Understanding grammar is essential for mastering English, but even the most experienced learners can stumble over common errors. This article explores 10 Common English Grammar Mistakes and How to Avoid Them, ensuring your writing is both clear and correct.
| Mistake | Error Type | Correct Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Its vs. It’s | Possessive vs. Contraction | “Its” (possessive), “It’s” (it is) | “The cat licked its paws.” / “It’s raining.” |
| There, Their, They’re | Homophones | “There” (location), “Their” (possessive), “They’re” (they are) | “Look over there.” / “Their car is fast.” / “They’re playing soccer.” |
| Your vs. You’re | Possessive vs. Contraction | “Your” (possessive), “You’re” (you are) | “Is this your book?” / “You’re late.” |
| Subject-Verb Agreement | Subject-Verb Mismatch | Match singular subjects with singular verbs and plural with plural | “She runs every day.” / “They run every day.” |
| Affect vs. Effect | Verb vs. Noun | “Affect” (verb), “Effect” (noun) | “The news will affect me.” / “The effect was surprising.” |
| Then vs. Than | Time vs. Comparison | “Then” (sequence), “Than” (comparison) | “We will eat, then go.” / “She is taller than him.” |
| Who vs. Whom | Subject vs. Object | “Who” (subject), “Whom” (object) | “Who called you?” / “Whom did you call?” |
| Loose vs. Lose | Adjective vs. Verb | “Loose” (not tight), “Lose” (misplace) | “My shoe is loose.” / “Don’t lose your keys.” |
| Fewer vs. Less | Countable vs. Uncountable | “Fewer” (countable), “Less” (uncountable) | “Fewer students attended.” / “Less time was needed.” |
| Me vs. I | Object vs. Subject | “I” (subject), “Me” (object) | “Tom and I went.” / “He saw Tom and me.” |
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By understanding and avoiding these common grammar mistakes, you can significantly improve your English communication skills. Whether writing emails, reports, or casual messages, accurate grammar enhances clarity and professionalism. Practice regularly, review these tips, and soon these common errors will become a thing of the past!
“Your” is a possessive adjective, used to indicate that something belongs to you (e.g., “your book”). “You’re” is a contraction of “you are” (e.g., “you’re going to the store”). To avoid confusion, remember: if you can replace the word with “you are,” then “you’re” is the correct choice
“Their” indicates possession (e.g., “their house”).
“There” refers to a place or position (e.g., “over there”).
“They’re” is a contraction of “they are” (e.g., “they’re coming”).
A good way to avoid confusion is to replace “they’re” with “they are” in your sentence. If it makes sense, use “they’re”
“It’s” is a contraction of “it is” or “it has” (e.g., “it’s raining”). “Its” is a possessive pronoun, used to show that something belongs to it (e.g., “The cat chased its tail”). To check which to use, see if “it is” fits in your sentence; if it does, “it’s” is correct
Apostrophes are used to show possession (e.g., “the dog’s leash”) and to indicate missing letters in contractions (e.g., “can’t” for “cannot”). Avoid using apostrophes to form plurals, which is a common mistake (e.g., “CDs” is correct, not “CD’s”)
Use “a” before words that begin with a consonant sound (e.g., “a cat”) and “an” before words that begin with a vowel sound (e.g., “an apple”). The choice depends on sound rather than the actual first letter, so “an hour” is correct because “hour” starts with a vowel sound.
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