When admissions officers read your college essay, they’re not expecting Shakespeare. But they are expecting clarity, professionalism, and clean grammar. Unfortunately, even great ideas can get buried under distracting mistakes.

The good news? Most grammar errors in college essays are easy to catch—once you know what to look for.

Below are the top 5 grammar mistakes that can weaken your essay and how to fix each one.

❌ 1. Sentence Fragments

What it is: A sentence that looks like it should stand alone—but doesn’t have all the necessary parts (usually missing a subject or verb).

Fragment example:

“Because I wanted to help people.”

Fix:

“I decided to volunteer at the clinic because I wanted to help people.”

✅ Quick Tip: If your sentence starts with because, although, or when, make sure it’s not left hanging. Always complete the thought.

❌ 2. Run-On Sentences & Comma Splices

What it is: Two or more complete sentences joined without proper punctuation or connecting words.

Comma splice example:

“I love biology, it’s my favorite subject.”

Fix:

“I love biology. It’s my favorite subject.”

or

“I love biology, and it’s my favorite subject.”

or

“I love biology; it’s my favorite subject.”

✅ Quick Tip: If you can place a period between two parts of a sentence and they still make sense, use a period or a proper connector.

🔗 For a more thorough explanation on comma splices, read this viral post.

❌ 3. Subject-Verb Agreement

What it is: When the subject and verb don’t match in number (singular vs. plural).

Incorrect: “The list of accomplishments were impressive.” (What was/were impressive? The list — which is a singular noun.)
Correct: “The list of accomplishments was impressive.”

✅ Quick Tip: Don’t get distracted by words between the subject and the verb. In this case, “list” is singular even though “accomplishments” is plural.

❌ 4. Misused Homophones

What it is: Words that sound the same but have different meanings—and are often confused.

Your vs. You’re

Your essay is strong.

You’re doing a great job.
Its vs. It’s

The dog wagged its tail.

It’s time to revise your draft.
Their / There / They’re

Their ideas were original.

Place your notes over there.

They’re writing their essays now.

✅ Quick Tip: Read your essay out loud. These types of mistakes are easier to catch by ear than by eye.

🧠 Here’s a clever way to remember the difference between three commonly misused homophones.

❌ 5. Unclear Pronouns

What it is: Using “he,” “she,” “they,” or “it” without clearly stating who or what you mean.

Unclear: “When I asked my sister and my English teacher, she told me it was important.”
Clear: “When I asked my sister and my English teacher, Ms. Thomas told me that knowing grammar was important.”
Clear: “When I asked my sister and my English teacher, the latter told me that knowing grammar was important.”

✅ Quick Tip: If your reader might be confused about what a pronoun is referring to, spell it out for clarity.

✅ Final Thoughts

Your college essay is your chance to shine. Don’t let small grammar mistakes distract from your story.

Before you submit:

Read your essay out loud 🗣
Take a break from reviewing and come back to it later with “fresh eyes” 👀
Ask someone else to review it 👨🏻‍🏫

Good grammar doesn’t mean boring writing; it equates to clear, confident communication. And that’s exactly what admissions officers want to see.

🔗 For more tips on catching grammar mistakes, read this viral article.

✍️ The Top 5 Grammar Mistakes That Tank College Essays