Top 20 Errors in Undergraduate Writing
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The Top Twenty: A Quick Guide to Troubleshooting Your Writing
Readers judge your writing by your control of certain conventions, which may change depending on your audience, purpose, and writing situation. For example, your instructor may or may not mark errors in your paper if he’s more concerned with its argument or structure than he is with sentence-level correctness; he could also decide an error is not serious. Some instructors may even see the errors listed below as stylistic options. However, a large-scale study by Andrea Lunsford and Karen Lunsford (2008) found that these errors are the most likely to attract readers’ negative attention. Before handing in your papers, proofread them carefully for these errors, which are illustrated below in the sentences in italics.
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THE TOP TWENTY
1. wrong word.
Wrong word errors take a number of forms. They may convey a slightly different meaning than you intend ( compose instead of comprise ) or a completely wrong meaning ( prevaricate instead of procrastinate ). They may also be as simple as a wrong preposition or other type of wrong word in an idiom.
Use your thesaurus and spell checker with care. If you select a word from a thesaurus without knowing its precise meaning or allow a spell checker to correct spelling automatically, you may make wrong-word errors. If prepositions and idioms are tricky for you, look up the standard usage.
Here are a couple of wrong word examples:
Did you catch my illusion to the Bible?
Illusion means “an erroneous perception of reality.” In the context of this sentence, allusion was needed because it means "reference.”
Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene is a magnificent sixteenth-century allergy.
A spell checker replaced allegory with allergy.
2. Missing Comma after an Introductory Element
Use a comma after every introductory element—whether word, phrase or clause—to clarify where it ends and the rest of the sentence begins. When the introductory element is very short, you can skip the comma, but including it is never wrong.
Without a comma after the introductory element, it’s hard to see the location of the subject (“they”) in this sentence:
Determined to make their flight on time they rose at dawn.
3. Incomplete or Missing Documentation
Documentation practices vary from discipline to discipline. But in academic and research writing, it’s a good idea to always cite your sources: omitting documentation can result in charges of plagiarism.
The examples below follow MLA style. In this example, the page number of the print source for this quotation must be included.
The Social Media Bible defines social media as the “activities, practices, and behaviors among communities of people who gather online to share information, knowledge, and opinions using conversational media.”
And here, the source mentioned should be identified because it makes a specific, arguable claim:
According to one source, it costs almost twice an employee’s salary to recruit and train a replacement.
Cite each source you refer to in the text, following the guidelines of the documentation style you are using.
4. Vague Pronoun Reference
A pronoun (e.g., he, this, it) should refer clearly to the noun it replaces (called the antecedent). If more than one word could be the antecedent, or if no specific antecedent is present, edit to make the meaning clear.
In this sentence, it possibly refers to more than one word:
If you put this handout in your binder, it may remind you of important tutoring strategies .
In some pronoun usage, the reference is implied but not stated. Here, for example, you might wonder what which refers to:
The authoritarian school changed its cell phone policy, which many students resisted.
To improve this sentence, the writer needs to make explicit what students resisted.
5. Spelling
Even though technology now reviews much of our spelling for us, one of the top 20 most common errors is a spelling error. That’s because spell checkers cannot identify many misspellings, and are most likely to miss homonyms (e.g., presence/presents), compound words incorrectly spelled as separate words, and proper nouns, particularly names. After you run the spell checker, proofread carefully for errors such as these:
Vladmir Putin is the controversial leader of Russia.
Every where she walked, she was reminded of him.
6. Mechanical Error with a Quotation
When we quote other writers, we bring their voices into our arguments. Quotation marks crucially show where their words end and our own begin.
Quotation marks come in pairs; don’t forget to open and close your quotations. In most documentation styles (e.g., MLA Style), block quotations do not need quotations marks. Consult your professor’s preferred style manual to learn how to present block quotations.
Follow conventions when using quotation marks with other punctuation. Here, the comma should be placed inside the quotation marks:
"A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction", Virginia Woolf argues.
7. Unnecessary Comma
We often have a choice about whether or not to use a comma. But if we add them to our sentences when and where they are not needed, then we may obscure rather than clarify our meaning.
Do not use commas to set off restrictive elements that are necessary to the meaning of the words they modify. Here, for example, no comma is needed to set off the restrictive phrase of working parents , which is necessary to indicate which parents the sentence is talking about.
Many children, of working parents, walk home from school by themselves.
Do not use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet) when the conjunction does not join parts of a compound sentence. In this example, no comma is needed before the word and because it joins two phrases that modify the same verb, applies.
This social scourge can be seen in urban centers, and in rural outposts.
Do not use a comma before the first or after the last item in a series.
The students asked their TAs to review, the assignment rubric, a sample paper and their comments, before the end of the quarter.
Do not use a comma between a subject and verb.
Happily, the waiters, sat down during a break.
Do not use a comma between a verb and its object or complement.
On her way home from work, she bought, a book at the bookstore.
Do not use a comma between a preposition and its object.
On her way home from work, she bought a book at, the bookstore.
8. Unnecessary or Missing Capitalization
Capitalize proper nouns and proper adjectives, the first words of sentences, and important words in titles, along with certain words indicating directions and family relationships. Do not capitalize most other words. When in doubt, check a dictionary.
Financial Aid is a pressing concern for many University Students.
9. Missing Word
If you read your work outloud before submittingit, you are more likely to notice omitted words. Be particularly careful not to omit words from quotations.
Soccer fans the globe rejoiced when the striker scored the second goal.
10. Faulty Sentence Structure
If a sentence starts out with one kind of structure and then changes to another kind, it will confuse readers.
The information that families have access to is what financial aid is available and thinking about the classes available, and how to register.
Maintain the grammatical pattern within a sentence. Each sentence must have a subject and a verb, and the subjects and predicates must make sense together. In the example above, thinking about the classes available does not help the reader understand the information families have access to. Parallel structures can help your reader see the relationships among your ideas. Here’s the sentence revised:
Families have access to information about financial aid, class availability, and registration.
11. Missing Comma with a Nonrestrictive Element
A nonrestrictive phrase or clause provides additional information that is not essential to the basic meaning of the sentence. Use commas to set off a nonrestrictive element.
David who loved to read history was the first to head to the British Library.
The clause who loved to read history does not affect the basic meaning of the sentence. The clause could be taken out and the reader would still understand that David was the first to head to the British Library.
12. Unnecessary Shift in Verb Tense
Verbs that shift from one tense to another with no clear reason can confuse readers.
Martin searched for a great horned owl. He takes photographs of all the birds he sights.
13. Missing Comma in a Compound Sentence
A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses. When the clauses are joined by a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), use a comma before the conjunction to indicate a pause between the two thoughts.
Miranda drove her brother and her mother waited at home.
Without the comma, a reader may think at first that Miranda drove both her brother and her mother.
14. Unnecessary or Missing Apostrophe (including its/it's)
To make a noun possessive, add either an apostrophe and an s (Ed's phone) or an apostrophe alone (the girls’ bathroom). Do not use an apostrophe in the possessive pronouns ours, yours, and hers. Use its to mean belong to it; use it's only when you mean it is or it has.
Repeated viral infections compromise doctors immune systems.
The chef lifted the skillet off it’s hook. Its a fourteen-inch, copper skillet.
15. Fused (run-on) Sentence
A fused sentence (also called a run-on) joins clauses that could each stand alone as a sentence with no punctuation or words to link them. Fused sentences must be either divided into separate sentences or joined by adding words or punctuation.
The house was flooded with light, the moon rose above the horizon.
He wondered what the decision meant he thought about it all night.
16. Comma Splice
A comma splice occurs when only a comma separates clauses that could each stand alone as a sentence. To correct a comma splice, you can insert a semicolon or period, connect the clauses with a word such as and/or/because, or restructure the sentence.
The students rushed the field, they tore down the goalposts.
17. Lack of pronoun/antecedent agreement
Pronouns typically must agree with their antecedents in gender (male or female, if appropriate) and in number (singular or plural). Many indefinite pronouns, such as everyone and each, are always singular. However, they can be used to agree with a singular antecedent in order to use inclusive or gender-neutral language. When antecedents are joined by or or nor, the pronoun must agree with the closer antecedent. A collection noun such as team can be either singular or plural, depending on whether the members are seen as a group or individuals.
Every guest left their shoes at the door.
18. Poorly Integrated Quotation
Quotations should be logically and smoothly integrated with the writing around them, the grammar of the quotation complementing the grammar of the neighboring prose. They usually need to be introduced (with a signal phrase) rather than dropped abruptly into the writing.
An award-winning 2009 study of friendship "understanding social networks allows us to understand how indeed, in the case of humans, the whole comes to be greater than the sum of its parts" (Christakis and Fowler 26).
"Social networks are intricate things of beauty" (Christakis and Fowler xiii). Maintaining close friendships is good for your health.
19. Missing or Unnecessary Hyphen
A compound adjective requires a hyphen when it modifies a noun that follows it.
This article describes eighteenth century theater.
A two-word verb should not be hyphenated.
The dealers want to buy-back the computers and refurbish them.
20. Sentence Fragment
A sentence fragment is part of a sentence that is presented as if it were a complete sentence. The following illustrate the ways sentence fragments can be created:
Without a subject
The American colonists resisted British taxation. And started the American Revolution.
No complete verb
The pink geranium blooming in its pot.
Beginning with a subordinating word
We visited the park. Where we threw the Frisbee.
These 20 most common errors can be avoided in your writing if you reserve time to proofread your final draft before submission.
Works Cited
Lunsford, Andrea A. and Karen J. Lunsford. “Mistakes are a Fact of Life: A National Comparative Study.” CCC 59 (2008) 781-806.
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99 most common grammar mistakes
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Does proper grammar seem daunting to you? Not sure if you should use the word “irregardless” or “regardless” in a sentence? Or how to use an infinitive verb?
The English language is finicky enough that a single missing comma can radically change the meaning of, well, everything you were trying to say:
Let’s eat friends! is more than a little creepy, while
Let’s eat, friends! sounds warm and inviting.
It’s our hope that this guide helps you avoid such blunders.
99 most common grammar mistakes in writing
One of the questions our subscribers ask most, whether they’re proofreading pros or full-time students, is how they can avoid the most common grammar mistakes. In this list, we outline some of the most common grammatical errors we’re seeing, based on millions of data points from Writer subscribers.
1. Let’s vs. Lets
Let’s not get carried away here — this one is pretty simple:
Let’s = let us. As in, let us not get carried away here…
Lets = to make something possible. This checklist lets you write better.
2. Its vs. It’s
It’s simple:
It’s = it is. As in, it’s so dang cold outside.
Its = associated with something recently mentioned. As in, the weather has a mind of its own.
3. Your vs. You’re
Your is a possessive pronoun that describes ownership of an item: your jacket is sweet!
You’re is the contraction of you are: you’re probably glad you have that jacket.
4. May vs. Might
May indicates a possibility; might indicates a hypothetical probability. I may quit my job — even though I’m good at it.
Then again, I might get fired.
5. Lay vs. Lie
Lay describes the action of placing something flat: lay down, Fido!
Lie describes the status of something resting flat: Fido likes lying (lie-ing) down.
6. Affect vs. Effect
Affect implies action: “I want to affect the world in a positive way,” said Jane. Effect describes its result. “The effects of your intention should be good,” replied her friend. Find out more about Affect vs. Effect here.
7. Too obvious?
Is this one too obvious, or not? Based on what must be billions of text-message bloopers it’s probably worth mentioning! Too refers to, well, too much of something / too many of something: “I have too much money to live in such a small house.”
It can also be used as a form of agreement: “yeah, I feel that way too.”
8. To vs. two
Two is a number (you know, this one: 2). ‘To’ is a word meant to be used in all sorts of different ways.
9. There vs. their
There refers to a location; their refers to a designation:
“See that restaurant over there?” – “Yep, that’s their favorite one!”
10. Their vs. they’re
They’re = they are:
‘They’re going to love that restaurant!’ – “Yeah, like I said it’s their fav.”
11. Loose vs. lose
Loose refers to something that’s been let out of control. While lose-ing is the opposite of winning! “Don’t be afraid to let loose. After all, what do you have to lose?”
12. Peek vs. peak
Peek means to look at something; peak refers to the top of something.
“Can I take a peek of the scenery?” – “Sure, but I heard the view’s better from the peak”
13. Peak vs. pique
We already mentioned what peak means. Just in case you were wondering, though, don’t confuse it with pique, which means ‘to stir up’ — “my interest was piqued.”
14. Compliment vs. complement
While both of these words refer to nice things, their meanings are quite different. A compliment is something nice you tell someone; complement refers to things that go well together.
Here’s a brain-bending compliment: “Your shoes complement your outfit so well!”
15. Piece of mind vs. Peace of mind
A piece of mind refers to one’s perspective or opinion: “My neighbor’s truck is so loud, it’s about time I gave him a piece of my mind!”
Whereas peace of mind refers to a mental framework: “Yeah…all that noise is really hurting my peace of mind.”
16. Literally
If you use the word literally, be sure to use it, well, literally! Watered-down words are no good for anyone.
17. To comma or not to comma
Commas are tricky little beasts. Sometimes skipping an oxford comma or two (even if using one would be grammatically correct) is actually a good call, so trust your instinct.
“Once upon a time, there was this really good writer…”
“Yeah I heard she didn’t always use commas.”
18. Semicolons
Semicolons are actually more like periods than commas. They usher in a new train of thought.
Semicolons are actually more like periods than commas; they usher in a new train of thought.
19. Semicolons + commas
Sometimes, though, semicolons are best followed up by a comma; in cases such as these, it’s totally okay to use them both!
20. Semicolons vs. commas
Many times commas work just fine by themselves, so don’t use semicolons if you don’t need to.
Many times commas work just fine by themselves; so don’t use semicolons if you don’t need to. (Doesn’t that look awkward?)
21. Parentheses and periods
Normally periods and other punctuation marks go after parentheses (normally).
22. Periods inside parentheses
The exception is if you’re writing an entire sentence within parentheses — like the example in mistake #20 above.
23. Quotation placement
“Periods, commas, question marks, exclamation points, quotations within quotations, etc. should always be placed inside quotation marks,” he explained.
24. Unless you’re outside the United States
That’s right: in most other countries, punctuation marks actually go outside quotations. Go figure.
25. Plural or singular!
It really don’t sound good if you doesn’t stay consistent with plural and singular forms…
26. Hyphens vs. dashes
A hyphen, like the one to the right, connects two or more inter-related words — a dash, like the one just to the left, connects two or more related thoughts.
27. En dash or Em dash?
An en dash is about the width of the letter “N,” and it’s meant to show a range, like 1-10.
An em dash is longer — it’s meant to facilitate those fun connections we mentioned earlier.
28. Inappropriate hyphens
In general, don’t use hyphens to connect two parts of one word. The way we spelled ‘inter-related’ up there? Yeah…that’s incorrect. Unless you’re trying to prove a point.
29. Missing dashes
On the other hand, don’t rule out the use of hyphens entirely. They can be insanely-awesomely-silly-ly useful!
30. Don’t be too negative
Actually, forget that — be positive. After all, why negate a negative when you can present a positive instead?
31. The other kind of double negative…
Ever feel like you can’t do nothing right? Maybe like you can’t spell nothing correct at all? Please, don’t ever write like this. Unless you’re authoring a Southern-twanged novel or something.
32. Dot-dot-dot
Some people like doing dots like this…
Others like this method . . .
But feel free to use whatever resonates most with you.
33. Dash spacing
And some people don’t like having spaces around their em dashes—they can get pretty particular about it. Best-selling author Tim Ferris leaves spaces around his, though — so apparently it doesn’t matter too much.
34. 50 cent(s)
This is like the mathematical version of the double-negatives we mentioned earlier. If you’re trying to denote a certain number of cents, either write out the full decimal, or list the number of cents:
50 cents, or $0.50
Don’t do both: $0.50 cents
…unless, of course, you really are talking about half of one cent…
35. The issue of marriage
In this case, marriage is only an issue if the term is used incorrectly:
“She was married with a football player.”
Saying “she was married to a football player” just sounds way better.
36. Each and every student
The term “every” almost always goes with a singular noun:
“Every student passed the test” is correct, while “every students passed the test” is not.
37. Although/but
The words although and but don’t often work well together. Try to use one of them or the other, not both!
Although it was raining, we still went outside.
It was raining, but we still went outside.
38. You and I
“Pam and me went to get some groceries” is incorrect;
“Pam and I went to get some groceries” is spot on.
39. Amount vs. number
‘Amount’ should be used for something uncountable: “a large amount of dirt.”
‘Number’ should be used for things you can quantify: “a large number of people.”
40. Fewer vs. less
‘Less’ should be used for something uncountable: “less dirt.”
‘Fewer’ should be used for things you can quantify: “fewer people.”
41. Shared possessions
If you’re sharing something, then it’s enough to use one apostrophe: This is Tim and Andy’s house.
42. That’s all well & good…
“I slept well” is correct; “I slept good” makes it sound like you need a little more sleep.
43. Or is it good & well?
If you’re describing the quality of something, however, ‘good’ can be a very good fit.
44. The police is coming!
Actually, the police are coming. Unless this is also part of that slang-infused novel you’re writing.
45. A vs. an
Do you have an idea of whether or not this sentence is grammatically correct? Hint: it is!
46. Amicable/amiable
‘Amicable’ should be used to describe pleasant meetings and such; ‘amiable’ should be used as a synonym for ‘kind.’
47. Write vs. right
This article is meant to help you write…the right way.
48. Beside/besides
“Want to sit beside me?” is more correct than “want to sit besides me?”
49. Farther/further
“Want to bike a little farther?” is more correct than “want to bike further?”
50. Can vs. may
‘Can’ implies an ability; ‘may’ implies a possibility.
51. Since/for
I’ve been in Europe for 3 weeks. I’ve been in Europe since the first. If you try swapping ‘since’ and ‘for’ in the above sentences, it just doesn’t work.
52. No one vs. anyone
“He didn’t know nobody” is incorrect; “he didn’t know anyone” is much better.
53. More smart, or smarter?
If you want to sound smarter, try to avoid talking about being “more smart” than others!
54. A lot/alot
Did you know that ‘alot’ isn’t a word? Use ‘a lot’ instead
55. Alot/Allot
Unless, of course, what you’re really trying to say is ‘allot,’ a word which means “to give or assign.”
56. Wreck vs. wreak
The wreck wreaked havoc on several of the cars involved.
57. Pore vs. pour
A pore is a small opening; a pour is what’s done to a drink!
58. Ran vs. run
“I ran fast” and “I run fast” are both correct, but they do have slightly different meanings. If you’re still pretty quick, use the ‘run’ version.
59. Suppose so?
You’re supposed to use ‘suppose’ in the above type of situation.
60. Collocations
Some words just go better together. “Due to the fact that” is one prime example. If you use collocations like these, don’t try to divide them up!
61. Got know-how?
“I know how to write.” “I’ve got business writing know-how.” While both of these sentences are grammatically correct, one is much less awkward than the other.
62. Keep tense consistent!
“I went to the grocery store and buy some eggs.” → See how improper that sounds? Make sure you keep your tense consistent, whether it’s past or present or future tense you’re talking about.
63. Unless you’re talking about something universal…
If you’re talking about a timeless truth, though, you can switch your tense up a little:
“‘The earth revolves around the sun,’ his parents explained.”
64. Seniority
“He’s senior to me” works, and so does “he’s older than me”…but don’t try to flip these around: “he’s senior than me” and “he’s older to me” are both wrong.
65. Neither/nor
‘Neither’ and ‘nor’ go great together: “She was neither stronger nor faster, but she was still a great athlete.”
66. Cardinal vs. ordinal
Cardinal numbers deal in absolutes; this is grammar mistake #66. Ordinal numbers deal with positions; this is the 66th grammar mistake listed.
67. Spell it out
Typically numbers under 10 should be spelled out, though there may be one or two valid exceptions to this rule.
68. Missing articles
Don’t forget to put the word ‘the’ before appropriate items: the book, the blog , the article, and so on.
69. One should stay consistent
If you’re speaking about another person, use consistent pronouns: “One should stay consistent when they are writing” sounds much better than “one should stay consistent when he is writing.”
70. Hard vs. hardly
“Writing is hard.” → Correct
“Writing is hardly hard when you use Writer .” → Also correct!
71. Hardly vs. hardy
“Carrots are very hardly vegetables.” → ??
“Carrots are very hardy vegetables.” → Correct.
72. First come, first served?
Though most people (i.e., restaurants) will say “first come, first serve,” what makes much more sense is “first come, first served.”
73. Shoulda woulda coulda
‘Should of,’ ‘would of,’ and ‘could of’ are actually all incorrect, though they might sound decent enough.
The proper usage, of course, is ‘should’ve,’ ‘would’ve,’ and ‘could’ve.’ These are contractions for “should have,” “would have,” and “could have.”
74. Wait, so you could or couldn’t care less?
Many people use the phrase I could care less’ to describe something they don’t really care about. If you think about it, though, what they’re trying to say is that they couldn’t care less.
75. “I” shouldn’t come last
“At the restaurant, it was just her and I” just doesn’t sound as good as “At the restaurant, it was just me and her.”
76. But “me” shouldn’t come first
The above writing mistake also has an inverse:
“Me and her went to the restaurant” just doesn’t sound as good as “her and I went to the restaurant” — but that’s not right, either. Why? Because if you take away “I,” the sentence would read “her went to the restaurant.“ The correct usage is “She and I went to the restaurant.”
77. Apostrophe calamity
The Johnson’s. The 70’s. The Jones’s…life is simpler without all these apostrophe’s!
For plurals, try the Johnsons, the 70s, and (if you’re trying to keep up with them) the Joneses instead. But if the Joneses own something, it’s the Joneses’ (see number 93).
78. Mmm, expresso
While ‘expresso’ might sound correct to some, it’s actually spelled ‘espresso.’ Just FYI.
79. A sleight of hand
That’s right: a ‘slight of hand’ is actually incorrect!
80. Forte, niche, and other mispronunciations
Forte’s pronunciation = fort .
Niche’s pronunciation = neesh .
Just don’t spell either of them that way…
81. Exact revenge!
If you must have your revenge, don’t extract it, exact it!
82. Soggy appetites
“That really wet my appetite.” → Incorrect
“That really whet my appetite.” → Correct
83. Do your due diligence
See what we did there? It’s ‘due diligence,’ not ‘do diligence.’
84. Per say
‘Per se’ is a Latin phrase meaning ‘in itself’… per say is how you pronounce it.
85. Worse comes to worst
While we’ve all heard the phrase “if worse comes to worse,” it doesn’t really make sense unless “worse” goes all the way to “worst.”
86. Chalk it up…
…don’t “chock it up.”
87. Free rein
To give “free rein” to something means to let go of control.
To give “free reign” implies kingship without effort.
88. Nip it where?
In the bud, not in the butt! For those unfamiliar, this phrase’s literal meaning refers to nipping flowers in the bud.
89. Disinterested vs. uninterested
These two terms aren’t actually synonyms. Being disinterested implies that you couldn’t care less; being uninterested means you care enough to turn your interest away.
90. Nauseous vs. nauseated
Don’t worry: almost everyone gets this one wrong. “Nauseous” technically means to be capable of making others nauseated; “nauseated” means not feeling well.
91. The impact of impactful
Is impactful a word? Contrary to what you may have heard, it is — so don’t let people tell you otherwise.
92. However vs. nevertheless
Fans of classic grammar will insist that sentences shouldn’t be started with “however,” at least not when they can be started with “nevertheless” instead. We’d say use whichever sounds better to you.
93. Too many s’s
When in doubt, drop the extra s. Arkansas’ is usually preferred over Arkansas’s, for example.
94. Run on sentences
Contrary to popular belief run-on sentences aren’t necessarily long they simply occur when commas and/or other types of punctuation are missing like this.
95. Too many commas
Using too many commas, on the other hand, isn’t good either, because it can reduce the casual flow, from word to word, that you should strive for.
96. A break from parallel
“He was studying math, science, and digital photos” might not sound that bad, but why not say, “he was studying math, science, and digital photography” instead?
97. Sentence splice
I wanted to cook a great dinner, however I was just too tired.
I wanted to cook a great dinner; however, I was just too tired.
I wanted to cook a great dinner. However, I was just too tired.
The first of these three sentences is incorrect. Why? Because it’s spliced together without the appropriate punctuation.
98. Misplaced semicolons
On the other hand; using semicolons where they’re not needed (say, in place of commas) isn’t good either.
99. Incorrect capitalization
You probably know to capitalize proper nouns and the first word of each sentence. But sometimes you also need to capitalize after a semicolon or the first word of a quote.
Christine explained, “Community is key to building a successful online business.”
7 major types of grammatical errors
Bad grammar can make a poor first impression, whether you’re writing a business email or messaging a potential date . People tend to make assumptions about your abilities based on how you communicate. If you’ve made it this far and want to learn how to write better , let’s look at some examples of bad grammar.
- Verb tense errors
One of the most common grammar mistakes is using the wrong verb tense. The verb tense tells your reader when the action takes place: in the past, present, or future. When writing anything, you want to be consistent on verb tense unless there is a good reason to switch tenses.
The mistake: I drive to the store and I bought shoes.
Why it’s wrong: A verb tense shift happens when the writer changes tense in a sentence or paragraph. In this case, drive is present tense and bought is past tense.
The correction: You should change drive to drove , or change bought to buy to make the sentence correct. Be mindful of shifting tenses within a paragraph.
Subject-verb agreement
The subject of the sentence (the person or thing doing the action) and verb (the action) in a sentence must agree with each other. If the subject of the sentence is singular, the verb must be singular. If it’s plural, the verb must be plural also.
The mistake: Michael and Sue is going to the beach.
Why it’s wrong: “Michael and Sue” are plural. The auxiliary verb “is” is singular, which is a lack of agreement.
The correction: The sentence should read, “Michael and Sue are going to the beach.”
Comma splice
A common punctuation mistake is the comma splice. A comma splice happens when two separate sentences take place rather than using a period or semicolon.
The mistake: I went to Steve’s house, and ate lunch.
Why it’s wrong: Writers often use a comma splice when they connect two independent clauses with a comma rather than a comma and a coordinating conjunction.
The correction: Use commas to separate two independent clauses when they are joined by coordinating conjunctions: and, but, or, for, so, yet. In the compound sentence above, “and ate lunch” doesn’t have a subject, so you don’t need to add a comma before “and”.
Small punctuation errors like this seem like a small thing, but punctuation helps guide readers through your text smoothly. You can use a punctuation checker to double check your work and correct these grammar errors in minutes.
Misplaced or dangling modifiers
A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is separated from the word it modifies or describes. A dangling modifier is a grammatical error where the modifying word is too far away from the subject of the sentence, or there is no subject.
Sentences with these mistakes often sound awkward or confusing. But don’t worry, misplaced and dangling modifiers are common writing mistakes and even trouble the experts in English grammar.
The mistake: Disappointed, the story took me forever to write.
Why it’s wrong: The modifier should be as close as possible to the thing it modifies. Since the subject of the sentence is disappointed (not the story), the sentence should have the speaker and modifier closer.
The correction: The sentence should read, “I was disappointed by how long the story took me to write.”
- Overuse of adverbs
An adverb is a word that describes a verb—they often end in -ly. Writers use adverbs to give more information about the verb and make it more descriptive. Using adverbs every so often isn’t bad grammar, but too many can mean poor verb choices.
The mistake: The wedding went really bad.
Why it’s wrong: The adverb “really bad” modifies the verb “went”. While “really bad” gets the point across, does it really paint a picture for the reader?
The correction: Use a more descriptive sentence like “the wedding was a disaster” instead.
Passive voice
English grammar experts and teachers consider passive voice a bad writing habit. With the passive voice, the object of the action becomes the subject of the sentence. It’s recommended to turn passive constructions into active voice, where the subject does the action of the verb in a sentence. Active voice can make your writing stronger and more direct.
The mistake: The car was driven by Chris.
Why it’s wrong: The last words in the sentence “by Chris” make up a preposition that tells the reader who is performing the action. Even though Chris is performing the action, he is not the subject of the sentence. You could remove him from the sentence entirely using passive voice.
The correction: The active voice construction would be “Chris drove the car”.
Sentence errors
Sentence structure mistakes are one of the most common grammatical errors. You can break down sentence errors into three categories: sentence fragments, run-on sentences, and overloaded sentences.
- Sentence fragments
Sentence fragments are clauses that miss one of the following elements: a subject, a verb, a complete thought. You often miss fragments because they are no big deal in spoken grammar , aka conversation, but can make a big impact on your writing’s clarity.
The mistake: He still loved his parents. Despite everything that had happened.
Why it’s wrong: The second sentence “despite everything that had happened” has no subject or verb. You depend on the first sentence to give the second one meaning.
The correction: The complete sentence for this clause is “Despite everything that happened, he still loved his parents.”
- Run-on sentences
Run-on sentences, also known as fused sentences, happen when two complete sentences are brought together without any punctuation or conjunction, such as a semicolon or period. Run-on sentences don’t have to be long to be considered grammatically incorrect.
The mistake: Yesterday was the best day ever my family and I began our ski vacation.
Why it’s wrong: There is more than one idea communicated by two independent clauses.
The correction: Yesterday was the best day ever! My family and I began our ski vacation.
- Overloaded sentences
An overloaded sentence is one that squashes too much information together and, as a result, becomes hard to understand for readers.
The mistake: Youth league coaches need to understand that the education of a child is a big undertaking and should be done with care and consistency so that the child can gain maximum benefit from each training in order to set a solid foundation for any follow-up teaching.
Why it’s wrong: A good sentence focuses on one idea. The example above wanders around and takes too much mental effort before understanding the point.
The correction: Youth league coaches need to understand that the education of a child is a big undertaking. It should be done with care and consistency. That way, children can get the most from each training and set a solid foundation for any future teaching.
Related reading: An Introduction to AI Writing Software
Lowering the number of grammar mistakes in your writing
They say rules are meant to be broken — and we’d agree, as long as one is talking about the core grammar rules. Sometimes a missing comma or random sentence splice can make good writing great! So don’t be afraid to follow your intuition. If you’re having fun, chances are your reader will be, too.
(For the words that matter most, take no chances! Make sure you’re using Writer .)
Common grammar mistakes FAQ
What is a grammatical error.
A grammatical error refers to an occurrence of faulty, unconventional or controversial usage, such as a dangling modifier or possessive noun errors. Grammar errors are also called usage errors.
What are examples of grammatical errors?
- Faulty sentence structures
- Punctuation mistakes
- Passive voice misuse
- Dangling participles
How do you identify grammatical errors?
You can identify grammatical errors by using a grammar checker to find and fix errors, improve word usage, verb tense, and punctuation for English text.
What are the 10 most common grammar mistakes?
Using millions of data points from Writer subscribers, we identified 10 common grammar mistakes:
- Let’s vs. lets
- Its vs. it’s
- Your vs. You’re
- May vs. Might
- Lay vs. Lie
- Affect vs. Effect
- There vs. their vs. they’re
- Loose vs lose
- Peek vs. peak
What are three most common sentence errors?
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May Habib CEO, Writer.com
Here’s what else you should know about Ascending.
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Table of contents
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Zeniya Cooley
We’ve all made errors in our writing — from simple spelling and grammar mistakes to larger structural issues. While we’ll likely make mistakes again (we’re human, after all!), the good news is that we can learn to spot them and keep our writing as polished as possible.
But to do that, we have to identify them first.
That’s where I come in. As a professional writer, I’ve made — and corrected — plenty of writing mistakes over the years.
In this blog post, I share seven common errors in writing and explain how to fix them using handy before-and-after examples.
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What are the different types of writing errors?
Writing errors can be divided into several categories, including:
- Spelling errors: These occur when words are misspelled — e.g., “bisness” instead of “business.”
- Grammar errors : These are mistakes in sentence form or structure, such as writing an incomplete sentence like “Because of the snow.”
- Punctuation errors: These involve using punctuation incorrectly or not using it at all — like writing “Let’s eat Dad” instead of “Let’s eat, Dad.”
- Structure errors: These occur when the ideas in a piece of writing are unclear, not well-organized, or repetitive.
- Style errors: These happen when a writer doesn’t follow language and style rules — e.g., using passive instead of active voice.
7 common errors in writing (and how to fix them)
Now that you understand the categories of writing mistakes, we can look at specific examples. Below, I cover seven common errors and how to fix them.
1. Run-on sentences
A run-on sentence is a grammatical error that occurs when two independent clauses (complete thoughts) aren’t properly joined. This kind of sentence makes it difficult to see where one idea ends and the other begins .
Two common types of run-on sentences are fused sentences and comma splices.
Fused sentences
A fused sentence joins two independent clauses without using a punctuation mark or coordinating conjunction (e.g., “and” or “but”), as seen below:
❌ Kel loves orange soda it’s his favorite drink.
You’d correct this sentence by inserting a semicolon between the two complete thoughts:
✅ Kel loves orange soda ; it’s his favorite drink.
Another option is to use a period to divide the clauses into two sentences:
✅ Kel loves orange soda . It’s his favorite drink.
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Comma splices
A comma splice uses a comma between two independent clauses but forgets the necessary coordinating conjunction .
For example:
❌ Margaret went to Lenox Mall , she bought a new dress.
To correct this sentence, simply add a conjunction after the comma.
✅ Margaret went to Lenox Mall, and she bought a new dress.
2. Passive voice
Passive voice occurs when the receiver of the action (object) becomes the focus of the sentence rather than the one performing the action (subject).
Passive voice:
The decision was made by the jury.
Here, the focus is on the decision being made (object) instead of the jury making the decision (subject). As a result, the reader spends more time processing who is doing what .
To rewrite this sentence in active voice , put the subject at the front of the sentence. That way, the jury becomes the focus and performs the action, as shown here:
Active voice:
The jury made the decision.
This sentence is easier to understand because it follows a straightforward structure: subject (“the jury”) + action (“made”) + receiver of the action (“the decision”).
3. Subject-verb disagreement
Subject-verb agreement means that a singular subject (one person, place, or thing) takes a singular verb , and a plural subject (two or more people, places, and things) takes a plural verb .
For example, in the sentence “ Nancy eats popcorn,” “Nancy” is a singular subject, and “eats” is a singular verb.
Meanwhile, “ Nancy and Rodney eat popcorn” pairs a plural verb (“eat”) with a plural subject (“Nancy and Rodney”).
Notice that when you use a third-person singular subject (e.g., “Nancy,” “he,” “she,” and “it”) in the present tense (the tense for action happening now), you add an “s” at the end of the verb .
Ignoring this rule results in subject-verb disagreement, meaning the subject and its verb don’t match.
For example:
❌ Nancy eat buttered popcorn.
✅ Nancy eats buttered popcorn.
That said, you don’t add an “s” to the end of the verb when using the subjects “I” (singular), “we” (plural), and “they” (plural), as this would also lead to subject-verb disagreement.
❌ I eats buttered popcorn.
❌ We eats buttered popcorn.
❌ They eats buttered popcorn.
To correct the error, simply remove the “s” from the end of “prefer” for these subjects:
✅ I eat buttered popcorn.
✅ We eat buttered popcorn.
✅ They eat buttered popcorn.
AI tip: Wordtune’s Editor can identify subject-verb disagreement and offer suggestions on how to correct it.
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4. Incorrect word choice
Many writers confuse one word for another or misuse words in their work. This often happens with homophones — words that sound the same but have different meanings or spellings, such as “weather” and “whether.”
❌ The whether is lovely today.
The word “whether” means a choice between alternatives or indicates uncertainty. However, in this sentence, it’s used like the homophone “weather,” which refers to the state of or changes in the air or atmosphere (e.g., sun, rain, etc.)
Therefore, the word “weather” is the correct choice for this sentence:
✅ The weather is lovely today.
Now, let’s reverse the context:
❌ I don’t know weather I should read a book or watch a movie.
The word “weather” is incorrect here because the sentence focuses on the speaker’s inability to choose between two options: read a book or watch a movie.
Therefore, you’d use “whether”:
✅ I don’t know whether I should read a book or watch a movie.
Pro tip: The best way to avoid incorrect word choice is to use a memory device. For example, you could remember that “we a ther” refers to the “ a ir” or “ a tmosphere” because all three words contain the letter “ a .”
5. Vague pronouns
A vague pronoun is a pronoun (e.g., “he,” “she,” or “it”) with more than one antecedent (the person, place, or thing that a pronoun refers to). Using vague pronouns confuses readers because they don’t know who or what you’re referencing.
For instance, this sentence about Mitchell and Mike (antecedents) doesn’t clarify who the pronoun “he” refers to:
❌ Mitchell and Mike went to the football game after he finished work. (Who finished work, Mitchell or Mike?)
To fix this issue, you could restate the subject (for instance, “Mike”) so readers know who you’re talking about:
✅ Mitchell and Mike went to the football game after Mike finished work.
A less redundant option would be to rewrite the sentence so the pronoun (“he”) is closer to the subject it replaces (“Mike”):
✅ After Mike finished work, he and Mitchell went to the football game.
6. Dangling modifiers
A modifier is a word, such as an adjective, or phrase that describes another part of the sentence .
For example, in the sentence “Lex is an English professor,” the word “English” modifies the word “professor.” Additionally, in the sentence “After watching TV, Hunter went to sleep,” the phrase “After watching TV” modifies the word “Hunter.”
However, when a modifier describes the wrong thing because the intended subject isn’t in the right place, you get a dangling modifier.
❌ While standing in the freezing outdoors , thoughts of hot chocolate consumed Louise .
In this sentence, the phrase “while standing in the freezing outdoors” modifies “thoughts of hot chocolate.” However, that’s incorrect because “thoughts of hot chocolate” don’t stand outdoors.
Instead, “While standing in the freezing outdoors” is supposed to modify the person having the thoughts — the intended subject, Louise.
To correct this error, place the subject being modified immediately after the modifying phrase :
✅ While standing in the freezing outdoors , Louise was consumed with thoughts of hot chocolate.
Now, the modifier describes what it intended to all along: the person thinking about hot chocolate, not the thoughts themselves.
7. Missing or misplaced apostrophes
An apostrophe is a punctuation mark that forms a contraction (e.g., turning “you are” into “you’re”). It’s also used to indicate ownership . For instance, the apostrophe in the sentence “Lily’s cell phone went off in class” shows that Lily owns the phone.
Writers often forget to include apostrophes, or they use them in the wrong place.
The following sentence is an example of a missing apostrophe :
❌ Its hot outside.
This example uses a possessive pronoun (its), but the context of the sentence doesn’t indicate ownership. Instead, the sentence is trying to say that “it is” hot outside.
Therefore, we need to add an apostrophe to create a contraction for “it is”:
✅ It ’ s hot outside.
As for misplaced apostrophes , writers often make this error when dealing with plural possessive nouns. These nouns indicate that something belongs to more than one person — e.g., “the teachers’ lounge” belongs to more than one teacher.
❌ Lane heard laughter coming from the girl ’ s locker room.
Here, the apostrophe is misplaced because the locker room doesn’t belong to only one girl (singular noun). It belongs to a group of girls (plural noun).
So, we’d correct the sentence by adding an apostrophe after the letter “s” to make “girls” a plural possessive noun:
✅ Lane heard laughter coming from the girls ’ locker room.
Common writing errors include run-on sentences, passive voice, subject-verb disagreement, incorrect word choice, and dangling modifiers. Many writers make these mistakes, and the first step in correcting them is knowing what they are and when they happen.
By using the information and tips in this guide, you can better understand these errors and how to fix them in your writing.
For even more actionable advice on improving your work, read our guides on writing better sentences and making your writing flow smoothly .
What are grammar errors in writing?
Grammar errors in writing are mistakes writers make when constructing sentences. These mistakes include subject-verb disagreement (e.g., “I eats” instead of “I eat”), run-on sentences (e.g., “Lisa was thirsty she drank three water bottles”), and inconsistent verb tense (e.g., shifting from past to present tense).
What are common errors in writing essays?
Common errors in writing essays are grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. These include using dangling modifiers, spelling words incorrectly, and forgetting to use an apostrophe to form a contraction (e.g., writing “its” for “it is” instead of “it’s”). Essays may also feature structural errors, such as disorganized sections or redundant arguments.
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Twelve Common Errors
Download this Handout PDF
This list includes only brief examples and explanations intended for you to use as reminders while you are editing your papers. If you would like to learn more, consider the following options:
- Take one of the free grammar, style, and punctuation classes offered by the Writing Center.
- Set up an appointment for an individual conference in the Writing Center.
- Confer with your course instructor.
- Consult a handbook for additional examples and complete explanations
1. Sentence fragments
Make sure each word group you have punctuated as a sentence contains a grammatically complete and independent thought that can stand alone as an acceptable sentence.
Tests of the Shroud of Turin have produced some curious findings. For example, the pollen of forty-eight plants native to Europe and the Middle East.
[2nd sentence = fragment]
Tests of the Shroud of Turin have produced some curious findings. For example, the cloth contains the pollen of forty-eight plants native to Europe and the Middle East.
Scientists report no human deaths due to excessive caffeine consumption. Although caffeine does cause convulsions and death in certain animals.
Scientists report no human deaths due to excessive caffeine consumption, although caffeine does cause convulsions and death in certain animals.
2. Sentence sprawl
Too many equally weighted phrases and clauses produce tiresome sentences.
The hearing was planned for Monday, December 2, but not all of the witnesses could be available, so it was rescheduled for the following Friday, and then all the witnesses could attend.
[There are no grammatical errors here, but the sprawling sentence does not communicate clearly and concisely.]
The hearing, which had been planned for Monday, December 2, was rescheduled for the following Friday so that all witnesses would be able to attend.
3. Misplaced and dangling modifiers
Place modifiers near the words they describe; be sure the modified words actually appear in the sentence.
Not sure what a modifier is? Check our our FAQ.
When writing a proposal, an original task is set for research.
When writing a proposal, a scholar sets an original task for research.
Many tourists visit Arlington National Cemetery, where veterans and military personnel are buried every day from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Every day from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., many tourists visit Arlington National Cemetery, where veterans and military personnel are buried.
Still unsure? For more explanation and examples, see our grammar and style FAQ.
4. Faulty parallelism
Be sure you use grammatically equal sentence elements to express two or more matching ideas or items in a series.
The candidate’s goals include winning the election, a national health program, and the educational system.
The candidate’s goals include winning the election, enacting a national health program, and improving the educational system.
Some critics are not so much opposed to capital punishment as postponing it for so long.
Some critics are not so much opposed to capital punishment as they are to postponing it for so long.
5. Unclear pronoun reference
All pronouns must clearly refer to definite referents [nouns].
Use it, they, this, that, these, those, and which carefully to prevent confusion.
Einstein was a brilliant mathematician. This is how he was able to explain the universe.
Einstein, who was a brilliant mathematician, used his ability with numbers to explain the universe.
Because Senator Martin is less interested in the environment than in economic development, he sometimes neglects it.
Because of his interest in economic development, Senator Martin sometimes neglects the environment.
6. Incorrect pronoun case
Determine whether the pronoun is being used as a subject, or an object, or a possessive in the sentence, and select the pronoun form to match.
Castro’s communist principles inevitably led to an ideological conflict between he and President Kennedy.
Castro’s communist principles inevitably led to an ideological conflict between him and President Kennedy.
Because strict constructionists recommend fidelity to the Constitution as written, no one objects more than them to judicial reinterpretation.
Because strict constructionists recommend fidelity to the Constitution as written, no one objects more than they [do] to judicial reinterpretation.
7. Omitted commas
Use commas to signal nonrestrictive or nonessential material, to prevent confusion, and to indicate relationships among ideas and sentence parts.
When it comes to eating people differ in their tastes.
When it comes to eating, people differ in their tastes.
The Huns who were Mongolian invaded Gaul in 451.
The Huns, who were Mongolian, invaded Gaul in 451.
[“Who were Mongolian” adds information but does not change the core meaning of the sentence because Huns were a Mongolian people; this material is therefore nonrestrictive or nonessential.]
For more information on commas see Commas: Punctuating Restrictive and Non-restrictive Modifiers and Punctuating Coordinating Conjunctions and Sentence Adverbs , or take one of the free grammar, style, and punctuation workshops offered by the Writing Center.
8. Superfluous commas
Unnecessary commas make sentences difficult to read.
Field trips are required, in several courses, such as, botany and geology.
Field trips are required in several courses, such as botany and geology.
The term, “scientific illiteracy,” has become almost a cliche, in educational circles.
The term “scientific illiteracy” has become almost a cliche in educational circles.
9. Comma splices
Do not link two independent clauses with a comma (unless you also use a coordinating conjunction: and, or, but, for, nor, so, yet ).
Instead use a period or semicolon, or rewrite the sentence.
Comma splice:
In 1952 Japan’s gross national product was one third that of France, by the late 1970s it was larger than the GNPs of France and Britain combined.
In 1952 Japan’s gross national product was one third that of France. By the late 1970s it was larger than the GNPs of France and Britain combined.
Diseased coronary arteries are often surgically bypassed, however half of all bypass grafts fail within ten years.
Diseased coronary arteries are often surgically bypassed; however, half of all bypass grafts fail within ten years.
10. Apostrophe Errors
Apostrophes indicate possession for nouns ( “Jim’s hat,” “several years’ work” ) but not for personal pronouns (its, your, their, and whose).
Apostrophes also indicate omissions in contractions ( “it’s” = “it is” ).
In general, they are not used to indicate plurals.
In the current conflict its uncertain who’s borders their contesting.
In the current conflict it is [it’s] uncertain whose borders they are [they’re] contesting.
The Aztecs ritual’s of renewal increased in frequency over the course of time.
The Aztecs’ rituals of renewal increased in frequency over the course of time.
11. Words easily confused
“Effect” is most often a noun (the effect), and “affect” is almost always a verb.
Other pairs commonly confused: “lead”/”led” and “accept”/”except.”
Check a glossary of usage to find the right choice.
The recession had a negative affect on sales.
The recession had a negative effect on sales. (or) The recession affected sales negatively.
The laboratory instructor chose not to offer detailed advise.
The laboratory instructor chose not to offer detailed advice.
12. Misspellings
Spelling errors are usually perceived as a reflection of the writer’s careless attitude toward the whole project.
Don’t allow your hard work to be marred in this way!
In addition to comprehensive dictionaries, you may want to use electronic spell checks, spelling dictionaries, and lists of frequently misspelled words found in handbooks.
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Grammar and Punctuation
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Using Dashes
Using Commas
Using Semicolons
Using Coordinating Conjunctions
Using Conjunctive Adverbs
Subject-Verb Agreement
Using Gender–Neutral Pronouns in Academic Writing
How to Proofread
Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist
Clear, Concise Sentences
Daily Writing Tips
Common college essay mistakes to avoid.
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Proofreading errors are a common issue that many college students face when writing essays. As the field of freelance writing has grown, it has become an increasingly flexible and attractive career path. However, to succeed in this field, it is essential to develop a strong skillset, including the ability to proofread and avoid common essay writing mistakes.
This article will cover the most frequent grammar errors, structural issues, and other common mistakes found in college essays, as well as the important role that proofreading plays in avoiding these pitfalls. Keep reading to help recognize what mistakes you may be making in order to elevate your material to be noticed.
What Are the Most Common Grammar Mistakes in College Essays?
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One of the most common issues in college essays is the incorrect use of grammar . From simple homophones to complex subject-verb agreement, grammar errors can undermine the clarity and professionalism of a student’s writing. This is why some students opt to hire an essay writer who can help ensure their work is polished and free of grammatical errors.
By understanding the most common grammatical mistakes, students can better prepare themselves to identify and correct these issues during the proofreading process, or when they work alongside a professional writer.
Pay particular attention to the following issues to help keep your work polished and understandable:
- For example:
Incorrect: The students are going over there notes before the exam.
Correct: The students are going over their notes before the exam.
Incorrect: The team of players were excited about the big game.
Correct: The team of players was excited about the big game.
- For example:
Incorrect: A student should always do their homework on time.
Correct: A student should always do his or her homework on time.
Incorrect: The weather was sunny, we decided to go to the beach.
Correct: The weather was sunny, so we decided to go to the beach.
Incorrect: The students notebooks were left on the desk.
Correct: The students’ notebooks were left on the desk.
Incorrect: Walking through the park, the birds were singing.
Correct: As I was walking through the park, the birds were singing.
Incorrect: The researcher analyzes the data and will publish the findings next month.
Correct: The researcher analyzed the data and will publish the findings next month.
Incorrect: I went to the store I bought milk and eggs.
Correct: I went to the store and bought milk and eggs.
Incorrect: This essay will discuss strategies for effective proofreading.
Correct: Developing effective proofreading strategies is crucial for college students to produce polished, error-free writing.
Incorrect: The essay started by discussing the importance of proofreading, but then went on to talk about time management and study habits.
Correct: The essay maintained a clear focus on exploring different proofreading techniques throughout.
Incorrect: According to the article, good proofreading habits are essential for writers.
Correct: According to a study published in the Journal of College Writing, good proofreading habits are essential for writers (Smith, 2020).
What Role Does Proofreading Play in Avoiding Mistakes?
Proofreading is crucial for avoiding mistakes because it allows writers to carefully review their work and catch any errors or inconsistencies before submitting the final essay. Proofreading helps writers ensure that their grammar, punctuation, spelling, and overall structure are correct and polished.
One of the primary benefits of proofreading is that it helps writers identify and correct grammatical errors. By carefully reading through the essay, writers can spot issues such as subject-verb agreement problems, incorrect use of homophones, and pronoun errors. Proofreading also allows writers to ensure that their sentences are properly structured, with no run-on sentences or fragments.
In addition to catching grammatical mistakes, proofreading enables writers to strengthen their thesis statements and maintain a clear, consistent focus throughout the essay. By reviewing the essay, writers can ensure that each paragraph supports the main argument and that the essay flows from the introduction to the conclusion in a logical manner.
Proofreading is also important for ensuring proper citation of sources. Writers can double-check that they have correctly formatted in-text citations and the reference list, which is crucial for avoiding plagiarism and demonstrating their research skills.
Strategies for Effective Proofreading
![common mistakes on essays](https://www.dailywritingtips.com/wp-content/uploads/Woman-doing-proofreading.jpg)
Proofreading should never be overlooked. All writers, no matter their skill level, are prone to making mistakes in their work – whether they are errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, or even larger structural issues. For college students in particular, developing effective proofreading strategies is crucial, as poor proofreading can lead to low grades and a diminished academic reputation.
By learning techniques to carefully review their writing, students can ensure their essays are polished, professional, and free of careless errors. Mastering proofreading is not only important for academic success, but it is also a valuable skill that will benefit students throughout their careers.
Reading the essay aloud can help writers catch mistakes that may have been overlooked when reading silently. The human ear is often better equipped to identify grammatical errors, run-on sentences, and other issues that may be more difficult to spot on the page.
Focus on One Type of Error at a Time
Instead of trying to catch every possible mistake in a single pass, writers can improve their proofreading efficiency by focusing on one type of error at a time. For example, they could first check for subject-verb agreement, then move on to pronoun usage, and so on.
Use Technology Tools
There are a variety of technology tools, such as spelling and grammar checkers, that can assist writers in identifying potential errors. While these tools should not be solely relied upon, they can be a helpful complement to the proofreading process.
Ask for Feedback
Asking a peer, tutor, or professor to review the essay can provide valuable feedback and help writers catch mistakes they may have overlooked. Fresh eyes can often identify issues that the writers themselves have become desensitized to. Hire a professional essay writer to provide an objective, experienced perspective that can identify lingering grammar issues, clarify the thesis statement, and ensure the essay maintains a cohesive focus.
Take Breaks
Proofreading can be mentally taxing, so it’s important for writers to take breaks and come back to the essay with fresh eyes. This can help them better identify errors and inconsistencies that may have been missed during the initial proofreading sessions.
Develop a Proofreading Checklist
![common mistakes on essays](https://www.dailywritingtips.com/wp-content/uploads/Proofreading-checklist.jpg)
Creating a personalized proofreading checklist can help writers ensure that they consistently check for the most common mistakes in their writing. This can be especially helpful for writers who tend to struggle with particular grammar or structural issues.
Proofreading errors can be a significant obstacle for college students when writing essays, but by being aware of the most common mistakes and the importance of proofreading, writers can improve the quality of their work. From grammar and punctuation issues to structural problems and citation errors, a thorough proofreading process can help writers identify and correct a wide range of mistakes. By developing strong proofreading skills, college students can increase their chances of producing high-quality essays that showcase their knowledge, critical thinking, and writing abilities.
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The 10 Most Common Grammar Mistakes
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9-minute read
- 3rd February 2023
Whether you’re learning English online or in person, you’ve likely experienced trouble with grammar at some point. As a student, it can be frustrating when your teacher highlights grammatical errors in your writing (often without indicating why they’re errors).
In this post, we’ve compiled 10 common grammar errors in English with explanations and examples to help you avoid them in your writing. Believe it or not, even native English speakers unwittingly make these mistakes! By being aware of these errors, you’ll know what to watch out for, and your writing skills will improve.
1. Subject-verb Agreement
This is a common mistake associated with grammar tenses , in which the subject doesn’t agree with the corresponding verb. Let’s consider this example:
The mayor is an example of a third-person subject (e.g., he , she , it , they ). Since this is in the present simple tense, the verb must be conjugated as signs to agree with the subject.
Subject–verb agreement errors often occur with collective nouns (e.g., family , audience , group ) and infinitive nouns (e.g., anybody , everybody , none ). Because these nouns appear to be more than one person, the writer erroneously assumes the verb shouldn’t be conjugated as the third person. You can avoid this type of error by:
● Knowing which subjects are singular and plural
● Making the verb agree with the closer subject when or, nor, either/or , or neither/nor connects two subjects
● Watching out for subject complements (don’t confuse the subject complement for the real subject of a sentence)
Additionally, make sure you’re looking at the correct subject. Look at this example:
The writing (noun) in those paragraphs (noun) is (verb) horrible.
Because paragraphs is the last noun before the verb, it can be tempting to assume it’s the subject. However, it’s actually the object of a preposition ( in ). Therefore, writing is the correct subject of this sentence.
2. Pronoun-antecedent Agreement
This occurs when a pronoun doesn’t agree with the noun it’s referring to (the antecedent).
Students and writers often don’t know which pronoun to use with animals, so they erroneously use plural pronouns, such as their, like in the above example. The straightforward rule is that singular and plural nouns must go with their respective singular and plural pronouns. An example of this error would be:
Boy is singular, and they is plural. Therefore, the correct version would be:
You can avoid this error by knowing which pronouns are singular and plural. Indefinite pronouns ( everybody , nobody , somebody , etc.) are often mistaken as plural when they’re actually considered singular. When compound antecedents are joined by and , both nouns become plural (e.g., Jack and Jill ).
You should also be careful with compound antecedents that are joined by or, nor, either/or , or neither/nor . The pronoun should agree with the closer antecedent.
Example: Neither the nurse nor the doctors like when their patients are in pain.
3. Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices
Run-on sentences and comma splices occur when two independent clauses are incorrectly joined. Either a comma is missing, or it needs to have a conjunction after it in a sentence. Let’s consider this example of a run-on sentence:
As you can see, the sentence is missing a comma and is difficult to read. We would add a comma and a conjunction to improve readability:
Here’s an example of a comma splice:
Again, this doesn’t read well. To correct it, you could change the comma to a semicolon or add and after it.
To avoid run-on sentences, see if two or more independent clauses communicate more than one idea. If there is more than one idea, you must add a comma. Similarly, you can solve comma splice errors by:
● Adding a conjunction
● Changing the comma to a semicolon
● Making separate sentences if necessary
4. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Modifiers add spice to sentences and descriptive speech. You can use modifiers in the form of adjectives or adverbs. For example, you can modify the word lion by adding an adjective: the fearsome lion or the powerful lion.
Modifiers need to be placed very close to the word they’re modifying. Unfortunately, writers sometimes misplace the modifiers by placing them too far away from the words they’re meant to connect with, thus changing the sentence’s meaning. Let’s consider an example of a misplaced modifier:
It’s not clear which word is being modified. Did she crawl for the day? Did she walk slowly? Had she thought about walking for an entire day but decided against it? We don’t know. However, if we move the modifier, we can change the sentence to match the writer’s intended meaning:
Now, we get it! She did walk, and she walked for nearly an entire day.
Dangling modifiers occur when something modifies a word or phrase that hasn’t been identified. Let’s take this example:
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Was the sun looking into the distance? That’s unlikely, unless it was one of those smiling cartoon suns. So, who was looking into the distance? To clarify, we should add the word being modified.
Much better! Now we know who was looking into the distance.
To avoid misplaced modifiers, you need to know the word or phrase you’re trying to modify and place the modifier very close to the intended word. With dangling modifiers, you always need to clarify what’s being modified. You can also rephrase the sentence so that it’s clear.
5. Homophone Trouble
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. They’re also often spelled similarly, which makes them easy to confuse in writing. Take your and you’re . The former is a possessive adjective, while the latter is a contraction of you are . However, it’s easy to get them mixed up. Here are a few examples of using your and you’re :
Another common homophone error is there , they’re , and their . Take these examples:
Homophone errors might not matter when speaking, but they do in writing! So, it’s vital to know the differences between the meaning of those mentioned above:
● There describes a location (i.e., the opposite of here ).
● They’re is the shortened version of they are .
● Their is the possessive form of they .
When working with homophones, take a moment to think about which word is correct by going through the different meanings of each spelling. This can be tedious at first, but with practice, it’ll become second nature.
6. Adjective and Adverb Confusion
Confusing adjectives and adverbs results in writing that comes off as very informal or uneducated. You’ll often notice this issue with words ending in “-ly.” Let’s look at these examples:
This is what the writer actually meant:
To avoid such errors, you should know which word the adjective or adverb in question modifies. If the word modified is a noun or pronoun, use an adjective. If it’s a verb, also use an adjective. And if it’s an adverb, use an adverb.
7. Overusing Adverbs
Writers tend to overuse adverbs, especially fiction authors. Adverbs are often overused to describe actions and events. Here’s an example from a work of fiction:
Because of the overabundance of adverbs, there’s more telling than showing. We could rephrase the passage with fewer adverbs to provide more kick:
See the difference? The new words carry the same meaning, but there’s more show than tell (paramount for fiction writers).
You can avoid this error by using adverbs sparingly, especially when describing actions and events. Think of different verbs that will convey the same meaning.
8. Misplaced Apostrophes
Apostrophes can indicate that something belongs to someone or something else. For example:
Writers sometimes misplace apostrophes with regular plural nouns when describing what or who they belong to. For example:
Another misplaced apostrophe error occurs with it’s and its . For example:
Remember that it’s is short for it is . So, there’s no apostrophe at the end of its when it’s being used as a possessive. You should also remember to place the apostrophe at the end of regular plural nouns.
9. Incomplete Comparisons
Comparisons compare one noun to another by using comparatives. The error occurs when a comparison is left incomplete. Take this example:
The reader will respond, “It was much hotter than when?” We need to complete the comparison in this sentence. Here’s one way:
When using comparisons, be sure to complete them. We can’t have comparisons if we don’t know who or what they’re being compared to.
10. Mixed Verb Tenses
This is a form of faulty parallelism in which there are mixed verbs within a sentence. Take this example:
This sentence is unclear because it contains a verb in the present and past. Therefore, both verbs need to be in the same tense for consistency.
To avoid this error, remember to have consistency in verb tense. Determine if your sentence is referring to the past, present, or future, and then make sure all your verbs match that.
These are just a few examples of common grammar mistakes, but there are many other mistakes that people make. Practicing writing, reading extensively, and using grammar-checking tools will help you identify and correct mistakes. With time, practice, and patience, you’ll be able to improve your grammar skills and become a more confident writer.
Common Grammar Error FAQs
1. how do i know if a sentence is grammatically incorrect.
The subject and verb must both be singular or plural to make a sentence grammatically correct. In other words, the subject and verb must agree. Check for this after writing sentences.
2. What are some common grammar mistakes in academic writing?
Comma splices as well as dangling and misplaced modifiers are common errors in academic writing . The academic world also tends to frown upon contractions in writing ( they’re , it’s , can’t , etc.), as they’re considered informal.
3. How do I fix common grammar mistakes in my writing?
After you’ve finished writing your paper, we recommend proofreading it to catch common errors. If you’re uncomfortable doing this yourself, we suggest leaving it up to our team of experts! We’ll check your work for common grammar mistakes, ensure perfect spelling, and much more. Consider submitting a 500-word document for free today!
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Write better: The 10 most common writing mistakes you should avoid
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A former editor of mine once described wordy article introductions as "throat-clearing," as in, this person doesn't know yet what they're trying to say, so they're hemming and hawing before getting to the point.
You could chalk it up to writers liking to explain things or the need to dramatically set up the scene, but when it comes to everyday non-fiction writing—especially on the web—it's usually better to get to the hook as quickly as possible. The clock is ticking.
(Already I've spent too much time on this intro.)
If you want to polish your prose—whether you're writing a blog post, an email, or a report for your team—the next time you get to typing, consult this checklist of common writing mistakes. It'll help you communicate more clearly and put the focus on what you're saying rather than on stray commas or needless words.
Thanks to the editors, writers, and readers who chimed in with their advice for this post, which no doubt has several errors in it. Let's just consider them Easter eggs.
Table of contents
The most common m ajor writing mistakes
When approaching a piece of writing, most editors first check for the big picture to do "macro edits." Here, we're dealing with the content of the story—how it flows, if it all makes sense, if the tone is appropriate, and if there are any questions we didn't answer that readers might have. I like to call this "defensive editing," much like defensive driving.
After that, we can get into "micro editing" for the nitty gritty of editing for mechanics and language issues (see the next section if you, too, nerd out on words).
1. The intro is unnecessarily long
Get to the point. The example above isn't as bad as my initial attempt at the lede (the first couple of paragraphs that introduce an article), but, at 152 words, it's long by most web content standards.
1. When you sit down to write, there is only one important person in your life. This is someone you will never meet, called a reader.
2. You are not writing to impress the scientist you have just interviewed, nor the professor who got you through your degree, nor the editor who foolishly turned you down, or the rather dishy person you just met at a party and told you were a writer. Or even your mother. You are writing to impress someone hanging from a strap in the tube between Parson’s Green and Putney, who will stop reading in a fifth of a second, given a chance.
[Re: Writing the lede first or last:] I usually write it first, then delete it, then write it last, then delete it, then delete everything, then drink some tea and contemplate my life choices, then I write something else entirely, and then I write it first again. So... first, then rewrite later. — Joe Yaker (@joeyaker) .css-12hxxzz-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} March 12, 2018
Questions to ask as you're writing or editing the lede: Does the lede make sense—explain briefly what's to come? Is it supported by the rest of the document? Does it quickly hook the reader to continue reading? Bonus if you write for the web: Does the lede have the keywords you're targeting for SEO?
2. Explanations are handwavy or lacking backup
That same editor who introduced me to "throat-clearing" ledes also taught me the word "handwavy," similar to how magicians wave their hands to draw attention away from the actions behind the magic trick. It's not that we're trying to fool the reader when we're handwavy; it's that we haven't provided the reader all the facts or steps they need to understand what we're trying to explain.
So, for example, if I'm writing an article for the general public about transferring files between computers over the internet, I should explain what SFTP is when first mentioning it, since most people might not know that SFTP stands for Secure File Transfer Protocol and that it's a way to transfer and manage files between computers over a secure connection. In the same vein, here at Zapier, we try not to assume the reader knows what Zapier is when they first come to our blog or what "Zaps" (our word for automated workflows) are.
Similarly, you need details to prove your point. If I state that exercise helps prevent colds, I'd best link those statements to research proving that point or to experts, such as doctors, who would back up that claim.
It's about being clear to your readers and also making sure your content doesn't have any "holes," so you can establish trust. As Radford writes: "If in doubt, assume the reader knows nothing. However, never make the mistake of assuming that the reader is stupid. The classic error in journalism is to overestimate what the reader knows and underestimate the reader's intelligence."
Questions to ask as you're writing or editing: Are terms most people don't commonly use explained or linked to definitions? Are claims all linked to relevant research or backed by authoritative sources? If you were the target audience for this content, would it make sense to you?
3. The content was written in passive voice
Passive voice is used too often by writers. Writers use passive voice too often. Active voice, as in the previous sentence, is more direct and stronger because the subject (writers) is doing something (using passive voice), rather than the subject taking a backseat.
By far, the most common thing I wind up editing out or changing is passive voice. It's fairly simple to identify once you understand it, but it can be deceptively difficult to many writers to pick out of their own work, even if they go back and review their writing when they're finished. If the subject isn't clear, undefined, or you're using verb tenses that struggle to describe the action taken by a person or party not named in the sentence, you're probably using passive voice. In the same vein, I find many writers rely too heavily on present participles (-ing words, for example) when the simple present version will work better, and engage a reader more directly. For example, "Bill was setting the table" is fine, but "Bill set the table" is more direct, active, and engaging, which is critical to make sure your reader sticks with you, your story, or your article all the way through—and derives value from what they just read for their own use!
Passive voice isn't always the worst thing in the world, but when it makes a sentence incredibly wordy, you're doing a disservice to your readers. If you catch yourself saying "One of the reasons for this is," or something similar, you should probably rethink what the subject of that sentence is.
That said, sometimes using passive voice does make more sense than the active voice. When the action is more important than who's doing the action, passive voice is totally acceptable. For example: "My computer was stolen yesterday" is more fitting than "Someone stole my computer yesterday," since it puts more emphasis on the event versus an unknown perpetrator.
Here are some examples of when the passive voice is the right option. Rewriting these sentences in active voice would make them decidedly awkward.
Passive: Sergeant Smith was wounded in Vietnam.
Active: Someone wounded Sergeant Smith in Vietnam.
Passive: Joey was hurt during the soccer game.
Active: The soccer game hurt Joey.
Passive: I've been bamboozled!
Active: Someone bamboozled me!
Questions to ask as you're writing or editing: Is the sentence natural and clear? Will active or passive voice make the sentence more direct and engaging? Try to rewrite with as few "to be" verbs as possible and default to active verbs and tangible nouns.
4. Too many words
If you're familiar with the Zapier blog, you've probably noticed that our articles are sometimes more like novellas than blog posts. While we're fans of long-form content, we try not to be wordy .
It's similar to the long lede issue: Wordiness within the body of the piece is beating around the bush. From Strunk and White's seminal guide The Elements of Style :
Omit needless words. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell.
Your writing will be more concise and persuasive when you lose the overused adverbs and adjectives that ultimately detract from the meaning you wish to impart. Does the first of the following two sentences honestly convey any more meaning than the second?
T wo-factor authentication is very important technology. OR Two-factor authentication is important technology.
To take it a step further: Any time you’ve modified a noun or verb with "very," you can probably choose a more precise word, which leads to more powerful writing:
Two-factor authentication is critical technology.
It's fun to edit – Editing is fun
It takes time to write – Writing takes time
There are many people who write – Many people write
There's nothing better than blogging – Nothing's better than blogging
Here are some things to consider: – Some things to consider are:
And it's not just about repeating words—repeating ideas across multiple sentences is another easy trap to fall into. Be concise.
Questions to ask as you're writing or editing: Does this word or sentence add anything to the meaning or the flow of the piece? Can you read the sentence without running out of breath?
5. The conclusion doesn't conclude or doesn't exist
If the lede is meant to hook readers and convince them to keep reading, the conclusion is meant to neatly tie up the piece, so readers come away satisfied. Often, though, I see drafts where the piece abruptly stops, as if the writer expended all their energy on the meat of the post and had no room left for the conclusion (the dessert, in this analogy).
Conclusions can be tricky: How do you tie up everything in a way that makes a lasting impression? Triplett Lentz's advice:
When you don’t know how to conclude a piece of writing, try answering the "so what?" question. Why should anyone care about this? How does your idea apply to the reader as a human being? Can you situate your thesis in a broader context? If your post is about .css-12hxxzz-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} how to work a 40-hour week , for example, use the conclusion to address why that's a goal worth pursuing, or discuss the widespread problems that our culture of overwork creates.
The conclusion is an opportunity to ask readers to engage with you further, direct them to relevant content, or give them more to ponder.
Questions to ask as you're writing or editing: What's the takeaway for the reader, and is that expressed in the conclusion? Bonus points if you don't use "Conclusion" for your header for this section.
Micro writing mistakes we all make
Now that we have the major writing issues out of the way, let's talk about micro issues—the punctuation, word choices, and other things that copy editors usually catch, if you're lucky to have a good one. They're little things like using "their" when you mean "there" or "would of" instead of "would've" (a contraction of would have).
Nitpicky as the Grammar Police might be, grammatical and mechanical errors that are easy to overlook can make your readers do a double-take and perhaps doubt your authority.
It would take years to cover every grammatical mistake or point of contention, so for now, we'll just go over the most common mistakes and point you toward more resources for diving deeper.
6. Heed the homophones
Here's a list of more common culprits:
Accept/Except:
Accept means to acknowledge or agree to receive; e.g., "I accept your proposal."
Except means apart from or excluding; e.g., "Everyone was present except Jane."
Complement/Compliment:
A complement is something that completes or matches something else; e.g., "That nail polish complements your eyes."
A compliment is a flattering remark; e.g., "Thanks for the nice compliment on my article."
Principal/Principle:
Principal can be a noun or adjective. As a noun, it refers to the person in charge of a school, college, or organization; e.g., "Roger was called into the principal's office." As an adjective, it means main, or most important; e.g. "The principal reason for this meeting is to gather content ideas for Q2."
Principle refers to a fundamental truth or belief; e.g., "Roger's educational principles are sound."
Stationary/Stationery:
Stationary means not moving; e.g., "The car remained stationary."
Stationery refers to paper, pens, and other writing materials; e.g., "Simon looked for a blue ink pen in the stationery section."
7. Apostrophe catastrophes
We can blame many cases of homophone confusion on apostrophes, that pesky punctuation mark that turns "your" into "you're." The former, without the apostrophe, means you own something. The latter, with the apostrophe, means you are doing something or are something. Similarly with "its" versus "it's." "Its" means that thing owns something, while "it's" means "it is."
Pro tip: Any time you use an apostrophe in a contraction, where you're combining the verb with the noun (such as "it's" for "it is" or "here's" for "here is"), expand the contraction in your mind so you get the subject-verb agreement right. "Here's the best apps," for example, does not work when you expand the "here's" contraction—"here is the best apps." It should be "here are the best apps." Just don't use contractions in this case.
Here are a couple more common apostrophe mistakes:
Who's/Whose:
Who's is a contraction of "who is"; e.g., "Who's calling Alan at this hour?"
Whose is a possessive pronoun that means "belonging to [someone]"; e.g., "Alan, whose phone hadn't stopped ringing all morning, barely ate anything for breakfast."
Let's/Lets
Let's is a contraction of "let us"; e.g., "Let's consider another example of a writing mistake."
Lets means allows; e.g., "The key lets you open the door."
8. Comma and semicolon confusion
It had nothing to do with anything. The sun was too small, and too cold, and too far away, to keep the world alive. The white ring was not enough. It was feeble and worthless. It was as useless as a memory; it was as off-kilter and hollow and wretched as a memory. When you try your hardest to recall someone’s face, or the look of a place, you see in your mind’s eye some vague and terrible sight such as this. It is dark; it is insubstantial; it is all wrong.
(Hey, if you can write like Annie Dillard, do whatever you want with punctuation.)
That said, if you do use a semicolon, make sure the parts that come before and after the semicolon are both complete thoughts (with both a subject and a verb). "I love semicolons; but hate commas" is incorrect because the "but hate commas" part can't stand on its own, while "I love semicolons; but I hate commas" works—even if you're better off using a comma here. Which brings us to the next point:
Commas are the worst.
They're the trickiest punctuation mark to master and a cause of contention when it comes to style. Should you use the Oxford comma (a.k.a., serial comma) or not? The Oxford comma, if you recall, is the comma that's added before the last item in a list. So, for example: "X, Y, and Z" follows the Oxford comma rule, as opposed to "X, Y and Z" (missing that last comma). Those who are not in favor of the Oxford comma cite aesthetics and one fewer character needed. Those on the side of the Oxford comma cite clarity.
From our blog style guide, here are other guidelines for using commas correctly:
Incorrect: "I'll order the cheeseburger, but don't want the pickles."
Correct: "I'll order the cheeseburger but don't want the pickles" OR "I'll order the cheeseburger, but I don't want the pickles."
"Don't want the pickles" wouldn't be used, in most cases, as a standalone sentence, so we don't need the comma. "I don't want the pickles" is complete with subject and verb, so we add the comma. (Alternatively, you could shorten the sentence to "I'll order the cheeseburger without pickles.")
Incorrect: "Or, you could download this other to-do app."
Correct: "Or you could download this other to-do app" OR "Or, if you want more features, you could download this other to-do app."
Pro tip: Every time you want to add a comma or a semicolon, consider whether the words after the punctuation mark form a complete thought that could stand on its own.
9. Repetitive words repeat
But other times repeating the same words or phrases is a sign that you're struggling to communicate or fully explain your topic without beating around the bush. Readers (that is, people) like variety, and, in some cases, the thesaurus is your friend.
Pro tip: Grammarly's advice: Read your piece out loud, then cut down or replace frequently used words. When writing, ask yourself if you've already made this statement before in your piece.
10. Misused words
Writing is all about choosing the right words in the right sequence to convey your thought or idea. Simple, right? The problem is there are so many words at your disposal and picking the "best" word is impossible. But some words are better than others when you want to get your point across and also be precise and accurate.
One of my pet peeves is when people use "less" when they should be using "fewer." As in, "I have less readers than I did when this post was published"—it should be "fewer." Use "fewer" when you can count whatever you're referring to (in this case, readers) and "less" when you can't, such as less readership or audience. Similarly, you'd say "less water" (not countable) but "fewer raindrops" (countable).
Home in on means zero in on (get closer to a target).
Hone is what you do when you sharpen a knife (or a skill).
Pro tip: The next time you misuse a word and correct it (or your editor corrects it), come up with a mnemonic to remember the right word.
Fix your writing mistakes
Related reading:
This article was originally published in 2018. The most recent update, with contributions from David Hartshorne, was in November 2023.
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Melanie Pinola
Melanie Pinola is a NY-based writer. Besides trying out new productivity systems, she enjoys cooking, playing video games with her family, and traveling. Follow her at @melaniepinola.
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Common essay writing mistakes and how to avoid them
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Whether you’re writing a research paper , an argumentative essay , or an exploratory essay , there are some key mistakes that you want to avoid. In this post, we discuss common essay writing mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. Failing to stay on topic
One common mistake when writing essays is failing to stay on topic. It's important to stay focused on the main idea and avoid introducing tangential information that does not contribute to the overall argument.
The best way to counteract this is by revising your work throughout the writing process. If you revise your work systematically, you will catch those places in your paper where you might be going off topic.
2. Not properly citing sources
Another common mistake is not properly citing your sources. It's important to give credit to the authors of any sources that you use in your essay, whether you’re quoting directly from a source or simply paraphrasing it.
Not citing your sources can lead to plagiarism , which can have serious consequences. To help avoid plagiarism, use an accurate citation generator like BibGuru . A citation app like BibGuru will also save you time.
3. Poor structure and organization
Because academic essays are often written in multiple steps, papers can become disorganized and disconnected. It's essential to have a clear introduction , body, and conclusion in your paper, and to make sure that each paragraph is focused on a specific point that supports your overall argument.
To combat poor structure or organization, try creating an outline and reading your drafts aloud. These methods will help you construct a more organized paper.
4. Quoting too much
Another mistake to avoid is relying too heavily on quotes, without providing your own analysis or interpretation. While it's necessary to support your arguments with evidence, it's also important to demonstrate your own understanding and critical thinking skills.
Choose quotes wisely and be sure to provide adequate analysis. A basic rule of thumb is that your analysis should be at least as long as the quote that you’re analyzing.
5. Not supporting claims with evidence
Whenever you make a claim in your essay, you need to support it with proper evidence and analysis. Many writers make the mistake of making claims that are not backed up by research. To avoid this, make a clear outline that connects each claim with accompanying evidence from your sources.
You should always strive to avoid making generalizations that cannot be properly proved. Also, choose the best possible evidence from your research, not simply the first few results from Google or an academic database .
6 . Not proofreading
One of the biggest mistakes that academic writers make is not planning enough time to properly proofread their papers. Make time for proofreading your work before you turn it in.
Watch out for spelling or grammar mistakes and make note of places in your essay that may be confusing or overwritten. Aim for a tone that is appropriate for the audience and purpose of your essay.
7 . Procrastination
Finally, avoid procrastination. Writing an essay can be a time-consuming process and waiting until the last minute can lead to rushed and poorly written work. Make a plan and set aside dedicated time for researching, outlining, and writing your essay.
The bottom line
By avoiding these common mistakes, you can improve the quality of your essays and achieve better grades. Remember to give yourself enough time to plan, research, and write your essay, and to seek feedback from others to help improve your writing skills.
Frequently Asked Questions about common essay writing mistakes
Firstly, you should avoid procrastinating when you’re writing an essay. Other things to avoid include plagiarism, poor organization, and not proofreading.
A bad essay is poorly organized, full of grammar and spelling mistakes, wordy and digressive, and/or plagiarized.
Common essay writing mistakes include: failing to stay on topic, not properly citing sources, poor organization, quoting too much, not providing enough evidence and analysis, not proofreading, and procrastination.
The best essays have a well-written introduction, a clearly identifiable thesis, strong signposts, a state of the field or literature review, solid body paragraphs that present evidence and analysis, a clear conclusion, and an accurate bibliography.
Different types of essays may be harder to write than others. However, many writers struggle to come up with a clear and defendable thesis statement. Students also struggle with creating accurate citations and bibliographies.
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Write Better Essays: 7 Mistakes to Avoid
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By Cari Bennette
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Academic essays are an unavoidable part of the educational journey. Learning to write well may be one of the greatest skills you gain during your college years. Most students, however, will commit many errors before learning the art of academic essay writing.
While you can't avoid writing essays, you can avoid making some of these common mistakes:
Writing a Synopsis, Not An Analytical Essay
Not having a strong thesis statement, using too many quotes in an essay, making grammar, spelling and pronoun mistakes, not having a good bibliography, using resources that aren't credible, want to improve your essay writing skills.
The point of an essay is to create an argument and defend a thesis. If you're writing about a work of literature, some background to clarify the topic can be helpful. But the majority of your essay should involve your analysis based on credible research. Don't simply restate what happened in the book.
Coming up with a strong thesis statement is essential to writing a good essay. The thesis statement is the hook on which the rest of your essay hangs. It should state an opinion and be as specific as possible. Example weak thesis statement: The Great Gatsby is a great example of American Literature. Example strong thesis statement: The Great Gatsby captures the essence of America's Jazz Age in its decadence, materialism and ultimately, its tragic emptiness.
The essay is supposed to reflect your understanding of the topic and the research you've done to back up your argument. Overuse of quotes either from the work you're analyzing or from the research you've done undermines your authority on the topic. Quotes should be used sparingly and only when they drive home a point with an eloquence you can't match with your own words.
Defined as “the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own,” plagiarism is a serious offense. Colleges and universities have strict policies against plagiarism and use various tools to check your work for plagiarised content. You won't get away with it, and sometimes it can even get you suspended. Professors can recognize if something sounds like a student wrote it or if it came from another source, so don't try to fool them.
There are two kinds of plagiarism:
- The first kind is directly taking the words from a source and using them in your paper without quoting or giving credit.
- The second kind is trickier and you should take special care to make sure you're not committing this kind of plagiarism. It consists of rewording an entire article or section of an article. In this case, instead of coming up with your own original ideas and analysis, you're just rewording someone else's ideas including the order in which they present those ideas.
Your essay should contain your own original thesis, analysis and ideas backed up by credible research from academic authorities.
Worried about plagiarism? ProWritingAid's plagiarism checker checks your work against over a billion web-pages, published works, and academic papers so you can be sure of its originality. Did you know that many of the free plagiarism checkers online sell your writing to other sources? With ProWritingAid, you can be certain that your original work is secure. Paying for this kind of service might feel like a lot, but trust me, it's worth it.
Okay, let's break these down:
- Get your contractions right. You're = you are. Your = second person possessive. It's = it is. Its = third person possessive. They're = they are. Their =third person plural possessive.
- Make sure your subjects and verbs agree.
- Beware of incomplete sentences (there must be both a subject and a verb to be complete).
- Use your spell check.
- Essays should be written in the third person (he/she/it/they). Don't use the first or second person (I, you or we) in an essay.
- Follow proper formatting ( MLA formatting is a common example.
You can check for all of these errors using ProWritingAid. The Homonym report will highlight all of the words in your essay that sound the same as others but are spelled differently. This will help you avoid any 'its/it's or 'their/they're/there' mistakes.
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COMMENTS
THE TOP TWENTY. 1. Wrong Word. Wrong word errors take a number of forms. They may convey a slightly different meaning than you intend ( compose instead of comprise) or a completely wrong meaning ( prevaricate instead of procrastinate ). They may also be as simple as a wrong preposition or other type of wrong word in an idiom.
99 most common grammar mistakes in writing. One of the questions our subscribers ask most, whether they're proofreading pros or full-time students, is how they can avoid the most common grammar mistakes. In this list, we outline some of the most common grammatical errors we're seeing, based on millions of data points from Writer subscribers. 1.
What are common errors in writing essays? Common errors in writing essays are grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. These include using dangling modifiers, spelling words incorrectly, and forgetting to use an apostrophe to form a contraction (e.g., writing "its" for "it is" instead of "it's").
Common grammar mistakes include punctuation and syntax errors and incorrect word choices. Grammar mistakes often make it difficult for readers to understand a piece of writing; this is why writers should try to avoid them. The goal is to have polished, clear, mistake-free writing, so we'll look at some of the most common mistakes so you know ...
Confer with your course instructor. Consult a handbook for additional examples and complete explanations. 1. Sentence fragments. Make sure each word group you have punctuated as a sentence contains a grammatically complete and independent thought that can stand alone as an acceptable sentence. Incorrect.
Correct: The weather was sunny, so we decided to go to the beach. Apostrophe misuse: Correctly using apostrophes to indicate possession or to show the omission of letters in contractions is a common stumbling block for many writers. Improper apostrophe use can make an essay appear sloppy and unprofessional.
Thanks to some excellent research from Andrea Lunsford and her colleagues, every few years, we get a list of the "20 Most Common Errors" beginning writers in the United States make. Every few years, Lunsford and her team of researchers examine thousands of student essays and survey hundreds of writing teachers in order to give us this list.
Omitting sensory details. Leaving out sensory details in writing is one of the best ways to make writing feel empty for readers. Misusing dialogue tags. Whether you use "said" or not, here are some ways to use dialogue tags with more purpose. Giving up.
1. Subject-verb Agreement. This is a common mistake associated with grammar tenses, in which the subject doesn't agree with the corresponding verb. Let's consider this example: The mayor (subject) sign (verb) the contract. The mayor signs the contract. The mayor is an example of a third-person subject (e.g., he, she, it, they).
Pro tip: Every time you want to add a comma or a semicolon, consider whether the words after the punctuation mark form a complete thought that could stand on its own. 9. Repetitive words repeat. According to Grammarly, one of the most common writing mistakes is using the same word often in a piece.
10 Subject-verb agreement. Singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs. Michael study at the library every day. Michael studies at the library every day. There you have it: the top ten student writing mistakes, just in time for finals. The writing skills that come from identifying common errors will help you make ...
Learn about the top 10 most common college essay mistakes and how to spot and fix them. Jordan Sanchez, current sophomore at Harvard University, will walk through the most common college essay mistakes she has encountered while editing her own and others' work. She will also provide essay examples and several exercises you can use to review ...
To keep your writing professional and polished, you can use ProWritingAid's grammar checker. Read on to learn the 20 most common grammar mistakes you should look out for when you're editing your own work. Contents: 1. Run-On Sentences. 2. Sentence Fragments. 3. Grammatical Errors Involving Apostrophes.
In this post, we discuss common essay writing mistakes and how to avoid them. 1. Failing to stay on topic. One common mistake when writing essays is failing to stay on topic. It's important to stay focused on the main idea and avoid introducing tangential information that does not contribute to the overall argument.
A common college essay mistake is writing an essay that's too short. For example, the word limit for the Common App essay is 650 words, and you should try as hard as you can to reach that number. A 400-word essay is definitely too short. Make sure you're using all the words available to you. If you're having difficulty meeting the word ...
Most students, however, will commit many errors before learning the art of academic essay writing. While you can't avoid writing essays, you can avoid making some of these common mistakes: Contents: Writing a Synopsis, Not An Analytical Essay. Not Having a Strong Thesis Statement. Using Too Many Quotes in An Essay. Plagiarism.
Hey there! It's great that you're being proactive about avoiding common mistakes in your college essays. I'm happy to provide you with some examples and advice on what NOT to do when writing your essay: 1. Overused Topics: Avoid cliché topics like sports injuries, coming-of-age experiences, and sob stories about overcoming challenges. Those types of essays tend to be less engaging and fail to ...
Start from a blank canvas to make sure you get to the personal right away. No cliched "inspirational" quotes either, please. 7) Writing a Cliched Conclusion. Another major personal essay mistake is that your closing paragraph feels cliche and just repeats information you've already said earlier in the essay.
Understanding the 18 most common grammar mistakes can help you improve your writing. When you know which errors to look for, it's easier to act as your own editor.
Writing Numbers. Commonly Confused Words. 1. Sentence Structure. The two main sentence structure mistakes I find are run-on sentences and incomplete or fragmented sentences. When it comes to run-on sentences, read the sentence aloud. Note where you naturally take a breath or pause.
5 Common Essay Mistakes. Mistake #1: Thesis Statement Problems. Mistake #2: Including Hard-to-Read Sentences. Mistake #3 Disorganized Essay Structure. Mistake #4: Rewording the Introduction for the Conclusion. Mistake #5 Not Editing Your Essay Thoroughly. Learning From Common Essay Mistakes. Services. About Gradehacker.
Text structure errors in essays. The most common errors in writing essays structure is a lack of proper paragraph division. When you make such mistakes, you will not be able to convey your meaning effectively. Any essay must have at least four paragraphs: the introduction, two main body paragraphs, and the conclusion.
5. Neglecting Proofreading and Editing. Spelling errors, grammatical mistakes, and typos can be distracting and detrimental to an otherwise outstanding personal statement. Students often ...
Avoiding common IELTS writing mistakes is important for achieving a high score on the IELTS writing test. You have to ensure that you can devel. 11 min read. 10 Most Common Mistakes to Avoid in SOP Writing. Everybody wants to write a compelling SOP that will help them get into the college or university of their choice. Writing an SOP can ...