Most Common Grammatical Errors We Make

|

English is somewhat difficult for some people and easy for some; it is a diversified language that tends to grow from different languages. A lot of people, even those who use it as a mother tongue, often encounter difficulties when using it. Written or conversational, even smart people tend to commit errors in using the language. In this article, we will be telling you few of the most common mistakes we commit in using the English language.


Their/They’re/There

If you try and lip all three, they would sound flawlessly the same. Although they cannot be differentiated by distinguishing it through the sound, you can differentiate it using its use and its role in English.

Their is the word we use that refers to something owned by a person greater than one. They’re however is a contraction for they are, and There is the word that refers to a place. Now that you know the different uses of the three, make sure you double-check it every time you encounter or use either of the three words.

Read: Why is English an important factor in today’s world

Correct usage: They’re going to enjoy the food and the service there and I heard that their displays and designs are fantastic.

Your/You’re

One of the most common errors is the use of Your and You’re. Again, you cannot differentiate or distinguish the two words by using their sound, you can only know for sure if you know the usage and its role in the sentence.

You’re is a contraction of the words You are that pertains to someone you are talking to while Your is a possessive noun.

Correct usage: You’re going to enjoy the food there at your friend’s hotel.

Possessive Nouns

You know the possessive nouns, right? – Where you have to use an apostrophe (‘) in order to make sure that a noun is in its possessive form. But some nouns can be difficult because some nouns are plural. In this case, you have to place the apostrophe after the word if it ends with the letter “S”.

Correct usage: The shoes’ design fits perfectly with it.


On the other hand, if the plural form of the noun does not end with the letter “S,” you have to add the good old apostrophe S to it.

Correct usage: The children’s playground will be under renovation this month.

Lose/Loose

Both have same pronunciation – so how do you know the difference? If you are one of those people who still gets confused on how these words are used, then worry no more because we are here to tell you things about this.

Lose is a verb which means “fail to win; cease to have or; fail to maintain” like losing your money or losing to someone in a basketball game, whereas Loose is an adjective that means “not tight or; not closely constrained.”

Correct usage: These loose shoelaces are the reason why we are going to lose our titles as champions.

Affect/Effect

These two have slight familiar pronunciations, but if you know their differences, then you should not have a problem. Affect is the act of changing and it is a verb, so if you are to use it, it should be:

The book really affected me in a good way; whilst

Effect is when you are talking about the change itself and it is a noun and if you are to use it, it should be:

The book had a really positive effect on me.

Me/I

Maybe you’re thinking; how come this one is here? I know how to use them. Are you sure you can differentiate the two by using them in a sentence? It may sound strange and it can look easy, but these two are often mistaken by a lot of people if you are not noticing it.

Here is a good example of how people can misuse the two: After finishing the presentation, would you please let Joseph and I take a look at it?

Would you believe that the sentence above is wrong? Try taking out Joseph out in the sentence — wouldn’t it sound weird and incomplete?

In this situation, use the word “me” instead of I. After finishing the presentation, would you please let Joseph and me take a look at it?

Read Also: 5 reasons why learning English is important

These errors are often misused more than you can think of it. So here’s a good refresher for you if you are somewhat confused on some English language grammar. These are the common ones that even some good English speakers commit; stay tuned for more.


Subscribe for updates!

Enter your email address to subscribe and be the first to notified when we publish new article.


Previous

Why is English an important factor in today’s world?

Tips on Starting a T-Shirt Printing Business

Next

Leave a Comment