Top 20 English Grammar Mistakes Made by Beginners (and How to Avoid Them)

English Grammar

Learning English is exciting, but beginners often struggle with common grammar mistakes that slow down progress. Understanding these errors—and knowing how to fix them—can greatly improve writing, speaking, and confidence. In this guide, we break down the top 20 English grammar mistakes made by beginners, with examples and simple corrections.

If you’re also building your foundation in English, visit our Basic English Grammar Guide or our article about If clauses for more helpful resources.

1. Confusing “your” and “you’re”

-Your = possessive (your book)

-You’re = you are

Wrong: Your going to school

Correct: You’re going to school

2. Mixing up “its” and “it’s”

-Its = possessive

-It’s = it is

This mistake is so common that even native speakers make it.

3. Incorrect plural forms

Some beginners add s to everything.

Wrong: Childs are playing

Correct: Children are playing

Check the list of irregular plurals in this Grammar Rules Section.

4. Missing articles (a, an, the)

Articles are tricky, especially for learners whose languages don't use them.

Wrong: I have dog

Correct: I have a dog

5. Wrong verb tense

Beginners often use present tense for past actions.

Wrong: Yesterday I go to school

Correct: Yesterday I went to school

The external page on tenses from Grammarly is helpful: https://www.grammarly.com/blog/verb-tenses/

6. Using “much” and “many” incorrectly

-Much → uncountable nouns

-Many → countable nouns

Wrong: I don’t have many money

Correct: I don’t have much money

7. Confusing “in,” “on,” and “at”

Prepositions cause many errors.

In = large areas (in Rwanda)

On = surfaces (on the table)

At = specific locations (at home)

8. Double negatives

Wrong: I don’t need no help

Correct: I don’t need any help

9. Wrong word order

Wrong: Always I eat breakfast

Correct: I always eat breakfast

10. Saying “He don’t” instead of “He doesn’t”

Beginners often forget subject-verb agreement.

Wrong: He don’t like milk

Correct: He doesn’t like milk

11. Using “will” instead of “going to” for plans

Wrong: I will eat later (when talking about a plan)

Correct: I am going to eat later

12. Confusing “then” vs “than”

-Then = time or sequence

-Than = comparison

Wrong: She is taller then me

Correct: She is taller than me

13. Overusing “very”

Beginners use very too often instead of stronger adjectives.

Wrong: very big

Better: huge

Check more tips on our how to use in spite and despite of

14. Adding unnecessary “to”

Wrong: I want to eat food to now

Correct: I want to eat food now

15. Confusing “few” and “a few”

-Few = almost none (negative meaning)

-A few = some (positive meaning)

Wrong: I have few friends (means you are lonely)

Correct: I have a few friends

16. Forgetting plural “s”

Wrong: She has two dog

Correct: She has two dogs

17. Wrong comparatives and superlatives

Wrong: more easier

Correct: easier

Because easy → easier automatically.

18. Using “me” instead of “I”

Wrong: Me and John went to school

Correct: John and I went to school

19. Incorrect question structure

Beginners often translate directly from their language.

Wrong: You are coming?

Correct: Are you coming?

20. Literal translations

Many learners translate word-for-word from their mother tongue, causing grammar errors.

To avoid this, practice with standard English materials. The British Council has great beginner lessons: https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/

How to Avoid These Grammar Mistakes

Practice Daily

Short, consistent practice is more effective. Try reading, writing, and speaking English every day.

Learn with Examples

Studying grammar rules alone is not enough—you need examples and usage.

Reading improves grammar naturally. Try books, blogs, or articles written for learners.

Use Trusted Resources

Websites like the British Council and Grammarly offer high-quality learning materials for beginners.

Grammar difficulties are normal for English beginners, but the sooner you identify your mistakes, the faster you improve. Start by focusing on the 20 errors in this guide and check our English Learning Hub for more lessons, quizzes, and writing tips.