18 Common Elementary Grammar Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)
- spencer655
- Sep 24
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 30
Learning grammar is a journey, and mistakes are a natural part of the process. Kids are experimenting with language all the time, and while their slip-ups can be cute (and sometimes funny!), they’re also great opportunities to teach. Below are 20 common grammar mistakes children often make—and simple strategies for helping them improve.
Grammar Mistake 1: Confusing “Your” and “You’re”
❌ Your my best friend.
✅ You’re my best friend.
👉 Tip: Teach them that “you’re” is short for “you are.”
Grammar Mistake 2: Mixing Up “There,” “Their,” and “They’re”
❌ Their going to the park over there.
✅ They’re going to the park over there.
👉 Tip: Use quick memory tricks (“their” = belongs to them, “they’re” = they are, “there” = a place).
Grammar Mistake 3: Using Double Negatives
❌ I don’t need no help.
✅ I don’t need any help.
👉 Tip: Explain that two negatives make the sentence confusing.
Grammar Mistake 4: Overusing “Me” Instead of “I”
❌ Me and Sam are going outside.
✅ Sam and I are going outside.
👉 Tip: Show them the “take away test”: would they say “Me am going”?
Grammar Mistake 5: Using “Him” or “Her” Instead of “He” or “She”
❌ Her is my teacher.
✅ She is my teacher.
👉 Tip: Practice subject pronouns with fun fill-in-the-blank games.
Grammar Mistake 6: Mixing Up Past and Present Tense
❌ Yesterday I go to the park.
✅ Yesterday I went to the park.
👉 Tip: Emphasize time words (yesterday, today, tomorrow) and pair them with the right verb form.
Grammar Mistake 7: Adding Extra “-ed”
❌ I goed to the store.
✅ I went to the store.
👉 Tip: Explain that some verbs are “rule-breakers” (irregular verbs).
Grammar Mistake 8: Forgetting Plurals
❌ I have two cat.
✅ I have two cats.
👉 Tip: Play “plural games” where kids add -s or -es to nouns.
Grammar Mistake 9: Over-Pluralizing Irregular Nouns
❌ I saw three mouses.
✅ I saw three mice.
👉 Tip: Make a chart of “tricky words” (child → children, foot → feet, mouse → mice).
Grammar Mistake 10: Mixing Up “Was” and “Were”
❌ We was playing outside.
✅ We were playing outside.
👉 Tip: Teach that “I/he/she/it” uses was, while “we/you/they” use were.
Grammar Mistake 11: Using “A” Before Vowels
❌ I saw a apple.
✅ I saw an apple.
👉 Tip: Practice listening for vowel sounds, not just letters.
Grammar Mistake 12: Dropping Helping Verbs
❌ She running fast.
✅ She is running fast.
👉 Tip: Highlight the importance of little words like is, am, are.
Grammar Mistake 13: Confusing “Much” and “Many”
❌ How much toys do you have?
✅ How many toys do you have?
👉 Tip: Explain that “many” is for things you can count.
Grammar Mistake 14: Incorrect Comparisons
❌ I am more taller than him.
✅ I am taller than him.
👉 Tip: Show that “-er” and “more” don’t go together.
Grammar Mistake 15: Mixing Up “Who” and “Whom”
(older kids)
❌ Whom is your best friend?
✅ Who is your best friend?
👉 Tip: Use the “he vs. him” trick: Who → he, Whom → him.
Grammar Mistake 16: Wrong Word Order in Questions
❌ Why you are late?
✅ Why are you late?
👉 Tip: Practice question patterns aloud for rhythm.
Grammar Mistake 17: Misusing “Less” and “Fewer”
❌ I have less cookies than you.
✅ I have fewer cookies than you.
👉 Tip: “Fewer” is for countable things; “less” is for uncountable things.
Grammar Mistake 18: Confusing “Then” and “Than”
❌ She’s taller then me.
✅ She’s taller than me.
👉 Tip: Teach that than is for comparisons, while then is about time/order.
Grammar errors and slip-ups are stepping stones, not stumbling blocks! By gently correcting kids and giving them memorable strategies, you’ll help them grow into confident communicators. Celebrate the writing progress, not just the perfection.
