The Big Ten of Grammar

Finding and correcting common grammar mistakes

Adapted from Bradshaw, William B. The Big Ten of Grammar: Identifying and Fixing the Ten Most Frequent Grammatical Errors. Austin, TX: Synergy Books, 2010.

Error #1: When to use “I” vs. “Me”

Correct or Incorrect? You are the best thing to ever happen to

your dad and I.

It should be: You are the best thing to ever happen to

your dad and me.

Tip: When using I or me after a name or noun, just take out the name or noun. Would you ever say: You are the best

thing to happen to I? If you take out the name, your ear

can tell you what sounds right and what doesn’t with just the pronoun.

Try it

Correct or Incorrect? When you act that way, how can you

expect your mother or I to trust you? Dad let my sister and I drive the car to

the movies. Our friends invited Linda and I to dinner. Shirley and I reported to the group. Dan and me listened carefully to the

directions.

The rule Pronoun Case

I is in the subjective case. Use it as the doer of an action.

Me is in the objective case. Objective pronouns are used as: Direct Objects Indirect Objects Objects of a Preposition (and some other objects we won’t go into

here)

Direct Object

A noun or pronoun that receives the action of a verb or shows the result of the action.

It answers the question What? or Who?

Ex: Mike received a detention because he had his cell phone in class.

Indirect Object

Tells to whom or for whom the action of the verb is done and who is receiving the direct object.

There must be a direct object to be an indirect object.

Ex: She gave me the report.

Object of the preposition

Prepositional Phrase: Begins with a preposition (ex: to, of, on,

in, out) and ends with a noun or pronoun. The object is the noun or pronoun being

related.

Ex: The club did not have a room, so they met in the English hallway.

Practice Fill in either I or me.

Some students have planned a surprise for the rest of the class and _______.

Would you like to come to the party with Brandon and ________?

I don’t think Lauren and ________ will be able to come to the party.

The students gave Ms. Thompson and ______ some beautiful presents.

Prutha and _______ shared a piece of cake.

Error #1 Part B: Incomplete Constructions

Which sentence is correct? Devon writes better than me. Devon writes better than I.

Correct Answer

Devon writes better than I. This is called an “incomplete

construction.” Notice we are making a comparison

between two things, and the idea at the end is understood and not explicitly stated.

Tip: With an incomplete construction, complete

the sentence in your head to hear the correct use.

Try it: My older brother runs faster than ____.

My older brother runs faster than ____ run. Vicky has a better tan than ____.

Vicky has a better tan than ____ have. Mr. Bannecker drives faster than ____.

Mr. Bannecker drives faster than ____ drive. My brother is like ____.

My brother is like ____ am.

Practice

Fill in either I or me. If you are busy like ____, then stay tuned. Brian did better than _____ on the exam. Charlie works harder than ____. It is difficult for a person like ____ to see

this happening. She likes English more than ____.

Note That last one is a bit tricky. The pronoun

you choose changes the meaning of the sentence. She likes English more than I

She likes English more than I like English. She likes English more than me.

She likes English more than she likes me.

Be careful with the pronouns you choose. You don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings!

Recap of Error #1 Many people use I when they should use me. This happens often when another person’s name or

another noun is also being used in the sentence. Tip 1: Eliminate the other person’s name or the noun

in order to hear whether you should use I or me. Tip 2: In incomplete constructions, complete the

sentence in order to hear which pronoun is correct. It is important to learn how to hear what you are

saying even as you are creating a sentence. Practice using the correct pronouns to get used to it.

Error #2: He/him; she/her

Which sentence is correct? I talked with he and his wife. I talked with him and his wife.

Tip: Use the same tricks as in error #1

Try it: I talked with ____ and his wife

Take out the specific noun and use just the pronoun: I talked with him.

Now try an incomplete construction: No one runs as fast as ____.

Complete the sentence in your head: No one runs as fast as he (runs).

Practice Choose the correct pronoun.

___ and her little friend got home at the time promised. (Her/She)

Mary’s grandmother reminds me of ____ and your mother. (her/she)

Her son is taller than ____. (her/she) Everyone wants to be better than ____.

(him/he) He said to his wife, “Most of the people

here are younger than ___.” (us/we)

Recap of Error #2

Just like with I or me, we can listen for the correct use of pronouns like him, her, he, and she.

Use the same tips from Error #1 to help you find the correct pronoun.

One of the best ways to learn to listen is by reading the many examples out loud.

Error #3: Quotation Marks and Other Punctuation

In errors #1 and #2, learning rules of grammar were not necessary for speaking and writing correctly.

With punctuation, it is important to know rules since you can’t listen for the correct answer.

Three rules of quotation marks that have NO exceptions.

1) Commas or periods always come before closing quotation marks of quoted material. In this city, you will find some

“Republicans,” some “Democrats,” and some “Independents.”

He said “no,” and she said “yes.” There are no “ifs,” “ands,” or “buts.”

Three rules, continued

2) Colons and semicolons always follow closing quotations marks of quoted material. Some people call themselves “Republicans”;

some call themselves “Democrats”; and some call themselves “Independents.”

Every line of every verse ends with the same word in Charles Wesley’s Easter hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Today”: “Alleluia!”

Three rules, cont.

3) Question marks and exclamation points always follow closing quotation marks unless the question mark or exclamation point belongs to the material being quoted, in which case the question mark or exclamation point comes before the closing quotation marks…whew.

Let’s explain that last one…

This can be a confusing one. Let’s look at some examples. Did she say, “How many people are

here”? Since the entire sentence is a question, the

question mark belongs at the very end of the sentence, after the quotation marks.

She said, “How many people are here?” The entire sentence is not a question. Only

the quoted material is a question.

Practice Identify if the sentences are correct or

incorrect. If the sentence is incorrect, correct the placement of punctuation. He said “no”, and she said “yes”. Who asked, “Did you make that decision”? He said “no;” she said “yes;” and some said

neither “yes” nor “no.” That house is a “Wow”! She screamed, “Stop the car”!

Recap of Error #3 Remember the three rules relating to

quotation marks—these rules don’t have exceptions in American English. Commas or periods always come before closing

quotation marks. Colons and semicolons always follow closing

quotation marks of quoted material. Question marks and exclamation points always

follow closing quotation marks unless the question mark or exclamation point belongs to the material being quoted.

Error #4: “Ing” words—thing or action?

Which one is correct? I appreciate Nancy working so hard when

I was on vacation. I appreciate Nancy’s working so hard

when I was on vacation.

The Rule

Correct: I appreciate Nancy’s working so hard when I was on vacation.

When an action word ending in “ing” is immediately preceded by a person’s name or a personal pronoun, the noun or pronoun is usually in the possessive case.

Examples

Incorrect: I am grateful for you taking time to see me. The rules of English call for using the

possessive “your” in this case. Correct: I am grateful for your taking

time to see me.

Personal Pronoun=Word used as a substitute for a name

I or me You He or him She or her We or us They It

My Your His Her Our Their Its

More examples with personal pronouns—correct or incorrect?

She expressed gratitude for me taking time to see her.

I appreciate him being so careful. I think it’s worth your making the

effort to resolve the problem. She won’t like me being gone for so

long. I appreciate your coming home for

Thanksgiving.

Focus on the Act Here, the focus is on the act, not the

actor. When the attention focuses on the

act, the “ing” word is a “gerund” and acts as a noun.

Ex: She expressed gratitude for my taking time to see her. What is the gratitude for? For my action,

not me.

Focus on the actor When the focus is on the actor and

not the act, the “ing” word is considered a verb. Use the regular form of the noun or

pronoun. Ex: The police officer called to the

man crossing the street on a red light. The police officer called out to the man,

not to the act.

Practice Correct or Incorrect—Consider the

emphasis on the act or on the actor. Edit incorrect sentences. Your using a cane makes me feel better about

leaving you alone. A man’s walking two dogs faces many problems. I don’t know which is more alarming: him not

knowing that it was a problem or him not doing anything about it.

We appreciate you staying with us and hope you will return.

I am watching Alice baking a cake.

Recap of Error #4 If an action word (verb) ending in “ing” is

being used as a noun, the noun or pronoun that immediately precedes it should be possessive.

If the “ing” word is used as a verb, the noun or pronoun that immediately precedes it is not in the possessive case.

If the act is emphasized, the possessive case is used. If the actor is emphasized, the possessive case is not used.

Error #5: That or Which?

Which one is correct? Dan’s red car that is parked in the

garage has a flat tire. Dan’s red car, which is parked in the

garage, has a flat tire.

Essential vs. Supplementary Correct Answer:

Dan’s red car, which is parked in the garage, has a flat tire.

Why? Use which when you are adding information that

is supplementary to something already said. Red car is enough to distinguish which car we

are discussing. “In the garage” is extra. Use that when you are adding essential

information.

Which vs. That, cont. More examples:

Dan’s car that is parked in the garage has a flat tire. Here, the location of the car is important

because we have no other indicator of which of Dan’s cars has a flat tire.

The front side of the house, which faces south, needs to be painted. The direction the house faces is interesting, but

it is not essential to the sentence. “The front side” makes it clear which side of the house needs to be painted.

A note about punctuation Notice that all of the examples using

which phrases (expressions or groups of words) are set off by commas.

That phrases are not set off by commas.

A broader rule: When you use phrases that are not

essential in the sentence, they should be set off by commas.

Examples My husband, Jack, is tall and has curly hair.

The sentence has already identified the person as “my husband,” so naming him is just extra (unless you have more than one husband…which is illegal)

The house we live in, located on Second Street, is for sale. The subject is “the house we live in,” so where it

is located is supplementary. When setting off nonessential expressions,

remember BOTH commas!

Practice Correct the sentence in terms of “which”

vs. “that” and appropriate comma use. The master bedroom that is on the first floor has

several windows. My new computer that I take with me when

traveling is really easy to use. My daughter Jane is in high school. Cars, which have hybrid technology, get great

gas mileage. My boss at work, Mildred Brown is very

competent.

Recap of Error #5 If it is information that is essential to the

meaning of what is being said, you should use that without commas.

If it is information that is supplementary, you should use which and set off the group of words with commas.

In referring to nonessential, supplementary expressions in general, all such expressions should be set off by commas.

Error #6: Misusing the ApostrophePart 1: Plurals

Which one is correct? The Smith’s are going on vacation. The Smiths are going on vacation.

Forming Plurals Correct Answer: The Smiths are going on vacation. General rules for making nouns plural:

If a noun does not end in s, make it plural by adding s.

If a noun does end in s, make it plural by adding es. Do not make nouns plural by adding an apostrophe

and an s (‘s) This rule is still true for family names and other

proper nouns. NOTE: There are exceptions to this rule with irregular

words like child (children) or lady (ladies)

Examples The Kellys bought a new house. The Harrisons drove to the grocery

store this morning. The Robertses are going on vacation. The Joneses play checkers frequently. NOTE: If it sounds too odd to you to

say “Joneses” or “Robertses,” simply reword the sentence to say “The Roberts Family.”

Part 2: Possessives The possessive case shows ownership,

belonging, possession, or relationship. General rules for making nouns possessive:

Form the possessive of singular nouns by adding ‘s.

Form the possessive case of plural nouns already ending in s by adding just the apostrophe.

Form the possessive of plural nouns not ending in s by adding ‘s.

Examples Robert Burns’s poems represent some of

the best of eighteenth-century literature. Charles’s friends went to the ball game with

him. The Joneses’ car is in the garage. The women’s department is located on the

second floor. The Smiths’ marriage appears to be on the

rocks.

Pronouns For definite personal pronouns, the

possessive is formed by changing the spelling of the word. Do not add an ‘s. Ex: My, mine, yours, ours, his, hers

For indefinite pronouns, the possessive is formed by adding ‘s. This is somebody else’s umbrella. Everybody’s arguments should be considered.

Practice

Correct apostrophe use in the following sentences if needed. Our charity car wash will service car’s,

van’s, and 4x4’s. Bob Jones’ cat scratches when you try to

pet her. The dogs collar is leather. Ws legacy is yet to be determined. Its a pretty dog, but it’s paws are dirty.

Recap of Error #6

Remember the rules for making nouns plural and possessive.

Do Not use apostrophes to make nouns plural.

Personal pronouns do not use an apostrophe to form the possessive case, but indefinite pronouns do.

Error #7: Tricky Verbs—Lay, Lie, Lain, Laid

Which is the correct command for a dog? Lay down. Lie down.

Lay vs. Lie Correct answer: Lie

down. Lie = to recline (or to

fib…) Lay = to put or place To decide on which

one to use, try to use the word “place” instead of lay or lie. If it works, use “lay.” If it doesn’t, use “lie.”

Parts of lie (recline)

Parts of lay (put or place)

Present:Lie

Present:Lay

Past: Lay Past: Laid

Past Participle: Lain

Past Participle: Laid

Examples Please lay the books on the table.

If you replace lay with place, it works. Will you please tell your dog to lie down

and stop barking? The trick doesn’t work here.

I lay down on the bed earlier this afternoon. The past tense of lie is lay.

I laid my daughter on the bed so she could take a nap. This is the correct use of the past tense of lay.

You placed her down to take a nap.

Examples with the past participle

The books, having been laid on the table a week ago, are covered with dust. This is something done to the books, not done to

or for themselves. Using “placed” here works, so we need the past participle of lay.

Having lain in bed all afternoon, I feel rested this evening. Putting “placed” here doesn’t work, so we need

the past participle of lie.

Practice Correct the sentences if needed.

Sometimes I lay in bed and watch television. My dog has lain there quietly for two hours. The cat laid in the mud after it rained last week. Having lain the overdue essay on the teacher’s

desk, the student walked quietly back to his seat.

The python has laid there for several minutes, watching the frightened mouse paw at the cage.

Recap of Error #7 Lie is used when referring to

something one is doing to or for himself or herself.

Lay is used when referring to something that one is doing to or for someone or something other than himself or herself.

Use the “place” test to help determine whether to use lie or lay.

Error #8: Less or Fewer?

Which one is correct? My new car uses less gallons of gasoline

than my old one. My new car uses fewer gallons of

gasoline than my old one.

Less vs. Fewer Correct Answer: My new car uses fewer

gallons… Use fewer when you refer to individual units

that can be counted. Use less when referring to bulk or quantity.

Ex: My new car uses less gasoline than my old car.

Fun note: Grocery store express lanes are incorrect in labeling the checkout “20 items or less.”

Practice Correct the sentences if needed.

Our new stove uses fewer electricity than our old one.

Less than fifteen applicants responded to the advertisement.

I have less money in my pocket today. I have less customers this year and less

money. My brother has fewer than five one-dollar

bills in his wallet.

Recap of Error #8

Less is used to refer to bulk or quantity.

Fewer is used to refer to individual items or a number that can be counted.

Using the correct term can help to add clarity to your comparisons in speaking and writing.

Error #9: Commas and Semicolons in a Series

Simple series Elements in a series of three or more

normally are separated by commas. The final two items in the series should

be joined by a conjunction (usually and or or)

A comma should always be used before the conjunction joining the final two elements of the series (serial comma or Oxford comma).

Simple Series Examples The morning is cool, crisp, and windy. You could get there by taking the bus,

riding on a train, flying in an airplane, or driving your own car.

He was tall, thin, and handsome. NOTE: The AP Stylebook is the only

reference that says not to use the serial comma. Just get in the habit of using it.

Trickier Examples The menu consisted of appetizers, soup or

salad, the main course, dessert, and coffee or tea. Don’t separate two nouns that are joined with a

conjunction that should actually be just one item in the series.

For breakfast they had bacon and eggs, toast and jelly, and coffee.

No commas are needed if all of the items in a series are joined by conjunctions.

Complex Series (AKA Super lists)

If the individual elements of a series involve internal punctuation, or when the elements are long or complex, the elements of the series should be separated by semicolons instead of commas.

If the conjunction is included at the end, use a semicolon before it rather than a serial comma.

Complex Series Example

Mr. Johnson drives a Cadillac, which is black and has large, silver wheels; Mrs. Johnson drives a Lexus, which is silver and has regular wheels and tires; and their son, James, drives a Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is dark red and has oversized wheels and tires.

Names of Companies The serial comma is usually omitted in the

company name. Many times, the “and” connecting the final

two names in a series is omitted. Sometimes, no commas will be used to

separate names in a company. Examples:

Quinn, Franklin & Brown, LLC, Attorneys at Law Sandberg, Sandberg, Goldman, CPAs Johnson, Miller and Anderson, Medical Doctors

Commas with Addresses and Dates

When using the name of a city or town with a state, use a comma to separate the two and a comma after the state (if the sentence continues). St. Louis, Missouri

In month-day-year style dates, use a comma before and after the year (if the sentence continues). Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809,

near Hodgenville, Kentucky, to Thomas Lincoln and Mary Hanks.

Practice Insert the needed punctuation.

The dress comes in different colors: brown black blue and pink.

John was working in the garden Mary was working in the house and the children were playing and eating candy bars.

I am not sure if the pep rally is at the high school or at the field house or at the civic hall.

During the rain, the most experienced of the hunters remained in the tent with the camping equipment and stayed dry another camper slept in his sleeping bag outside the tent, but by morning was soaked and a third camper stayed dry by sleeping in the cap of the truck.

The graduation dance was in St. Louis Missouri on May 15 2009.

Recap of Error #9

Items in a series of three or more are normally separated by commas.

Use the serial comma before the conjunction joining the final two elements.

Use a semicolon to separate items in a complex series.

Error #10: Commas between Adjectives

Which one is correct? The long hot summer days cause one to

be lazy. The long, hot summer days cause one to

be lazy.

Rule Correct: The long, hot summer days… When a noun is preceded by two or more

adjectives, a comma separates the adjectives if they are equal in rank (they modify the noun in the same way or to the same degree).

If the adjectives are not equal in rank, no comma is used.

Try to put “and” between the adjectives and see if it makes sense.

Examples

The ripe, juicy apple is really good to eat. The apple is both ripe and juicy, so you

need the comma.

At bedtime she told the children a quiet short story. Short and story go together, and quiet

modifies short story, so no comma is used.

Practice Insert and/or omit commas when

needed. She sleeps with her young black cat. She told her children not to play in the

dark deserted alley. Bill is a pleasant loyal friend. The old, stone wall is built of native

stones taken from the fields. He believes in attending traditional,

religious services.

Recap of Error #10

Use a comma to separate two or more adjectives preceding a noun if the adjectives are of equal rank.

Try using “and” to decide whether or not you need the comma.