Chapter 14: Top 10 Grammar Errors and How to Fix Them

Even experienced writers make grammar mistakes. This chapter targets the 10 most common errors made by English learners and native speakers alike, with clear explanations and correction examples.

The Top 10 Errors

#	Error Type	Incorrect	Correct
1	its vs. it’s	The dog wagged it’s tail.	The dog wagged its tail.
2	their/there/they’re	Put it their.	Put it there.
3	Subject-verb agreement	The team are winning. (AmE)	The team is winning.
4	Dangling modifier	Running down the street, the rain started.	Running down the street, I felt the rain.
5	Then vs. than	She is taller then me.	She is taller than me.
6	Misplaced modifier	She almost drove her children to school every day.	She drove her children to school almost every day.
7	Double negative	I don’t know nothing.	I don’t know anything.
8	Unnecessary apostrophe	The dog’s are barking.	The dogs are barking.
9	Fewer vs. less	There are less people today.	There are fewer people today.
10	Who vs. whom	Who did you call? (informal OK)	Whom did you call? (formal)

Detailed Explanations

Error 1: its vs. it’s

• its = possessive pronoun (belonging to it): The cat licked its paw.
• it’s = contraction of it is or it has: It’s cold today. / It’s been raining.

Error 3: Subject-Verb Agreement

Always ensure the verb agrees with its true subject, not a nearby noun:

• ❌ The list of items are on the table.
• ✅ The list of items is on the table. (subject = list, singular)

Error 4: Dangling Modifier

A participle phrase must logically modify the subject of the main clause:

• ❌ Having finished the exam, the room fell silent.
• ✅ Having finished the exam, the students felt relieved.

Error 9: Fewer vs. Less

• Fewer: countable nouns — fewer apples, fewer students
• Less: uncountable nouns — less sugar, less time

Error 10: Who vs. Whom

• Who = subject (replaces he/she/they): The person who called… (he called)
• Whom = object (replaces him/her/them): The person whom you called… (you called him)

Quick Self-Check Strategy

Before submitting any written work, scan for:

1. Every it’s/its — is it a contraction or a possessive?
2. Every -ing phrase at the start of a sentence — does it logically attach to the subject?
3. Every verb — does it agree in number with its subject?

Key Checklist

• I can distinguish its from it’s and their/there/they’re without hesitation.
• I can identify and correct dangling and misplaced modifiers.
• I use fewer with countable nouns and less with uncountable nouns.