Writing well in English for exams like the TOEFL can be challenging, especially if English isn’t your first language. Yet, a strong TOEFL writing score is essential for students hoping to pursue higher education in English-speaking countries. One of the biggest obstacles for many candidates is avoiding grammatical errors, which can significantly impact scores. In this post, we’ll review some of the most common grammatical errors students make in TOEFL writing and share tips on how to avoid them. By understanding and practicing these fixes, you’ll be one step closer to acing your TOEFL writing exam.
1. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors
One of the most common issues in TOEFL writing is subject-verb agreement errors. This occurs when the subject of a sentence does not match the verb in terms of singular or plural form. For example:
Incorrect: The student write essays.
Correct: The student writes essays.
Why it Happens: In some languages, verbs do not change form according to the subject, which can make this rule difficult to remember for non-native speakers.
How to Fix It: Always identify the subject in a sentence and check if it is singular or plural. Then, ensure the verb agrees with the subject. Practicing this habit in both writing and speaking can help reinforce subject-verb agreement over time.
2. Incorrect Tense Usage
Tense errors are another common mistake in TOEFL essays. Many students mix past, present, and future tenses within a single sentence or paragraph, which can lead to confusion and misunderstandings.
Incorrect: He is going to the library yesterday.
Correct: He went to the library yesterday.
Why it Happens: English has twelve main tenses, and using them correctly can be tricky, especially for speakers of languages with fewer tenses.
How to Fix It: Focus on understanding when to use each tense, particularly simple past, present, and future tenses, as these are most frequently used in TOEFL writing. During practice sessions, double-check your sentences to ensure that you’re consistently using the correct tense throughout.
3. Article Errors (A, An, The)
Many TOEFL candidates struggle with articles, especially since many languages do not use them. Articles “a,” “an,” and “the” can seem small, but incorrect usage can change the meaning of a sentence.
Incorrect: She is teacher.
Correct: She is a teacher.
Why it Happens: Articles do not always have direct equivalents in other languages, which can make learning when and how to use them in English tricky.
How to Fix It: The key to mastering articles is understanding when to use indefinite articles (“a” and “an”) versus the definite article (“the”). As a general rule, use “a” or “an” for non-specific items and “the” for specific items. Consistently practicing this distinction will help you use articles more effectively.
4. Run-On Sentences and Comma Splices
A run-on sentence occurs when two independent clauses (complete sentences) are joined without the proper punctuation or conjunction. Comma splices happen when these clauses are connected with just a comma, which is incorrect.
Incorrect: The sun was setting, it was a beautiful view.
Correct: The sun was setting; it was a beautiful view.
Why it Happens: In many languages, longer sentences are common, and punctuation rules differ, which can make English sentence structure challenging.
How to Fix It: When connecting two complete thoughts, you can use a period, a semicolon, or a conjunction (e.g., and, but, or). Practicing sentence structure with shorter sentences first can help you gradually develop a feel for where punctuation should go.
5. Incorrect Prepositions
Prepositions in English can be confusing because they often don’t directly translate to other languages. Using the wrong preposition can change the meaning of a sentence and make it sound awkward or unclear.
Incorrect: She is good in math.
Correct: She is good at math.
Why it Happens: Prepositions vary in meaning and usage across languages, and they often seem arbitrary to non-native speakers.
How to Fix It: One way to improve preposition usage is to learn common expressions and collocations (words that are often used together). For example, “good at,” “interested in,” and “afraid of” are common English phrases. Creating a list of these can be very helpful.
6. Misusing Plurals and Countable/Uncountable Nouns
Another common TOEFL writing error is incorrect pluralization or misusing countable and uncountable nouns. For instance, students often write “informations” or “advices,” which is incorrect because “information” and “advice” are uncountable nouns in English.
Incorrect: I received many advices from my teacher.
Correct: I received much advice from my teacher.
Why it Happens: In many languages, nouns that are uncountable in English are countable, so this can lead to confusion.
How to Fix It: Learn which nouns are countable and uncountable in English. If it’s helpful, make a list of commonly used uncountable nouns, such as “information,” “equipment,” and “furniture.” Remember, uncountable nouns do not take “s” to form a plural and are typically used with “much” instead of “many.”
Improving Your TOEFL Writing with Instant Feedback
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Common Grammatical Errors in TOEFL Writing and How to Fix Them
Writing effectively in English for exams like the TOEFL can be challenging, especially for non-native speakers. Achieving a strong TOEFL writing score is essential for students aspiring to study or work in English-speaking countries. However, one of the biggest hurdles is avoiding grammatical errors, which can have a significant impact on scores. In this article, we’ll look at some of the most common grammatical mistakes students make in TOEFL writing and offer practical tips to fix them. By recognizing and practicing these solutions, you’ll be better prepared to ace your TOEFL writing exam.
1. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors
One common issue in TOEFL writing is subject-verb agreement errors. This happens when the subject of a sentence doesn’t match the verb in terms of singular or plural form. For example:
Incorrect: The student write essays.
Correct: The student writes essays.
Why it Happens: Some languages do not change verb forms according to the subject, making this rule harder for non-native speakers.
How to Fix It: Always identify the subject in each sentence, checking if it’s singular or plural. Then, ensure the verb agrees with the subject. With practice, you’ll naturally start spotting these errors in your writing.
2. Incorrect Tense Usage
Tense errors are frequent in TOEFL essays. Many students mix past, present, and future tenses within a sentence or paragraph, creating confusion for readers.
Incorrect: He is going to the library yesterday.
Correct: He went to the library yesterday.
Why it Happens: English has twelve main tenses, and using them correctly can be difficult for those whose native languages have fewer tenses.
How to Fix It: Focus on mastering the basic tenses used most often in TOEFL writing: simple past, present, and future. Double-check your sentences to ensure tense consistency throughout each paragraph.
3. Article Errors (A, An, The)
Another challenge for TOEFL candidates is the correct use of articles, which are “a,” “an,” and “the.” Misusing these can alter the meaning of a sentence or make it unclear.
Incorrect: She is teacher.
Correct: She is a teacher.
Why it Happens: Articles don’t exist in some languages, so knowing when to use them can be challenging.
How to Fix It: The key is to understand when to use indefinite articles (“a” and “an”) versus the definite article (“the”). Use “a” or “an” when referring to something nonspecific, and “the” for something specific. Practice by noting how native English texts use articles in context.
4. Run-On Sentences and Comma Splices
A run-on sentence is when two independent clauses (complete thoughts) are joined without proper punctuation or conjunctions. Comma splices occur when these clauses are connected with just a comma, which is incorrect.
Incorrect: The sun was setting, it was a beautiful view.
Correct: The sun was setting; it was a beautiful view.
Why it Happens: Longer sentences are more common in some languages, and the punctuation rules can differ.
How to Fix It: Use a period, semicolon, or conjunction (e.g., and, but, or) to separate independent clauses. Start by writing shorter sentences to get comfortable with correct punctuation, then gradually build up to longer sentences.
5. Incorrect Prepositions
Prepositions in English often don’t translate directly from other languages. Using the wrong preposition can make a sentence sound awkward or unclear.
Incorrect: She is good in math.
Correct: She is good at math.
Why it Happens: Prepositions can seem arbitrary, and their usage varies widely across languages.
How to Fix It: Memorize common English expressions and collocations (words frequently used together). For example, “good at,” “interested in,” and “afraid of” are all common phrases. This approach will help you naturally integrate prepositions into your writing.
6. Misusing Plurals and Countable/Uncountable Nouns
Incorrect pluralization or misuse of countable and uncountable nouns is another frequent error. Students might write “informations” or “advices,” which is incorrect, as “information” and “advice” are uncountable nouns in English.
Incorrect: I received many advices from my teacher.
Correct: I received much advice from my teacher.
Why it Happens: In some languages, nouns that are uncountable in English are countable, causing confusion.
How to Fix It: Learn which nouns are countable and uncountable. For example, uncountable nouns do not take “s” for plural and are often used with “much” instead of “many.” Keep a list of common uncountable nouns, such as “equipment” and “furniture,” to reinforce this rule.
Improving Your TOEFL Writing with Instant Feedback
Recognizing these common grammatical errors is the first step toward improvement, but fixing them takes practice and feedback. Immediate feedback is crucial for TOEFL preparation because it allows you to learn from your mistakes in real time and avoid repeating them.
At EnglishWritingPrep.com, we offer instant English writing assessments designed specifically for exams like TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE. Our platform provides detailed feedback on your writing, identifying areas for improvement in grammar, structure, and style. By using our service, you can quickly recognize patterns in your mistakes and work on them before test day, leading to noticeable improvement with each practice session.
Don’t let common grammatical errors prevent you from achieving your TOEFL goals. Start using our instant assessment tools at EnglishWritingPrep.com to refine your writing skills and maximize your score potential. With the right support and immediate feedback, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the TOEFL writing section!