Mistakes are inevitable parts of learning a new language. However, the ability to recognise the grammatical errors and correct them dictates how fast you are going to learn the language. A huge number of language learners and even native speakers admit to making several slip-ups in the English language at some point of their learning. Therefore, it would be correct to say that English grammar is the hardest part of learning the language. Some of the common grammar mistakes that you are likely to make while learning includes.
Subject-Verb Disagreement
This is a common challenge for most people in an english learning course in singapore. Every verb in a sentence must align in number with the subject to make it grammatically correct. It is easy to achieve this while constructing simple sentences where the subject and the verb occur close to each other but it can be challenging to get it right when there are other clauses between the two components. Therefore, every singular subject should have a singular verb and not vice versa.
Contractions versus Possessive Pronouns
Language learners have always had a problem distinguishing between contracted words and the possessive pronouns such as :Their/ they’re, Its/ it’s, Your/ you’re.
The possessive pronouns “their” indicate that an item belongs to a group of people. “They’re” on the other hand is a short form of “they are.”
Misplaced Apostrophe
Knowing when to use an apostrophe and when to skip it is a major challenge for most language learners. Apostrophes indicate a contracted word for example, “can’t” which is a short form of “cannot.” It also essential in showing different degrees of possession of an item by something or someone. Apostrophes indicating one owner appear before “s.” For example, “my friend’s house.” Apostrophes indicating multiple ownership, on the other hand, appear after “s.” For example, “my friends’ house,” meaning the house belongs to your two or more friends.
Casual and Formal language
English is complicated, and you can easily find yourself using informal language in a formal setting. Always limit your slang use to your friends and peers only while anyone in your workstation should be addressed formally. For example, “It is grammatically correct to say “Hey, what’s up today?” to your friend. However, using the same salutation on your boss would come out as inappropriate or rude.
Long Sentence Displaying Different Thoughts
Most language learners are highly likely to fall into the trap of writing long run sentences that end up expressing unclear information. You should consider breaking up the long sentences into short easy to digest nuggets. Simple and clear sentences, on the other hand, will help you convey your desired information easily. Each sentence should express clear information connected to the topic of discussion.<
Comma Use in Compound Sentences
Comma splices are necessary punctuation marks, but most people have a challenge using them correctly in a sentence. A comma is used to join two independent clauses that would stand on their own as complete sentences. However, they should all be linked by a coordinating conjunction such as but, and, so, nor, yet, and or. Two independent clauses without coordinating conjunction should instead use a period or a semi-colon and not a comma.
Everyone who has completed an English course in Singapore made numerous mistakes during their first few weeks of learning. Therefore, you should not allow any of these mistakes halter your efforts of mastering the language. Rise above all the challenges and perfect your English language skills with the help of a qualified language tutor in the country.
