Why this matters
Clarity is part of your argument. Correcting grammar improves readability, strengthens credibility, and prevents ambiguity. If you are also paraphrasing sources, review our companion guides on ethical paraphrasing and paraphrase vs rewrite vs summarize so you keep meaning and cite properly.
1. Subject-verb agreement
Incorrect: The list of items are on the desk.
Why: The true subject is list (singular), not items.
Fix: The list of items is on the desk.
Tip: Ignore prepositional phrases when matching the verb. Use the Word and Character Counter to spot long subjects that hide the head noun.
2. Comma splices
Incorrect: She studied all night, she still failed the test.
Why: Two independent clauses joined only by a comma.
Fix: She studied all night, but she still failed the test. or She studied all night; she still failed the test.
Tip: If both halves can stand alone, don’t use only a comma. Try our Grammar Checker to flag run-ons.
3. Misplaced and dangling modifiers
Incorrect: Walking through the door, the cake was on the table.
Why: The modifier appears to describe the cake.
Fix: Walking through the door, I saw the cake on the table.
Tip: Place the modifier next to the word it describes. If your sentence feels wobbly, try a quick rewrite with the Paraphrasing Tool in Concise mode.
4. Apostrophes and possessives (its vs it's)
Incorrect: The dog wagged it's tail.
Why: it's = it is/it has. its = possessive.
Fix: The dog wagged its tail.
Tip: Expand it's to “it is.” If it doesn’t fit, use its. Standardize casing with the Case Converter while you edit headings.
5. Run-on and fused sentences
Incorrect: I finished the paper I submitted it late.
Fix: I finished the paper, but I submitted it late.
Tip: Read aloud. If you need a breath, you probably need punctuation. Clean spacing with the Whitespace and Formatting Cleaner.
6. Word choice confusions (affect vs effect, their vs there vs they're)
Incorrect: The new policy will effect students negatively.
Fix: The new policy will affect students negatively.
Tip: If “influence” fits, use affect (verb). If “result” fits, use effect (noun). The Grammar Checker highlights common confusables.
7. Sentence fragments
Incorrect: Because the experiment failed.
Fix: Because the experiment failed, we repeated it using a new method.
Tip: Every sentence needs a subject and a finite verb that completes the thought. Convert bullet notes to full sentences with the Text to List - List to Text Converter.
8. Faulty parallelism
Incorrect: She likes reading, to jog, and swimming.
Fix: She likes reading, jogging, and swimming.
Tip: Make list items match grammatically - all -ing forms, all to-infinitives, or all nouns.
9. Passive voice overuse
Problematic: The conclusion was reached by the researchers after many trials.
Clearer: The researchers reached the conclusion after many trials.
Tip: Use active voice when agency matters. Passive is fine in methods. To rebalance tone, run a quick rewrite in Professional mode using the Paraphrasing Tool.
10. Tense inconsistency
Incorrect: He studied the samples and then finds the result surprising.
Fix: He studied the samples and then found the result surprising.
Tip: Pick a dominant tense per section. Past for methods and results; present for general truths.
- Every independent clause is properly separated.
- One primary tense per paragraph.
- its/it's, affect/effect, there/their/they're are correct.
- Lists are parallel and punctuation is consistent.
- Final pass with the SnipText Grammar Checker, then read aloud.
Fixing these ten errors immediately boosts clarity and credibility. Combine mechanical corrections with strong organization and ethical source use. If you are paraphrasing research, validate meaning and add citations with the help of our ethical paraphrasing guide.
FAQ
- Can I rely on grammar checkers to catch everything?
- No tool is perfect. Use a checker for mechanics, then do a human read for meaning and flow. For wording changes, use the Paraphrasing Tool and keep citations intact.
- What's the fastest fix for comma splices?
- Split into two sentences, use a semicolon, or add a coordinating conjunction (and, but, so). Pick the option that matches your intended emphasis.
- Is passive voice always wrong?
- No. Passive is useful in methods and when the actor is unknown or irrelevant. Prefer active when clarity and responsibility matter.
- How can I stop mixing tenses?
- Decide the timeline per section. Use past for completed actions and present for general truths. Do a quick sweep section by section.
- Any quick memory trick for its vs it's?
- Expand it's to “it is” or “it has.” If it fits, keep it's. If not, use its.