Presented to: Ms Mahvish Mokal

Presented by: Hina Anwar

 In applied linguistics, an error is a deviation from
accepted rules of a language made by a learner of a
second language. (Rod Ellis)
 A noticeable deviation from the adult grammar of a
native speaker, reflecting the interlanguage competence
of the learner. (H. Douglas Brown)
For example; Does John can sing?
Here does auxiliary verb has been used as an error.
The whole system and structure of a language or of
languages in general, usually taken as consisting of
syntax and morphology (including inflections) and
sometimes also phonology and semantics.
 The Purpose of Grammar

• Clarity of meaning
• Readability
• Credibility
 Grammatical error is a term used in prescriptive
grammar to describe an instance of faulty,
unconventional, or controversial usage, such as
a ​misplaced modifier or an inappropriate verb tense.
Also called a usage error.
1. Dangling Modifiers 13. Pronoun Agreement
2. Misplaced Error
Apostrophes 14. Double Negatives
3. Run-On Sentence 15. Sentence Sprawl
4. Subject Verb 16. Tense Errors
Agreement 17. Colon Mistake
5. Incorrect Verb Form 18. Punctuation
6. Auxiliary Verbs 19. Incorrect Word
7. Singular/Plurals Choice
8. Errors in Preposition 20. Confusing
9. Sentence Fragments Homophones
10. Missing / 21. Capitalization
unnecessary Comma 22. Lack of Parallel
11.Comma Splice Structure in Sentence
12.Adjective/Adverb Construction
Confusion
A modifier is a word or phrase that is used to add additional detail.

Example:
The excited girl ran quickly to the yellow house.

When the modifier is associated with the wrong target, it's

misplaced. When there is no target, it's dangling.

Example:
Volunteers lined the avenue of trees wearing identical red shirts.
Volunteers wearing identical red shirts lined the avenue of trees.
 A dangling modifier occurs when the subject being modified,
or described by the modifier, does not actually appear in the
sentence. Because the modifier is without a subject, it is
considered to be "dangling."

Example:
 After reading the great new book, the movie based on it is sure
to be exciting.
 After reading the great new book, Anna thought the movie
based on it was sure to be exciting.
 Apostrophes are usually used for two reasons: to denote a letter deleted
from contractions (i.e. won’t instead of will not) or to express possession
("Jim's hat," "several years' work")
Missing apostrophes happen when writers neglect to show possession; and
misplaced apostrophes are used when writers want to make something
plural.

Examples:
1. Many people questioned the mans motives, as he never explained his
actions in public.
Many people questioned the man’s motives, as he never explained his actions
in public.
 [“Man” is singular; therefore, an apostrophe and “s” are added to make it
possessive]
2. Monarch's in the middle ages had virtually unlimited power
over their subjects.
Monarchs in the middle ages had virtually unlimited power over
their subjects.
[“Monarchs” is plural therefore it does not require an
apostrophe.]

3. After three days worth of work, they completed the project.

After three days’ worth of work, they completed the project.
[“Days” is plural, so an apostrophe follows the existing “s.”]
 A run on sentence is a written sequence of two or more main
clauses that are not separated by a period or semicolon or not
joined by a conjunction.

Example
 I love to write papers I would write one every day if I had the
time.
 I love to write papers. I would write one every day if I had
the time.
 I love to write papers; I would write one

every day if I had the time.

Subject verb agreement simply means the subject and verb must agree in
number. This means both need to be singular or both need to be plural.
A Subject-Verb Agreement Error occurs when the subject and verb of a
sentence do not agree in number.

Examples
1. The team of Americans were the best in the tournament.
The team of Americans was the best in the tournament.

2. The people who lives next door asked me to get their mail.
The people who live next door asked me to get their mail.
People sometimes use an incorrect tense or don't know how to use
the past participle forms of irregular verbs. Students often find it
difficult to use the correct verb form when combining with another
verb.

Examples
1. She has writing a book.
She has written a book.
2. We were questioning by the police officer.
We were questioned by the police officer.
3. He has put in prison for life.
He was put in prison for life.
An auxiliary verb is “a highly irregular verb
that is used with other verbs to form voice,
tense, and mood.” Missing auxiliaries is a
common mistake for non native English
speakers, since many languages either omit
auxiliary verbs entirely, or have different
usage characteristics.

Examples
1. He living in Alaska now.
He is living in Alaska now.
2. I will awake at seven in the morning.
I will be awake at seven in the morning.
 One of the most common mistakes in the
English language is in relation to the
singular/ plural agreement.

Examples
There is numerous issues with the system.
There are numerous issues with the system.
2. The numbers of times he has repeated the
same statement is funny.
The number of times he has repeated the
same statement is funny.
 A preposition is ; a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun
or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element
in the clause. As many prepositions serve multiple purposes, it can
be quite difficult to determine which preposition to use in a
particular situation. This is especially tricky for the prepositions
we use after verbs.
Examples
1. When we arrived to Claudio’s house......
When we arrived at Claudio’s house.......
2. He asked a coffee.
He asked for a coffee.
3. She loves with me.
She loves me.
 A sentence should have a subject, a verb and express a
complete thought. If it fails to do so, then it is a sentence
fragment.

Example
1. Eating chicken. (subject is missing)
 Jo is eating chicken.

2. A book without a cover. (subject is missing)

I am reading a book without a cover.
 Missing / Unnecessary Comma (,)

Missing Comma
When the comma is missing, even the most well-intentioned
statement can turn into a minefield of unintended meaning.

Examples
1. Attention: Restroom only for disabled elderly pregnant children. Thank
you!
Attention: Restroom only for disabled, elderly, pregnant, children. Thank
you!
2. Most of the time travelers worry about their luggage.
Most of the time, travelers worry about their luggage.
Unnecessary Comma
A comma should never separate a verb from its direct
object, separate paired elements joined by a coordinating
conjunction, or come between an independent clause and
its dependent clause.

Examples
1. The laptop on the table, is mine.
The laptop on the table is mine.
2. Stop clubbing, baby seal.
“Stop clubbing baby seals”.
A comma indicates a pause where a reader or speaker should take
a breath, but simply adding commas when one feels a break is
needed is not a reliable way to punctuate sentences correctly. A
comma splice is when two independent clauses are incorrectly
joined by a comma to make one sentence.

Examples
1. I went to the mall, Jane was there.
I went to the mall. Jane was there.
2. The teacher was angry, the students were too loud.
The teacher was angry. The students were too loud.
Adjectives and adverbs are often confused and therefore misused. To
modify a noun or pronoun, use an adjective. To modify a verb, an
adjective, or an adverb, use an adverb instead.
Adjective: This cheap scarf is no bargain.
Adverb: This scarf can be purchased cheaply.
Examples
1. The cake tastes deliciously.
The cake tastes delicious.
2. The amazing ordinary woman
The amazingly ordinary woman
3. John felt badly when he received a low grade on the final examination.
John felt bad when he received a low grade on the final examination.
Pronoun agreement means that any and all pronouns used in a sentence
must match the subject or object they are replacing. If the subject is
singular, any pronoun used in its place later in the sentence must also
be singular. Likewise, if a pronoun is plural, any pronoun used later in
the sentence must also be plural.

Examples

1. The United States cherish their democracy.

The United States cherishes its democracy.
2.The cowboy and his horse drank his fill at the desert oasis.
The cowboy and his horse drank their fill at the desert oasis.
3. If a student wants to be successful and get good grades, they must attend
class regularly and submit all of their homework on time.
If a student wants to be successful and get good grades, he must attend class
regularly and submit all of his homework on time.
Double negatives are two negative words used in the same
sentence. Using two negatives turns the thought or sentence into a
positive one.

Examples:
1. John says he has not seen neither Alice or Susan all day.
John says he has not seen Alice or Susan all day.
2. That won't do you no good.
That won't do you any good.
3. She never goes with nobody.
She never goes with anybody.
Sentence sprawl occurs when a writer strings too many subordinate or
coordinate clauses together in one sentence. There are too many equally
weighted phrases and clauses, which produces tiresome sentences.
Subordinate clauses are joined by "which," "that," "who" or "where.“
Coordinate clauses are joined by "or," "and" or "but."

Example
1. The hearing was planned for Monday, December 2, but not all of the
witnesses could be available, so it was rescheduled for the following Friday,
and then all the witnesses could attend.
The hearing, which had been planned for Monday,
December 2, was rescheduled for the following Friday
so that all witnesses would be able to attend.
 Tenses cause a great deal of confusion for ESL students. While writing
sentences the tenses should correspond to the situation. So, for
example, if one is speaking about something that happened in the past,
he/she should not use a tense that refers to the present.

Examples
1. I visit my parents last week.
I visited my parents last week.
Here the time expression last week clearly indicates that the action took
place in the past and hence we need a past tense here.
2. It is raining for two days.
It has been raining for two days.

3. I am having four brothers and three sisters.

I have four brothers and three sisters.

Present continuous tense cannot be used for pragmatic

situations such as this. Simple present tense should be used.
A colon introduces an element or series of elements that illustrates or
amplifies the information that preceded the colon. When a Colon Appears in
a sentence, it usually gives the silent impression of “as follows,” “which
is/are,” or “thus.”

Examples
1. The three types of muscle in the body are: cardiac, smooth, and skeletal.
(Putting the colon here separates the verb ’are’ from its subject complements
(cardiac, smooth, and skeletal)).
The three types of muscle in the body are cardiac, smooth, and skeletal.
2. When I graduate, I want to go to: Rome, Israel, and Egypt.
When I graduate, I want to go to Rome, Israel, and Egypt.
Punctuation marks e.g. full stop, comma and brackets, used in writing
to separate sentences and their elements and to clarify meaning. Using
punctuation incorrectly makes one’s writings stand out like a sore
thumb. Even if people can not pinpoint the mistake, something will
look off about the message, making people less likely to trust what
he/she is trying to say.

Examples
• Punctuation Outside the Quotation Marks
Uncle John said, “My car is blue”.
Right in American English: Uncle John said, “My car is blue.”
 The Missing Comma After Introductory Elements
Wrong: Before going to the school Joe stopped at my house.
Right: Before going to the school, Joe stopped at my house.

 Multiple Punctuation Marks

Wrong: This is amazing!!!!
Right: This is amazing!

 Quotation Marks for Emphasis

Wrong: This gift is “free”!
Right: This gift is free!

 Apostrophe for Plurals

Wrong: The boy’s will go to the school tomorrow.
Right: The boys will go to the school tomorrow.
Many times, writers make a word choice error when choosing a word that sounds
exactly like another word with a different meaning (homonym). Other times, word
choice errors are made because the spoken word or phrase is mispronounced and
sounds similar to another word or phrase with a different meaning (Ex: “might of”
instead of “might have”).

Examples
1. Ensure vs. Insure
Ensure; The verb “ensure” is used to convey “make certain or guarantee.”
Insure; The verb “insure” communicates “protecting assets against loss or harm.”
2. Regard vs. Regards
“Regard” is used to express consideration or reference to something specific.
“Regards” are one’s “best wishes or warm greetings.”
3. Beside vs. Besides
“beside” is used to convey the meaning of “next to or alongside.”
The word “besides” means “in addition to.”
The word “homophone” is used to describe a word that sounds
the same as another word, but that has a different meaning.
The two (or more) words may be spelled differently, but just to
make life difficult, they can also be spelled the same. The
potential for confusion for native and non-native speakers
alike is great.
The practice of using capital letters in writing or printing is called
capitalization. Proper nouns, key words in titles, the pronoun I, and
beginnings of sentences are generally capitalized. However, certain
conventions for capitalizing words, names, and titles vary from
one style guide to another.

Examples

1. Religion is Different than Science in many ways.

Religion is different than science in many ways.
2. my name is john. I am from montreal, quebec, canada.
My name is John. I am from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show
that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. Lack of
parallel structure can disrupt the rhythm of a sentence, leaving it
grammatically unbalanced.

Examples
1. Mary likes hiking, swimming, and to ride a bicycle.
Mary likes hiking, swimming, and riding a bicycle.

2. The production manager was asked to write his report quickly, accurately, and
in a detailed manner.
The production manager was asked to write his report quickly, accurately, and
thoroughly.