10 Common Grammar Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced writers make grammar mistakes. Here are the most common errors and simple ways to avoid them.

1. Their, There, and They're

This is perhaps the most common mix-up in English:

• Their: Possessive (Their car is blue)
• There: Location (The book is over there)
• They're: Contraction of "they are" (They're coming to dinner)

Tip: If you can replace the word with "they are," use "they're."

2. Your vs. You're

• Your: Possessive (Your idea is great)
• You're: Contraction of "you are" (You're going to love this)

3. Its vs. It's

This trips up even professional writers:

• Its: Possessive (The dog wagged its tail)
• It's: Contraction of "it is" (It's raining outside)

Tip: Apostrophes in contractions replace missing letters. "It's" = "It is."

4. Comma Splices

A comma splice occurs when you join two independent clauses with just a comma:

5. Subject-Verb Agreement

Singular subjects need singular verbs, and plural subjects need plural verbs:

• Wrong: The group of students are studying.
• Right: The group of students is studying. (Group is singular)

6. Dangling Modifiers

Check Your Writing

Use our free Grammar Checker to catch these mistakes and more before you submit your work.