Catalog / Grammar & Style - Common Mistakes Cheatsheet
Grammar & Style - Common Mistakes Cheatsheet
A comprehensive cheat sheet addressing common grammar and style mistakes in writing. Covering topics from subject-verb agreement to proper use of commas and apostrophes, this guide provides clear explanations and examples to help improve your writing skills.
Subject-Verb Agreement
Basic Agreement
Singular subjects take singular verbs; plural subjects take plural verbs. Correct: The dog barks. |
Compound subjects joined by ‘and’ usually take a plural verb. Correct: John and Mary are going to the store. |
When subjects are joined by ‘or’ or ‘nor’, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. Correct: Neither the students nor the teacher is here. |
Indefinite Pronouns
Singular indefinite pronouns (e.g., everyone, someone, nobody) take singular verbs. |
Correct: Everyone is ready. |
Plural indefinite pronouns (e.g., several, few, both) take plural verbs. |
Correct: Several are coming. |
Some indefinite pronouns (e.g., some, any, all, most) can be singular or plural, depending on the noun they refer to. |
Correct: Some of the pie is gone. (singular) |
Collective Nouns
Collective nouns (e.g., team, family, committee) can be singular or plural, depending on whether they are acting as a unit or as individuals. Acting as a unit (singular): The team is playing well. |
Pronoun Agreement & Usage
Pronoun Agreement
A pronoun must agree in number and gender with its antecedent. Correct: The student finished his homework. |
Use singular pronouns with singular indefinite pronouns. Correct: Everyone should bring his or her own lunch. |
Pronoun Case
Subjective pronouns (I, he, she, we, they) are used as subjects of verbs. |
Correct: He and I went to the store. |
Objective pronouns (me, him, her, us, them) are used as objects of verbs or prepositions. |
Correct: The teacher gave the books to her and me. |
Possessive pronouns (mine, his, hers, ours, theirs) show ownership. |
Correct: The car is theirs. |
Who vs. Whom
‘Who’ is used as a subject; ‘whom’ is used as an object. Correct: Who is at the door? (subject) Tip: If you can replace ‘who/whom’ with ‘he/him’, use ‘who’ if ‘he’ works and ‘whom’ if ‘him’ works. |
Commonly Confused Words
Affect vs. Effect
‘Affect’ is usually a verb meaning to influence. |
Correct: The weather affects my mood. |
‘Effect’ is usually a noun meaning a result or consequence. |
Correct: The effect of the medicine was immediate. |
‘Effect’ can also be a verb, meaning to bring about or accomplish (less common). |
Correct: The new policy effected positive change. |
Its vs. It's
‘Its’ is a possessive pronoun. |
Correct: The dog wagged its tail. |
‘It’s’ is a contraction of ‘it is’ or ‘it has’. |
Correct: It’s raining outside. |
There, Their, and They're
‘There’ indicates a place or existence. |
Correct: The book is over there. |
‘Their’ is a possessive pronoun. |
Correct: They love their parents. |
‘They’re’ is a contraction of ‘they are’. |
Correct: They’re going to the park. |
Punctuation Pitfalls
Comma Splices
A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined only by a comma. Incorrect: The sun was shining, the birds were singing. |
Correct by using a semicolon, a conjunction, or by making two separate sentences. Correct: The sun was shining; the birds were singing. |
Apostrophe Errors
Use apostrophes to indicate possession. |
Correct: The dog’s bone. |
Do not use apostrophes for simple plurals. |
Incorrect: The dog’s are playing. |
Use apostrophes to indicate contractions. |
Correct: It’s a beautiful day. |
Dangling Modifiers
A dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that does not clearly modify the word it is intended to modify. Incorrect: Walking down the street, the building was very tall. (Who was walking?) |