Top 10 Grammatical Errors People Make in Writing

Grammatical errors can erode even the most polished writer’s credibility. However, by recognizing these common mistakes and actively working to avoid them, writers can ensure their work remains clear and professional. Good grammar is crucial to effective communication; therefore, it is worth investing the time to get it right.

Here are 10 common grammatical mistakes:

1. Subject-Verb Agreement: Incorrectly matching the subject with the verb, such as “The team are going to the championship” (it should be “The team is going to the championship”).
2. Tense Consistency: Switching between past, present, and future tenses within a sentence or paragraph, creating confusion for the reader.
3. Your vs. You’re: Confusing the possessive pronoun “your” (as in, “your book”) with the contraction “you’re” (as in, “you’re going”).
4. Its vs. It’s: Misusing “its” (possessive) and “it’s” (contraction for “it is”).
5. Affect vs. Effect: Using “affect” as a noun (when it should be a verb) and “effect” as a verb (when it is usually a noun).
6. Who vs. Whom: Using “who” (subject) in place of “whom” (object) or vice versa.
7. Me vs. I: Using “me” as the subject of a sentence (e.g., “Me and John went” instead of “John and I went”).
8. Comma Splices: Connecting two independent clauses with a comma instead of using a conjunction or semicolon.
9. Dangling Modifiers: Placing a modifier far from the word it’s supposed to describe, leads to confusion (e.g., “Running down the street, the car passed me”).
10. Parallel Structure: Failing to maintain consistent grammatical structure in lists or series (e.g., “I like to swim, to run, and biking” should be “I like to swim, run, and bike”).

How to Avoid These Errors

• Read widely, paying close attention to the grammar in professionally published works.
• Use grammar guides, style guides, or online tools like Grammarly to double-check your writing.
• Edit and proofread carefully before finalising any written piece.
• Write regularly to strengthen your grammar and language skills.