Top Grammar Mistakes Students Make in English | Common Errors with Examples

1. Subject-Verb Agreement Mistakes

One of the most common grammar mistakes is incorrect subject-verb agreement.

The verb must match the subject in number and person.

Wrong:

She go to school daily.

Correct:

She goes to school daily.

Wrong:

The boys plays football.

Correct:

The boys play football.

Easy Rule

Singular subject → singular verb

Plural subject → plural verb

2. Incorrect Use of Tenses

Many students mix present, past, and future tenses incorrectly.

Wrong:

I am going to market yesterday.

Correct:

I went to the market yesterday.

Wrong:

She has completed her homework tomorrow.

Correct:

She will complete her homework tomorrow.

Quick Tip

Look carefully at time words like:

yesterday

tomorrow

now

last week

already

They help identify the correct tense.

3. Confusion Between “Has” and “Have”

Students often use “has” and “have” incorrectly.

Correct Usage

He/She/It → has

I/You/We/They → have

Wrong:

They has a car.

Correct:

They have a car.

Wrong:

She have completed the work.

Correct:

She has completed the work.

4. Misuse of Articles (A, An, The)

Articles are small words but very important.

Wrong:

He is an university student.

Correct:

He is a university student.

Because “university” begins with a “yu” sound.

Wrong:

I saw a elephant.

Correct:

I saw an elephant.

Easy Rule

Use “a” before consonant sounds.

Use “an” before vowel sounds.

5. Double Negatives

Two negative words should not usually be used together.

Wrong:

I do not know nothing.

Correct:

I do not know anything.

Wrong:

She never said nothing.

Correct:

She never said anything.

6. Incorrect Prepositions

Prepositions create confusion for many students.

Wrong:

He discussed about the problem.

Correct:

He discussed the problem.

Wrong:

She is good in English.

Correct:

She is good at English.

Common Preposition Rules

7. Confusion Between “Your” and “You’re”

This is one of the most common grammar mistakes online.

Wrong:

Your very intelligent.

Correct:

You’re very intelligent.

Difference

Your = possession

You’re = you are

8. Run-on Sentences

Many students write very long sentences without punctuation.

Wrong:

I woke up late I missed the bus I reached school late.

Correct:

I woke up late, so I missed the bus and reached school late.

Exam Tip

Use:

commas

full stops

conjunctions

properly.

9. Misuse of Apostrophes

Wrong:

The boys bag is new.

Correct:

The boy’s bag is new.

Rule

Use apostrophe (’) to show possession.

Examples:

Riya’s book

children’s toys

teacher’s table

10. Incorrect Pronoun Usage

Wrong:

Me and Rahul went to school.

Correct:

Rahul and I went to school.

Wrong:

Everyone should bring their book.

Better:

Everyone should bring his or her book.

11. Confusing “Then” and “Than”

Then

Used for time.

Example:

We went home, then we ate dinner.

Than

Used for comparison.

Example:

Rahul is taller than Aman.

12. Incorrect Use of “Too” and “To”

To

Used for direction or infinitive verbs.

Example:

I want to study.

Too

Means “also” or “excessively”.

Example:

She is too tired.

13. Common Spelling-Based Grammar Mistakes

Students often confuse:

their / there

affect / effect

lose / loose

quiet / quite

Example

Wrong:

Their going to school.

Correct:

They’re going to school.

14. Sentence Fragment Errors

A sentence must contain:

subject

verb

complete meaning

Wrong:

Because I was tired.

Correct:

I slept early because I was tired.

15. Incorrect Capitalization

Wrong:

i live in india.

Correct:

I live in India.

Capitalize:

names

countries

languages

days

months

16.Most Common Grammar Mistakes in CBSE Exams

Students often lose marks in:

editing tasks

omission exercises

gap filling

writing section

notice writing

letter writing

analytical paragraph writing