5 VERY COMMON GRAMMATICAL MISTAKES
Good writing is an essential skill in today’s world, whether it’s for a school assignment, a business proposal, or an email to a friend. However, even the most skilled writers can make grammatical mistakes. In this article, we will explore five very common grammatical mistakes that people tend to make and provide tips on how to avoid them. These mistakes include subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, run-on sentences, misuse of punctuation and sentence fragments. By understanding and correcting these common mistakes, you can improve your writing and make a more positive impact on your readers.
Subject-verb agreement: One of the most common grammatical mistakes is failing to match the subject and verb in a sentence. To avoid this mistake, always make sure the verb agrees with the subject in number (singular or plural).
Pronoun-antecedent agreement: Pronouns must agree with the noun or pronoun they are replacing, known as the antecedent. For example, “She went to the store” is correct, while “They went to the store” is not, as “she” is singular and “they” is plural. To avoid this mistake, always make sure the pronoun agrees in number and gender with the antecedent.
Run-on sentences: A run-on sentence is a sentence that is too long and contains more than one independent clause without proper punctuation. For example, “I went to the store I bought some milk” is a run-on sentence and should be written as two separate sentences or joined with a conjunction and proper punctuation, such as “I went to the store and bought some milk.” To avoid this mistake, always make sure to use proper punctuation to separate independent clauses.
Misuse of punctuation: Punctuation is used to clarify the meaning of a sentence and to indicate pauses and emphasis. One common mistake is the misuse of commas, such as “I went to the store, and bought some milk” where a semicolon is needed. Punctuation errors can alter a sentence’s meaning. To avoid this mistake, always make sure to use punctuation correctly and consistently.
Sentence fragments: A sentence fragment is a group of words that is punctuated as a sentence but is not a complete thought. For example, “Walking to the store” is a sentence fragment and should be written as “I am walking to the store” To avoid this mistake, make sure that every sentence expresses a complete notion and has a subject and verb.
These five grammatical mistakes are quite common, but with a little bit of practice, you can learn to avoid them. Always proofread your work, and if you’re unsure about something, consult a grammar guide or ask someone else to take a look. Remember that clear, accurate, and properly punctuated writing will be better received and make a positive impact on your readers.