Let’s be honest—grammar might not be the sexiest part of writing, but it’s the glue that holds our beautiful words together. As authors, we want readers to get lost in our stories, not tripped up by confusing sentences or distracting mistakes. The good news? Most grammar slip-ups are easy to spot once you know what to look for—and even easier to fix.
Here are 12 of the most common grammar mistakes I see (and have made myself—no judgment here!) along with simple ways to avoid them.
1. Misplaced Modifiers
Wrong: She almost drove her kids to school every day.
Right: She drove her kids to school almost every day.
A misplaced modifier makes a sentence sound unintentionally funny—or confusing. Keep descriptive words and phrases close to the thing they’re describing.
2. Their / They’re / There Confusion
Their shows possession: Their house is lovely.
They’re is a contraction of “they are”: They’re going to the bookstore.
There refers to a place or position: Let’s go over there.
Double-check which one you’re using—it’s one of the fastest ways to look polished.
3. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors
Wrong: The list of items are on the table.
Right: The list of items is on the table.
The subject and verb must match in number. Look past any extra phrases to find your true subject.
4. Dangling Participles
Wrong: Running to catch the bus, the rain started pouring.
Right: Running to catch the bus, I got soaked when the rain started pouring.
Make sure the person (or thing) doing the action is clearly stated.
5. Apostrophe Abuse
Wrong: The cat’s are sleeping.
Right: The cats are sleeping.
Apostrophes show possession (The cat’s toy) or form contractions (don’t, it’s). They don’t make words plural.
6. Its vs. It’s
Its shows possession: The dog wagged its tail.
It’s means “it is” or “it has”: It’s been a long day.
If you can replace it with “it is” and it works, use it’s.
7. Overusing Commas
Wrong: She walked, to the store, to buy, some bread.
Right: She walked to the store to buy some bread.
A comma should help your sentence flow—not break it into awkward chunks. Read aloud to catch extra ones.
8. Comma Splices
Wrong: I love writing, it’s my favorite thing to do.
Right: I love writing, and it’s my favorite thing to do.
Or: I love writing; it’s my favorite thing to do.
When two complete sentences are joined by just a comma, you need a conjunction or a semicolon.
9. Overusing Ellipses
Ellipses are for trailing thoughts or omissions in quotes—not every dramatic pause.
Too much: “I was thinking… maybe… we could… go out?”
Better: “I was thinking… maybe we could go out?”
Used sparingly, they can add tone. Overused, they just slow the reader down.
10. Confusing Affect vs. Effect
Affect is usually a verb: The weather can affect my mood.
Effect is usually a noun: The special effects were stunning.
If you’re talking about an action, it’s likely affect. If you mean a result, go with effect.
11. Overusing Adverbs
Adverbs (quickly, softly, really) aren’t evil, but too many can weaken your writing.
Weak: She whispered softly.
Stronger: She whispered.
Show the action through strong verbs and context whenever possible.
12. Inconsistent Tense
Wrong: She walks into the room and sat down.
Right: She walked into the room and sat down.
Pick a tense—past or present—and stick with it, unless you have a clear reason for switching.
Grammar is like seasoning—used well, it enhances your writing without overpowering your story. By watching out for these common mistakes, you’ll not only tighten your prose but also give readers a smoother, more enjoyable experience.
Your turn—what grammar mistakes trip you up the most?
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