A blog around some of the most common grammar mistakes test takers make.
1. Spelling Gaffes
Anyone who has ever taken a test in school knows that grammar can make or break you. But sometimes, even the best students in English class make mistakes. Believe it or not, people who have taken tests like the SAT or ACT sometimes make grammar mistakes on them, too. It’s easy to see why. There are so many rules to remember, so many exceptions to those rules, and so many ways to make the wrong choice that it can be hard to keep track. The good news is that it’s not too hard to avoid making many of the most common grammar mistakes.
Let's face it. Grammar is not everyone's favorite topic, but it is, indeed, very important. You might want to think about it as your body's immune system, protecting you from the outside world when you read, work and communicate. A good grasp of the English language will not only help you to write better, but also to understand what you read, and that's a huge bonus. After all, even the most advanced communication system in the world is useless if the receiver can't understand what they are supposed to do.
2.Misusing there, their, and they're
There, their, and they're - is there a difference? Sure there is. You see, the world would be a much better place if people knew their place. Nothing would be misplaced and words would have their rightful place. Unfortunately, this is not the case. However, this is not to say that you should not do your best to make sure that you use these words correctly. There is an important difference between "there", "their" and "they're" and using the wrong one can make you sound silly. Therefore, today I want to help you understand the difference between these three words. The word "there" is used to describe a place. There is the place where you live, there is the place where I live, and there is the place where she lives. The word "their" is used to describe a possession. Their is the book, their is the house, and their is the car. The word "they're" is used to describe a contraction. They're is they are or they have, and they're is they're going to or they will.
If you're like most ESL students, you have probably learned the hard way that it's a good idea to ask your teacher to check your essay before you hand it in. You may have gotten a few red marks for using words like "there," "their," and "they're" incorrectly. It's tough to know when to use "there," "their," and "they're" (they are all pronouns) because they sound so much alike. The good news is that you can use this article to practice identifying the difference between these three words so that your grammar will be perfect the next time you take a test. Let's get started!
There, their, and they’re — are all words that have something unique about them, but most people can’t tell the difference between them. There is used as a pronoun to refer to a specific place or thing. For example: “There is a car parked outside of my house” or “There are three cookies on the plate”. Their is a possessive pronoun that means “belonging to them”. For example: “Their dog is black” or “Their cat likes to nap in the sun”. They’re is a contraction that is used instead of “they are”. For example: “They’re not coming to the party” or “They’re going to the store”. The most common mistake that people make with the word their is to use it to mean there. For example: “Their is a car parked outside of my house”.
3.Confusing its and it's
Confusing its and it's is a common grammar mistake, especially among those who are not native English speakers. Its is a possessive pronoun and can only be used when referring to something that belongs to the same person or thing that you are referring to. For example, if you are talking about one dog and you want to say, "the dog is friendly," you would say, "the dog is friendly. Its fur is black." If you want to say, "the dog is friendly," you would say, "the dog is friendly. It's fur is black." It's is a contraction of it is. For example, if you want to say, "the dog is friendly," and you want to shorten it to make it easier to read, you would say, "the dog is friendly. It's fur is black." It's is also used to mean something like it is or to mean a place or time. For example, if you wanted to say, "The dog is friendly. It's fur is black," the meaning would be, "The dog is friendly, and its fur is black." It's also means something like, "the dog is friendly," or "the dog is friendly, and it's fur is black."
It’s. It’s is a contraction of two words: it and is. If you are using it’s correctly, it should be followed by a verb. It’s is never used as a possessive pronoun (e.g., its book) or as a noun. Its. Its is a possessive pronoun. It’s is a contraction of two words: it and is. If you are using its correctly, it should not be followed by a verb. Its is used as a possessive pronoun to show ownership. For example, you could say, “The dog chased its bone.” But you wouldn’t say, “The dog chased it’s bone.” You’d say, “The dog chased its bone.”
As I see it, there are three main reasons why this mistake is so common. The first is that the two words are spelled almost exactly the same. The second is that the two words have two different meanings and usages. And the third is that people get so used to hearing the word it’s that they stop listening, and just say it. Let’s look at the first reason. Most people are taught that it’s is short for it is, so we never actually learn the difference between the two words. We just learn what their meanings are. So, at some point, the meanings get confused, and the words become one. The second reason is that, although the two words have different meanings, they are used in a lot of the same contexts. For example, they are both used as contractions. And the third reason is that people get so used to hearing the word it’s that they stop listening, and just say it. To fix this problem, we have to break the problem down into its parts. The first part is to learn the difference between its and it’s. The second part is to put yourself in a position where you have to listen and say the correct word. And the third part is to practice saying the correct word in different contexts.
4.Confusing your and you're
The most common grammar mistakes test takers make is confusing their and you’re. It’s one of the most common grammar mistakes that most people make, and it’s also one of the easiest to fix. This happens when the writers are typing out the words quickly without thinking about what they are writing. This can also happen when people are typing out the sentences fast so that they don’t forget what they want to write. It’s one of the most common grammar mistakes because we make it so often that we don’t even realize when we are making it. It’s also one of the most common grammar mistakes because it can be found in the most common sentences.
Confusing your and you’re is one of the most common grammar mistakes made by test takers. The two words are often confused because they sound similar to one another. To avoid making this mistake, you should always remember that your is a possessive pronoun, so it can be used as a replacement for your name, as in, “your name is John”. You’re is a contraction of you are, so it can be used as a replacement for you are, as in, “you are John”.
5.Confusing there, their and they're
There, their and they're are three words that can easily be confused by test takers. They are often used interchangeably and incorrectly, which can make your essay sound awkward. In fact, even native speakers misuse these words. To make sure you're not falling into that trap, here's a quick review of the three words and their meanings. There is a word that is used as a place holder in a sentence to refer to a place or time. It is also used to talk about the place where an object is located or the place that an action occurs. In a sentence like: "There is a pen on the table," there is being used as a place holder. Thus, the word there refers to the table, and it's being used as a noun. It can also be used as a pronoun to replace a noun. Since it is being used as a pronoun, it is considered as a subject complement.
This is a very common grammar mistake test takers make. The word "there" refers to a place, whereas the word "their" refers to a person's possessions. For example: “There is a pen on the table” and “Their house was on fire.” It is also very common for test takers to confuse the words “their,” “there” and “they’re.” The word “there” refers to a place, whereas the word “their” refers to a person's possessions. For example: “There is a pen on the table” and “Their house was on fire.” The word “they’re” is a contraction of the words “they” and “are.” For example: “They’re going to the park.”
Conclusion
No matter how good you think you are at English, we all make mistakes, even native speakers.