By BrainFall Staff - Updated: April 2, 2024
You may have mastered grammar in grade school, but over the years, you might have forgotten some of the more tricky rules you were taught. From double negatives to dangling participles. Is your grammar up to task, or would your writings earn a lot of red ink from a teacher today? Take our 20-question quiz to find out, and compare your score with your friends to see who is the master of the English language!
Can You Identify These Common Grammar Mistakes?
Grammar mistakes are like the stealthy ninjas of the writing world; they can slip into your text when you least expect them, leaving us red-faced at the realization that we've been outsmarted by a few misplaced commas or a sneaky subject-verb disagreement. We've all been there, haven't we? Waging a silent war against these grammatical gremlins, armed only with our wits and perhaps a dog-eared copy of Strunk and White's "The Elements of Style."
But fear not, fellow word warriors! It's time to put our knowledge to the test and see if we can spot those common grammar mistakes that are just itching to make our language look less than perfect. Together, let's turn the tables and have a good laugh in the process because, let's be honest, sometimes the most ridiculous errors are the ones that sneak past our ever-vigilant eyes. So, ready your mental red pens – we're going on a grammar hunt!
The Perils of Punctuation and Other Syntax Scuffles
Ever find yourself typing away, only to discover that your punctuation has gone rogue and your sentences are staging a rebellion? Let's get our grammar geek on and tackle these scoundrels!
Punctuating With Precision
Ah, punctuation: the map that guides readers through the terrain of our thoughts. Whether it's avoiding the dreaded comma splice (where two main clauses are joined by a mere comma without a coordinating conjunction), or contemplating if that semicolon is showing off its pausing power correctly, getting punctuation wrong can lead to chaos. Remember, semicolons are like the cool, calm referees in a bout between two independent clauses, while commas are like the chatty friends that can cause awkward pauses if you sprinkle them in unnecessarily.
- Correct: "She loves grammar; it’s her favorite hobby."
- Incorrect: "She loves grammar, it’s her favorite hobby." (This is a comma splice, folks.)
Sentence Snags: Fragments and Run-ons
Sentence fragments lack the full structure of a sentence. They're like trying to drive a car without an engine—going nowhere fast. Meanwhile, run-on sentences cram too much under one roof, making readers gasp for air as they try to keep up. Don't be a run-on rambling wrecker or a fragmented fiasco farmer!
- Fragment: "Without knowing why."
- Run-on: "She wrote an essay it was full of errors."
- Repaired: "She wrote an essay, but it was full of errors."
Conjunction Junction: What's Your Function?
Let's not forget our good old coordinating conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so (FANBOYS for short). They glue together compound sentences like a gossip spreading the latest news across the street. Use them wisely to marry independent clauses and avoid the diabolical run-ons and comma splices. Also, be mindful of subordination to give your sentences that sweet balance of main ideas and supporting info.
- Spot On: "I love quizzes, and BrainFall is my go-to."
- Needs Work: "I love quizzes BrainFall is my go-to." (Oops, run-on!)
Now you've got the goods to proofread your posts with pride! Let's wield that punctuation with the might of grammar warriors and ensure our sentences flow like a well-tuned melody. Remember, before you challenge friends to a quiz, polish those points with your inner proofreader and exude some serious editor energy. Ready, set, proof!
Wordplay Wonders and Verbosity Blunders
Lights, cameras, grammar! Welcome to the stage where wordplay leads to applause and verbosity to pause. Strap in as we cannonball into a pool of phrases that twist, turn, and often burn with errors that make us all squirm!
The Tense Twister
Let's time travel through tenses with the finesse of a linguistic gymnast. We often see the infamous present tense confusion, where verbs should waltz gracefully but instead tangle in a temporal mess. Don't mix your past with your present, or you'll leave your readers questioning your temporal intent!
- Correct: I lay the book down yesterday; I lie down today.
Pronoun Perplexity
Dive into the pronoun pool and watch out for the waves of pronoun disagreement and indefinite pronouns. For instance, everybody wants their cake, but grammatically, everybody deserves his or her slice of sweet victory.
- Unclear Antecedents: When you say "they," who are we talking about?
Modifier Mayhem
Modifiers are like the paprika of sentences; sprinkle them right! Keep an eye out for misplaced modifiers and dangling modifiers that seem to dance awkwardly on the edge of sentences, not quite sure where to land.
- Misplaced Modifier: Eating rapidly, the burrito didn't stand a chance. (Did the burrito eat rapidly?)
- Dangling Modifier: After rotting in the fridge, we finally threw out our sandwich. (Were we rotting in the fridge?)
A Homophone Hullabaloo
The English language is notorious for its homophone hullabaloo, a masquerade ball where peek sounds like peak, and writing "The compliment I received on my pie was a complement to the evening" can cause quite the stir. Beware quick typing and pesky spelling gremlins that switch there with their and affect with effect.
