"Mastering the Art of Sentence Precision: Advanced Grammar for Competitive Exams"

"Elevate Your Language Skills and Ace Every Test with Expert Grammar Insights"

M AKRAM BHUTTO

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(i) Original Sentence:

We were staying at my sister’s cape’s code vacation home.

Mistake: "Cape Cod" is a proper noun and should be capitalized. Additionally, there is no need
for the possessive form "cape's."

Corrected Sentence:
We were staying at my sister’s Cape Cod vacation home.

(ii) Original Sentence:

She recommended me that I take a few days off from work.

Mistake: The verb "recommend" does not take an indirect object ("me"). Instead, it should be
followed by "that" and a clause.

Corrected Sentence:
She recommended that I take a few days off from work.

(iii) Original Sentence:

I tried to explain him the problem, but he had difficulty understanding me.

Mistake: The verb "explain" should be followed by the object (what is being explained) and then
the person (with the preposition "to"). "Explain him" is incorrect.

Corrected Sentence:
I tried to explain the problem to him, but he had difficulty understanding me.

(iv) Original Sentence:

I’ll do the grocery shopping for you grandma, Lucy said.

Mistake: The direct speech is not punctuated correctly, and "grandma" should be capitalized as
it's used as a proper noun here.

Corrected Sentence:
"I’ll do the grocery shopping for you, Grandma," Lucy said.

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(vi) Original Sentence:

I don’t know why you didn’t go. If I were you, I should have gone.

Mistake: The second part of the sentence is a conditional sentence, and "should have gone" is
incorrect here. The correct modal verb is "would."

Corrected Sentence:
I don’t know why you didn’t go. If I were you, I would have gone.

**********

(i) Original Sentence:

In the accident one of my arms was broken and my legs bruised.

Mistake: This sentence is correct in terms of structure and meaning, but it could use a comma
for clarity.

Corrected Sentence:
In the accident, one of my arms was broken, and my legs were bruised.

(ii) Original Sentence:

The people who had been raising slogans against the government for many hours they wanted
increase in their salaries.

Mistake: The subject "they" is redundant because "the people who had been raising slogans" is
already the subject. Additionally, "wanted increase in their salaries" should be rephrased for
clarity.

Corrected Sentence:
The people who had been raising slogans against the government for many hours wanted an
increase in their salaries.

(iii) Original Sentence:

You have been working very hard for the last two years. Isn’t it?
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Mistake: The tag question should agree with the subject "you" and the verb "have been." The
correct tag is "haven’t you?" not "isn’t it?"

Corrected Sentence:
You have been working very hard for the last two years, haven’t you?

(iv) Original Sentence:

John could hardly do no better than to have caught a bass of such dimensions.

Mistake: The double negative "could hardly do no better" is incorrect. It should be "could hardly
do better."

Corrected Sentence:
John could hardly do better than to have caught a bass of such dimensions.

(v) Original Sentence:

I who have no chance to meet him would rather go with you instead of sitting at home.

Mistake: "I who have no chance to meet him" is awkward and incorrect. The sentence should
have a clearer structure, and "I" should be separated from the relative clause with commas.

Corrected Sentence:
I, who have no chance of meeting him, would rather go with you instead of sitting at home.

(vi) Original Sentence:

He not only comes there for swimming but also for coaching new swimmers.

Mistake: The placement of "not only" and "but also" is correct, but the sentence would flow
better with the correct parallel structure, keeping both activities in a similar form.

Corrected Sentence:
He comes there not only to swim but also to coach new swimmers.

(vii) Original Sentence:

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When he visited the fair last time, he bought no less than twenty school bags.

Mistake: The phrase "no less than" should be "no fewer than" because "school bags" are
countable items.

Corrected Sentence:
When he visited the fair last time, he bought no fewer than twenty school bags.

(viii) Original Sentence:

Ten cattles were grazing in the field.

Mistake: "Cattle" is a plural noun and does not take an "s." The correct verb form is also "were."

Corrected Sentence:
Ten cattle were grazing in the field.

**********

(i) Original Sentence:

We were staying at my sister’s cape’s code vacation home.

Mistake: "Cape Cod" is a proper noun and should be capitalized. Also, there’s an incorrect
possessive form ("cape’s") used.

Corrected Sentence:
We were staying at my sister’s Cape Cod vacation home.

(ii) Original Sentence:

She recommended me that I take a few days off from work.

Mistake: The verb "recommend" is not followed by an indirect object ("me"). It should be
followed by a clause starting with "that."

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Corrected Sentence:
She recommended that I take a few days off from work.

(iii) Original Sentence:

I tried to explain him the problem, but he had difficulty understanding me.

Mistake: The verb "explain" requires the preposition "to" before the person receiving the
explanation.

Corrected Sentence:
I tried to explain the problem to him, but he had difficulty understanding me.

(iv) Original Sentence:

I’ll do the grocery shopping for you grandma, Lucy said.

Mistake: The punctuation for the direct speech is incorrect, and "grandma" should be capitalized
since it is used as a proper noun.

Corrected Sentence:
"I’ll do the grocery shopping for you, Grandma," Lucy said.

(v) Original Sentence:

We took a tent, a cooler, and a sleeping bag.

Mistake: There is no grammatical mistake in this sentence; it is correct as it stands.

Corrected Sentence:
We took a tent, a cooler, and a sleeping bag. (No change needed)

(vi) Original Sentence:

I don’t know why you didn’t go. If I were you, I should have gone.

Mistake: In conditional sentences, "would have" is correct, not "should have."

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Corrected Sentence:
I don’t know why you didn’t go. If I were you, I would have gone.

(vii) Original Sentence:

Kevin says he stopped to travel internationally because of his family.

Mistake: The phrase "stopped to travel" suggests he stopped in order to travel, but the intended
meaning is that he stopped traveling. The correct phrase is "stopped traveling."

Corrected Sentence:
Kevin says he stopped traveling internationally because of his family.

(viii) Original Sentence:

Don’t run!

Mistake: This sentence is grammatically correct, but it can be punctuated differently for
emphasis.

Corrected Sentence:
Don’t run! (No change needed, but you could add an exclamation mark for emphasis)

**********

(i) Original Sentence:

They only work when they have no money.

Mistake: The placement of "only" is ambiguous. It can modify "work," but it is clearer if placed
directly before "when they have no money."

Corrected Sentence:
They work only when they have no money.

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(ii) Original Sentence:

They left the hotel here they had been staying in a motor-car.

Mistake: The word "here" should be replaced by "where" to correctly introduce the relative
clause.

Corrected Sentence:
They left the hotel where they had been staying in a motor-car.

(iii) Original Sentence:

I cannot by no means allow you to do so.

Mistake: This sentence contains a double negative ("cannot" and "by no means"), which is
incorrect. It should be either "cannot" or "by no means," not both.

Corrected Sentence:
I cannot by any means allow you to do so.
or
By no means can I allow you to do so.

(iv) Original Sentence:

My friend said he never remembered having read a more enjoyable book.

Mistake: There is no grammatical error here, but the sentence can be slightly reworded for
clarity.

Corrected Sentence:
My friend said he could not remember having read a more enjoyable book.
(This is a rephrasing rather than a correction. The original is also acceptable.)

(v) Original Sentence:

Going up the hill, an old temple was seen.

Mistake: The sentence has a dangling modifier. "Going up the hill" implies that the temple was
going up the hill, which is incorrect. The subject should be specified.

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Corrected Sentence:
Going up the hill, we saw an old temple.
or
As we went up the hill, an old temple was seen.

(vi) Original Sentence:

One day the bird did not perform certain tricks which had thought it to his satisfaction.

Mistake: The sentence is unclear due to missing words and incorrect structure. "Which had
thought" does not make sense and should be clarified. "Had taught" is the likely intended phrase.

Corrected Sentence:
One day, the bird did not perform certain tricks which he had taught it to his satisfaction.

(vii) Original Sentence:

I was rather impressed by the manner of the orator than by his matter.

Mistake: "Rather" is incorrectly used here. The sentence should use "more" to compare
"manner" and "matter."

Corrected Sentence:
I was more impressed by the manner of the orator than by his matter.

(viii) Original Sentence:

What an awful weather!

Mistake: "Weather" is an uncountable noun and does not need an article ("an").

Corrected Sentence:
What awful weather!

**********

(i) Original Sentence:

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He enjoyed during the holidays.

Mistake: The verb "enjoy" requires an object. The sentence is incomplete without specifying
what was enjoyed.

Corrected Sentence:
He enjoyed himself during the holidays.
or
He enjoyed the holidays.

(ii) Original Sentence:

None of the boys had learnt their lesson.

Mistake: "None" can be singular or plural, but in formal English, it is often treated as singular.
Since "none" refers to "not one," it should ideally take a singular verb in this case.

Corrected Sentence:
None of the boys had learned his lesson.
(Alternatively, "their lesson" is commonly used in modern English, so this is acceptable
depending on formality.)

(iii) Original Sentence:

He is abusing the money of his father.

Mistake: The verb "abusing" is not appropriate for "money." The correct term would be
"misusing."

Corrected Sentence:
He is misusing his father's money.

(iv) Original Sentence:

I regret at the delay.

Mistake: The preposition "at" is unnecessary here. "Regret" is not followed by a preposition in
this context.

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Corrected Sentence:
I regret the delay.

(v) Original Sentence:

I could not help but laugh.

Mistake: "I could not help but laugh" is informal and commonly used, but it’s more
grammatically correct to say "could not help laughing."

Corrected Sentence:
I could not help laughing.

(vi) Original Sentence:

I always have and always shall be your friend.

Mistake: The auxiliary verbs "have" and "shall" need to be aligned with the same verb tense for
consistency. The verb "been" is required after "have."

Corrected Sentence:
I always have been and always shall be your friend.

(vii) Original Sentence:

I was out walking when I saw the new moon in the garden.

Mistake: The phrase "the new moon in the garden" is misleading because it suggests the moon
was in the garden. The preposition "from" makes the meaning clear.

Corrected Sentence:
I was out walking when I saw the new moon from the garden.

(viii) Original Sentence:

He cried as if he was mad.

Mistake: In hypothetical or unreal conditions, "were" is used instead of "was."

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Corrected Sentence:
He cried as if he were mad.

**********

(i) Original Sentence:

I won him in the race.

Mistake: The verb "win" should be followed by "the race" (the object of the competition), not
"him." You defeat a person, but you win a race.

Corrected Sentence:
I beat him in the race.
or
I won the race.

(ii) Original Sentence:

He said that I am playing chess.

Mistake: Reported speech requires a shift in tense. Since the reporting verb ("said") is in the past
tense, "am playing" should change to the past continuous tense.

Corrected Sentence:
He said that I was playing chess.

(iii) Original Sentence:

Unless you do not try, you will never succeed.

Mistake: The word "unless" already implies a negative condition, so the use of "not" creates a
double negative.

Corrected Sentence:
Unless you try, you will never succeed.

(iv) Original Sentence:

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He wrote with ink.

Mistake: There is no major grammatical mistake, but "in ink" is a more common and idiomatic
phrase.

Corrected Sentence:
He wrote in ink.

(v) Original Sentence:

What country he belongs to?

Mistake: In a question, the auxiliary verb should come before the subject. Additionally, "to"
should not be placed at the end of the sentence in formal writing.

Corrected Sentence:
Which country does he belong to?
or
To which country does he belong?

(vi) Original Sentence:

When he reaches to manhood, he will visit to England.

Mistake: The preposition "to" is unnecessary after "reaches" and "visit." Both verbs are correct
without prepositions.

Corrected Sentence:
When he reaches manhood, he will visit England.

(vii) Original Sentence:

The new session commences from February 1st, 2020.

Mistake: The word "from" is redundant here. "Commences" implies the start, so it is
unnecessary.

Corrected Sentence:
The new session commences on February 1st, 2020.

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(viii) Original Sentence:

Please send this letter on my address.

Mistake: The correct preposition with "address" is "to," not "on."

Corrected Sentence:
Please send this letter to my address.

**********

(i) Original Sentence:

They were lieing in the sun.

Mistake: The incorrect form of the verb "lie" is used. The correct present participle of "lie" (to
recline) is "lying."

Corrected Sentence:
They were lying in the sun.

(ii) Original Sentence:

He will not come without he is asked.

Mistake: The conjunction "without" is incorrect here. The correct conjunction for conditional
circumstances is "unless."

Corrected Sentence:
He will not come unless he is asked.

(iii) Original Sentence:

John as well as Harry bear witness to it.

Mistake: When using "as well as," the verb should agree with the first subject. In this case,
"John" is singular, so the verb should be "bears."

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Corrected Sentence:
John, as well as Harry, bears witness to it.

(iv) Original Sentence:

The crew was now on board and they soon busied themselves in preparing to meet the coming
storm.

Mistake: "The crew" is treated as a collective noun and is usually considered singular in
American English, but the pronoun "they" is plural. The subject and pronoun should match.

Corrected Sentence:
The crew was now on board, and it soon busied itself in preparing to meet the coming storm.
or
The crew were now on board, and they soon busied themselves in preparing to meet the coming
storm.
(Depending on the style of English being used.)

(v) Original Sentence:

Could I have piece of please?

Mistake: The sentence is missing the word "a" before "piece," and "please" is awkwardly placed.

Corrected Sentence:
Could I have a piece, please?

(vi) Original Sentence:

Is there a sport club near by?

Mistake: "Near by" should be written as one word: "nearby."

Corrected Sentence:
Is there a sports club nearby?

(vii) Original Sentence:

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The coat is quite big.

Mistake: While grammatically correct, "big" can be replaced with a more precise term like
"large" in formal writing.

Corrected Sentence:
The coat is quite large.
(No change is necessary for informal contexts.)

(viii) Original Sentence:

It’s only a short travel by train.

Mistake: "Travel" is a non-count noun, so "trip" (which is countable) is more appropriate here.

Corrected Sentence:
It’s only a short trip by train.

**********

(i) Original Sentence:

I must walk two miles to school every morning when I was a child.

Mistake: The verb tense "must" is in the present, but the sentence is referring to a past action.
"Had to" is the correct form for past obligation.

Corrected Sentence:
I had to walk two miles to school every morning when I was a child.

(ii) Original Sentence:

After the storm, we had got to pick up some fallen branches.

Mistake: "Had got to" is not the correct phrasing for past actions. The correct phrase is "had to."

Corrected Sentence:
After the storm, we had to pick up some fallen branches.

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(iii) Original Sentence:

Guitar is most popular instrument among teen age boys, but not girls.

Mistake: "Guitar" should be preceded by "the," and "teenage" should be one word. Also, it's
clearer to repeat "among" before "girls."

Corrected Sentence:
The guitar is the most popular instrument among teenage boys, but not among girls.

(iv) Original Sentence:

You are not well and I wish you feel better soon.

Mistake: The verb "wish" should be followed by "would feel" for future desires or hopes.

Corrected Sentence:
You are not well, and I wish you would feel better soon.

(v) Original Sentence:

The grass not looking green now because it is not raining since last month.

Mistake: The sentence has an incorrect verb tense and missing auxiliary verbs. The correct tense
is present perfect continuous to indicate an action starting in the past and continuing into the
present.

Corrected Sentence:
The grass is not looking green now because it has not rained since last month.

(vi) Original Sentence:

The cold air made me shiver a little when I was waiting for him.

Mistake: This sentence is grammatically correct.

Corrected Sentence:
The cold air made me shiver a little when I was waiting for him. (No change needed)

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(vii) Original Sentence:

I offered my seat to an older woman who just smiled me.

Mistake: The correct expression is "smiled at me," as "smile" requires the preposition "at."

Corrected Sentence:
I offered my seat to an older woman who just smiled at me.

(viii) Original Sentence:

She packed her bags, carried downstairs and put the back seat of her car.

Mistake: The verb "carried" is missing an object, and the preposition "in" is needed before "the
back seat."

Corrected Sentence:
She packed her bags, carried them downstairs, and put them in the back seat of her car.

**********

(i) Original Sentence:

His knowledge of languages and international relations aid him in his work.

Mistake: The subject "knowledge" is singular, so the verb should be "aids" to agree with the
singular subject.

Corrected Sentence:
His knowledge of languages and international relations aids him in his work.

(ii) Original Sentence:

The ambassador, with his family and staff, invite you to a reception at the embassy on Tuesday
afternoon.

Mistake: The subject "ambassador" is singular, and the phrase "with his family and staff" does
not affect the singular verb. The verb should be "invites."

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Corrected Sentence:
The ambassador, with his family and staff, invites you to a reception at the embassy on Tuesday
afternoon.

(iii) Original Sentence:

This year, he will sit in the CSS examination.

Mistake: The correct preposition is "for," not "in." One sits for an exam.

Corrected Sentence:
This year, he will sit for the CSS examination.

(iv) Original Sentence:

The Chief Executive will let us know whether or not he can attend the meeting.

Mistake: The phrase "whether or not" is redundant. "Whether" alone suffices.

Corrected Sentence:
The Chief Executive will let us know whether he can attend the meeting.

(v) Original Sentence:

When he came back from vacation, Aslam and me plan to look for another apartment.

Mistake: The pronoun "me" should be "I" because it is part of the subject of the sentence.

Corrected Sentence:
When he came back from vacation, Aslam and I planned to look for another apartment.

(vi) Original Sentence:

If some of you make a noise, they shall be punished.

Mistake: The pronoun "they" does not match "some of you." It should be "you" for agreement.

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Corrected Sentence:
If some of you make a noise, you shall be punished.

(vii) Original Sentence:

He came to me to enquire what is the salary attached to the appointment.

Mistake: In indirect speech or embedded questions, the verb should follow the subject. "What
the salary is" is the correct word order.

Corrected Sentence:
He came to me to enquire what the salary attached to the appointment is.

(viii) Original Sentence:

I am too tired that I do not hunt words and idioms in my English book.

Mistake: The word "too" should be followed by "to" (as in "too tired to"). The word "that" is
incorrect in this structure.

Corrected Sentence:
I am too tired to hunt for words and idioms in my English book.

**********

Step 1: Recap of Sentences and Their Corrections

1. Original: I must walk two miles to school every morning when I was a child.
o Type: Past Habitual Action (Past tense)
o Mistake: The verb tense mismatch (present "must" and past "was")
o Correction: I had to walk two miles to school every morning when I was a child.
2. Original: He will not come without he is asked.
o Type: Conditional Sentence
o Mistake: Incorrect conjunction "without" used instead of "unless."
o Correction: He will not come unless he is asked.
3. Original: John as well as Harry bear witness to it.
o Type: Subject-Verb Agreement
o Mistake: Incorrect verb form with compound subject (John is singular)
o Correction: John, as well as Harry, bears witness to it.
4. Original: The grass not looking green now because it is not raining since last month.

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 o Type: Present Perfect Continuous
o Mistake: Incorrect verb tense (Present tense instead of Present Perfect
Continuous)
o Correction: The grass is not looking green now because it has not rained since
last month.
5. Original: I was out walking when I saw the new moon in the garden.
o Type: Misplaced Modifier
o Mistake: "In the garden" wrongly suggests the moon was in the garden.
o Correction: I was out walking in the garden when I saw the new moon.

Step 2: General Analysis of Sentence Types

1. Past Habitual Action

• Definition: Actions that happened regularly in the past but do not occur anymore.
• Example: "I used to walk to school every day."
• Common Mistakes: Mixing present tense with past actions.
• Correction: Ensure past habitual actions use appropriate past tense verbs (e.g., "had to,"
"used to").

2. Conditional Sentences

• Definition: Sentences that express a condition and the result of that condition.
• Example: "If you study, you will pass."
• Common Mistakes: Incorrect conjunctions (like "without" instead of "unless") and
wrong verb forms.
• Correction: Use "if" or "unless" for conditions, and ensure verbs match condition-result.

3. Subject-Verb Agreement

• Definition: The verb must agree in number (singular/plural) with its subject.
• Example: "The dog runs fast." (singular subject and verb)
• Common Mistakes: Not recognizing singular/plural subjects and mismatching verb
forms.
• Correction: Identify the main subject and ensure the verb agrees in number.

4. Present Perfect Continuous

• Definition: Used to show actions that started in the past and are still ongoing.
• Example: "She has been studying for two hours."
• Common Mistakes: Using simple present or present continuous instead of present
perfect continuous.
• Correction: Use "has/have been" + verb(-ing) for actions that started in the past but
continue into the present.

5. Misplaced Modifier

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 • Definition: A word or phrase that improperly modifies a word because of incorrect
placement.
• Example: "Hiking up the mountain, the view was beautiful." (suggests the view was
hiking)
• Common Mistakes: Misplacing descriptive phrases, leading to confusion.
• Correction: Place modifiers next to the words they are supposed to modify.

Step 3: Creating More Sentences and Identifying Mistakes

1. Past Habitual Action

• Example: She would visit her grandmother every Sunday.

o Mistake: She will visit her grandmother every Sunday when she was young.
(Mixing past and present tenses)
o Correction: She used to visit her grandmother every Sunday when she was
young.

2. Conditional Sentences

• Example: If it rains, we will stay indoors.

o Mistake: If it will rain, we stay indoors. (Incorrect use of "will" in the "if" clause)
o Correction: If it rains, we will stay indoors.

3. Subject-Verb Agreement

• Example: The team is winning the match.

o Mistake: The team are winning the match. (Subject "team" is singular)
o Correction: The team is winning the match.

4. Present Perfect Continuous

• Example: He has been reading the book since morning.

o Mistake: He is reading the book since morning. (Present continuous instead of
present perfect continuous)
o Correction: He has been reading the book since morning.

5. Misplaced Modifier

• Example: Walking through the park, she saw a beautiful flower.

o Mistake: Walking through the park, a beautiful flower caught her attention.
(Suggests the flower was walking)
o Correction: As she was walking through the park, she saw a beautiful flower.

Step 4: More Sentence Types and Mistakes

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6. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

• Definition: A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number and gender.
• Example: Everyone should bring their own lunch.
• Common Mistakes: Using a plural pronoun for a singular antecedent or vice versa.
• Mistake: Each student must complete their homework. (Antecedent "student" is singular,
but "their" is plural.)
• Correction: Each student must complete his or her homework.

New Example:

• Mistake: The company will announce their results soon. (Company is singular)
• Correction: The company will announce its results soon.

7. Run-on Sentences

• Definition: A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses are joined
without appropriate punctuation or conjunctions.
• Example: I went to the store, and I bought some milk.
• Common Mistakes: Joining two independent clauses with a comma or no punctuation.
• Mistake: I went to the store I bought some milk. (Two independent clauses are joined
without punctuation.)
• Correction: I went to the store, and I bought some milk.
or
I went to the store. I bought some milk.

New Example:

• Mistake: She loves running it keeps her fit.

• Correction: She loves running because it keeps her fit.
or
She loves running. It keeps her fit.

8. Fragments

• Definition: A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence that lacks a subject or a verb

or does not express a complete thought.
• Example: She went to the store.
• Common Mistakes: Writing a dependent clause or phrase without completing the
thought.
• Mistake: Because she was late. (This is not a complete sentence.)
• Correction: Because she was late, she missed the bus.

New Example:

• Mistake: While walking to the park. (Fragment)

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 • Correction: While walking to the park, she found a lost puppy.

9. Double Negatives

• Definition: A double negative occurs when two negative words are used in the same
clause, which creates a positive meaning or results in confusion.
• Example: I don't have any money.
• Common Mistakes: Using two negative words that cancel each other out.
• Mistake: I don't have no money.
• Correction: I don't have any money.
or
I have no money.

New Example:

• Mistake: She didn’t do nothing wrong.

• Correction: She didn’t do anything wrong.
or
She did nothing wrong.

10. Dangling Modifiers

• Definition: A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly
stated in the sentence.
• Example: After reading the book, I felt inspired.
• Common Mistakes: The subject being modified is unclear or missing.
• Mistake: After reading the book, the lesson was clear. (The lesson didn’t read the book;
the subject is missing.)
• Correction: After reading the book, I found the lesson to be clear.

New Example:

• Mistake: Driving home, the sunset was beautiful. (Who was driving?)
• Correction: As I was driving home, the sunset was beautiful.

Step 5: More Examples and Corrections

11. Faulty Parallelism

• Definition: Parallelism requires that elements in a series or list follow the same
grammatical structure.
• Example: She likes swimming, biking, and running.
• Common Mistakes: Mixing different grammatical structures in a list or series.
• Mistake: She likes swimming, to bike, and running.

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 • Correction: She likes swimming, biking, and running.
or
She likes to swim, to bike, and to run.

New Example:

• Mistake: He enjoys reading books, watching movies, and to play football.

• Correction: He enjoys reading books, watching movies, and playing football.

12. Comma Splice

• Definition: A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined by only a
comma without an appropriate conjunction.
• Example: I went to the store, and I bought some milk.
• Common Mistakes: Using a comma alone to connect two independent clauses.
• Mistake: I went to the store, I bought some milk.
• Correction: I went to the store, and I bought some milk.
or
I went to the store. I bought some milk.

New Example:

• Mistake: It was raining, I stayed inside.

• Correction: It was raining, so I stayed inside.
or
It was raining. I stayed inside.

13. Tense Consistency

• Definition: Maintaining the same verb tense throughout a sentence or a piece of writing
unless a shift in time is necessary.
• Example: She walked to the store and bought some bread.
• Common Mistakes: Switching between tenses without reason.
• Mistake: She walked to the store and buys some bread. (Past and present tense mixed)
• Correction: She walked to the store and bought some bread.
or
She walks to the store and buys some bread.

New Example:

• Mistake: He studies for his exams and passed all of them.

• Correction: He studied for his exams and passed all of them.
or
He studies for his exams and passes all of them.

14. Incorrect Word Choice

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 • Definition: Using the wrong word (often homophones or near-synonyms) can lead to
confusion.
• Example: Their house is over there.
• Common Mistakes: Confusing words that sound the same or are similar.
• Mistake: There going to the store. ("There" instead of "They’re")
• Correction: They’re going to the store.

New Example:

• Mistake: She excepted the award with grace. (Should be "accepted")

• Correction: She accepted the award with grace.

15. Redundancy

• Definition: Redundancy occurs when unnecessary words or phrases are used that do not
add meaning to the sentence.
• Example: He returned back to the office. (The word "back" is redundant)
• Common Mistakes: Using words that are repetitive or redundant.
• Mistake: The reason why he left is because he was tired. ("why" and "because" are
redundant together)
• Correction: The reason he left is that he was tired.

New Example:

• Mistake: She stood up and rose from her seat. ("stood up" and "rose" are redundant)
• Correction: She stood up.
or
She rose from her seat.

Step 6: More Complex Structures and Mistakes

16. Passive Voice

• Definition: In passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action rather than
performing it. While passive voice is grammatically correct, it can make sentences less
direct or clear.
• Example: The book was read by Sarah.
• Common Mistakes: Overusing passive voice or using it unnecessarily when active voice
would be clearer.
• Mistake: The report was completed by John.
• Correction: John completed the report. (Active voice)

New Example:

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 • Mistake: The cake was eaten by the children.
• Correction: The children ate the cake.

17. Subjunctive Mood

• Definition: The subjunctive mood is used to express hypothetical situations, wishes, or

conditions contrary to fact.
• Example: If I were you, I would study more.
• Common Mistakes: Confusing the subjunctive with the indicative mood.
• Mistake: If I was you, I would study more. ("Was" should be "were" in the subjunctive
mood)
• Correction: If I were you, I would study more.

New Example:

• Mistake: I wish I was taller.

• Correction: I wish I were taller.

18. Misplaced Modifier

• Definition: A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is improperly

separated from the word it modifies or describes.
• Example: She almost drove her kids to school every day. (This sentence suggests she
"almost" drove her kids, but didn’t, which isn’t the intended meaning.)
• Common Mistakes: Placing the modifier in the wrong part of the sentence, creating
ambiguity.
• Mistake: She served sandwiches to the children on paper plates. (The children weren’t
on paper plates; the sandwiches were.)
• Correction: She served sandwiches on paper plates to the children.

New Example:

• Mistake: Running down the street, the cat startled me. (This suggests the cat was
running.)
• Correction: Running down the street, I was startled by the cat.

19. Parallel Structure

• Definition: Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or
more ideas have the same level of importance.
• Example: He likes swimming, running, and biking. (All verbs are in the same gerund
form.)
• Common Mistakes: Mixing different grammatical forms within a list or comparison.
• Mistake: He likes swimming, to run, and biking. (Gerund, infinitive, and gerund—
uneven structure)
• Correction: He likes swimming, running, and biking.

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New Example:

• Mistake: The company’s goals include reducing waste, to improve efficiency, and cutting
costs.
• Correction: The company’s goals include reducing waste, improving efficiency, and
cutting costs.

20. Ambiguous Pronoun Reference

• Definition: An ambiguous pronoun reference occurs when it is unclear which noun a

pronoun is referring to.
• Example: Sarah told Jane that she had won the contest. (It is unclear whether "she"
refers to Sarah or Jane.)
• Common Mistakes: Using pronouns without a clear antecedent or when two or more
antecedents could be referenced.
• Mistake: The teacher spoke to the student because he was late. (It’s unclear whether "he"
refers to the teacher or the student.)
• Correction: The teacher spoke to the student because the student was late.

New Example:

• Mistake: When John talked to Bob, he didn’t understand the instructions. (It’s unclear
who didn’t understand.)
• Correction: When John talked to Bob, Bob didn’t understand the instructions.
or
When John talked to Bob, John didn’t understand the instructions.

21. Faulty Comparison

• Definition: A faulty comparison happens when items that are being compared are not
alike in some fundamental way.
• Example: Her cooking is better than her sister. (This suggests her cooking is better than
her sister as a person.)
• Common Mistakes: Comparing unlike things or leaving out words that make
comparisons clearer.
• Mistake: This restaurant is better than any restaurant. (It should specify that it’s better
than other restaurants, not itself.)
• Correction: This restaurant is better than any other restaurant.

New Example:

• Mistake: His grades are better than last semester. (Should compare "grades" to
"grades.")
• Correction: His grades are better than his grades last semester.

22. Squinting Modifier

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 • Definition: A squinting modifier is an adverb that is placed between two things that it
could modify, making the meaning unclear.
• Example: Students who study often succeed. (Does "often" modify "study" or
"succeed"?)
• Common Mistakes: Placing adverbs in a position where they could modify either of two
actions.
• Mistake: Driving carefully improves your chances of avoiding accidents. ("Carefully"
could modify "driving" or "improves.")
• Correction: Careful driving improves your chances of avoiding accidents.
or
Driving carefully helps you avoid accidents.

New Example:

• Mistake: Jogging regularly will help you lose weight quickly. (It’s unclear whether
"quickly" modifies "lose weight" or "jogging.")
• Correction: Jogging regularly will quickly help you lose weight.

23. Lack of Subject-Verb Agreement with Indefinite Pronouns

• Definition: Indefinite pronouns like "everyone" and "somebody" are singular, so the verb
must be singular.
• Example: Everyone is going to the party.
• Common Mistakes: Using a plural verb with a singular indefinite pronoun.
• Mistake: Everyone are going to the party. (The subject "everyone" is singular.)
• Correction: Everyone is going to the party.

New Example:

• Mistake: Somebody were calling for you.

• Correction: Somebody was calling for you.

24. Misuse of Reflexive Pronouns

• Definition: Reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself, themselves, etc.) should only be used
when the subject and the object of the verb are the same person or thing.
• Example: I gave myself a pat on the back.
• Common Mistakes: Using a reflexive pronoun incorrectly in place of a regular pronoun.
• Mistake: He gave the assignment to myself.
• Correction: He gave the assignment to me.

New Example:

• Mistake: Please contact myself if you have any questions.

• Correction: Please contact me if you have any questions.

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25. Unnecessary Shifts in Point of View

• Definition: Maintaining a consistent point of view (first, second, or third person) is

important for clarity and coherence.
• Example: If you work hard, you will succeed.
• Common Mistakes: Shifting from one point of view to another without reason.
• Mistake: If one works hard, you will succeed. (Switching from "one" to "you")
• Correction: If one works hard, one will succeed.
or
If you work hard, you will succeed.

New Example:

• Mistake: I enjoy hiking because you get to see beautiful scenery.

• Correction: I enjoy hiking because I get to see beautiful scenery.

Step 7: More Complex Grammar Issues and Corrections

26. Elliptical Construction

• Definition: An elliptical construction is a sentence or clause in which some words have

been left out, but the meaning is still clear from the context.
• Example: I went to the party, but John didn’t. (The verb "go" is implied in the second
clause.)
• Common Mistakes: Omitting too much or too little, making the sentence unclear or
awkward.
• Mistake: I went to the party, but John didn’t to the concert. (The verb is missing, but
context doesn’t allow it.)
• Correction: I went to the party, but John didn’t go to the concert.

New Example:

• Mistake: She likes apples, and I bananas.

• Correction: She likes apples, and I like bananas.

27. Indirect Speech

• Definition: Indirect speech (or reported speech) conveys what someone said without
quoting them directly.
• Example: She said that she was going to the store.
• Common Mistakes: Forgetting to change the tense of the verb when moving from direct
to indirect speech.
• Mistake: He said, "I am happy." → He said that he is happy. (Incorrect tense change)
• Correction: He said that he was happy.

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New Example:

• Mistake: She told me, "I will meet you tomorrow." → She told me that she will meet me
tomorrow.
• Correction: She told me that she would meet me the next day.

28. Inappropriate Use of Articles (a, an, the)

• Definition: Articles (a, an, the) are used to refer to specific or non-specific nouns.
• Example: I saw a dog in the park. (Any dog, not a specific one)
• Common Mistakes: Omitting articles where needed or using the wrong article.
• Mistake: He is best player on team. (Missing article)
• Correction: He is the best player on the team.

New Example:

• Mistake: I have a urgent meeting today.

• Correction: I have an urgent meeting today.

29. Mixed Conditional Sentences

• Definition: Mixed conditionals combine two different types of conditional sentences to

express a situation in the past with a result in the present (or vice versa).
• Example: If I had studied harder, I would have a better job now. (Past condition with
present result)
• Common Mistakes: Mixing the tenses incorrectly.
• Mistake: If I study harder, I would have passed the exam. (Mixing present with past)
• Correction: If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam. (Correct past
conditional)

New Example:

• Mistake: If I had known about the meeting, I will attend.

• Correction: If I had known about the meeting, I would have attended.

30. Faulty Pronoun Case

• Definition: Pronoun case refers to the form of a pronoun (subjective, objective,

possessive) used based on its function in a sentence.
• Example: She gave him her book. (Correct use of subjective, objective, and possessive
cases)
• Common Mistakes: Using the wrong case of the pronoun.
• Mistake: Him and I went to the store. (Incorrect subjective case for "him")
• Correction: He and I went to the store.

New Example:

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 • Mistake: They gave the books to John and I.
• Correction: They gave the books to John and me.

31. Lack of Parallelism in Comparisons

• Definition: When comparing two things, the elements compared must be parallel in
structure.
• Example: I like skiing more than I like snowboarding. (Parallel comparison)
• Common Mistakes: Not maintaining the same structure in both parts of the comparison.
• Mistake: I like skiing more than to snowboard. (Inconsistent structure: gerund vs
infinitive)
• Correction: I like skiing more than snowboarding.

New Example:

• Mistake: She enjoys reading more than to write.

• Correction: She enjoys reading more than writing.

32. Incorrect Use of Prepositions

• Definition: Prepositions (in, on, at, etc.) must correctly relate to the other elements in a
sentence.
• Example: She is good at playing the piano. (Correct preposition usage)
• Common Mistakes: Using the wrong preposition or omitting a necessary one.
• Mistake: I’m interested for learning new languages.
• Correction: I’m interested in learning new languages.

New Example:

• Mistake: She is similar with her sister.

• Correction: She is similar to her sister.

33. Inappropriate Collocations

• Definition: Collocations are groups of words that are commonly used together in
English. Some word combinations are natural (e.g., make a decision), while others are
unnatural (e.g., do a decision).
• Example: I made a decision yesterday.
• Common Mistakes: Using unnatural combinations of words.
• Mistake: She did a mistake.
• Correction: She made a mistake.

New Example:

• Mistake: He did a party last night.

• Correction: He had a party last night.

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34. Overuse of Passive Voice

• Definition: The passive voice places emphasis on the action rather than the subject
performing the action.
• Example: The homework was done by the students.
• Common Mistakes: Overusing passive voice can make sentences wordy or unclear.
• Mistake: The report was completed by the team last night.
• Correction: The team completed the report last night. (Active voice)

New Example:

• Mistake: The cake was eaten by the children yesterday.

• Correction: The children ate the cake yesterday.

35. Comma Misuse in Complex Sentences

• Definition: Commas are used to separate clauses, especially in complex sentences.

Correct comma usage enhances clarity.
• Example: Although it was raining, we went for a walk.
• Common Mistakes: Missing commas in complex sentences or placing commas
unnecessarily.
• Mistake: Although it was raining we went for a walk. (Missing comma after the
introductory clause)
• Correction: Although it was raining, we went for a walk.

New Example:

• Mistake: Because he was late the meeting started without him.

• Correction: Because he was late, the meeting started without him.

36. Dangling Gerund or Participle

• Definition: A dangling gerund or participle occurs when the word being modified is
missing from the sentence.
• Example: Having finished his homework, John went to bed.
• Common Mistakes: Omitting the subject being modified by the gerund or participle.
• Mistake: Having finished his homework, the TV was turned on. (Who turned on the TV?)
• Correction: Having finished his homework, John turned on the TV.

New Example:

• Mistake: Driving through the city, the buildings were tall and impressive.
• Correction: While driving through the city, we saw tall and impressive buildings.

37. Unnecessary Shift in Verb Tense

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 • Definition: A shift in verb tense occurs when a sentence starts in one tense and
unnecessarily switches to another.
• Example: She studied hard and passed her exams.
• Common Mistakes: Switching tenses without any logical reason or time shift.
• Mistake: She studied hard and is passing her exams. (Inconsistent verb tenses)
• Correction: She studied hard and passed her exams.

New Example:

• Mistake: He plays basketball and won the game.

• Correction: He plays basketball and wins the game.
or
He played basketball and won the game.

**********

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