Common Writing Mistakes

Everybody makes mistakes as they write. Some mistakes are worse than others. Here are the most common writing mistakes.

Incorrect verb forms

Even native speakers have trouble using irregular verbs correctly. While these mistakes have over the years become part of the English dialect, if they appear in your admission essay, they will significantly damage your credibility. Memorize irregular verbs. That is the only way to get around this issue.

Here are the most common verb conjugation mistakes in English.

Incorrect: I seen James yesterday.

Correct: I saw James yesterday.

Incorrect: I been there.

Correct: I’ve been there.

Incorrect: I done the homework.

Correct: I did the homework. / I’ve done the homework.

Subject-verb agreement

The verb should agree with the subject in number and person.

Read the example given below.

Incorrect: The boys who won the medals was congratulated by the principal.

Correct: The boys who won the medals were congratulated by the principal.

Here we need the plural verb were instead of the singular verb was because the subject of the clause is the plural noun boys.

Remember that compound subjects are always plural.

Jack and Jill are going up the hill to fetch a pail of water.

Run-on sentences

Run-on sentences are a common grammar mistake. They contain two or more independent clauses that are not connected by a conjunction or correct punctuation. It is easy to avoid run-on sentences. Always remember that you need a conjunction to connect two clauses. If there is no conjunction, you have to separate the clauses with a full stop or a semicolon.