Let’s get something out of the way: I’m not here to be your grammar scold.
Writing that’s conversational and engaging will always serve you better than writing that’s technically flawless but stiff enough to crack. Some of the best sentences ever written break rules on purpose. Outside of academic and professional contexts, writing that’s easier on the reader matters more than pleasing the ghosts of Strunk and White.
But here’s the other side: you have to know the rules before you can break them. And there are certain errors that no one, not once, not ever, will believe you committed intentionally in the name of style.
These are those errors. The ones that make readers quietly downgrade their opinion of you without saying a word.
Let’s get through this together. I promise it won’t hurt. (Much.)
1. Loose vs. Lose
This one drives me to the edge of reason. It’s so prevalent that I once genuinely wondered if “loose” was an acceptable substitute for “lose” in some English-speaking country I’d never visited.
It isn’t.
If your pants are too loose, you might lose your pants.
Loose means not tight. Lose means to misplace or fail to win. They don’t overlap. They’ve never overlapped. They’re not even friends.
2. Me, Myself, and I
The choice between “me” and “I” causes more grammatical anxiety than any other question in the English language. People default to “I” because it sounds more proper, and they’re wrong.
Here’s the trick: remove the other person from the sentence and see what sounds right.
You’d never say “Give I a call.” So you also wouldn’t say “Give Chris and I a call.” Don’t be afraid of me. It’s perfectly respectable.
And please, whatever you do, don’t punt to “myself” because you can’t decide between “me” and “I.” That’s the grammatical equivalent of answering a question with “it depends.” Myself only belongs in two contexts:
Many consider Chris a punk, but I myself tolerate him. Which brings me to ask myself, why?
3. Different From vs. Different Than
This one slips under the radar constantly. I’ve probably gotten it wrong myself (see what I did there?) more times than I’d like to admit.
Things are different from one another. Using “than” after “different” is a grammatical error, subtle, but real.
This vase is different from the one I have, but I think mine is better than this one.
From for difference. Than for comparison. Simple enough.
4. The Apostrophe Crisis
The apostrophe has exactly two jobs:
- Contractions: don’t for do not
- Possession: Frank’s blog means the blog belongs to Frank
That’s it. Those are the only two things an apostrophe does.
If you’re unsure, leave it out. It causes less confusion to omit an apostrophe than to plant one where it doesn’t belong. You can always plead the typo defense for a missing apostrophe. But an apostrophe where it shouldn’t be? That looks like you don’t know the rule, because you don’t.
5. Parallelism
When you’re writing a list, in bullets or in a sentence, each item needs to be the same kind of thing. Start with the same part of speech. Maintain the same grammatical structure. Your readers will feel the smoothness even if they can’t name the rule.
Watch what happens when parallelism breaks:
Over the weekend, Kevin bought a new MacBook Pro online, two software programs, and arranged for free shipping.
See it? Break it into bullets and the problem becomes obvious:
Over the weekend, Kevin:
>
– Bought a new MacBook Pro online
– Two software programs
– Arranged for free shipping
Stick “ordered” in front of “two software programs” and everything clicks into place. The Grammar Police holster their weapons. The reader keeps reading without a stumble.
6. i.e. vs. e.g.
Two Latin abbreviations. Two different meanings. One common error.
i.e. comes from id est, meaning “that is.” Use it when you’re clarifying, restating something in plainer terms.
e.g. comes from exempli gratia, meaning “for example.” Use it when you’re giving specific instances.
I love Italian food (i.e., pasta, risotto, and anything with olive oil).
I love Italian food (e.g., the carbonara at that place on 4th Street).
i.e. narrows. e.g. opens up.
7. Could Of, Would Of, Should Of
No. Just no.
I should of gone to the game, and I could of, if Billy would of done his job.
Here’s what happened: the contractions could’ve, should’ve, and would’ve end in a sound that’s close to “of.” People heard it, repeated it, and somehow it migrated from speech into writing. That doesn’t make it correct.
I should have gone to the game, and could have, if Billy had done his job.
If you catch yourself writing “should of,” stop. Delete. Try again.
8. This vs. These
This points to something singular, a specific thing or concept you’re referencing.
This bird keeps flying by my window.
These points to plural nouns.
These avocados look ripe. These documents need your signature.
Associate this with singular and these with plural. The distinction will serve you well.
9. From This to That
That also references a singular noun, but with a different function, it distinguishes between two or more options.
We could go this way or that way home.
You use that when you’re comparing or contrasting. This points to what’s near; that points to what’s farther away, literally or figuratively.
10. Affect vs. Effect
One is a verb. The other is a noun. The confusion is understandable but the fix is simple.
Affect (verb) means to influence or cause a change.
The new policy may affect how you file taxes.
Effect (noun) means an outcome or result.
The effects of the policy were immediate.
Memory trick: special effects in movies are outcomes. Effects are nouns. If you can stick an adjective in front of it (“the dramatic effect”), it’s the noun.
11. Commas in a List
How you handle commas in a list depends on which style guide you follow. Some recommend the Oxford comma (the comma before “and” in a series); others don’t.
Make sure to pick up milk, bread, and eggs from the grocery store.
Whether you include that final comma is a style choice. What’s not optional: you must use commas to separate the items in your list. Without them, you’re not making a stylistic choice. You’re making a mess.
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Grammar matters, not because the rules are sacred, but because clarity is. Every grammatical error is a tiny speed bump between your reader and your meaning. Remove enough of them, and your writing becomes a road with no resistance.
The reader never notices good grammar. They only notice when it’s missing.