Common mistakes
Twelve common English mistakes
These are the ones our checker flags most often. Each has a test you can run in your head, which beats memorising the rule.
A test is worth more than a rule, because a test still works on a sentence you have never seen before.
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Subject and verb
She go to school.
She goes to school.
The test: One person, so the verb takes an s. Two people go, one person goes.
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Your and you're
Your going to love this.
You're going to love this.
The test: Say "you are" out loud. If it still fits, you need the apostrophe.
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Its and it's
Its raining outside.
It's raining outside.
The test: Same trick. Say "it is". If it fits, use the apostrophe.
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There is and there are
There is many reasons.
There are many reasons.
The test: After "there", the verb matches whatever comes next, not the word "there".
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Should have
I should of called.
I should have called.
The test: "Of" is never a verb. It only sounds that way because "should've" is spoken fast.
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Double comparative
This is more better.
This is better.
The test: The -er ending already means "more". Use one or the other, never both.
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He, she, it
He don't agree.
He doesn't agree.
The test: He, she and it take doesn't. Everyone else takes don't.
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Fewer and less
Less people came.
Fewer people came.
The test: Can you count them one by one? Then it is fewer. Water and time take less.
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One of
She is one of my friend.
She is one of my friends.
The test: "One of" picks a single item out of a group, so the group has to be plural.
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Discuss
We discussed about it.
We discussed it.
The test: "Discuss" already contains the idea of "about", so the preposition drops.
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Countable nouns
He gave me an advice.
He gave me some advice.
The test: Advice is a mass, not separate items. Count it as "a piece of advice".
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Verb after a modal
She will went home.
She will go home.
The test: "Will" already carries the tense, so the next verb goes back to its plain form.
Why tests beat rules
"Use an apostrophe in it's only when you mean it is" is a rule. It is correct, and it is hard to recall at the moment you are typing.
"Say it is out loud and see if it fits" is a test. It takes half a second, it works on any sentence, and you cannot really forget it once you have used it a few times.
Every entry above gives you the test rather than asking you to memorise the rule.
The pattern behind half of these
Look again at more better, should of, will went and there is many. Three of those four are the same underlying mistake: marking something twice.
- more better marks the comparison twice, once with "more" and once with "-er".
- will went marks the tense twice, once with "will" and once with "went".
- He don't and she go are the same rule seen from two sides: the -s ending that marks he, she and it.
English marks each grammatical idea exactly once. Once you notice that, several separate rules collapse into one habit.
How to fix a mistake for good
- Find out which one you actually make. Paste a piece of your own old writing into the checker. Do not guess.
- Work on one at a time. Trying to fix all twelve at once fixes none.
- Use the test deliberately for a week. It feels slow at first and then becomes invisible.
- Check back with the practice questions. If you can say why before you click, it has stuck.
For guidance on writing that avoids these problems in public documents, see the federal plain language guidelines.
Good to know
Questions people ask
What is the most common English grammar mistake?
Subject and verb agreement, such as writing she go instead of she goes. It is the mistake our checker flags most often, and it has a simple test: one person takes the -s form.
Why do I keep making the same mistake?
Usually because you learned a rule rather than a test. A rule has to be recalled deliberately. A test, such as swapping in you are to choose between your and you're, runs in half a second and becomes automatic.
Is should of ever correct?
No. Of is never a verb. It sounds correct because should've is spoken quickly, but the written form is always should have.
How do I find out which mistakes I make?
Paste a piece of your own older writing into the checker rather than guessing. People are usually wrong about which mistake is their worst.