ambiguity.

- Incorrect: She almost drove her kids to school every day.

- Correct: She drove her kids to school almost every day.

4. Confusing Homophones: Homophones are words that sound alike but have different meanings and spellings. Common examples include:

- There (location), their (possessive), and they’re (contraction of they are)

- Your (possessive) and you’re (contraction of you are)

- Its (possessive) and it’s (contraction of it is)

5. Run-On Sentences: A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses are joined without proper punctuation.

- Incorrect: I love reading it is my favorite hobby.

- Correct: I love reading; it is my favorite hobby.

- Correct: I love reading. It is my favorite hobby

6. Comma Splices: A comma splice happens when two independent clauses are joined by a comma without a coordinating conjunction.

- Incorrect: I went to the park, it was closed.

- Correct: I went to the park, but it was closed.

- Correct: I went to the park; it was closed.

7. Apostrophe Misuse: Apostrophes are used for contractions and possessives but not for plurals.

- Incorrect: The cat's are playing.

- Correct: The cats are playing.

- Correct: The cat’s toy is on the floor.

8. Using the Wrong Tense: Ensure consistency in verb tense throughout your writing.

- Incorrect: She was walking to the store and buys some groceries.

- Correct: She was walking to the store and bought some groceries.

9. Double Negatives: Avoid using two negative words in the same sentence as they cancel each other out.

- Incorrect: I don’t need no help.

- Correct: I don’t need any help.

10. Sentence Fragments: A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence that lacks a subject or a verb.

- Incorrect: Running through the park.

- Correct: She was running through the park.

By paying attention to these common grammar mistakes, you can improve your writing skills and communicate more effectively. Practice regularly and review these rules often to master English grammar

Warm regards,

The GATE Academy Team