Common English Grammar Mistakes: English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, yet even fluent speakers often slip up when it comes to grammar. From confusing “its” and “it’s” to overusing phrases like “revert back,” small errors can easily creep into everyday communication, especially for students and English learners. In India, many learners unknowingly use incorrect grammar due to regional influences or literal translations from local languages.
This detailed guide covers 50+ of the most common grammar errors in English with clear explanations, real-life examples, and simple corrections. Whether you're preparing for exams, improving your spoken English, or writing more effectively, this article will help you identify and avoid these errors confidently.
We’ve also included a special section on common Indian English phrases and how to express them correctly in standard English.
Why Good Grammar Matters in Everyday Life
Good grammar plays a key role in effective communication—whether in school, the workplace, or everyday life. From students to professionals, mastering grammar helps express ideas clearly and confidently.
Good grammar is essential for:
- Writing error-free essays and assignments
- Scoring well in exams and competitive tests
- Communicating confidently in English
- Improving professional and academic success
Now, let’s dive into the most common grammar errors and how you can avoid them!
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Most Common English Grammar Errors and How to Fix Them
Here is a list of the 50 most common grammar mistakes in English, especially useful for students and English learners. Each example includes the type of mistake, a wrong sentence, the correct version, and a simple explanation to help you understand and avoid these errors in everyday speaking and writing.
| No. | Mistake | Incorrect Example | Correct Example | Explanation |
| 1 | Its vs It’s | Its raining today. | It’s raining today. | It’s = it is/has; Its = possessive form. |
| 2 | There vs Their vs They’re | There going to the park. | They’re going to the park. | There = place; Their = possessive; They’re = they are. |
| 3 | Your vs You’re | Your going to love this movie. | You’re going to love this movie. | You’re = you are; Your = possessive. |
| 4 | Affect vs Effect | The movie really effected me. | The movie really affected me. | Affect = verb (influence); Effect = noun (result). |
| 5 | Then vs Than | She is taller then me. | She is taller than me. | Than = comparison; Then = time sequence. |
| 6 | To vs Too vs Two | I want to apples. | I want two apples. | To = preposition; Too = also/excessive; Two = number. |
| 7 | Subject-Verb Agreement | He go to school every day. | He goes to school every day. | Verb must agree with the subject in number. |
| 8 | Me vs I | Me and Ria went to the market. | Ria and I went to the market. | Use I as the subject, me as the object. |
| 9 | Who vs Whom | Whom is coming to the party? | Who is coming to the party? | Who = subject; Whom = object. |
| 10 | Double Negatives | I don’t need no help. | I don’t need any help. | Avoid using two negatives in one sentence. |
| 11 | Run-On Sentences | I went to the shop I bought milk. | I went to the shop, and I bought milk. | Use conjunctions or punctuation to separate ideas. |
| 12 | Apostrophes (Its vs It’s) | The cat hurt it’s leg. | The cat hurt its leg. | Its = possessive; It’s = it is/has. |
| 13 | ‘Less’ with Countable Nouns | There were less people at the event. | There were fewer people at the event. | Use fewer for countable nouns, less for uncountable nouns. |
| 14 | Good vs Well | He plays football good. | He plays football well. | Use well as an adverb to describe actions. |
| 15 | Misplaced Modifiers | She almost drove her kids daily. | She drove her kids to school almost every day. | Place modifiers near the word they describe. |
| 16 | Overusing Commas | My dog, is very friendly. | My dog is very friendly. | Don’t put commas where they aren’t needed. |
| 17 | Incorrect Tense Usage | He eat breakfast at 8 am yesterday. | He ate breakfast at 8 am yesterday. | Use the correct past tense form of verbs. |
| 18 | Lay vs Lie | I will lay down now. | I will lie down now. | Lay = to place something; Lie = recline. |
| 19 | Could of vs Could have | I could of gone to the party. | I could have gone to the party. | Use could have, not could of. |
| 20 | Them vs Those | Them books are mine. | Those books are mine. | Use those as the demonstrative adjective/pronoun. |
| 21 | Overusing Passive Voice | The cake was eaten by me. | I ate the cake. | Prefer active voice for clarity and conciseness. |
| 22 | Incorrect Comparatives | She is more taller than me. | She is taller than me. | Don’t use more with adjectives ending in -er. |
| 23 | Plural vs Possessive Confusion | All student’s must attend. | All students must attend. | Use plural for more than one; possessive shows ownership. |
| 24 | Alot vs A lot | I have alot of homework. | I have a lot of homework. | A lot is two words, not one. |
| 25 | Since vs Because | I’m tired since I didn’t sleep. | I’m tired because I didn’t sleep. | Use because to explain reasons; since refers to time. |
| 26 | Seen vs Saw | I seen it. | I saw it. | Saw is simple past; seen is past participle needing have/had. |
| 27 | Don’t vs Doesn’t | She don’t know. | She doesn’t know. | Use doesn’t with third-person singular subjects. |
| 28 | Did + Past Verb | He didn’t went. | He didn’t go. | Use base verb after did. |
| 29 | More + Comparative | She is more prettier. | She is prettier. | Don’t combine more with adjectives ending in -er. |
| 30 | Quick vs Quickly | Do it quick. | Do it quickly. | Use adverbs to modify verbs. |
| 31 | Married to vs Married with | He is married with her. | He is married to her. | Use married to to indicate spouse. |
| 32 | Went vs Gone | I have went. | I have gone. | Gone is past participle; went is simple past. |
| 33 | Singular vs Plural | One of my friend. | One of my friends. | Use plural after one of. |
| 34 | Did + Past Verb | I didn’t knew. | I didn’t know. | Use base verb after didn’t. |
| 35 | Agree Usage | I’m agree. | I agree. | Agree is a verb; no am with it. |
| 36 | Open the light vs Turn on | Open the light. | Turn on the light. | Use turn on/off for electrical devices. |
| 37 | Close the fan vs Turn off | Close the fan. | Turn off the fan. | Use turn off for electrical devices. |
| 38 | Discuss vs Discuss about | Discuss about it. | Discuss it. | Discuss does not need about. |
| 39 | Revert vs Revert back | Please revert back soon. | Please revert soon. | Revert means to go back; back is redundant. |
| 40 | At home vs In home | He is in home. | He is at home. | Use at home to indicate location. |
| 41 | According to me vs In my opinion | According to me, the movie was great. | In my opinion, the movie was great. | According to is for sources, not personal views. |
| 42 | Cousin brother vs Cousin | My cousin brother lives in Delhi. | My cousin lives in Delhi. | Cousin already indicates relation; brother is redundant. |
| 43 | Each + Plural Pronoun | Each student must do their work. | Each student must do his or her work. | Each is singular; pronouns must agree. |
| 44 | Prefer to vs Prefer than | I prefer tea than coffee. | I prefer tea to coffee. | Use prefer A to B, not than. |
| 45 | Collective Noun Agreement | The team are playing well. | The team is playing well. | Collective nouns take singular verbs in American English. |
| 46 | More better vs Better | This is more better. | This is better. | Better is comparative; more is unnecessary. |
| 47 | Do a mistake vs Make a mistake | She did a mistake. | She made a mistake. | Use make with mistake. |
| 48 | Return vs Return back | He returned back. | He returned. | Returned means coming back; back is redundant. |
| 49 | Senior to vs Senior than | He is senior than me. | He is senior to me. | Use senior to, not senior than. |
| 50 | Myself John vs I am John | Myself John. | I am John. | Myself is reflexive; use I am for introductions. |
Common Indianism English Errors/Phrases to Avoid (with Corrections)
These are phrases often heard in Indian English but are grammatically incorrect in standard English:
| Indian English Phrase | Correct English Equivalent | Explanation |
| Myself Ravi Kumar. | I am Ravi Kumar. | “Myself” is reflexive; not used for introductions. |
| She is my cousin sister. | She is my cousin. | “Cousin” already implies relation—don’t add brother/sister. |
| I passed out in 2023. | I graduated in 2023. | “Passed out” means lost consciousness in standard English. |
| He is out of station. | He is out of town / away. | “Out of station” is an Indianism—avoid in formal English. |
| I will revert back. | I will revert. | “Revert” means go back—“back” is redundant. |
| Please do the needful. | Please take the necessary action. | “Do the needful” is outdated and sounds formal or vague. |
| He is in hospital since 3 days. | He has been in hospital for 3 days. | Use “for” with a period of time, not “since.” |
| What is your good name? | What is your name? | “Good name” is not a standard English phrase. |
| Kindly oblige. | Please help me / Kindly assist. | “Kindly oblige” sounds overly formal and archaic. |
| He is my real brother. | He is my brother. | The word “real” is unnecessary unless you’re contrasting with stepbrother. |
| I am going to office. | I am going to the office. | “The” is needed before office in most cases unless used idiomatically. |
| Please on the light. | Please turn on the light. | “On” is a preposition, not a verb. Use phrasal verb “turn on.” |
| Your dress is very nice no? | Your dress is very nice, isn’t it? | Use proper question tags like “isn’t it?” |
| Do one thing... | Here's what you should do... | “Do one thing” is a vague Indianism; be more specific. |
Mastering English grammar doesn’t require memorizing complex rules. Just becoming aware of common pitfalls can dramatically improve your writing and speaking skills. Bookmark this guide, refer to it when in doubt, and with regular practice, these common errors will soon be a thing of the past!
Also Check: English Tenses Chart PDF: 12 Tenses With Rules, Uses & Examples
