Academic writers, even the seasoned ones, fall into surprisingly common grammar traps.
Here’s how to dodge the ten I see most often in research papers, funding proposals, and journal submissions.
It started with a kind note that still stung. An editor loved the idea, the background, the research conclusion, but passed because of small slips in grammar. Nothing wild, just little bumps that made the pages feel less sure. Painful, because the fixes were simple.
If you’ve felt that, you’re not alone. The most common hiccups are familiar: tense shifts, subject-verb agreement, dangling modifiers, ambiguous pronouns, messy apostrophes, homophone mix-ups, usage confusions like who/whom or less/fewer, comma splices and run-ons, passive voice. These are the grammar mistakes writers make, and they’re fixable with a few quick checks. A cleaner draft reads with more clarity and earns more trust.
Why it matters for authors, academics, and busy professionals is simple. Clear grammar supports your argument and your story. It keeps focus on your ideas, not on typos or tiny confusions. The dodges are small habits you can build into your process, like reading aloud or trimming extra words.
Stick with me, and you’ll see how to dodge all ten with ease. Small tweaks, steady wins, stronger pages.
The First Five Grammar Mistakes Writers Make and Quick Fixes
Photo by KoolShooters
Let’s start strong with the first five grammar mistakes writers make, the ones that quietly drain clarity from pages, briefs, and chapters. You will see fast fixes and clean examples you can copy into your own process. If you like a wider reference to keep handy, this rundown of common errors from ProWritingAid adds useful context.
1. Tense Shifts That Confuse Your Readers
Inconsistent verb tense makes time feel slippery. It happens a lot in academic writing, especially when describing studies. You begin in the past, then slide into the present, and readers have to stop and decode.
- Example from a methods section:
- Before: “The survey was administered in April and measures stress levels across departments. Participants report higher strain in Q2.”
- After: “The survey was administered in April and measured stress levels across departments. Participants reported higher strain in Q2.”
- Dodge tip:
- Pick one tense and stick with it for a section, unless you have a clear reason to change.
- Use present for general truths or ongoing states. Use past for specific studies, events, or results.
- Quick check: read a paragraph and circle verbs. Do they all signal the same time?
2. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors to Avoid
When the subject and the verb do not match, the sentence feels off, even if readers cannot name why. Collective nouns cause trouble.
- Professional email example:
- Before: “The team are reviewing the proposal and need your edits by Friday.”
- After: “The team is reviewing the proposal and needs your edits by Friday.”
- Quick rule of thumb:
- Find the true subject. Ignore phrases like “along with” or “as well as.”
- Singular subject, singular verb: “The data set is complete.”
- Plural subject, plural verb: “The data are complete.”
- Collective nouns like team or committee are usually singular in American English.
- Dodge tip:
- Nudge your ear with a swap test. Replace the subject with “it” for singular or “they” for plural. The verb should match the swap.
3. Dangling Modifiers That Muddle Your Meaning
Danglers attach to the wrong subject and create funny, sometimes broken images. The fix is simple placement.
- Classic muddle:
- Before: “Running down the street, the bus was missed.”
- Why it is unclear: The bus is not running. The person is.
- After: “Running down the street, I missed the bus.”
Or: “I missed the bus while running down the street.”
- Dodge tip:
- Place the modifier next to the subject it describes. If the first phrase describes you, make sure the next noun is you.
- Listen for odd pictures. If the sentence makes the bus run, shift the subject.
If you want a quick companion list of frequent modifier slip-ups, this overview of top errors from Stellar Content is straightforward and practical.
4. Ambiguous Pronouns Leaving Readers Guessing
Vague pronouns stall the read. If “he” or “she” could refer to two people, the mind pauses, then backtracks.
- Story example:
- Before: “Miles nodded at Jordan when he closed the laptop.”
- Problem: Who closed it, Miles or Jordan?
- After, option 1: “Miles nodded at Jordan when Jordan closed the laptop.”
- After, option 2: “When Miles closed the laptop, he nodded at Jordan.”
- After, option 3: “Miles closed the laptop, then nodded at Jordan.”
- Dodge tip:
- Read aloud and mark each pronoun. Can you point to a single, obvious noun for each one? If not, rewrite.
- Repeat the noun or restructure the sentence for clarity.
5. Possessive Apostrophe Mix-Ups
Apostrophes pull more weight than we think, especially in reports and proposals. “It’s” and “its” cause the most friction in professional docs.
Here is a quick table to keep the core forms straight.
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| it’s | it is | It’s ready for publication. |
| its | ownership | The journal changed its policy. |
| writers’ | plural owners | The writers’ feedback was concise. |
| writer’s | one owner | The writer’s deadline moved. |
- Dodge tip:
- It’s always means it is. If you cannot swap in “it is,” use its.
- For plural possession, put the apostrophe after the s, as in “managers’ notes.”
Small, steady checks like these save time later, and they protect the tone of your work. Clean grammar supports authority without calling attention to itself.
The Next Five Grammar Mistakes Writers Make and Easy Ways to Sidestep Them
You already cleaned up the big offenders. Now we tighten the rest, the quiet slip-ups that still nudge readers out of the flow. These fixes are quick, and they pay off fast. Keep your eye on rhythm, on clarity, on the small habits that help you sidestep the grammar mistakes writers make.
6. Homophone Mix-Ups: They’re, Their, and There
They seem harmless at first glance: three little words that act like they’re minding their own business. But swap one for the other, and suddenly your polished research paper reads like it took a detour into chaos. These sound-alike words are sneaky because they’re phonetic twins. But
- “they’re” is a contraction of “they are”
- “their” is possessive (something belongs to them)
- “there” usually points to a location or introduces a sentence
- Dodge tip:
- Try swapping “they are” into your sentence. If it fits, “they’re” is the winner.
- Picture people holding something to remember “their,” and think “here/there” for spotting location clues.
These errors show up most when you’re drafting fast—maybe jotting a conference proposal or typing late at night—and they often sneak past spellcheck. Even seasoned academics mix them up under deadline pressure. A clean draft, though, means catching these before they dilute your clarity. Want a quick cheat sheet? “They’re = they are, their = ownership, there = location.” It’s a small fix that makes a big difference in how credible your writing sounds.
7. Who vs. Whom: When Grammar Gets Fancy (But Fixable)
“Who” and “whom” are the grammar world’s pop quiz: you’re mid-sentence, feeling confident, and suddenly you’re not sure if you sound polished or pretentious. I can’t count the number of times I’ve stared at a sentence and thought, Do I sound smart or ridiculous for picking “whom” here? Even when you know, it still feels awkward.
Here’s the quick rule:
- “who” is the subject (it does the action)
- “whom” is the object (the action happens to it).
- Dodge tip: When you’re stuck, here’s my favorite hack—the “him/he” test. Swap out “who” or “whom” in your sentence with “he” or “him:”
- if “he” fits, go with “who”
- if “him” fits, you want “whom.”
Who made these cookies? (He did.) To whom should I send this? (To him.) “Whom wants to co-author this paper with me?” NOPE.
While “whom” is fading from everyday speech, it still shows up in formal writing—cover letters, grant applications, committee bios—and using it correctly can sharpen your tone. It’s not about sounding fussy. It’s about sounding like you know your way around a sentence. And now you do.
8. Usage Errors: Less vs. Fewer
You’re writing fast, trying to describe a quantity—“less cars,” maybe, or “fewer minutes”—and suddenly, your brain stutters. Which is it? This mix-up is so common in everyday speech that “less” often slips into places where “fewer” technically belongs.
The rule, though, is surprisingly simple: use “fewer” when you can count the things individually (mistakes, cookies, phone calls), and use “less” when you’re talking about bulk, time, or abstract amounts (sugar, money, patience). For example: “fewer typos,” “less frustration,” “fewer books,” “less time.”
In conversation, no one blinks at “less people,” but in polished writing, especially academic or professional work, it reads as a small bump, a moment of imprecision. That bump can chip away at your credibility, even if your meaning is crystal clear.
- Dodge tip: The easiest way to catch it? Ask yourself: can I count this thing one by one? If so, reach for “fewer.” If not, stick with “less.”
And yes, the grocery store sign that says “10 items or less” is technically wrong. The good news is, this is an easy fix once you spot it. And when you do, your writing sounds sharper, more intentional, like someone took the time to get the small things right.
9. Sentence Errors: Comma Splices and Run-Ons
Sometimes your thoughts outpace your punctuation. You’re mid-idea, your fingers are flying, and before you know it, you’ve strung two full sentences together with nothing but a hopeful little comma. Or worse, no punctuation at all. That’s when comma splices and run-ons sneak in.
- A comma splice joins two complete sentences with just a comma: “I love rainy mornings, I always make pancakes.” It may feel friendly or casual, but the grammar doesn’t hold.
- A run-on sentence (or fused sentence) skips punctuation altogether: “The sun set over the lake the sky turned pink and gold.”
Your reader can’t catch their breath, and clarity takes a hit. Why does this happen? Because we write like we think: fast, connected, conversational. But good writing needs guideposts.
- Dodge tip: The fix is simple: break it into two sentences, add a conjunction (“and” or “but”), or use a semicolon.
These aren’t rigid rules. They’re ways to make your writing smoother, calmer, and more respectful to your reader’s pace. Even strong academic prose can feel human and connected when the punctuation supports the rhythm of your thoughts. And if these slip in during your first draft? No shame. That’s what second drafts are for.
10. Overusing Passive Voice in Your Writing
Passive voice is not wrong, it’s just a little foggy. “The ball was thrown by me” drifts. “I threw the ball” lands.
- Academic abstract, quick transformation:
- Before: “It was found that 62 percent of participants reported improved sleep.”
- After: “Researchers found that 62 percent of participants reported improved sleep.”
- Reason: Name the actor when it adds clarity, then move the verb up front
Just because you’re a writing academic, every single sentence is not required to be in passive voice. Some passive voice is traditional in research writing, but seek to interject some energy with active voice whenever you reasonably can do so.
🐾 A Whisker of Wisdom from Finnegan, the Silver Tabby Kitten
Finnegan is tiny, silver, and decisive. He watches the cursor, waits, then taps the exact spot where a sentence wobbles. His habits translate into clean pages and fewer grammar mistakes writers make. Think of him as your desk-side coach with whiskers. What are his strategies for catching these 10 mistakes?
Pause, Then Pounce
Finnegan does not swat at every shadow. He watches first, then makes one clean move. Your draft needs the same rhythm.
- Read a paragraph out loud, then pause for five seconds.
- Mark the first place your tongue trips.
- Fix that one thing, starting with verbs and pronouns.
Example:
- Before: “The results were analyzed and it shows that retention increase.”
- After: “The results were analyzed, and they show that retention increased.”
That small pause exposes subject verb agreement, tense drift, and fuzzy pronouns. One calm pounce, three problems solved.
Track the Moving Toy, Not the Couch
When Finnegan focuses, he ignores everything except the moving string. You can do that with errors. This is my keystone habit: Hunt one pattern at a time.
- Pass # 1 through your document checking verbs for tense consistency.
- Pass # 2 through your document checking for subject-verb agreement.
- Pass # 3through your document checking pronouns for clarity.
- Pass # 4 through your document checking apostrophes for possession.
In practice, the habit looks like this:
- Read aloud, then fix the first bump you hear.
- Circle verbs, keep tense steady within a section.
- Name the actor, unless anonymity is the point.
- Check pronouns, make each one point to a single, clear noun.
- Confirm apostrophes, especially it’s versus its.
Light checklist, strong results. If you want a deeper pre-edit routine, this guide can help you sharpen your editing vision before hiring help. Ten minutes there saves an hour later.
Finnegan would add one more thing. Reward every clean paragraph with a sip of something warm. He gets chin scratches. You get momentum.
The Tap Test for Clarity
Finnegan taps my comma key like it owes him rent. Here is a quick test inspired by those tiny paws.
- If a sentence has two ideas, read it to the first comma. Does the part before the comma stand on its own?
- If not, you likely have a comma splice.
- Swap in a period or add a joining word, like “and,” “but,” or “so.”
Example:
- Before: “The study was small, the claims are large.”
- After: “The study was small. The claims are large.”
Or: “The study was small, but the claims are large.”
For a few simple tricks you can use right away, these practical grammar hacks for writers who hate grammar are a quick, friendly boost.
Trim What You Cannot Defend
Finnegan naps in sun patches, not on clutter. Treat extra words the same way. Cut fluff that hides meaning.
- Replace weak linking phrases with strong verbs.
- Before: “There is a need to implement changes that will help.”
- After: “We need to implement changes that help.”
- Pick concrete subjects.
- Before: “It was decided that the deadline should be moved.”
- After: “The committee moved the deadline.”
Clarity is kind. Your reader should not squint to find your point.
A Last Nudge from Finnegan
Finnegan would like a simple move you can use today. Read your latest paragraph out loud, mark the first stumble, then fix just that. If you want a quick boost on how to do it well, try this guide on reading aloud to catch typos. One calm pass, less noise, more ease.
FAQ on the Common Mistakes
The subject and verb must match in number. Singular with singular, plural with plural. Trouble spots include phrases like “as well as” and subjects after a prepositional phrase. Say, “The list of items is long,” not “are long.” To check, strip away extras, then match the core subject to the verb.
A comma splice joins two complete sentences with only a comma. A run-on skips punctuation altogether. Fix them with a period, a semicolon, or a coordinating conjunction. For example: “The sample was small, so results were limited.” Read aloud. If you pause hard in the middle, you probably need stronger punctuation.
A modifier should sit next to the word it describes. If it drifts, meaning gets murky. “Running late, the report was rushed” suggests the report was running. Better: “Running late, I rushed the report.” Place descriptive phrases close to their targets, and read for unintended comedy.
A pronoun must clearly point to a noun and agree with it. Avoid vague references like “it” or “they” with no clear source. Singular they is standard in modern style, and it keeps text inclusive. “Each student should bring their laptop” is acceptable in most contexts, including academic and professional writing.
Use who for subjects, whom for objects. Quick test: if you can swap in he or she, use who. If you can swap in him or her, use whom. “Who called?” but “To whom did you send the file?” In informal writing, who often wins either way. In formal contexts, keep whom where it fits.
The Oxford comma is the final comma in a list of three or more items. Many style guides in academia and publishing prefer it because it prevents confusion. “We invited the editors, Taylor, and Morgan” is clearer than “We invited the editors, Taylor and Morgan.” Follow your field’s style manual. If you choose not to use it, watch for ambiguity.
No, it is not wrong. It is a tool. Passive voice hides or downplays the actor, which can help when the actor is unknown or unimportant. “Samples were tested overnight” focuses on the samples. Overuse can make prose flat, though. If the doer matters, switch to active: “The lab tested the samples overnight.”
Conclusion
Here is the quick recap you can carry with you. The 10 grammar mistakes writers make most often include tense shifts, subject verb agreement slips, dangling modifiers, ambiguous pronouns, messy apostrophes, homophone mix-ups like they’re/their/there, usage issues like who/whom or less/fewer, comma splices and run-ons, and passive voice overuse. The fixes are small habits, name the actor, keep tense steady, match subjects and verbs, park modifiers beside what they describe, choose the right pronoun, and check apostrophes and word pairs.
Pick one tip and use it on a page right now. Then browse another piece here, keep your momentum going, and let your next draft carry more trust and less friction.
** If you have a favorite slip or a hard-earned fix, share it in the social media comments space so we can learn from each other. **
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Thanks for reading—here’s to clearer writing and stronger ideas.
~~ Susan
