4 Common Grammar Lapses in TOEFL

Having to sit an English proficiency exam such as the TOEFL iBT, Grammar is an essential part of getting the score you need. It may be used in subtests that require expression, like Speaking and Writing, or it may serve as clues for you to answer Reading and Listening. A significant portion of your TOEFL score comes from your mastery and use of Grammar. However, having good Grammar means really have to be careful of what you say or write and paying close attention to details. 

For you to be able to reach your target score in TOEFL iBT, check out these common Grammar lapses in the exam:

1.       Tenses of the verb. It is important to know how and when to use the tenses of the verbs. This means knowing the format or the structure of the tenses, but also the distinction of usage. If there are 14 tenses of the verb, then there are at least 14 different ways on how each of this is used. 

2.       Punctuations. The test-taker’s knowledge on distinction of use between a comma, a period, a colon, or a dash is important if he or she wants to have a higher score in the TOEFL. A common mistake would be using comma for period and vice versa…which brings us to Lapse #3

3.       Sentence boundaries. Test-takers either make sentence fragments or run-on sentences. Sentence fragments are clauses that look like sentence and punctuated with a period but have no sense. In other words, these are dependent clauses. A run-on sentence is a sadly-punctuated sentence. This happens when you are putting together several sentences with commas instead of separating them with periods. 

4.       Subject-Verb Agreement. You probably already know that if you use do/does/did, you pair it with the base form of the verb. For instance, “I did not eat dinner last night.” And you probably also know that if you have a singular subject, then the verb takes the s-form, if it is in present tense. For example: “Annalisa writes well”. So what is the problem? Mostly it’s just carelessness. Just be mindful of what you say and write and it will be better. 

Grammar is not difficult if you have a grasp of the concepts, but it is still a skill. Practicing how to use correct Grammar in everyday life is one exercise you can do. If you need more help in Grammar, that is what review centers are for – to assist you in bettering the very basics of your English skills.