Even the most careful writers make grammar mistakes. In this article, we'll examine ten common errors that appear in writing and provide simple fixes to help you avoid them.
1. Their, They're, and There
One of the most common grammar mistakes involves confusing these three homophones:
- Their - possessive pronoun (Their house is beautiful.)
- They're - contraction of "they are" (They're coming to the party.)
- There - referring to a place or used as an expletive (The book is over there. There are five apples.)
How to fix it:
Before using any of these words, ask yourself which meaning you're trying to convey. If you mean "they are," use "they're." If you're indicating possession, use "their." For everything else, "there" is usually correct.
2. Your vs. You're
Similar to the previous mistake, these words are often confused:
- Your - possessive pronoun (Is this your book?)
- You're - contraction of "you are" (You're going to love this movie.)
How to fix it:
Try expanding "you're" to "you are" in your sentence. If it makes sense, use "you're"; otherwise, "your" is correct.
3. Its vs. It's
This pair trips up many writers:
- Its - possessive pronoun (The dog wagged its tail.)
- It's - contraction of "it is" or "it has" (It's going to rain today. It's been a long time.)
How to fix it:
Replace the word with "it is" or "it has." If the sentence makes sense, use "it's"; otherwise, use "its."
4. Subject-Verb Agreement
Verbs must agree with their subjects in number (singular or plural):
- Incorrect: The group of students were discussing the assignment.
- Correct: The group of students was discussing the assignment.
How to fix it:
Identify the true subject of the sentence and ensure the verb matches. In the example above, "group" is singular, so it takes the singular verb "was."
5. Run-on Sentences
Run-on sentences occur when two or more independent clauses are joined without proper punctuation or conjunctions.
- Incorrect: I went to the store I bought some milk.
- Correct: I went to the store, and I bought some milk.
- Also correct: I went to the store. I bought some milk.
How to fix it:
Break the run-on into separate sentences, use a semicolon, or add a conjunction with a comma.
6. Comma Splices
A comma splice occurs when you join two independent clauses with only a comma.
- Incorrect: The weather was beautiful, we decided to go for a walk.
- Correct: The weather was beautiful, so we decided to go for a walk.
- Also correct: The weather was beautiful. We decided to go for a walk.
How to fix it:
Use a period to create two sentences, add a coordinating conjunction after the comma, or use a semicolon instead of a comma.
7. Who vs. Whom
This distinction confuses many writers:
- Who - used as the subject of a verb (Who wrote this book?)
- Whom - used as the object of a verb or preposition (To whom did you give the book?)
How to fix it:
Try substituting "he/she" or "him/her." If "he/she" works, use "who." If "him/her" works, use "whom."
8. Misplaced Modifiers
Modifiers should be placed close to the words they're modifying to avoid confusion:
- Incorrect: Walking quickly, the bus was missed by John.
- Correct: Walking quickly, John missed the bus.
How to fix it:
Place modifiers directly next to the nouns they modify. In the example, "walking quickly" should modify John, not the bus.
9. Affect vs. Effect
These words are often confused but have distinct meanings:
- Affect - typically a verb meaning to influence (The rain affected our plans.)
- Effect - typically a noun meaning result or consequence (The effect of the medicine was immediate.)
How to fix it:
Remember that "affect" is usually a verb (action) and "effect" is usually a noun (thing). There are exceptions, but this rule works most of the time.
10. Passive Voice Overuse
While not grammatically incorrect, overusing passive voice can make your writing weak and unclear:
- Passive: The report was written by the team.
- Active: The team wrote the report.
How to fix it:
Convert passive sentences to active ones by making the doer of the action the subject of the sentence. This usually makes your writing more direct and engaging.
Conclusion
Grammar mistakes happen to everyone, but being aware of these common errors can help you avoid them in your writing. When in doubt, use a grammar checker like GrammarCheck to catch these and other mistakes before you publish or submit your work.
Remember that good grammar is about clear communication. By fixing these common mistakes, you'll ensure that your readers understand exactly what you're trying to say.
