Common Grammar Usage Errors
and
How to Correct Them
Note: For a more in depth study and for examples and worksheets on the grammar errors
in this text, as well as other errors, look up the specific error on websites or in an English
grammar handbook or go to http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/#grammar
I. SERIOUS SENTENCE ERRORS – a sentence must have a subject and a verb
and be a complete thought that can stand on its own
A. Fragments - Incomplete sentence – does not express a complete thought
Ex 1: After I learned the price of new cars. ( fragment error)
Ex 2: Trying to find a garage to repair my car. (fragment error)
Ex 3: To get this job finished. (fragment error)
Ex 4: For example, yesterday at a quarter after nine instead of at nine sharp.
(fragment error)
Ex 5: But missed a telephone pole on the side of the road. (fragment error)
Ways to Correct Fragments:
1. Some fragments can be attached to the sentence before or after it.
Ex: After I learned the price of new cars, I decided to keep my old Buick.
Ex: I spent most of my time yesterday trying to find a garage to repair my
car.
Ex: I plan on working overtime to get this job finished.
Ex: The truck skidded on the rain slick highway but missed a telephone
pole on the side of the road.
2. Add a subject and or a verb to make the fragment a complete sentence.
Ex: For example, yesterday it began at a quarter after nine instead of at
nine sharp.
Ex: It missed a telephone pole on the side of the road.
B. Run On Sentences - Two complete sentences run together
Ex: My grades are good this semester my social life rates only a C. (run on
error)
Or Comma Splices - Two complete sentences run together with a comma
Ex: My grades are good this semester, my social life rates only a C.
(comma splice error)
Ways to Correct Run Ons and Comma Splices:
1. Use a period and a capital letter between the two complete thoughts.
Ex: My grades are good this semester. My social life rates only a C.
2. Use a comma plus a joining word (and, but, for, or, nor, so , yet)
Ex: My grades are good this semester, but my social life rates only a C.
3. Use a semicolon if the ideas are really closely related
Ex: My grades are good this semester; my social life rates only a C.
II. SUBJECT VERB PROBLEMS - Problems occur when a verb does not agree in
number with the subject.
A. 3rd person singular subject verb error - Singular nouns do not have an –s
ending usually, but singular verbs do have an –s ending.
Ex: The student agree with the new teacher’s ideas. (subject verb agreement
error)
The boy do like the girl. (subject verb agreement error)
Ways to Correct Subject Verb 3rd Person Singular Problems:
1. If the subject can be replaced by he/she/it, then the verb takes an –s
Ex: The student agrees with the new teacher’s idea.
(The subject student can be replaced with he or she and so the verb must
have an –s ending)
Ex: The boy does like the girl.
(The subject boy can be replaced with he and so the verb needs an –s
ending)
B. Compound Subjects Errors - Two or more subjects combined with AND need
a plural verb. Plural verbs usually DO NOT have an –s ending
Ex: The student and the instructor works long hours. (subject verb error)
Ways to correct Compound Subject Verb Agreement Problems:
Ex: The student and the instructor work long hours.
(Student and Instructor make 2 people so it is plural – needs the verb without
the –s)
III. PRONOUN ERRORS – a pronoun must have a word it replaces and must
agree with that word
A. Pronoun Agreement Error - Problems understanding who is being discussed
occur when the pronoun does not agree in number and/or gender with the noun it
replaces.
Ex: Each father felt their child should have won the contest. (pronoun error each father refers to 1 father but their refers to more than 1 father)
Ex: I lifted the pot of hot potatoes, but they slipped out of my hand. (pronoun
error - the pot refers to 1 pot, but they refers to more than 1 pot)
Ex: People walking the trail must watch his step because of snakes. (pronoun
error - People refers to more than 1 person but his refers to 1 person)
Ways to Correct Pronoun Agreement Errors:
Pronouns should clearly refer to a specific noun and the pronoun should agree
with the noun in number and gender.
1. If the noun in singular, the pronoun should be singular.
Ex: Each father felt his child should have won the contest.
Ex: I lifted the pot of hot potatoes, but it slipped out of my hand.
2. If the noun is plural, the pronoun should be plural.
Ex: People walking the trail must watch their step because of snakes.
B. Pronoun Reference Error – Sentences become confusing if a pronoun appears
to refer to more than one word or if the pronoun does not refer to any specific
word.
Ex: Joe almost dropped out of high school, for he felt they emphasized discipline
too much. (reference error - they does not refer to any word in the sentence)
Ex: I love Parmesan cheese on veal, but it does not always digest well. (reference
error - it could refer to Parmesan cheese, or to veal, or to the cheese on the
veal)
Ways to Correct Pronoun Reference Errors:
1. Replace the pronoun with the word it stands for.
Ex: Joe almost dropped out of high school, for he felt the teachers emphasized
discipline too much.
Ex: I love Parmesan cheese on veal, but the combination does not always
digest well.
IV. POSSESSION PROBLEMS – an apostrophe s (‘s) must be used to show
possession
Ex: The boy toy was broken. (possession error)
Ex: The two countries flags were flying side by side. (possession error)
Ex: The women meeting was postponed until Wednesday. (possession error)
Ways to Correct Possession Problems:
Use an apostrophe (‘) to show possession when a noun owns the next word
(another noun).
First, to test to see if an ‘ is needed to show possession, replace the word with his,
her, or their.
Then:
1. If the noun is singular and does not have an –s ending, add an ‘s
Ex: The boy’s toy is broken.
(First, the boy can be replaced with his so we need an ‘ to show possession).
(Next, His is singular so we use an ‘s, so boy needs an ‘s)
2. If the noun is plural and has an –s ending, add the ‘ after the –s
Ex: The two countries’ flags were flying side by side.
(First, the two countries can be replaced by their, so we need an ‘ to show
possession)
(Next, countries already has an –s ending, so we only need to add an ‘ after
the –s to show possession)
3. If the noun is plural but does not end in an –s, then add an ‘s
Ex: The women’s meeting was postponed until Wednesday.
(First, The women can be replace with their, so we need an ‘ to show
possession)
(Next, women is already plural so there is no –s, so we must add an ‘s)