Common Grammatical Errors
We walked __[to, too, two] the store for ice cream.
We walked to the store for ice cream.
Choose the correct word to complete the following sentence:
Sam located (alot, a lot) of errors in his essay.
Sam located a lot of errors in his essay.
Handsome funny actors are the best in chick flicks.
Handsome, funny actors are the best in chick flicks.
Correct the punctuation in this sentence:
Lets eat grandma.
Let's eat, grandma.
Add a semicolon or a colon:
Call me tomorrow I will give you my answer then.
Call me tomorrow; I will give you my answer then.
_[there, their, they're]_ _[there, their, they're]_ for _[there, their, they're]_ hair.
They're there for their hair.
Choose the correct word to complete the following sentence:
Everyone seemed (alright, all right) until the argument began.
Everyone seemed all right until the argument began.
The governor of California who is a lover of movies will be in town next week.
The governor of California, who is a lover of movies, will be in town next week.
Correct the punctuation in this sentence:
I wanted to go to the doctor I had a cold
I wanted to go to the doctor. I had a cold.
Where does the semicolon go?
Jim was frosting cupcakes for the competition his assistant Sheryl kept eating them.
Jim was frosting cupcakes for the competition; his assistant Sheryl kept eating them.
_[Who, Whom]_ should I talk to about labeling food in the refrigerator?
Whom should I talk to about labeling food in the refrigerator?
Choose the correct word to complete the following sentence:
We decided to take a different (course, coarse) of action.
We decided to take a different course of action.
Insert the commas correctly:
During lunch at the campus cafeteria Mildred noticed the dirty tables the overworked cashiers and the exorbitant price for a watery soda.
During lunch at the university's cafeteria, Mildred noticed the dirty tables, the overworked cashiers, and the exorbitant price for a watery soda.
Correct the punctuation in this sentence:
My mother said, "Please John, don't eat the daisies".
My mother said, "Please, John, don't eat the daisies."
Is an apostrophe needed?
Buy your own pens! You cannot borrow ours.
Buy your own pens! You cannot borrow ours.
(no apostrophe needed)
I am the one _[who, whom]_ tells you where to go.
I am the one who tells you where to go.
Choose the correct word to complete the following sentence:
Sherry is a better writer (than, then) Ben is.
Sherry is a better writer than Ben is.
Confederates in the Attic which was written by Andrew Burns portrays the legacy of the Civil War in the modern South it is poignant and funny
Confederates in the Attic, which was written by Andrew Burns, portrays the legacy of the Civil War in the modern South: it is poignant and funny.
or
Confederates in the Attic, which was written by Andrew Burns, portrays the legacy of the Civil War in the modern South. It is poignant and funny.
Correct the punctuation in this sentence:
Koala bears are not actually bears, they are marsupials.
Koala bears are not actually bears. They are marsupials.
Koala bears are not actually bears; they are marsupials.
Koala bears are not actually bears, for/but they are marsupials.
Nobody knows when surfing originated. captain cook, a british sea captain and explorer, was the first european to witness surfing in hawaii in the late 1770s. up until the 1960s, surfing had only a small following, mostly on the West Coast. The film gidget helped popularize the sport and b-movies based on surfing and southern california beach culture formed most american’s idea of surfing and surfers. Surfing would soon spread to the east coast.
Nobody knows when surfing originated. Captain cCok, a British sea captain and explorer, was the first European to witness surfing in Hawaii in the late 1770s. Up until the 1960s, surfing had only a small following, mostly on the West Coast. The film Gidget helped popularize the sport and B-movies based on surfing and Southern California beach culture formed most American’s idea of surfing and surfers. Surfing would soon spread to the East Coast.
The teacher did not __[accept, except] my paper two months late.
The teacher did not accept my paper two months late.
Choose the correct word to complete the following sentence:
The new gas prices are (quiet, quite, quit) alarming!
The new gas prices are quite alarming!
During English class Anthony kept flirting with Bethany because his behavior was keeping Erica from understanding the lecture Erica whacked him over the head with her heavy dictionary
During English class, Anthony kept flirting with Bethany. Because his behavior was keeping Erica from understanding the lecture, Erica whacked him over the head with her heavy dictionary.
Many people believe that the Founding Fathers unanimously agreed to the rights given to citizens by the Constitution however they bitterly contested each of these rights.
Many people believe that the Founding Fathers unanimously agreed to the rights given to citizens by the Constitution; however, they bitterly contested each of these rights.
Correct the sentence for parallel structure:
Spiders that bite, hissing snakes, and squealing rodents fill the aquariums in Desmond’s basement.
Spiders that bite, snakes that hiss, and rodents that squeal fill the aquariums in Desmond’s basement.
OR
Biting spiders, hissing snakes, and squealing rodents fill the aquariums in Desmond’s basement.