Another very common grammar mistake is the use of lay instead of lie, as in "I'm going to lay down." Lay means "to place" and requires a direct object, something that is being placed. Example: "Lay your pencil down." Lie means "to recline," so it would be correct to say, "I'm going to lie down."
That part is fairly easy to remember, but it gets more complicated when you consider the past tenses of the words. The past tense of lay (to place) is laid. "He laid his pencil down." But the past tense of lie is not laid, it is lay. So instead of saying, "I laid down for a nap this afternoon," I would say, "I lay down for a nap this afternoon." That might sound awkward initially, but a little practice will make a difference. : )
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