Grammar mistakes happen to the best of us. Even the best writers slip up now and then—sometimes in ways that make you want to crawl under a desk and rethink your life choices 😹😹. And if you’ve ever accidentally typed “your welcome” in a professional email and cringed about it for hours, you’re not alone.

National Grammar Day, March 4, is the perfect excuse to take a closer look at the sneaky little errors that mess up sentences, confuse readers, and give grammar nerds mild heart attacks. As someone who juggles writing for an Australian digital marketing agency and teaching English to students who sometimes stare at me like I just spoke in ancient Greek, I’ve seen my fair share of grammar blunders. Some are funny, some are baffling, and a few are downright tragic.

But don’t worry—I’m not here to be the grammar police. This isn’t school, and there are no red marks involved. Instead, let’s have a laugh while we go through some common grammar mistakes that people make all the time (yes, even that one friend who corrects everyone else) 😹😹. Stick around—you might just save yourself from an embarrassing typo in your next work email.

🏹Misplacing Apostrophes

Ah, the humble apostrophe—small in size, but mighty in its ability to cause grammatical chaos. If there were a Hall of Fame for common grammar mistakes, misplaced apostrophes would have a permanent exhibit.

The rules aren’t actually that complicated, but for some reason, apostrophes keep ending up where they don’t belong. Let’s break it down:

✔ Use an apostrophe for contractions.

• Right: It’s a great day for grammar. (It is a great day.)
• Wrong: Its a great day for grammar. (Its is possessive, not a contraction.)

✔ Use an apostrophe for possession.

• Right: That is Lisa’s laptop.
• Wrong: That is Lisas laptop. (Lisa didn’t suddenly multiply.)

✔ Never use an apostrophe for plurals.

• Right: I bought three apples.
• Wrong: I bought three apple’s. (Three apple’s what? Their hopes and dreams?)

One of the worst offenders? “Its” vs. “It’s.”
The English language really said, “Let’s make this one extra confusing.” Its (no apostrophe) is possessive, while it’s (with an apostrophe) is a contraction of “it is” or “it has.” Just ask yourself—can you replace it with “it is”? If yes, use the apostrophe.

Example:

• The cat licked its paw. ✅ (Possessive—belongs to the cat.)
• It’s been a long day. ✅ (It has been a long day.)

Moral of the story? Apostrophes aren’t just decorative sprinkles you throw onto words whenever you feel like it. Place them with purpose.

🏹Confusing “Your” and “You’re”

Ah, the classic your vs. you’re mistake—the grammatical mix-up that has fueled countless internet arguments and passive-aggressive social media comments. If you’ve ever scrolled through a heated Facebook debate and seen someone fire back with “Your stupid!” … well, that’s an argument they already lost. 🤣🤣🤣

Let’s clear this up once and for all:

✔ “Your” = Possessive (Something that belongs to you)

• Right: Your dog is adorable.
• Wrong: You’re dog is adorable. (Unless the dog actually is you in some strange sci-fi twist.) 😹😹

✔ “You’re” = Contraction of “You are”

• Right: You’re going to love this grammar lesson.
• Wrong: Your going to love this grammar lesson. (No, your not.) 🤣🤣

How to Never Mess This Up Again

Here’s the trick: Try replacing your/you’re with “you are” in the sentence. If it still makes sense, use you’re. If it doesn’t, your is the right choice.

Example:
❌ I love you’re shoes. → I love you are shoes. (Nope.)
✅ I love your shoes. (That’s better.)

❌ Your the best. → You are the best. (See? That should be you’re.)

A Quick Reality Check

This mistake isn’t just embarrassing in texts—it can sneak into work emails, resumes, or even wedding invitations (yes, it’s happened). And nothing kills the romance faster than “Your invited to our special day.” 😬 So next time you type it out, pause. Ask yourself: Are you saying “you are” or talking about something someone owns?

🏹Using “There,” “Their,” and “They’re” Incorrectly

These three little words may sound the same, but trust me, they’re not interchangeable. Mixing them up is like confusing your coffee with your friend’s—someone’s going to be upset.

Let’s break it down:

✔ “There” – Refers to a place or a point in a sentence.

• Right: The book is over there.
• Wrong: Their going to the store later. (Their owns something; this should be They’re.)

✔ “Their” – Shows possession (something belongs to them).

• Right: That’s their dog.
• Wrong: There going to the park. (There doesn’t own anything!)

✔ “They’re” – A contraction of “they are.”

• Right: They’re excited about the trip.
• Wrong: I love there new house. (There isn’t owning anything—it should be their.)

How to Never Get This Wrong Again

Here’s an easy trick:
👉 If you can replace it with “they are,” then use “they’re.”
👉 If you’re talking about a place, use “there.”
👉 If it shows possession, use “their.”

A Quick Reality Check

Imagine texting someone: “Their is a problem.” Congrats, you just broke an English teacher’s heart. 😆

Or worse: “I love there outfits!” Now it just sounds like you’re complimenting the location, not the clothes.

So next time you’re about to type one of these words, pause. Make sure you’re saying what you actually mean. Otherwise, they’re going to notice, and their patience might run out—especially if you post it there. 😜

🏹Double Negatives

Double negatives are like pressing the “undo” button twice—you think you’re fixing something, but you just end up back where you started. Instead of making a sentence extra negative, they actually cancel each other out and create confusion.

What’s a Double Negative?

A double negative happens when two negative words are used in the same sentence, unintentionally creating a positive meaning.

✔ Incorrect: I don’t need no help. (So… you do need help?)
✔ Correct: I don’t need help. OR I need no help.

✔ Incorrect: She didn’t do nothing. (Which means… she did something?)
✔ Correct: She didn’t do anything. OR She did nothing.

Wait… But People Say This All the Time!

You’re absolutely right! In some parts of the U.S., double negatives are part of everyday speech, especially in Southern English, African American Vernacular English (AAVE), and some regional dialects. If you’re chatting with people from these areas, it’s more about adapting to their cultural way of speaking rather than correcting them (nobody likes a grammar snob!).

A perfect example? In an episode of Young Sheldon, Mandy’s mom, Audrey, constantly corrects George’s grammar, especially his Southern way of speaking. At one point, he casually says something like “That don’t make no sense,” and she immediately calls him out on it. George, being George, just shrugs it off, because in Texas, double negatives are pretty normal in conversation.

When Double Negatives Are Actually Used on Purpose

Not all double negatives are mistakes! There’s actually a figure of speech called litotes, where two negatives are intentionally used to express a positive meaning. This is often done for understatement or irony.

✔ “I’m not unhappy with the results.” (Translation: I’m actually happy.)
✔ “That’s not a bad idea.” (Meaning: It’s a good idea.)
✔ “She’s not unkind.” (She’s actually kind.)

Unlike accidental double negatives, litotes is a stylistic choice and is commonly used in literature and everyday speech.

How to Keep It Simple

A good rule of thumb: Only use one negative per sentence unless you’re aiming for a specific style or dialect.

So next time you’re about to say, “I can’t find my keys nowhere,” just switch it to “I can’t find my keys anywhere.” Or, better yet—just check under the couch. 😆

🏹Using “I” When “Me” Is Correct

I’ll be honest—this confuses me all the time. Seriously. Even as someone who writes for a living, I sometimes pause mid-sentence, mentally removing people’s names to check if I’m saying it right. If you’ve ever done the same, welcome to the club!

For some reason, a lot of people think using “I” always sounds more proper, but that’s not true. Sometimes, “me” is the right choice.

The Quick Rule:

✔ Use “I” as the subject (when you are doing the action).
✔ Use “me” as the object (when something is happening to you).

When to Use “I”

👉 If you could remove the other person from the sentence and it still makes sense, “I” is probably correct.

✔ Right: John and I went to the store. (I went to the store. ✅ Makes sense.)
❌ Wrong: The teacher gave John and I a gift. (The teacher gave I a gift? Nope.)

When to Use “Me”

👉 Again, remove the other person and check if the sentence still works.

✔ Right: The teacher gave John and me a gift. (The teacher gave me a gift. ✅ Makes sense.)
❌ Wrong: John and me went to the store. (Me went to the store? Nope.)

The “Mom Test”

If you were a kid and your mom scolded you by using your full name, this trick will feel familiar. Just break it down:

• “Mom gave a cookie to John and I.” ❌
• “Mom gave a cookie to I.” (No way.)
• “Mom gave a cookie to me.” ✅

So, the correct sentence is: “Mom gave a cookie to John and me.”

Why This Mistake Happens So Often

People tend to overcorrect because “I” sounds fancier. But in reality, “me” is just as valid—it just depends on the sentence structure.

So next time you’re about to say, “Come hang out with Sarah and I,” stop for a second. Take out “Sarah” and see if it still sounds right. If it doesn’t, me is the way to go.

Trust me—this one confuses me too. 😉

🏹Subject-Verb Agreement Errors

Most of the time, it’s easy to get this right. But occasionally, a tricky sentence pops up and makes you question everything.

Here’s the rule in a nutshell:
✔ Singular subjects take singular verbs.
✔ Plural subjects take plural verbs.

Seems easy enough, right? But then English does what English does best—throws in exceptions, weird phrases, and words that make everything confusing.

Common Subject-Verb Agreement Mistakes

❌ “The team are winning the game.” (Wait… are winning?)
✔ “The team is winning the game.” (Team is singular, so the verb should be is.)

❌ “Each of the students are responsible.”
✔ “Each of the students is responsible.” (Each is singular, even though students is plural.)

❌ “The dog and the cat sleeps all day.”
✔ “The dog and the cat sleep all day.” (Two subjects = plural verb.)

❌ “There is many reasons for this.”
✔ “There are many reasons for this.” (Reasons is plural, so the verb should be are.)

The Tricky Ones

👉 Collective nouns: Words like team, family, group, audience are singular, even though they refer to multiple people.

• “My family is coming over.” (Not are coming over—because family is treated as a single unit.)

👉 Indefinite pronouns: Words like everyone, someone, anybody, each are always singular.

• “Everyone loves pizza.” (Not everyone love pizza—even if we all do.)

👉 Sentences that start with “there” or “here”:

• “There is a problem.” (Singular)
• “There are many problems.” (Plural)

Why Subject-Verb Agreement Matters

Getting this wrong can make a sentence sound off, even if people still understand what you mean. Imagine reading an email that says, “The results of the test was surprising.”—you’d pause for a second, right?

So, next time you’re writing, do a quick check. If the subject is singular, the verb should be too. If the subject is plural, make sure your verb matches. It’s a small detail, but trust me—it makes a big difference. 😉

🏹Run-On Sentences

Run-on sentences happen when your thoughts are sprinting ahead at full speed and your punctuation just can’t keep up. Instead of stopping where they should, they just keep going and going, leaving readers gasping for breath and wondering if the sentence will ever end, kind of like this one. 😵

During my first few months of writing blogs, my editors often gave me feedback about this. I’d get comments like, “Break this up,” or “This sentence is way too long—breathe!” Back then, I thought I was just writing naturally. Turns out, I was unknowingly making my readers run a mental marathon.

What Is a Run-On Sentence?

A run-on sentence happens when two or more independent clauses (complete thoughts) are smashed together without proper punctuation or conjunctions.

✔ Independent clause: I love coffee. (Complete thought ✅)
✔ Independent clause: It helps me survive Mondays. (Complete thought ✅)

❌ Run-on sentence: I love coffee it helps me survive Mondays.
(The two thoughts are just glued together without any punctuation—yikes.)

How to Fix a Run-On Sentence

👉 Option 1: Use a Period (Split them into two sentences.)
✔ I love coffee. It helps me survive Mondays.

👉 Option 2: Use a Comma + a Coordinating Conjunction (and, but, so, or, nor, yet, for)
✔ I love coffee, and it helps me survive Mondays.

👉 Option 3: Use a Semicolon (If the two thoughts are closely related.)
✔ I love coffee; it helps me survive Mondays.

👉 Option 4: Use a Subordinating Conjunction (because, although, since, while, etc.)
✔ I love coffee because it helps me survive Mondays.

Common Run-On Sentence Mistakes

❌ She wanted to go to the store she forgot her wallet. (Two complete thoughts, no punctuation.)
✔ She wanted to go to the store, but she forgot her wallet. (Fixed with a comma + “but.”)

❌ He was late for work it started raining on the way.
✔ He was late for work because it started raining on the way.

Why Do Run-Ons Happen?

Because we often write the way we talk! In speech, we just keep rolling with our thoughts, but in writing, punctuation is what keeps everything clear and readable.

Slow down, add punctuation, and make life easier for your readers. Trust me, they’ll notice the difference. 😆

Final Thoughts

Grammar might not be the most thrilling topic, but let’s be honest—it can make or break how people perceive you. A small mistake here and there? No big deal. But consistent slip-ups? That’s when things get tricky. Whether it’s a job application, an important email, or a casual text, how you write shapes how you’re understood.