Common Usage Errors
Some mistakes appear again in workplace writing: wrong verb forms after fixed phrases, misused tenses, and wrong prepositions. This chapter collects frequent errors and shows the corrected version so you can recognize and fix them.
Gerund After 'Look Forward To'
'Look forward to' ends in a preposition, so a gerund follows: 'look forward to receiving your feedback', not 'to receive'. This is one of the most common professional-email errors.
Tense with Time Markers
A finished action at a stated past time uses the simple past with no preposition: 'completed their training last Monday'. The present perfect ('has completed') cannot appear with a specific past time.
Verb-Preposition and Agreement
Some verbs require a set preposition: 'comply with', not 'comply on'. And quantity words like 'each' stay singular: 'Each of the branches has its own manager.'