COMMON GRAMMAR ERRORS

Both native and non-native speakers of English make grammar errors in writing. Some errors exist despite the writers' first language. Others are specific to each language group. At the sentence level, five types of grammar errors are common in both native and non-native English speakers' writing.

1. Sentence fragment

2. Run-on sentence

3. Comma splice

4. Dangling modifier

5. Subject-verb disagreement

6. The Excessive Use of 'of', 'and', and 'that'

To recognize and to revise these grammar errors, you should have solid knowledge of the differences between sentences and clauses as well as dependent and independent clauses. You should also be familiar with the use of punctuation marks in sentences.

1.Sentence Fragment

E.g.,

1. While Sherlock waited.

2. The detective Sherlock Holmes.

3. With his fingertips together.

4. Sherlock Holmes.

Did you notice the problems? Although they all begin with a capitalized letter and end with a period, these structures are actually not sentences at all. What are they then?

1. = DC (dependent clause)

2. = NP

3. = PP

4. = NP

These are known as sentence fragments.

2. Run-on Sentence

E.g.,

1. Sherlock Holmes waited Doctor Watson delayed his visit.

2. Watson didn't come he was caught in the traffic.

If you hear these sentences in conversations, they may sound alright. But in writing, they are incorrect because each sentence contains two independent clauses (ICs) that need to be separated by proper punctuation or connected by a conjunction. This kind of errors are known as run-on sentences.

3. Comma Splice

E.g.,

1. Sherlock Holmes waited, Doctor Watson delayed his visit.

2. Watson didn't come, he was caught in the traffic.

They are not grammatically correct either. Remember that comma itself does not connect, it cuts. These sentence have another type of error called comma splice (*Type 3 Error).

To rectify these sentences, the simplest way is to change the commas into semicolons. An alternative is to add a conjunction to connect the two ICs.

1. Sherlock Holmes waited, and Doctor Watson delayed his visit.

2. Watson didn't come because he was caught in the traffic.

4. Dangling Modifier

S1. Packing my kit into three huge holdalls, my little Jack Russell could tell a long trip was coming. *

S2. Packing my kit into three huge holdalls, I knew my little Jack Russell could tell a long trip was coming.

In the two sentences above, 'Packing my kit into three huge holdalls' is a present participle dependent clause modifying the main clause that follows. Its logical subject is 'I' because 'I' am the performer of the action 'packing' in the dependent clause and the main clause. For this reason, S2 is grammatically correct. S1 contains a dangling modifier "packing my kit into three huge holdalls'.

S3. Having followed a strict high-protein diet, her weight dropped off rapidly. *

S4. Having followed a strict high-protein diet, Paula lost dropped off rapidly.

For the same reason, S3 contains a dangling modifier whereas S4 is correct.

5. Subject-Verb Disagreement

At this point, you should understand that the subject of a sentence can take any one of the following forms:

1. 1. 1. a simple noun phrase

         • a single noun or pronoun (e.g., Books were expensive before printing was invented. They were available only to the rich.)

         • a head noun with premodification (e.g., Interesting souls are hard to come upon.)

      2. a complex noun phrase

         • a head noun with both pre- and post-modification

           1. prepositional phrases as a postmodifier (e.g., The cat down the road belongs to my neighbor.)

           2. relative clause as a postmodifier (e.g., The yellow dog that wears a rainbow bandana is mine.)

           3. complement clause as a postmodifier (e.g., The fact that only three percent of the people have written goals was shocking.)

Subjects can also be coordinated noun phrases, e.g., Tom and Jerry live in the same house.

3. A clause can also function as the subject of a sentence.

That he is resigning surprises everyone.

What one says does not matter as much as what one does.

No matter what form the subject is in, we can always make the distinction between singular and plural. Singular subjects require singular verbs, and plural subjects demand plural verbs. Most times, we can tell the number of the subject easily; however, there are some tricky words.

Click here to view these cases.

Examples:

S1. The evacuation of the offices are the floor manager's responsibility. *

S2. The evacuation of the offices is the floor manager's responsibility

In the two sentences above, 'of the offices' is a prepositional phrase functioning as a PNM of the head noun 'evacuation', which is also the subject of the whole sentence. Therefore, the verb should agree with 'evacuation', the singular noun, in number.

S3. A combination of factors were the cause of the crash. *

S4. A combination of factors was the cause of the crash.

For the same reason, S3 is wrong and S4 is correct.

S5. None of the students were present. *

S6. None of the students were present.

When 'all', 'the majority, and 'half' serve as the subject of a sentence, the number of the verb agrees with the preceding noun.

S7. All of the bread has been eaten.

S8. All of the cakes have been eaten.

S9. The majority of the cakes are missing.

S10. Half of the bread is missing.

6. The Excessive Use of 'of', 'and', and 'that'

The sentences below are grammatical but do not read very well.

1. A knowledge of effective sentence structure is the aim of all of the students of the current cohort of this course.

2. Proposals are to be submitted in duplicate, and enclosed in a sealed envelope, and endorsed with a reference number, and should be lodged at the address below.

3. The thing about a sentence with a listlike form is that there are a number of tiny points with independent bits of meaning that are set out in the sentence in a line so that the series of words and phrases reads like so many pieces of popcorn strung out on a string.

The problems that they share relates to the excessive use of of (of-ness), and (and-ness), and that (that-ness) .

Other Common Grammar Errors By Gravity: (Source Grammar Monster)

1. Mistakes that will damage your credibility

2. Mistakes that will make you look careless

3. Mistakes for which you'll be forgiven

4. Mistakes you'll probably get away with

5. "Mistakes" that might annoy your reader

Revise the above sentence fragments and the sentences with -ness issues.