7 Common Errors in Writing + How to Fix Them (With Examples)

We’ve all made errors in our writing — from simple spelling and grammar mistakes to larger structural issues. While we’ll likely make mistakes again (we’re human, after all!), the good news is that we can learn to spot them and keep our writing as polished as possible. 

But to do that, we have to identify them first. 

That’s where I come in. As a professional writer, I’ve made — and corrected — plenty of writing mistakes over the years. 

In this blog post, I share seven common errors in writing and explain how to fix them using handy before-and-after examples. 

What are the different types of writing errors? 

Writing errors can be divided into several categories, including: 

• Spelling errors: These occur when words are misspelled — e.g., “bisness” instead of “business.”

• Grammar errors: These are mistakes in sentence form or structure, such as writing an incomplete sentence like “Because of the snow.”

• Punctuation errors: These involve using punctuation incorrectly or not using it at all — like writing “Let’s eat Dad” instead of “Let’s eat, Dad.” 

• Structure errors: These occur when the ideas in a piece of writing are unclear, not well-organized, or repetitive.

• Style errors: These happen when a writer doesn’t follow language and style rules — e.g., using passive instead of active voice.

7 common errors in writing (and how to fix them)

Now that you understand the categories of writing mistakes, we can look at specific examples. Below, I cover seven common errors and how to fix them. 

1. Run-on sentences 

A run-on sentence is a grammatical error that occurs when two independent clauses (complete thoughts) aren’t properly joined. This kind of sentence makes it difficult to see where one idea ends and the other begins. 

Two common types of run-on sentences are fused sentences and comma splices. 

Fused sentences

A fused sentence joins two independent clauses without using a punctuation mark or coordinating conjunction (e.g., “and” or “but”), as seen below: 

❌ Kel loves orange soda it’s his favorite drink. 

You’d correct this sentence by inserting a semicolon between the two complete thoughts: 

✅ Kel loves orange soda; it’s his favorite drink.

Another option is to use a period to divide the clauses into two sentences:

✅ Kel loves orange soda. It’s his favorite drink. 

Comma splices 

A comma splice uses a comma between two independent clauses but forgets the necessary coordinating conjunction. 

For example: 

❌ Margaret went to Lenox Mall, she bought a new dress. 

To correct this sentence, simply add a conjunction after the comma. 

✅ Margaret went to Lenox Mall, and she bought a new dress. 

2. Passive voice 

Passive voice occurs when the receiver of the action (object) becomes the focus of the sentence rather than the one performing the action (subject). 

For example: 

Passive voice:

The decision was made by the jury. 

Here, the focus is on the decision being made (object) instead of the jury making the decision (subject). As a result, the reader spends more time processing who is doing what. 

To rewrite this sentence in active voice, put the subject at the front of the sentence. That way, the jury becomes the focus and performs the action, as shown here: 

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Active voice:

The jury made the decision.

This sentence is easier to understand because it follows a straightforward structure: subject (“the jury”) + action (“made”) + receiver of the action (“the decision”). 

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3. Subject-verb disagreement

For example:

❌ Nancy eat buttered popcorn. 

✅ Nancy eats buttered popcorn.

That said, you don’t add an “s” to the end of the verb when using the subjects “I” (singular), “we” (plural), and “they” (plural), as this would also lead to subject-verb disagreement. 

For example:

❌ I eats buttered popcorn. 

❌ We eats buttered popcorn. 

❌ They eats buttered popcorn. 

To correct the error, simply remove the “s” from the end of “prefer” for these subjects: 

✅ I eat buttered popcorn. 

✅ We eat buttered popcorn. 

✅ They eat buttered popcorn. 

4. Incorrect word choice

Many writers confuse one word for another or misuse words in their work. This often happens with homophones — words that sound the same but have different meanings or spellings, such as “weather” and “whether.”

For example:

❌ The whether is lovely today.

The word “whether” means a choice between alternatives or indicates uncertainty. However, in this sentence, it’s used like the homophone “weather,” which refers to the state of or changes in the air or atmosphere (e.g., sun, rain, etc.)

Therefore, the word “weather” is the correct choice for this sentence:

✅ The weather is lovely today.

Now, let’s reverse the context: 

❌ I don’t know weather I should read a book or watch a movie. 

The word “weather” is incorrect here because the sentence focuses on the speaker’s inability to choose between two options: read a book or watch a movie. 

Therefore, you’d use “whether”:

✅ I don’t know whether I should read a book or watch a movie. 

5. Vague pronouns

A vague pronoun is a pronoun (e.g., “he,” “she,” or “it”) with more than one antecedent (the person, place, or thing that a pronoun refers to). Using vague pronouns confuses readers because they don’t know who or what you’re referencing. 

For instance, this sentence about Mitchell and Mike (antecedents) doesn’t clarify who the pronoun “he” refers to: 

❌ Mitchell and Mike went to the football game after he finished work. (Who finished work, Mitchell or Mike?)

To fix this issue, you could restate the subject (for instance, “Mike”) so readers know who you’re talking about:

✅ Mitchell and Mike went to the football game after Mike finished work.

A less redundant option would be to rewrite the sentence so the pronoun (“he”) is closer to the subject it replaces (“Mike”): 

✅ After Mike finished work, he and Mitchell went to the football game. 

6. Dangling modifiers 

For example, in the sentence “Lex is an English professor,” the word “English” modifies the word “professor.” Additionally, in the sentence “After watching TV, Hunter went to sleep,” the phrase “After watching TV” modifies the word “Hunter.”  

For example: 

In this sentence, the phrase “while standing in the freezing outdoors” modifies “thoughts of hot chocolate.” However, that’s incorrect because “thoughts of hot chocolate” don’t stand outdoors.

Instead, “While standing in the freezing outdoors” is supposed to modify the person having the thoughts — the intended subject, Louise.

To correct this error, place the subject being modified immediately after the modifying phrase:

Now, the modifier describes what it intended to all along: the person thinking about hot chocolate, not the thoughts themselves. 

7. Missing or misplaced apostrophes

An apostrophe is a punctuation mark that forms a contraction (e.g., turning “you are” into “you’re”). It’s also used to indicate ownership. For instance, the apostrophe in the sentence “Lily’s cell phone went off in class” shows that Lily owns the phone. 

Writers often forget to include apostrophes, or they use them in the wrong place. 

The following sentence is an example of a missing apostrophe:

❌ Its hot outside.

This example uses a possessive pronoun (its), but the context of the sentence doesn’t indicate ownership. Instead, the sentence is trying to say that “it is” hot outside. 

Therefore, we need to add an apostrophe to create a contraction for “it is”:

✅ It’s hot outside. 

As for misplaced apostrophes, writers often make this error when dealing with plural possessive nouns. These nouns indicate that something belongs to more than one person — e.g., “the teachers’ lounge” belongs to more than one teacher. 

For example:

❌ Lane heard laughter coming from the girl’s locker room.

Here, the apostrophe is misplaced because the locker room doesn’t belong to only one girl (singular noun). It belongs to a group of girls (plural noun). 

So, we’d correct the sentence by adding an apostrophe after the letter “s” to make “girls” a plural possessive noun: 

✅ Lane heard laughter coming from the girls’ locker room.

Conclusion

Common writing errors include run-on sentences, passive voice, subject-verb disagreement, incorrect word choice, and dangling modifiers. Many writers make these mistakes, and the first step in correcting them is knowing what they are and when they happen.

By using the information and tips in this guide, you can better understand these errors and how to fix them in your writing. 

For even more actionable advice on improving your work, read our guides on writing better sentences and making your writing flow smoothly. 

FAQs

What are grammar errors in writing?

Grammar errors in writing are mistakes writers make when constructing sentences. These mistakes include subject-verb disagreement (e.g., “I eats” instead of “I eat”), run-on sentences (e.g., “Lisa was thirsty she drank three water bottles”), and inconsistent verb tense (e.g., shifting from past to present tense). 

What are common errors in writing essays?

Common errors in writing essays are grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. These include using dangling modifiers, spelling words incorrectly, and forgetting to use an apostrophe to form a contraction (e.g., writing “its” for “it is” instead of “it’s”). Essays may also feature structural errors, such as disorganized sections or redundant arguments.