Common Errors in English: English Notes for VITEEE

Common Errors in English

(VITEEE – English – Study Notes)

1. Simple Explanation

English is a language with many rules and exceptions.
Common errors are mistakes that frequently appear in written and spoken English—especially in exam papers such as VITEEE.
These errors usually involve:

Error Category	Typical Mistake	Why It Happens
Grammar	Subject‑verb disagreement	Intuition vs. rule
Punctuation	Missing commas, over‑use of semicolons	Lack of practice
Word Usage	Wrong homonyms, incorrect adjectives	Vocabulary gaps
Sentence Structure	Run‑on sentences, fragments	Over‑compressing ideas
Spelling	Omission of silent letters	Phonetic spelling

Fixing these errors improves clarity, correctness, and exam marks.

2. Key Points to Remember

#	Category	Common Error	Fix / Tip
1	Subject‑verb agreement	The list of items are* on the table.*	The verb must agree with the head noun: is.
2	Pronoun‑antecedent agreement	Everyone should bring their* notebook.*	Use singular pronoun: his or her.
3	Comma usage	She bought apples oranges and bananas.	Insert commas: apples, oranges, and bananas.
4	Misplaced modifiers	He almost finished the exam in five minutes.	He finished the exam in almost five minutes.
5	Homonyms/Word choice	Their going to the park.	They're going to the park.
6	Adverb vs. adjective	She made a quick decision. (Correct) She made a quickly decision. (Wrong)	Use adjectives after made.
7	Run‑on sentences	I love reading. The library is quiet.	Use a semicolon or conjunction: I love reading, and the library is quiet.
8	Fragment sentences	Because I was late.	Add main clause: Because I was late, I missed the bus.
9	Spelling	Accomodate	Accommodate
10	Punctuation with quoted speech	She said “Hello” and left.	She said, “Hello,” and left.
11	Misuse of “who” vs. “whom”	Whom did you see?	Who did you see? (Direct object)
12	Parallelism	He likes swimming, to run, and biking.	He likes swimming, running, and biking.

Pro Tip: Always read the sentence aloud. If it sounds awkward, you probably have an error.

3. Worked Example

Paragraph with Common Errors

Their going to the new mall because it's a big deal. I think its going to be a lot of fun, but I am not sure if we will have enough time. The students, who have been studying for two hours, should finish the assignment earlier. Also, the manager told us that we should bring our own food, but we forgot about that.

Step‑by‑Step Corrections

Original	Correction	Reason
Their going to the new mall	They're going to the new mall	“Their” (possessive) → “They’re” (contraction of they are)
because it's a big deal	because it’s a big deal	Correct contraction
I think its going to be a lot of fun	I think it’s going to be a lot of fun	“its” (possessive) → “it’s” (contraction)
but I am not sure if we will have enough time	but I’m not sure if we will have enough time	Contraction for fluency (optional)
The students, who have been studying for two hours, should finish the assignment earlier.	The students who have been studying for two hours should finish the assignment earlier.	Remove commas around non‑restrictive clause (necessary restriction).
Also, the manager told us that we should bring our own food, but we forgot about that.	Also, the manager told us to bring our own food, but we forgot.	“told us that we should” → “told us to” (more natural).
but we forgot about that	but we forgot.	“that” redundant.

Corrected Paragraph

They’re going to the new mall because it’s a big deal. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun, but I’m not sure if we will have enough time. The students who have been studying for two hours should finish the assignment earlier. Also, the manager told us to bring our own food, but we forgot.

4. Quick Revision Summary

Subject‑verb & pronoun agreement – Check head noun.
Commas – Use after introductory clauses, in lists, and before conjunctions in compound sentences.
Homonyms – Practice their/there/they’re, its/it’s, your/you’re.
Modifiers – Keep them close to the noun they describe.
Run‑ons & fragments – Break long sentences; add main clauses.
Spelling – Memorise common tricky words (accommodate, separate, definitely).
Punctuation with speech – Comma before quotation, comma after said.
Parallel structure – Keep verb forms