English grammar can be tricky, even for native speakers. Making small mistakes is normal, but knowing the most common ones and how to fix them can improve your communication skills. Here are some of the top grammar mistakes in English and easy tips to help you avoid them.
1. Incorrect Subject-Verb Agreement
Mistake: “She go to the store.” Fix: Make sure the verb matches the subject. It should be, “She goes to the store.”
2. Mixing Up Their, There, and They’re
Mistake: “Their going to the party.” Fix: Use “their” for ownership, “there” for location, and “they’re” as a contraction for “they are.”
3. Confusing Your and You’re
Mistake: “Your welcome!” Fix: “Your” shows possession, while “you’re” means “you are.” So, it should be, “You’re welcome!”
4. Misusing Its and It’s
Mistake: “Its a nice day.” Fix: “It’s” means “it is,” and “its” shows possession. The correct sentence is, “It’s a nice day.”
5. Incorrect Use of Apostrophes
Mistake: “The car’s are parked outside.” Fix: Don’t use an apostrophe for plural words. It should be, “The cars are parked outside.”
6. Using Double Negatives
Mistake: “I don’t have no time.” Fix: In English, two negatives make a positive. The correct sentence is, “I don’t have any time.”
7. Confusing Then and Than
Mistake: “She is taller then him.” Fix: Use “then” for time and “than” for comparisons. It should be, “She is taller than him.”
8. Wrong Use of Me vs. I
Mistake: “Me and John went to the store.” Fix: Use “I” when it’s the subject. The correct form is, “John and I went to the store.”
9. Using Too Many Commas
Mistake: “She likes, apples, bananas, and, oranges.” Fix: Only use commas where needed. The correct sentence is, “She likes apples, bananas, and oranges.”
10. Misplacing Adverbs
Mistake: “She speaks English very good.” Fix: Use “well” for actions and “good” for nouns. The correct sentence is, “She speaks English very well.”
FAQ's
It helps sentences make sense by matching subjects with the right verbs.
Use “their” for ownership, “there” for a place, and “they’re” for “they are”.
They sound the same, but “your” shows possession, while “you’re” means “you are”.
“It’s” means “it is,” while “its” shows possession.
Use it for contractions and to show possession, not for plurals.
Two negative words together cancel each other out, making a positive.
Use “then” for time and “than” for comparisons.
Use “I” as the subject of a sentence.
It clarifies meaning and avoids confusion.
Adverbs usually go after verbs; use “well” for actions, “good” for nouns.
10 Common Grammar Mistakes and How to Avoid Them