ENGLISHSWAY
Grammar

10 Common Grammar Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Learn about the most frequent grammar errors made by English learners and discover practical ways to avoid them in your writing and speaking.

ENGLISHSWAY Team May 15, 2026 7 min read

Introduction

Even advanced English learners make certain grammar mistakes repeatedly. In this article, we look at the ten most common errors and provide clear solutions for each.

1. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors

One of the most frequent mistakes is using the wrong verb form with the subject.

  • Incorrect: The list of items are on the desk.
  • Correct: The list of items is on the desk.

The subject is "list" (singular), not "items" (plural).

2. Misusing "Your" vs "You're"

These two are commonly confused:

  • Your = possession: Your book is on the table.
  • You're = you are: You're welcome to join us.

3. "Its" vs "It's"

  • Its = possession: The dog wagged its tail.
  • It's = it is/it has: It's a beautiful day. It's been a long time.

4. Run-On Sentences

Joining two independent clauses without proper punctuation:

  • Incorrect: I love English it is my favorite subject.
  • Correct: I love English. It is my favorite subject.
  • Correct: I love English; it is my favorite subject.
  • Correct: I love English because it is my favorite subject.

5. Dangling Modifiers

A modifier that doesn't clearly refer to a specific word:

  • Incorrect: Walking down the street, the trees were beautiful. (Were the trees walking?)
  • Correct: Walking down the street, I thought the trees were beautiful.

6. Confusing "Affect" and "Effect"

  • Affect (verb) = to influence: The weather affects my mood.
  • Effect (noun) = a result: The effect of the medicine was immediate.

7. Double Negatives

Using two negative words when one is sufficient:

  • Incorrect: I don't need no help.
  • Correct: I don't need any help.
  • Correct: I need no help.

8. Wrong Preposition After Verbs

Many verbs require specific prepositions:

  • Incorrect: I am good in English.
  • Correct: I am good at English.
  • Incorrect: She is interested about science.
  • Correct: She is interested in science.

9. Misplaced Apostrophes in Plurals

Apostrophes show possession or contraction, not plural:

  • Incorrect: I bought three book's.
  • Correct: I bought three books.
  • Correct: The book's cover is torn. (possession)

10. Tense Inconsistency

Switching between past and present in the same passage:

  • Incorrect: She opened the door and sees her friend.
  • Correct: She opened the door and saw her friend.

How to Avoid These Mistakes

  • Read regularly — Exposure to correct English helps you develop an intuitive sense of what sounds right.
  • Use our Grammar Checker — Our free tool catches many of these common errors.
  • Practice with quizzes — Our grammar quizzes test your knowledge of these specific areas.
  • Write and get feedback — Practice writing and have a teacher or native speaker review your work.

    • Conclusion

    Grammar mistakes are a natural part of language learning. The key is to be aware of common pitfalls and practice consistently. Bookmark this article and revisit it whenever you need a quick refresher.

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