10 Simple Common Errors in English

Here are some very common errors in grammar. They are simple, but they happen everyday. These are not in any order.

1. It’s and Its.
Here is one I see all the time. It’s a simple mistake, and I believe it comes from the thought that an apostrophe is used to show the possessive. Of course it’s = it is. The apostrophe in a contraction represents the missing letter.

2. There, They’re.
Here we all know that the apostrophe stands for the missing letter a as in they are. “There is a book on the table, but they’re not going to find it.”

3. To, Two, Too.
Two is the number. Too is also. And “We went to the store.”

4.Except and accept.
I got this one just the other day in a story submission. Accept is a verb meaning to receive. Except is the preposition meaning save or but. “I would accept the award except I didn’t earn it.”

5. Weather and whether.
There are many ways to use whether, but the most common is “If it storms the weather will decide whether or not we go to the zoo.”

6. Your and You’re.
You’re is you are. The apostrophe shows the missing letter. “Your book is on the table, and you’re not going to find it.”

7. A lot.
A lot is two words.

8. Soar and sore.
“My sore wing does not let me soar above the clouds.” You say ouch when something is sore.

9. All right.
We still haven’t changed this one yet. You will see it all the time, but alright is still two words, all right?

10. That instead of who.
“I know people that are too old to go into that club.” This is a very very common mistake. If you are writing about a person use who. If you are writing about an object use that. If you are going to use it for animals, make sure it is a specific animal you “know.” The lion that ate the man was killed. My dog Tom who poops in the yard.