Top proofreading tips: common grammar mistakes

For editors and proofreaders one of the most time-consuming aspects of the job is not the actual business of correcting grammatical errors, but combing through a text to find them in the first place. This third blog follows our articles focusing on spelling and punctuation errors to provide you with some of the most common mistakes made in grammar by writers, both academic and professional. This checklist of frequently occurring problems should make the proofreader's life easier by directing them straight to the likely areas where a writer may have made grammatical errors.

Should I use less or fewer?

Frequently confused word pairs are one of the most common mistakes you will come across when correcting English grammar. From standard essay writing right up to undergraduate dissertations and even in a masters dissertation it is not uncommon to find a student mixing up pairs such as less and fewer, practice and practise, or irritate and aggravate. Read on for a quick and simple guide to correct grammar and choosing the right word every time.

Split infinitives

Split infinitives are one of those pesky grammatical ideas that many people have heard of and have a vague idea will cause a loss of marks in an essay or undergraduate dissertation, yet aren't really able to define or avoid. In fact, to define 'split infinitive' is much easier than you might think, and the idea that they are grammatically 'wrong' is a myth, though you may still want to edit them out to be on the safe side when essay editing or proofreading, particularly in coursework or marked essays.

English Grammar Rules – Fowler’s “Modern English Usage”

Oxford English grammar

Fowler was a graduate of Balliol College, Oxford. After university he taught at Sedbergh School in Cumbria for 17 years. He resigned after being passed over for promotion and age 41 he began to scrape a living in his new role as an essayist in London. The lack of funds may not have bothered Fowler too much. He was a man of simple habits, liking austerity and routine.