English is more than just a subject; it’s a core component of the UK’s national curriculum and a result of a unique fusion of ancient languages. Originating from the West Germanic region and introduced to Britain, English has evolved into a necessity in modern times.

Have you ever contemplated what makes writing truly captivating?

Grammar enhances writing, making it more comprehensive, elaborate, and fascinating. However, common English mistakes often hinder this process. Most students struggle with ambiguity, particularly in advanced academic writing. Yet, it’s essential to recognize and address persistent mistakes in academic writing. This post will not only highlight common grammatical errors in English but also provide essential alternative measures to enhance grammatical accuracy while writing.

10 Common English Mistakes

Here’s a list of common mistakes made in academic English writing, serving as a starting point for improvement:

1. Spelling Errors:
Spelling errors are prevalent in English writing, especially with homophones, which sound the same but have different meanings, like “hour-our,” “sell-cell,” “blue-blew,” “see-sea,” and more.

2. Overuse of Adverbs:
Overusing adverbs is a frequent grammatical error. Adverbs modify verbs and embellish sentences, but students often exceed the appropriate usage, affecting sentence structure and clarity.

3. Wordy Sentences:
Another common error is constructing sentences laden with unnecessary repetition of words or articles, resulting in inflated and unclear sentences.

4. Punctuation Mistakes:
Punctuation errors, such as comma splices, are often encountered. It’s vital to understand and correctly use various punctuation marks to enhance writing.

5. Ambiguous Pronoun Reference:
Ambiguity in pronoun reference is a notable mistake. Pronouns should clearly refer to specific nouns to maintain clarity and coherence.

6. Sentence Fragments:
Sentence fragments, lacking a subject or verb, disrupt the sentence’s structure and coherence. Adding appropriate nouns corrects this issue.

7. Subject-Verb Agreement:
Misunderstanding subject-verb agreement is common, particularly concerning singular and plural nouns and their corresponding verbs.

8. Run-on Sentences:
Run-on sentences, combining multiple independent clauses without proper punctuation or conjunctions, hinder readability.

9. Tautologies:
Repetitive expression of similar ideas, known as tautologies, weakens the credibility of writing. Effective brainstorming and proofreading can help mitigate this issue.

10. Irregular Verb Forms:
Incorrect use of verb forms, especially the past participle, is a common error. Understanding irregular verb forms is crucial for accurate usage.

Improving grammatical accuracy in advanced English writing requires identifying and rectifying these errors through diligent practice and learning.