English is a finicky language where a single missing punctuation can also change the meaning of everything you are willing to convey.
Having a great grasp of Grammar is the finest quality of a great writer. However, even content creators and expert writers end up committing common grammatical mistakes.
There are tons of grammatical errors, but in this article, you can glance over the 10 most common grammar mistakes.
Along with the Grammatical errors, you can also go through the tips compiled in this article to help you improve your writing.
What Are Common Grammatical Errors?
Grammatical errors or usage errors are unconventional use of phrases or words in the construction of sentences.
If your written notions are marred by grammatical errors or incorrect spelling, then you cannot convey the desired message clearly.
The appropriate usage of Grammar Checking tools can help you fix the improper use of punctuation, words, verb tense, etc.
10 Common Grammar Mistakes Writers Should Avoid.
Here are 10 Common Grammar Mistakes that writers should avoid while writing.
1. Over-Usage of Adverbs
The words that often end in ly manner are termed adverbs, and Overusing them indicates cluttered writing.
Adverbs sometimes may turn out to be toxic and may weaken your writing.
Authors, especially fiction ones, may tend to overuse adverbs.
Below is an example of a sentence indicating the overuse of adverbs.
Incorrect: He walked swiftly towards the door.
Correct: He dashed towards the door.
2. Passive Voice
The use of passive voice while writing cannot be assumed as a grammatical error, but it is a stylistic issue that may pertain to the clarity of sentences.
Using passive voice many times makes it difficult for the readers to determine or understand who is taking the action of a verb. An example of a sentence indicating the usage of passive voice is provided below.
Incorrect: The auditorium was decorated by John.
Correct: John decorated the auditorium.
3. Tautologies.
Tautological expressions comprise reductant words that indicate the nonessential repetition of ideas using different expressions or words.
Tautologies are often considered stylistic errors, and eliminating the use of tautological expressions may help you to convey your writing thoughts clearly.
Examples of tautological sentences are provided below.
The morning Sunrise was mesmerizing.
In my opinion, I think she is right.
4. Use Of Run-On Sentences
Run-on sentences or fused sentences occur when two different sentences are squashed together without the use of appropriate punctuation and coordinating conjunctions.
These sentences can be long or short, and the long sentences are not necessarily run-on sentences.
Examples of a run-on sentence.
Incorrect: James enjoyed the bouquet of Roses Merry gave him on his birthday however he prefers Lilies.
Correct: James enjoyed the bouquet of Roses Merry gave him on his birthday; however, he prefers Lilies.
5. Comma Splices
Splicing means connecting or joining. Comma Splices are a common grammatical error that occurs when two independent clauses or sentences are not appropriately connected by a comma.
Many a time, writers create comma splices by use of transitional words like moreover, however, therefore, etc.
An example of a sentence with a comma splice is as follows.
Incorrect: Jesse was so hungry, she ate a whole Burger.
Correct: Jesse was so hungry. She ate a whole Burger.
Correct: Jesse was so hungry, that she ate a whole Burger.
6. Errors Due To Subject-Verb Agreement
The subject-verb agreement errors occur when the writer does not understand whether the subject is plural or singular.
It is necessary for the subject and verb to match in properties of nouns (i.e., singular and plurals) and numbers. If the subject indicates a singular noun, then the verb must reflect and agree to the same.
Incorrect: They goes to the park every week.
Correct: They go to the park every week.
7. Misplaced Or Dangling Modifiers.
Dangling modifiers are clauses, phrases, or words that are separated from the words that it describes or modifies.
The use of dangling modifiers makes the sentences more confusing and awkward. The adjectives and adverbs can be used as modifiers.
Incorrect: After breaking her hand, it was difficult to write.
Correct: After breaking her hand, Rachel found it difficult to write.
8. Punctuations
Punctuations are the symbols, the use of which imparts clarity to sentences and makes them more precise.
Misplaced apostrophes, incorrect use of quotation marks, use of ellipses, overuse of exclamations, etc., are a few punctuation errors.
Inappropriate use of punctuation may result in poor sentence structure, which leads to inefficient grammatical structure.
9. Sentence Fragments
Sentence fragments are incomplete sentences that are missing either their main verb or the subject and may occur due to misuse of prepositions and subordinates.
Sentence fragments can also occur due to the omission of words or typographical errors. Given below is an example of a sentence fragment.
Incorrect: Joy likes to eat chocolates. Because he likes the taste.
Correct: Joy likes to eat chocolates because he likes the taste.
10. Unnecessary Long Introductions
Introductions should be short, precise, and to the point instead of jotting down long unnecessary introductions.
The introduction part covers the thesis statements or those aspects that are required to contextualize the problem of your study.
Your introduction should cover three essential things such as pertinent background information, a thesis statement that presents your point, and should include captivating opening statements to grab the attention of the reader.
Tips To Improve Writing
To improve or brush up on your writing skills, go through the tips provided below.
- Inculcate daily writing habits.
As the old saying goes, “Practice Makes Man Perfect,” inculcate the habit of writing daily. You can also maintain a daily journal or a diary.
Dedicate 10 to 15 minutes each day for free writing by jotting down your thoughts on a piece of paper or your PC without any worry of proofreading or outlining your ideas.
Once you are done with the writing part, you can use a tool such as Grammarly to identify your mistakes.
- Focus more on reading.
Together with writing, inculcate the habit of extensive reading every day as it helps to improve your vocabulary and expand your writing skills.
Be particular about your choice of reading. Reading literary fiction and academic journals can help you to improve your writing skills for more complex projects.
- Think from the reader’s perspective.
Before writing, think from the reader’s perspective, i.e., what exactly they want, what they are their fantasy according to the topic, and how you are going to solve their problem in a more precise way.
- Take an online free writing course.
There are several massively open online courses offered by various e-learning platforms, such as Coursera, edX, and Udemy, to help you brush up on your writing skills.
If you dedicate your time and efforts to learning, then these courses will definitely be worth it to help you improve your writing.
- Proofread and review your work.
Proofreading your work provides the most effective ways to determine the awkward phrasing of sentences and grammatical errors and catch typos.
Review your work to make sure that are no lingering errors or writing inconsistencies in your work.
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Key Takeaways: Common Grammar Mistakes
Grammar is the manual or rulebook of English that determines the functioning of words to form meaningful sentences.
One of the major aspects to be considered before writing is your writing should always be Reader-centric.
With proper writing practice, extensive reading, and the use of grammar checker tools, you can determine and correct your grammatical errors.
