5 Common Grammar Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Grammar is an essential part of any language. Regardless of where you are from or what language you speak, it would be literally impossible to effectively verbally communicate without grammar. Whether you're a student who’s still learning the various grammatical rules in English, or a parent helping your child navigate the intricacies of the language, you can’t escape it. In this blog post, we'll explore some common grammar mistakes that Primary, Secondary and Junior College students often encounter and provide practical tips for avoiding them.

1. Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammar rule that even young students need to grasp. It's essential to ensure that the subject and the verb in a sentence agree in number. For example, saying "The dogs is barking" instead of "The dogs are barking" is incorrect because "dogs" is plural, so it should be paired with the plural verb "are."

Tip for Students: Pay attention to the number of the subject when choosing the verb. If the subject is singular, use a singular verb; if the subject is plural, use a plural verb.

2. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Modifiers can be tricky for students of all ages. But simply put, they’re like sprinkles or toppings on ice-cream - they help to enhance the meaning of a word, phrase, or sentence (e.g. adjectives, adverbs etc.) Misplacing modifiers or leaving them dangling can lead to confusion in sentences. For instance, consider the sentence "Running to catch the bus, my backpack fell off." Here, it's unclear who was running to catch the bus.

Tip for Students: Make sure that modifiers are placed as close as possible to the word they're modifying to avoid confusion.

3. Confusing Its and It's

Ah, the classic conundrum of "its" and "it's"—two peas in a pod, yet worlds apart in meaning. The difference between "its" and "it's" can be challenging for young learners. "Its" is a possessive pronoun, while "it's" is a contraction of "it is" or "it has." Many students mistakenly use "it's" when they mean "its," leading to grammatical errors.

Tip for Students: Remember that "it's" always means "it is" or "it has," while "its" indicates possession.

4. Incorrect Use of Apostrophes

Apostrophes may seem like tiny troublemakers, but fear not! Whether you're marking possession or forming contractions, just remember—less is more, and your writing will thank you for it! For example, "The cats food" should be "The cat's food" to show that the food belongs to the cat.

Tip for Students: Use apostrophes to show possession or to form contractions, but avoid using them to pluralise nouns.

5. Overuse of Passive Voice

Students often struggle with passive voice, which can weaken their writing. Passive voice sentences often lack clarity and directness. For example, "The cake was baked by me" is passive and less engaging than "I baked the cake."

Tip for Students: Whenever possible, use active voice, where the subject performs the action, to make your writing more direct and engaging.

By being mindful of these common grammar mistakes and applying the tips provided, students can improve the clarity, precision, and effectiveness of their writing. Parents can also support their children's learning by reinforcing these concepts at home and providing opportunities for practice and reinforcement.