Everyone makes mistakes, especially when it comes to grammar. These slips typically consist of errors in punctuation, syntax, and word choice. While small mistakes are nothing to lose sleep over, repeated grammatical errors can make your work look unpolished and unprofessional. Even worse, some mistakes can change your intended meaning and lead to confusion. Let’s go over some of the most common grammatical errors in the English language and how to avoid them.
Homophones are words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings, origins, or spellings. These make up some of the most common errors in English, with “your” vs. “you’re” as a prime example. “Your” is a possessive pronoun, a way of indicating that something belongs to another person. “You’re” is a contraction of “you are” and is not used to indicate possession. Folks also often mess up “who’s” vs. “whose” (the former is a contraction of “who is,” while “whose” is the possessive form of “who”) and “they’re” vs. “their” (“they’re” is a contraction of “they are,” and “their” is the possessive form of “they”).
These words can function as several parts of speech, but here we’re using them as relative pronouns. Both “that” and “which” can introduce relative clauses that provide additional context to a sentence. For example: “This is the house that Jack built.” The correct relative pronoun to use depends on what you are referring to, which is how people often get tripped up. Use“that”to introduce a clause that adds necessary information to a sentence, and use “which” to introduce a clause that adds detail but no critical information to the sentence. Compare the following:
Don’t use the milk that has spoiled.
I also got this creamer, which is made from almond milk.
We use “that” in the first sentence because it is giving critical information — you wouldn’t want anyone to get sick from spoiled milk. With the second sentence, the explanation following the comma is nice to know, but it isn’t essential. Deciding between “that” and “which” is a nuanced judgment, but once you’ve decided, construction matters. Always precede the “which” clause with a comma.
“Then” and “than” are near homophones, which makes them easy to mix up. Here’s how to differentiate between them: “Then” refers to when something will happen, while “than” is used to compare people or things. (If you need a mnemonic device, remember “then” and “happen” both end in “en.”)
This may seem a bit nitpicky, but the goal is for you to spot your errors before someone else does. “Each” refers to two items. “Every” refers to three or more items. You also should use “each” when referring to the individual items in a group, and use “every” to refer to a group as a whole.
Each of my two dogs got a treat after our walk.
Every one of my cousins is coming to my wedding.
The difference here is slight, but it exists: Each of the two dogs got their own treat, whereas all of the many cousins are going to the wedding.
A possessive noun is the version that indicates ownership. Typically, an apostrophe and the letter “s” are added to turn a noun into a possessive, but folks frequently put the apostrophe in the wrong place. For a singular possessive noun, add the apostrophe followed by the letter “s”: “Susanne’s cat,” “the man’s car.” The same goes for a singular possessive noun that already ends in “s”: “the actress’s performance,” “the witness’s statement.” (Think about how you pronounce these to help you remember the double “s.”) For a plural possessive noun ending in “s,” the apostrophe goes after the “s”: “the students’ school.” But for a plural possessive noun not ending in “s,” add an apostrophe and an “s”: “the children’s toys,” “the alumni’s donations.” These rules generally apply to proper nouns as well, though some style guides — such as the AP Stylebook — have different guidelines.
The comma is likely the most versatile punctuation mark, but it’s also among the most misused. In general, commas are used for separation, and to create short pauses in sentences; they can separate items in a list and distinguish independent clauses.
Incorrect: I bought cleaning supplies paper towels and bandages at Target.
Correct: I bought cleaning supplies, paper towels, and bandages at Target.
There is some debate between fellow word nerds about the Oxford comma — also known as the “serial comma” — which is the comma used after the penultimate item in a list of three or more items (e.g., the one after “paper towels” above). Some style guides dictate its use, but it is ultimately optional, and usage depends on what and where you are writing. This cartoon is an apt explanation for why leaving out an Oxford comma can be confusing for your reader.
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