Here are errors that I frequently see in students’ writing. Don’t let me find these mistakes in your writing! I may hand a paper back to you immediately and ask you to make the necessary corrections before grading.
CORRECT INCORRECT
| best friend | bestfriend |
| high school | highschool |
| a lot (many, often are better) | alot |
| in fact | infact |
| each other | eachother |
| woman (singular) | women (don’t use for singular) |
| women (plural) | woman (don’t use for plural) |
THEIR/THERE/THEY’RE
| Their house is blue. | their shows possession |
| The guitar is over there. | there shows location |
| They’re going to be late. | they’re is a contraction of they are |
IT’S/ITS
| It’s too cold to swim. | it’s is a contraction of it is |
| The class showed its approval. | its shows possession |
THREW/THROUGH
| He accidentally threw the ball through the window. | threw is a verb (past tense of throw) |
| through is a preposition (indicating where) |
WOULD HAVE, NOT WOULD OF
Incorrect: I would of gone to the movies, but I was too tired. (of is a preposition; a verb is needed) |
| Correct: I would have gone to the movies, but I was too tired. (have is a verb) |
NOUN/VERB AGREEMENT: A verb agrees with its subject in number.
| Incorrect: The special effects in the movie was particularly original. |
| Correct: The special effects in the movie were particularly original. |
| Incorrect: Everyone has their opinion. |
| Correct: Everyone has his or her opinion. (Usage note: Yes, this is correct, even though it sounds cumbersome. Another option is to alternate feminine and masculine pronouns: use “her” in the first instance, and “his” in the next case.) |
Wow, you made it to the bottom of the page! You are a careful observer of things grammatical. Please alert me, in person or via email, if there are more common errors or questions that need to be addressed in this space. Thanks in advance.