Common Mistake: "have a tendency" vs "tends"

One common mistake that people often make in their writing is using the phrase "have a tendency" incorrectly. Many individuals tend to use "have a tendency" when the correct form should be "tends". Let's take a closer look at this common mistake and how to avoid it.

The Correct Form: "Tends"

When expressing a habitual action or behavior, it is appropriate to use the word "tends" instead of "have a tendency". "Tends" is the third person singular form of the verb "tend", which means "to be inclined to". It is used to describe a general pattern or tendency.

Here is an example:

• Incorrect: Many people have a tendency to procrastinate when it comes to completing their assignments.
• Correct: Many people tend to procrastinate when it comes to completing their assignments.

As you can see, the correct form should be "tend" instead of "have a tendency".

How to Avoid the Mistake

To ensure that you are using the correct form, "tends", when expressing a habitual action or behavior, it is helpful to remember the subject-verb agreement. When the subject is a third person singular pronoun (he, she, it), the verb that follows should be in the third person singular form (tends).

Here are a few more examples:

• Incorrect: The dog has a tendency to bark loudly at night.
• Correct: The dog tends to bark loudly at night.

• Incorrect: John has a tendency to arrive late to meetings.
• Correct: John tends to arrive late to meetings.

About Linguix Grammar Checker

Linguix Grammar Checker is an advanced tool that helps writers to improve their grammar and writing style. It can detect common mistakes like the "have a tendency" vs "tends" error and provide suggestions for correction to ensure clear and accurate communication.