10 Common English Grammar Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Master English grammar by learning to identify and avoid the most common mistakes. This comprehensive guide provides practical tips for better writing and speaking accuracy.
Even advanced English learners make grammar mistakes. The key to improving your English is recognizing these common errors and understanding how to correct them. Whether you're writing an email, preparing for an exam, or having a conversation, avoiding these mistakes will make your English sound more natural and professional.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the 10 most common grammar mistakes English learners make, provide clear examples, and give you practical strategies to avoid them in your own writing and speaking.
Why Grammar Accuracy Matters
Proper grammar makes you appear more credible and professional in business settings, academic writing, and formal communications.
Correct grammar ensures your message is understood exactly as you intended, preventing miscommunication and confusion.
The 10 Most Common Grammar Mistakes
❌ Incorrect:
The list of students are long.
✅ Correct:
The list of students is long.
📖 Explanation:
The subject 'list' is singular, so it requires a singular verb 'is'.
💡 Pro Tip:
Identify the main subject, not the words in between.
❌ Incorrect:
Their going to they're house over there.
✅ Correct:
They're going to their house over there.
📖 Explanation:
They're = they are, their = possessive, there = location/existence.
💡 Pro Tip:
Substitute 'they are' to check if 'they're' is correct.
❌ Incorrect:
Walking to the store, the rain started falling.
✅ Correct:
Walking to the store, I noticed the rain started falling.
📖 Explanation:
The modifier should clearly relate to who was walking.
💡 Pro Tip:
Make sure the modifier clearly describes the intended subject.
❌ Incorrect:
The cat's are sleeping. Its a nice day.
✅ Correct:
The cats are sleeping. It's a nice day.
📖 Explanation:
Apostrophes show possession or contractions, not plurals.
💡 Pro Tip:
Its = possessive, It's = it is. Don't use apostrophes for plurals.
❌ Incorrect:
I went to the store I bought milk I came home.
✅ Correct:
I went to the store, bought milk, and came home.
📖 Explanation:
Connect related ideas properly with punctuation or conjunctions.
💡 Pro Tip:
Use periods, semicolons, or coordinating conjunctions to separate ideas.
❌ Incorrect:
Because I was tired.
✅ Correct:
Because I was tired, I went to bed early.
📖 Explanation:
Dependent clauses need an independent clause to be complete.
💡 Pro Tip:
Ensure every sentence expresses a complete thought.
❌ Incorrect:
Who did you give the book to?
✅ Correct:
Whom did you give the book to? / To whom did you give the book?
📖 Explanation:
Use 'whom' when the person is the object of the sentence.
💡 Pro Tip:
If you can replace it with 'him/her', use 'whom'. If 'he/she', use 'who'.
❌ Incorrect:
There are less people today.
✅ Correct:
There are fewer people today.
📖 Explanation:
Use 'fewer' with countable nouns, 'less' with uncountable nouns.
💡 Pro Tip:
If you can count it, use 'fewer'. If you can't count it, use 'less'.
❌ Incorrect:
I don't have no money.
✅ Correct:
I don't have any money. / I have no money.
📖 Explanation:
Two negatives make a positive in English.
💡 Pro Tip:
Use only one negative word per clause.
❌ Incorrect:
I like apples, oranges, and, bananas.
✅ Correct:
I like apples, oranges, and bananas.
📖 Explanation:
Commas separate items in a list, with optional Oxford comma before 'and'.
💡 Pro Tip:
Don't put commas before and after 'and' in the same list.
How to Practice and Improve Your Grammar
- Read high-quality English content daily
- Pay attention to sentence structure
- Note how professional writers use grammar
- Keep a grammar journal of new patterns
- Practice writing emails, essays, and reports
- Use grammar-checking tools for feedback
- Rewrite sentences to practice different structures
- Focus on one grammar rule at a time
- AI grammar checkers for instant feedback
- Grammar apps for daily practice
- Online exercises and quizzes
- Voice recognition for speaking practice
- Join writing groups or language exchanges
- Ask native speakers to review your writing
- Work with an English tutor or AI coach
- Record yourself speaking to identify patterns
Grammar Learning Resources
- • English Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy
- • The Elements of Style by Strunk & White
- • Oxford English Grammar by Sidney Greenbaum
- • Practical English Usage by Michael Swan
- • Grammarly for instant error detection
- • Fluenta AI for personalized feedback
- • Purdue OWL for comprehensive guides
- • Grammar Girl for quick tips
- • English Grammar Online exercises
- • Khan Academy grammar lessons
- • BBC Learning English grammar
- • Cambridge Assessment English
Quick Grammar Quiz
Can you identify and correct the grammar mistakes in these sentences? (Answers at the bottom)
- The team of players are ready for the game.
- Their going to they're new house over there.
- I have less books than you.
- Who did you give the gift to?
- I don't have no time for this.
Click to see answers
1. The team of players is ready for the game.
2. They're going to their new house over there.
3. I have fewer books than you.
4. Whom did you give the gift to? / To whom did you give the gift?
5. I don't have any time for this. / I have no time for this.
Master English Grammar with AI-Powered Practice
Get personalized grammar feedback and practice exercises tailored to your common mistakes. Fluenta's AI grammar coach helps you improve faster than traditional methods.
Related Articles
AI English Grammar Checker: Top 8 Tools Compared
Discover the best AI grammar checkers and find the perfect tool for error-free writing...
Advanced Vocabulary Building Strategies for 2025
Expand your English vocabulary with proven methods and advanced techniques...
5 AI Tools to Improve Your English in 2025
Explore the latest AI-powered tools revolutionizing English learning...