Learning English grammar might seem overwhelming at first, but avoiding a few common mistakes can help you speak and write more confidently. Whether you're preparing for a job interview, writing emails, or simply trying to improve your daily conversations, getting your basics right makes a big difference.

In this post, we’ll explore five grammar mistakes beginners often make—and how you can fix them easily!

1. Confusing “Its” and “It’s”
Let’s start with a classic!

“Its” is a possessive adjective: The dog wagged its tail.

“It’s” is a contraction of “it is” or “it has”: It’s going to rain today.

❌ The car lost it’s tire.
✅ The car lost its tire.

Tip: Try replacing “it’s” with “it is” in your sentence. If it doesn’t sound right, use “its” instead.

2. Wrong Use of “There,” “Their,” and “They’re”
These homophones sound similar but have different meanings:

There: refers to a place – Put the book over there.

Their: shows possession – That’s their house.

They’re: a contraction of “they are” – They’re going to the party.

Mixing them up can confuse your reader, so double-check your sentence every time.

3. Omitting the Third Person ‘-s’
Many beginners forget to add -s or -es in the third person singular form of present tense verbs.

❌ She walk to school every day.
✅ She walks to school every day.

Remember: He/She/It + Verb + s/es in the present simple tense.

4. Using “a” vs “an” Incorrectly
This one’s easy if you go by sound:

Use “a” before words that start with a consonant sound: a cat, a university (you-ni-ver-sity)

Use “an” before vowel sounds: an apple, an hour (ow-er)

It’s the sound that matters, not the spelling.

5. Mixing Up Tenses
Beginners often shift between tenses in the same sentence or paragraph, which makes writing confusing.

❌ Yesterday, I go to the market and buy vegetables.
✅ Yesterday, I went to the market and bought vegetables.

Stick to one tense at a time unless you intentionally shift for a reason.

Want to Learn the Rules First?
If you feel unsure about these mistakes, it might be a good idea to go back and learn the essential grammar rules first. This blog on English Grammar Rules for Beginners explains the top 10 must-know rules with simple examples. It’s a perfect place to start your grammar journey!

Final Thoughts
Mistakes are a natural part of learning. The key is to practice, notice your errors, and correct them over time. Keep reading, writing, and listening to English daily, and soon these grammar rules will come naturally to you.

Which of these mistakes have you made before? Share in the comments or send us your questions!