**7 Common Grammar Mistakes in English (and How to Fix Them Fast)**
You don’t need perfect grammar to communicate in English, but some mistakes make your writing and speaking less clear. The good news: many learners repeat the **same** few errors again and again – and you can fix them with simple rules.
Here are 7 common grammar mistakes (with quick fixes and examples) so you can sound more confident in English.
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## 1. Missing **-s** in the third person (he / she / it)
Many learners forget to add **-s** to the verb when the subject is *he, she, it* (or a singular name: *my friend, the teacher, the company*).
**Wrong:**
> He **work** in a bank.
**Correct:**
> He **works** in a bank.
**Rule:**
> In the present simple, add **-s** (or **-es**) to the verb with **he / she / it**.
**More examples:**
– She **likes** reading.
– My brother **plays** football.
– The company **does** business in Europe.
**Quick check:** After you write a sentence with *he, she, it,* or a name, check if the verb has **-s**.
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## 2. Confusing present simple and present continuous
Learners often mix:
– **present simple** → for habits, routines, facts
– **present continuous** → for actions happening **now** or around now
**Wrong:**
> I am working in an office every day.
**Correct:**
> I **work** in an office every day. (routine)
**Wrong:**
> I go to the meeting now.
**Correct:**
> I am **going** to the meeting now. (happening now)
**Quick guide:**
– Present simple: *I work, you live, she plays* → use with: *always, usually, often, every day/week*.
– Present continuous: *I am working, she is studying* → use with: *now, at the moment, right now*.
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## 3. Using the wrong past tense (past simple vs. present perfect)
These two tenses are tricky, but you can simplify them.
– **Past simple** → finished time, often with a time word: *yesterday, last year, in 2019*.
– **Present perfect** → connection to **now**, no specific finished time: *have done, have seen*.
**Wrong:**
> I have seen that movie yesterday.
**Correct:**
> I **saw** that movie yesterday. (past simple + specific time)
**Wrong:**
> I finished my homework already.
**More natural:**
> I have **already finished** my homework. (no specific time, result is important now)
**Quick rule:**
– If you use a clear past time (*yesterday, last week, in 2020*), use **past simple**.
– If the time is **not important** or not mentioned, and the result matters now, you can use **present perfect**.
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## 4. Articles: a / an / the (or no article)
Articles are difficult because many languages don’t use them the same way.
**Basic ideas:**
– **a / an** → one, general thing (not specific): *a book, an email, a teacher*.
– **the** → a specific thing (the listener knows which one): *the book on the table*.
– **no article** → plural/general or uncountable: *Books are expensive*, *Water is important*.
**Common mistakes:**
**Wrong:**
> I have the dog. (You mean any dog, not a specific one.)
**Correct:**
> I have **a** dog.
**Wrong:**
> The English is difficult.
**More natural:**
> **English** is difficult. (no article for languages in general)
**Quick tips:**
– Use **a/an** the first time you mention something: *I saw **a** movie yesterday*.
– Use **the** when both you and the reader know which one: *The movie was very good*.
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## 5. Wrong word order in questions
Learners sometimes keep the sentence order and just add a question mark.
**Wrong:**
> You are happy?
**Correct:**
> **Are you** happy?
In many questions, you need to change the order:
> **auxiliary verb** + **subject** + **main verb**
**Examples:**
– Do you like coffee?
– Are you working today?
– Did she call you?
Be careful with **”do/does/did”** questions:
**Wrong:**
> Do you **can** help me?
**Correct:**
> **Can** you help me?
> Do you **need** help? (only one auxiliary: *do* or *can*, not both)
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## 6. Using “much” with countable nouns
Remember:
– **many** → countable (books, people, emails)
– **much** → uncountable (water, money, time)
**Wrong:**
> I have **much** friends.
**Correct:**
> I have **many** friends.
**Wrong:**
> There are not much chairs in the room.
**Correct:**
> There are not **many** chairs in the room.
But:
– I don’t have **much** time.
– We don’t have **much** money.
**Quick check:** If you can add a number (1, 2, 3…) before the noun, use **many**.
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## 7. Forgetting the subject (especially in messages)
In some languages, you can drop the subject because the verb form shows who does the action. In English, you almost always need a subject.
**Wrong:**
> Is raining.
**Correct:**
> **It** is raining.
**Wrong:**
> Went to the meeting.
**Correct:**
> **I** went to the meeting. / **We** went to the meeting.
In informal messages, people sometimes write: *See you soon!* – this is okay in casual texts. But in normal sentences, remember to include **I, you, he, she, it, we, they**.
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## How to fix these mistakes in your own English
Knowing the rules is not enough – you need a simple way to practise.
**Try this routine:**
1. Write 5–10 sentences about your day.
2. Check them using this list of 7 mistakes:
– Did I add **-s** for *he/she/it* in the present simple?
– Did I choose the correct tense (present simple vs. continuous, past simple vs. present perfect)?
– Are my articles (*a/an/the*) correct?
– Is my word order correct in questions?
– Did I use **many** vs. **much** correctly?
– Did I include a subject in every sentence?
3. Correct your sentences and read them aloud.
If you repeat this regularly, these common mistakes will slowly disappear, and your English will become clearer and more natural.