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- Top 10 Grammar Mistakes Students Often Make
- #1 Most Common Grammar Mistakes - Use of Who/Whom
- #2 Improper Use of Who and That
- #3 Use of Which and That
- #4 Confusing Lay and Lie
- #5 Funny Grammar Mistakes Examples - Use Of Dangling Modifiers
- #6 Use Of Fewer and Less
- #7 Use Of First-Person Pronoun
- #8 Interchanging Like and As Though
- #9 Not Using To Be
- #10 Avoiding Use of Passive Voice
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Reading time: ~5 minutes
Here you will find out the top 10 grammar mistakes and how to avoid them. English is such a delight to speak, but grammatical errors seem to rule the document when it comes to writing. From spelling mistakes to wrong punctuations, common grammar mistakes might compromise communication and annoy meticulous grammarians. English native speakers might also encounter grammar challenges despite having a good command of the language.
Therefore, the common grammar errors cut across the board among students, corporate employees, individual authors, and many other people globally. Making grammar mistakes is a global problem; that is why our essay writing service is here to demystify the common errors and ways to avoid them and to help you with “write essay for you” tasks.
If you allow the errors to your final composition, your readers might have a different perception. No matter how good the intended message is, the audience will judge your document as substandard due to grammar mistakes.
Top 10 Grammar Mistakes Students Often Make
Thus, we have listed below the top 10 grammar mistakes that essay writers usually make and ways to avoid them.
#1 Most Common Grammar Mistakes – Use of Who/Whom
Students often confuse the meaning of ‘who’ and ‘whom’ and the appropriate way to incorporate the words in a sentence. There is a simple solution when you are in doubt about these words.
Who
If you imply ‘he’ or ‘she’ in your sentence, the right word is ‘who.’
Who represents the subject in the sentence?
Example:
- Who is your best friend? (It could be he/she)
- I want to know who has the keys to my car.
Whom
If your sentence implies ‘him’ or ‘her,’ the correct word is ‘whom.’
‘Whom’ represents the object (either a verb or preposition).
Example:
- To whom should I award the trophy? To him. (It could be him/her.)
- Whom did you take out to the end-year staff party?
#2 Improper Use of Who and That
Another most common grammar mistakes that people often make without knowing are ‘who’ and ‘that.’ Fortunately, it is easy to rectify if you understand the rules behind the correct use of the words.
Who
You can use who when referring to people.
Example:
- Peter is the one who scored top grades in class.
- Who was making noise in class?
That
Use that when you are talking about things. However, it can also apply in some instances when you refer to things, animals, and groups of people, such as organizations, schools, etc.
Example:
- Mary belongs to the company that saves wild animals.
- Please bring me that phone.
#3 Use of Which and That
Many readers might not recognize this error since it is quite subtle to decipher. But keen grammarians will immediately notice when you mix ‘which’ and ‘that’ in your sentences. It is essential to learn the correct use of the words for clear communication.
Which
You can use ‘which’ when the clause is non-essential in the sentence.
Example:
- My apartment, which is a few blocks away, was constructed by amateurs.
- They went to the club, which was a dark underground building.
That
You can use ‘that’ if your statement is vital to the particular sentence.
Example:
- I visited the hotel that has an underground aquarium.
- I ate at the hotel that serves cocktails during lunch.
#4 Confusing Lay and Lie
Writers often confuse ‘lay’ and ‘lie’ without figuring out the proper use of the words. The use of these words can get tricky even for the most proficient authors. These words usually fall under the most common grammatical mistakes. However, understanding the meaning and rules will help you avoid the mistake.
Lay
You can use ‘lay’ when you are performing an action on something. The direct object is the thing that the person is acting upon. The past tense of lay is laid.
Example:
- Her dress lay on the floor the whole day.
- Tim laid on his back, watching the stars.
Lie
Here, there is no action being performed on a direct object. However, there is a subject performing a particular action. The past tense of ‘lie’ is ‘lay.’
Example:
- Every evening I lie on the sofa until I fall asleep.
- I lay in the sun as I watched the birds.
Therefore, you must be keen when using these two words to avoid confusing the meanings.
#5 Funny Grammar Mistakes Examples – Use Of Dangling Modifiers
You can use modifiers to emphasize the subjects in a sentence. Incorrect use of modifiers results in dangling modifiers. These are hanging phrases that don’t modify the sentences appropriately. Such mistakes cause vagueness and confusing sentences. Thus, ensure your clauses have a similar subject throughout the sentence. Read the funny grammar mistakes examples:
Example:
- To please her father, the guitar had to be played. (Who has to play the guitar?)
- Crying hysterically, the film came to an end. (Who is crying?)
Both the above sentences have dangling modifiers that leave the reader with questions.
#6 Use Of Fewer and Less
Another confusing use of almost similar words is ‘fewer’ and ‘less.’ Many students often use fewer when they mean less or the other way round.
Fewer
You can use fewer when describing countable nouns or items.
Example:
- I purchased fewer cooking pots last month.
- I have fewer assignments this semester.
Less
When you are talking about uncountable nouns, use ‘less.’
Example:
- We have less sugar left for baking.
- Tom is paid less than other employees.
#7 Use Of First-Person Pronoun
Many people misuse the first-person pronoun incorrectly, which reduces the sentence quality. Using ‘I’ in a sentence is correct when it is the subject.
Example:
- Mary and I went to the park.
- The company gave Jane and me a heft package.
#8 Interchanging Like and As Though
You might think the words ‘like’ and ‘as though’ are similar and can replace each other. However, they are used differently in sentences.
Like
You can use like when you are introducing a noun or a pronoun.
Example:
- I look like my sister.
- The people behaved like animals.
As though
You must use as though when you are adding a verb clause.
Example:
- After working all day, she looked as though she would faint the next minute.
- He reacted in anger as though he was the victim.
#9 Not Using To Be
Many students avoid incorporating ‘to be’ verbs in sentences to avoid passive voice. However, it is not wrong to use passive voice if your sentence is in proper form. ‘To be’ verbs include being, been, were, was, and are.
Example:
- The car was being taken to the garage by Tom
#10 Avoiding Use of Passive Voice
Sometimes passive voice sentences are applicable when the object has significance. Though many tutors always advise students to use active voice, it is a skill that requires patience and practice to learn.
Example:
- The cake was eaten by Mary.
There are many other common grammar errors that students often include in their written assignments without knowing. Thus, it is essential to explore the above grammar mistakes and avoid them to craft flawless documents.
In addition, you can research online and find many grammar mistakes examples that you should avoid incorporating in your paper.
Thank you for reading!