Key Takeaways

• Poor grammar can damage your credibility fast, and many agents stop reading as soon as they spot repeated errors.
• Subject-verb agreement, punctuation, and consistent tense are foundational skills that instantly improve clarity and professionalism.
• Confusing words like their/they’re/there or your/you’re is one of the quickest ways to look inexperienced.
• Grammar tools help, but manual proofreading—like reading aloud or stepping away before editing—is essential.
• You can bend certain grammar “rules,” but only after you understand them well.

Your manuscript may never get a fair chance if your grammar isn’t strong. Editors often cite basic errors as one of the biggest reasons for early rejection. Tools like Grammarly can catch surface-level issues, but understanding the rules behind them is what lifts your writing from amateur to polished. Here are the most frequent pitfalls new authors face and how to avoid them.

Grammar Mistakes That Kill Your Credibility

Grammar isn’t about pleasing rule-keepers. It’s about helping readers understand you without friction. Every mistake breaks their focus and chips away at trust. Literary agents frequently report rejecting most submissions because the writing shows a lack of technical care.

The upside? Most grammar issues are easy to fix with awareness and practice.

Subject-Verb Agreement Errors That Make Readers Cringe

Subject-verb agreement mistakes happen when the subject and verb don’t match in number. Even skilled writers slip, usually in long or complicated sentences.

Incorrect:
“The stack of books are on the table.”
Correct:
“The stack of books is on the table.”

These problems appear often with compound subjects, collective nouns, and long phrases between the subject and verb.

Why It Matters

Incorrect agreement forces the reader to pause and recalibrate. It breaks rhythm and signals inattention.

Common Pitfalls

• Compound subjects:
  “The dog and cat are playing.”
  But: “Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite sandwich.”
• Or/nor subjects:
  The verb agrees with the subject closest to it.
  “Neither the students nor the teacher knows the answer.”
• Indefinite pronouns:
  Everyone is singular; both is plural; all depends on context.
• Phrases like “along with” don’t change the subject’s number.

Collective Nouns

Words like team or family can be singular or plural depending on emphasis.
American English tends to treat them as singular; British English often treats them as plural. Just be consistent.

Punctuation Problems That Confuse Readers

Punctuation looks small, but it controls meaning. Publishing professionals list punctuation errors as one of the top reasons they stop reading submissions.

1. Comma Splices

Joining two complete sentences with a comma alone:
“She finished her novel, she sent it to publishers.”
Fix by using a period, semicolon, conjunction, or restructuring.

2. Run-on Sentences

Two independent clauses fused without punctuation:
“She finished her novel she sent it to publishers.”
These make writing feel rushed and unedited.

3. Missing Oxford Commas

Optional, but helpful for clarity:
Without: “I’d like to thank my parents, Beyoncé and God.”
With: “I’d like to thank my parents, Beyoncé, and God.”

4. Semicolon Misuse

Use semicolons to connect related complete sentences or separate complex list items. Don’t use them to introduce lists or attach dependent clauses.

5. Apostrophe Confusion

Two uses: possession and contractions.

Possession:

• Singular: the dog’s bone
• Plural: the dogs’ bones
• Irregular plural: the children’s toys

Contractions:

• you’re = you are
• it’s = it is / it has

Possessive pronouns never take apostrophes.

Tense Inconsistency That Disrupts Your Flow

Switching between past and present tense unintentionally is jarring.

Incorrect:
“She walked to the store and buys a newspaper.”

Choose a primary tense and stick to it.

Choosing the Right Tense

• Past tense feels natural and familiar.
• Present tense creates immediacy.

Both work when used consistently.

Flashbacks

For past tense narratives, establish flashbacks with past perfect (“had met”).
After a sentence or two, you can revert to simple past, then use past perfect again when transitioning back.

Pronoun Problems That Create Confusion

Pronouns only work when readers know exactly who they refer to.

Unclear Antecedents

“When John met Robert at the cafe, he was already upset.”
Who was upset?

Improved versions repeat the noun or restructure the sentence for clarity.

Gender-Neutral Usage

Singular they is now widely accepted. Use it when gender is unknown or when referring to non-binary individuals.

Shifting Perspectives in Nonfiction

Switching between you, we, and I without intention confuses readers. Choose a point of view and stay consistent.

Commonly Confused Words Editors Notice Immediately

Spell-check won’t catch these because they’re real words.

Their / They’re / There

• their = possession
• they’re = they are
• there = place or existence

Your / You’re

A quick test: can you replace it with “you are”?

Its / It’s

• it’s = it is / it has
• its = possession

Affect / Effect

• affect = verb (to influence)
• effect = noun (result)

Then / Than

• then = time
• than = comparison

Top Grammar Tools Every New Author Needs

Tools like Grammarly, Hemingway, and ProWritingAid help catch obvious issues, but they don’t replace your judgment. Premium versions offer deeper checks, but they’re best used alongside your own proofreading.

Style Guides Worth Having

• Chicago Manual of Style (industry standard for fiction)
• AP Stylebook (journalism)
• MLA / APA (academic)
• The Elements of Style (concise fundamentals)

Simple Proofreading Techniques That Work

Read Aloud

You’ll hear issues your eyes gloss over.

Reverse Reading

Read sentences from the end to the beginning to catch spelling and punctuation mistakes.

The 24-Hour Rule

Put distance between writing and editing.

Use Beta Readers

Fresh eyes catch what you can’t.

Grammar Rules You Can Break (Sometimes)

• Ending with prepositions
• Starting with conjunctions
• Splitting infinitives
• Using fragments for effect
• Using contractions in formal writing

Break rules intentionally, not accidentally.

Master Your Grammar, Master Your Writing Future

Grammar is the foundation of clear writing. The better you understand it, the more freedom you have to write boldly and creatively. When your prose is clean, readers focus on your ideas—not your mistakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does grammar matter as much in fiction as nonfiction?

Yes, but in different ways. Fiction allows more stylistic flexibility, but basic errors still undermine trust. Nonfiction demands tighter clarity and precision.

How can non-native writers improve grammar?

Read widely, keep an error log, use grammar tools that offer explanations, and work with editors or native-speaking beta readers.

Should I hire an editor while I’m still learning?

Yes. A good editor speeds up your progress by explaining your patterns and weaknesses.

Can AI fix all my grammar issues?

No. AI is helpful, but it can misunderstand context or style. Use it as a helper, not a replacement for human editing or your own knowledge.

HAVE YOUR OWN WRITING, MARKETING, PUBLISHING COACH 24/7 FOR PENNIES PER DAY!

SAVE TODAY ONLY! Click this link

now: https://www.authorutopia.com/signup/

BECOME A MEMBER OF OUR ELITE COMMUNITY OF ASPIRING AUTHORS AND ENTREPRENEURS AND BE A RISING STAR FASTER THAN YOU EVER DREAMED POSSIBLE. Click the link below now to get our best offer ever: https://www.authorutopia.com/signup/