English Grammar Coaching
Master the rules and structure of English language with our comprehensive grammar resources for classes 9-12.
Grammar Topics
Explore essential grammar topics and concepts
Common Grammar Errors to Avoid
Improve your writing by avoiding these common grammar mistakes
Subject-Verb Agreement Errors
Ensure that your subject and verb agree in number (singular or plural).
Incorrect
The group of students are going on a trip.
Correct
The group of students is going on a trip.
Pronoun Reference Errors
Make sure your pronouns clearly refer to specific nouns.
Ambiguous
Jim told Sam that he had won the race.
Clear
Jim told Sam, "You won the race."
Misplaced Modifiers
Place modifiers close to the words they describe.
Incorrect
Walking down the street, the trees were beautiful.
Correct
Walking down the street, I saw the beautiful trees.
Run-On Sentences
Avoid joining independent clauses without proper punctuation or conjunctions.
Incorrect
I studied all night I was still tired for the exam.
Correct
I studied all night, but I was still tired for the exam.
FAQs
What's the difference between 'its' and 'it's'?
‘Its’ is a possessive pronoun (showing that something belongs to ‘it’), while ‘it’s’ is a contraction of ‘it is’ or ‘it has’. Example: It’s (it is) important to understand its (possessive) usage.
When should I use 'who' versus 'whom'?
Use ‘who’ for the subject of a sentence (the person doing the action) and ‘whom’ for the object (the person receiving the action). A simple trick: If you can replace it with ‘he/she/they’, use ‘who’. If you can replace it with ‘him/her/them’, use ‘whom’.
How do I identify and fix a dangling modifier?
A dangling modifier occurs when the descriptive phrase doesn’t connect properly to the subject it’s meant to describe. Fix it by ensuring the subject immediately follows the descriptive phrase. Example: Incorrect: ‘Walking down the street, the trees were beautiful.’ Correct: ‘Walking down the street, I thought the trees were beautiful.’
What is the Oxford comma and when should I use it?
The Oxford comma (also called the serial comma) is placed before the conjunction in a list of three or more items. Example: ‘I bought apples, oranges, and bananas.’ Whether to use it is often a style choice, but it can help avoid ambiguity in complex lists.
How can I remember the difference between 'affect' and 'effect'?
Generally, ‘affect’ is a verb meaning to influence something, while ‘effect’ is usually a noun meaning the result of an action. Example: ‘The weather affects my mood, and the effect is that I feel happier on sunny days.’
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