在英语写作中，有一些常见的典型错误常会影响考生得分。其中比较突出的是：
一、不一致（DisaGREements）
所谓不一致不仅仅指主谓不一致，它还包括了数的不一致、时态不一致及代词不一致等。
例 When one have money, he can do what he want to ｄｏ. 人一旦有了钱，他就能想干什么就干什么。
剖析 one是单数第三人称，因而本句的have应改为has ;同理，want应改为wants本句是典型的主谓不一致。
改为 Once one has money, he can do what he wants (to do)．
二、修饰语错位（Misplaced Modifiers）
英语与汉语不同，同一个修饰语置于句子的不同位置，可能会引起句子含义的变化。这一点常被中国学生所忽视，也因而造成了不必要的误解。
例 I believe I can do it well and I will better know the world outside the campus.
剖析 better位置不当，应置于句末。
改为I believe I can do it well and I will know the world outside the campus ｂｅｔｔｅｒ.
三、句子不完整（Sentence Fragments）
在口语中，交际双方可借助手势语气等来理解对方意思，不完整的句子完全可以被理解。可是书面语就不同了，句子结构不完整会令意思表达不清，这常常发生在主句写完以后，笔者又想加些补充说明的情况下。
例 There are many ways to know the society. For example by TV, radio, newspaper and so on.
剖析 本句后半部分“for example by TV, radio,newspaper and so on .”不是一个完整的句子，仅为一些不连贯的词语，不能独立成句。
改为 There are many ways to know society, for example, by TV, radio, and newspaper.
四、悬垂修饰语（Dangling Modifiers）
所谓悬垂修饰语是指句首的短语与后面句子的逻辑关系混乱不清。
例1 At the age of ten, my grandfather died.
剖析 这句中at the age of ten只点出十岁时，但没有说明“谁”十岁时。按一般推理不可能是my grandfather, 如果我们把这个悬垂修饰语改明确一点，全句就不那么费解了。
改为 When I was ten, my grandfather died.
例2 To do well in college, good grades are essential.
剖析 句中不定式短语to do well in college的逻辑主语不清楚。
改为 To do well in college, a student needs good grades.
五、词性误用(Misuse of Parts of Speech)
“词性误用”常表现为：介词当动词用；形容词当副词用；名词当动词用等。
例 None can negative the importance of money.
剖析 negative 系形容词，误作动词。
改为 None can deny the importance of money.
六、指代不清(Ambiguous Reference of Pronouns)
指代不清主要讲的是代词与被指代的人或物关系不清，或者先后所用的代词不一致。
例1 Mary was friendly to my sister because she wanted her to be her bridesmaid.玛丽和我姐姐很要好，因为她要她做她的伴娘。
剖析 读完上面这一句话，读者无法明确地判断两位姑娘中谁将结婚，谁将当伴娘。如果我们把易于引起误解的代词的所指对象加以明确，意思就一目了然了。
改为 Mary was friendly to my sister because she wanted my sister to be her bridesmaid.
例2 And we can also know the society by serving it yourself.
剖析 句中人称代词we 和反身代词yourself指代不一致。
改为 We can also know society by serving it ourselves.
七、不间断句子(Run-on Sentences)
什么叫run-on sentence?请看下面的例句。
例 There are many ways we get to know the outside world.
剖析 这个句子包含了两层完整的意思：“There are many ways.” 以及“We get to know the outside world.”。简单地把它们连在一起就不妥当了。
改为There are many ways for us to learn about the outside world. 或：There are many ways through which we can become acquainted with the outside world.
八、措词毛病(Troubles in Diction)
Diction 是指在特定的句子中如何适当地选用词语的问题，学生往往随心所欲，拿来就用，所以在汉译英或书面表达中用词不当的错误比比皆是。
例 The increasing use of chemical obstacles in agriculture also makes pollution. 农业方面化学物质使用的不断增加也造成了污染。
剖析 显然，这是把obstacles“障碍”，“障碍物”误作substance“物质”了。另外“the increasing use (不断增加的使用)” 应改为“abusive use (滥用)”。
改为 The abusive use of chemical substances in agriculture also causes / leads to pollution.
九、累赘(Redundancy)
好文章都讲究以简洁为贵：写句子没有一个多余的词，写段落没有一个无必要的句子；能用单词的不用词组，能用词组的不用从句或句子。
例１ In spite of the fact that he is lazy, I like him.
剖析 本句的“the fact that he is lazy”系同位语从句，我们可以按照上述“能用词组的不用从句”的原则来加以简化。
改为 In spite of his laziness, I like him.
例2 For the people who are diligent and kind, money is just the thing to be used to buy the thing they need.
剖析 整个句子可以大大简化。
改为 Diligent, caring people use money only to buy what they need.
十、不连贯(Incoherence)
不连贯是指一个句子前言不对后语，或是结构上不畅通。这也是比较常见的毛病。
例 The fresh water, it is the most important things of the earth.
剖析 The fresh water 与逗号后的it 不连贯。It 与things 在数方面不一致。
改为 Fresh water is the most important thing in the world.
