Top 10 Common Grammar Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

It’s normal to make mistakes, especially when you're on the road to learning a language. However, grammatical issues often prevent readers from understanding the text and listeners from correctly perceiving your speech. But don't let it frustrate or demotivate you because only those who do nothing are never mistaken. Understanding your potential mistakes, noticing them, and learning from them is your growth point in improving English proficiency.

English grammar is not as complicated as it seems at first glance. Grammar rules should become your best friends when polishing your English skills. Let's take a look at some of the most common grammar mistakes.

What is a grammar mistake?

A grammatical error is a deviation from the accepted grammatical rules of a language. It is any incorrect use of a word or punctuation in writing, for example, “he eat” instead of the correct option “he eats.” Grammar rules, from verb conjugation to sentence structure, exist to ensure clear and effective communication. Even the most experienced speakers sometimes make mistakes – it’s okay.

1. Me vs. I

This is one of the most common grammatical mistakes, especially among beginners, who are confused about when to use the pronouns “I” and “me.” These pronouns are often mistaken when used in compound subjects or predicates. Examples:

• Incorrect: “Marry and me went to the cinema.”
• Correct: “Marry and I went to the cinema.”
• Incorrect: “Do you want I to go with you?”
• Correct: “Do you want me to go with you?”

Tips: Use “I” when you are the subject of the sentence and “me” when you are the object of the sentence. To determine whether you should use “I” or “me,” remove the other subject or predicate.

2. Like vs. Such As

“Like” and “such as” are also among the top common grammatical errors. Both phrases are often used interchangeably, but they serve different purposes. Examples:

• Incorrect: “Anne’s jacket had a print such as leopard fur.”
• Correct: “Anne’s jacket had a print like leopard fur.”
• Incorrect: “The corner bookshop has books for different tastes like fiction, nonfiction, biographies, comics, etc.”
• Correct: “The corner bookshop has books for different tastes, such as fiction, nonfiction, biographies, comics, etc.”

Tips: Use “like” to compare, and use “such as” to give particular examples. Remember that “like” indicates similarity, while “such as” provides specific examples.

3. I.e. vs. e.g.

Many people confuse the abbreviations “i.e.” and “e.g.”. “i.e.” means “that is” or “in other words,” while “e.g.” means "for example." Examples:

• Incorrect: “I adore citrus fruits, i.e., oranges and lemons.”
• Correct: “I adore citrus fruits, e.g., oranges and lemons.”
• Incorrect: “The meeting has been rescheduled for next week (e.g., it will take place on Mon instead of Thu).”
• Correct: “The meeting has been rescheduled for next week (i.e., it will take place on Mon instead of Thu).”

Tips: A helpful hint is to remember that “i.e.” clarifies, while “e.g.” gives examples. These abbreviations should be followed by a comma.

4. Confused Words

English has many words that sound alike but have different meanings, such as “affect” and “effect,” “advice” and “advise,” and “beside” and “besides.” Examples:

• Accept (means “agree”) vs. Except (means “excluding”)
• Advice (noun) vs. Advise (verb)
• Beside (means “next to”) vs. Besides (means “also”)

Tips: When in doubt, check a dictionary and practice using similar-sounding words in sentences.

5. Similar Spelling Words

Be mindful of words with similar spellings but different meanings, such as “its/it’s” and “your/you’re.” Examples:

• Your (possessive pronoun): “Is this your car?”
• You’re (contraction of “you are”): “You’re going to love this.”
• Then (sequence): “She cleaned her room and then went out.”
• Than (comparison): “He is taller than his brother.”

Tips: Practice differentiating these words by understanding their usage in a sentence.

6. Comma Mistakes

Punctuation rules in English are one of the most tricky grammar topics. However, actually, English punctuation is very simplistic. Yet most mistakes are related to the use of commas in a sentence. For example:

• Incorrect: “I forgot to buy eggs bread and milk.”
• Correct: “I forgot to buy eggs, bread, and milk.”

Tips: In a list, use commas to separate items.

7. Incorrect Apostrophes

Apostrophes are often misplaced, especially in contractions and possessive forms. Examples:

• Incorrect: "Its a sunny day."
• Correct: “It’s a sunny day.”

Tips: Apostrophes indicate possession or contractions, not plurals.

8. Subject-Verb Agreement

The subject and verb must always agree in number. Examples:

• Incorrect: “A busy student do his homework.”
• Correct: “A busy student does his homework.”

Tips: Ensure that the subject and verb agree in both number and tense.

9. Dangling Modifiers

Dangling modifiers occur when the modifying phrase does not clearly refer to the intended word. Example:

• Incorrect: “Running quickly, the finish line was in sight.”
• Correct: “Running quickly, she saw the finish line.”

Tips: Make sure modifiers clearly relate to the word they are modifying.

10. Adjectives vs. Adverbs

Adjectives describe nouns, while adverbs describe verbs. Example:

• Incorrect: “The pasta smells deliciously.”
• Correct: “The pasta smells delicious.”

Tips: Use adjectives for nouns and adverbs for actions.

Summary

The best way to avoid common mistakes is to check yourself multiple times or use online grammar checkers. And remember, don't be afraid to make mistakes!