Common Grammar Mistakes

Grammar is so important, yet so easy to mess up. I used to roll my eyes at my Nana when she would correct my grammar all the time, even in the middle of my stories, and tell me it "grated on a German's ear." Now, I can relate. I see simple mistakes everywhere--work, fliers, advertisements, resumes, TV, Facebook posts, etc.

It is so important to get it right, especially when you're presenting yourself on a piece of paper, like a resume or cover letter. Here a few mistakes that you can easily fix.

Commas

I won't get into the Oxford comma debate. But, my personal opinion: Use it.

Commas in Dates

When writing out a date, there should be a comma after the day and another comma after the year if the sentence continues after the date. For example: "I am going to New York on November 5, 2019, to visit family."

If the sentence ends after the year, however, you just use the comma after the day and end the sentence with a period after the year. For example: "My birthday is September 2, 1989."

Commas Separating More Than One Adjective

When you use more than one adjective to explain a noun, you should separate the adjectives with a comma. For example: "I found a skinny, black dog yesterday." An example where a comma would not be required for a similar sentence would be: "The black dog that I found yesterday was very skinny."

Apostrophes

Apostrophes are used to show possessives. When the noun is single, you add an apostrophe and "s." But, when the noun is plural, you add only an apostrophe, without an additional "s." For example:

• Singular possessive: "My brother's girlfriend is nice."
• Plural possessive: "My mom washes my brothers' clothes."

Tricky Words

That and Who

This is a difficult one to notice. Once you do, though, you'll find it everywhere. When you find yourself using "that," ask whether you're referring to a person. If you are, you should use "who." If not and you are referring to an item, you should use "that." For example:

"The person who took the book off the shelf . . ."

but

"The book that I took off the shelf . . ."

I and Me

Some people know to put themselves last in a list, but they use the wrong version. For example, they'll said "my friend and me" when it should be "my friend and I." The way to figure it out: Say the sentence with just yourself.

For example, if you and your friends are going to the circus:

1. "My friends and __ are going to the circus."
2. By yourself: "I am going to the circus."
3. Correct: "My friends and I are going to the circus."

Another example, if your Mom is buying you and your brother new clothes:

1. "My mom is buying my brother and __ new clothes."
2. By yourself: "My mom is buying me new clothes."
3. Correct: "My mom is buying my brother and me new clothes."

Of course, there are more common mistakes. What are some grammar questions you have? If you're ever not sure what the proper way to say something is, look it up. Gregg's Reference Manual is the go-to authority on grammar.