Guide to Common Usage Errors
1. Introduction to Common Usage Errors
● Grammar mistakes can affect clarity and professionalism in writing and speech.
● Recognizing and correcting these errors improves communication and credibility.
● This section covers frequent grammar mistakes, their explanations, and how to fix
them.
2. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors
A. Singular vs. Plural Agreement
● The verb must match the subject in number.
● Incorrect: The students was excited about the trip.
● Correct: The students were excited about the trip.
B. Agreement in Sentences with Phrases Between Subject and Verb
● Ignore prepositional phrases when determining subject-verb agreement.
● Incorrect: The basket of apples were on the table.
● Correct: The basket of apples was on the table.
C. Agreement with Indefinite Pronouns
● Singular pronouns (e.g., everyone, anybody, each) take singular verbs.
● Incorrect: Everybody love the new policy.
● Correct: Everybody loves the new policy.
3. Pronoun Errors
A. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
● A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number and gender.
● Incorrect: Each student must bring their book.
● Correct: Each student must bring his or her book.
B. Ambiguous Pronouns
● Avoid unclear pronoun references.
● Incorrect: When Mary talked to Sarah, she was upset. (Who was upset?)
● Correct: When Mary talked to Sarah, Mary was upset.
C. Who vs. Whom
● Who is used as a subject, whom as an object.
● Incorrect: Whom is calling?
● Correct: Who is calling?
● Incorrect: She gave the book to who?
● Correct: She gave the book to whom?
4. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
A. Misplaced Modifiers
● Place modifying words near the word they describe.
● Incorrect: She served sandwiches to the children on paper plates.
● Correct: She served sandwiches on paper plates to the children.
B. Dangling Modifiers
● Ensure the subject being modified is clearly stated.
● Incorrect: Walking through the park, the flowers looked beautiful.
● Correct: Walking through the park, I saw beautiful flowers.
5. Commonly Confused Words
A. There, Their, and They’re
● There (location): The book is over there.
● Their (possession): That is their car.
● They’re (they are): They’re going to the park.
B. Your vs. You’re
● Your (possessive): Is this your jacket?
● You’re (you are): You’re very kind.
C. Its vs. It’s
● Its (possession): The cat licked its paw.
● It’s (it is): It’s raining outside.
D. Affect vs. Effect
● Affect (verb - influence): The cold affects my mood.
● Effect (noun - result): The new law had a great effect on traffic.
6. Sentence Fragments and Run-Ons
A. Sentence Fragments
● Every sentence must have a subject and a verb.
● Incorrect: Because I was tired.
● Correct: I went to bed early because I was tired.
B. Run-On Sentences
● Use proper punctuation to separate independent clauses.
● Incorrect: I love reading I go to the library often.
● Correct: I love reading, and I go to the library often.
7. Double Negatives
● Two negatives make a positive, so avoid unnecessary double negatives.
● Incorrect: I don’t have no money.
● Correct: I don’t have any money.
8. Redundancy and Wordiness
● Avoid unnecessary repetition.
● Incorrect: She woke up at 6 a.m. in the morning.
● Correct: She woke up at 6 a.m.
