Blog · February 14, 2026 · 7 min read
Twenty academic English mistakes ESL writers make most often
Target keyword: academic english common mistakes ESL · Search intent: informational
After thousands of ESL edits, the same twenty patterns recur across nationalities and disciplines. Knowing them is half the fix.
Article and number errors
Missing 'the' before unique entities. Overuse of 'the' for general categories. Treating uncountable nouns ('research', 'information', 'evidence') as plural. Subject-verb agreement with collective nouns.
Tense and register
Present tense for past methods. Past tense for established literature. Over-formal vocabulary ('utilise', 'commence'). Under-hedged claims ('proves', 'is the best').
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Frequently asked questions
Will I be marked down for these?
Possibly. Examiners forgive isolated slips. Patterns of error suggest weak academic literacy and can affect grades.
Do you teach as well as fix?
Yes — our tracked changes come with margin comments so you learn the pattern, not just the fix.
Learn from every edit
Our ESL proofreading service includes explanatory comments alongside corrections.
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