3 Common Grammar Mistakes that Make you Look Stupid

Watch out for these common grammar mistakes.

A writer not knowing grammar is like an electrician not knowing electricity. A plumber not knowing pipes. A carpenter not knowing wood. Grammar is an essential writing skill, without which a writer will fail. So making grammar mistakes can stand in your way of being a successful author. 

But ignoring the rules of grammar when necessary, as I did with the two sentence fragments above, is also a useful skill. So when is it okay to break grammar rules and when is it not?

I’ll make it easy for you.

Here are 3 common grammar mistakes that are always incorrect and always make you look stupid:

1. It’s vs. Its

Many writers fall in the “it’s vs. it” trap. But the rules are so simple.

“It’s” is a contraction of “it is” or “it has.” Example: “It’s a long way to Albuquerque,” meaning “It is a long way to Albuquerque.”

“Its” is a possessive pronoun, and a lot of writers add an apostrophe to the “s” to indicate the possessive form. However, possessive pronouns never have an apostrophe. So to denote ownership, you would write, “Its storyline was simple.”

2. There Vs. Their

This is one of the common grammar mistakes that drive me crazy!

“There,” is a flexible word used many different ways. Example: “Are you still there?” (for a place), or “There is no use” (as a pronoun).

“Their” is a plural possessive pronoun. Example: “Their shoes,” or “their books.”

3. Your vs. You’re

I cringe when I see this grammar mistake, and I’ve been cringing a lot lately. 

“Your” is a possessive pronoun. Examples: “Your feet,” or “Your state.”

“You’re” is a contraction of “you are.” Example: “You’re (for you are) risking failure by making these common grammar mistakes.”

Always Proofread

You can avoid making these 3 errors by proofreading your copy. Don’t rely on spell check, because these words are not misspellings – they’re grammar mistakes that make you look stupid!