10 Most Common Grammatical Errors

1. Agreement

When subjects do not agree in number or person with their verbs.

When pronouns do not agree in number or person with their antecedents.

2. Comma Splices

When two sentences are connected with only a comma.

3. Misplaced / Dangling Modifiers

When modifiers (words that limit or describe other words) are in the wrong place.

4. Passive Voice

When the subject of a sentence is acted upon.

5. Possessive Case

When nouns or pronouns do not show possession properly.

6. Pronoun Reference

When pronouns refer to their antecedents incorrectly.

7. Punctuation (comma, semicolon, or colon)

When commas, semi-colons or colon are used incorrectly.

8. Sentence fragments

When sentences are incomplete.

9. Word Choice

When the wrong word is used.

10. Wordiness

When empty or meaningless words obscure meaning.

                                                                                     The Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre

conectors

Types of Connectors

Connectors show the relationship between the ideas in two clauses. There are 3

kinds of connectors that we use to join clauses in sentences. They are

coordinators, subordinators, and transitions.

Coordinators are used to join two independent clauses. The coordinators are

and, for, so, but, yet, or and nor. Usually a comma is put before the coordinator.

Examples:

The office is closed for the next two days, but you can still phone to leave

a message.

I forgot my computer disc, so I will have to hand in my assignment late.

Subordinators join a dependent clause to an independent clause. Examples of

subordinators are before, when, if, because and although. They are used before

the dependent clause. They can be used in two positions:

1) The subordinator and dependent clause can come before the

independent clause with a comma.

When the bell rang, the students ran to the sky-train station.

2) The subordinator and dependent clause can come after the independent

clause with no comma.

The students ran to the sky-train station when the bell rang.

 

Transitions are used between two independent clauses. Examples of transitions

are however, besides, nevertheless and furthermore. After the first clause, use a

semi-colon, then the transition, then a comma, and then the second clause.

Examples:

The students laughed; however, the instructor was not trying to be funny.

May U. Phail decided to take classes during the summer. She wanted to

enjoy the city in summer; besides, she didn’t have enough money to go

on a trip.