The second element in a screenplay is the action line. This is sometimes called description, direction, or just action, and it describes what is happening on the screen. It's just as easy to make mistakes with these as it is with scene headings, especially for new writers. So to help you avoid common mistakes, I want to go over the top errors I see.
Mistake Number One: Verb Tense
Screenplays should always be written in the present tense, never past. And action lines are not only written in present tense, but try to use the simple present tense as much as you can. We don't need to know what is happening just what happens. Cut out as many -ing verbs as you can. Also, make your verbs as specific as possible. Don't tell me John is walking, say he rushes, weaves, struts, or strolls. Get as much information as you can from a single word.
Mistake Number Two: Including Thing We Can't See or Hear
At the end of the day, movies are made up of two core elements: what we can see and what we can hear. If your character is afraid of something or remembers something or thinking about doing something just before they do something else, your audience won't know that unless you show them with action or tell them with dialogue.
Also, you don't want to write "we see" or "we hear" too often. Every screenwriter has an opinion on this, and the reality is that many professional scripts use "we see" or "we hear" at least a few times. But cut it every time you can. If it doesn't need to be there, delete it, because another truth is that you can almost always delete it.
Mistake Number Three: Too Long
White space is a very important element in a screenplay, and it's one that is often overlooked. Pay attention to how your text looks on the page. If your action lines are in big, long paragraphs, the text will look heavy and your reader might think "this is going to be work to read." Instead, keep it short. You want your action lines to be quick and breezy. Each paragraph should be focused on one action. If you switch subjects, make a new paragraph. I would try to keep most paragraphs around 3-5 lines at most. Shorter is better, and if it's longer, it should all be important.
Mistake Number Four: Crazy Capitalization
Some new SCREENWRITERS feel compelled to write all their ACTION LINES with lots of capitalized WORDS and this can get CRAZY if taken too far and will DISTRACT your READER.
You absolutely must introduce your characters in ALL CAPS the first time they appear (as long as they have speaking lines). Some writers put character names in ALL CAPS every time, but I think that's falling out of fashion. You can also capitalize SOUND EFFECTS and CAMERA DIRECTION, but you don't need to capitalize props, visual effects, characters' actions, or things like that. Be consistent, don't be distracting, and read as many screenplays as you can to see how others do it to develop your own style.
Mistake Number Five: Grammar Mistakes and Typos
The reality of the situation is that many readers are just looking for a reason to say no to your script, and typos are a great reason to do so. Take care in what you write, get feedback, and find a proofreading system that works for you. My best advice is to always read your own work out loud. You're far more likely to catch your own mistakes if you have to say it. When you just read it in your head, you see what you think should be there. I know it helps some people to print their work out and mark it up with a pen, and there is also software that will read your work to you, so that might help too. But make sure you avoid these types of mistakes so your reader can focus on your story.
To learn more about writing better action lines, I'd look at the screenplays of your favorite movies to see how others do it and start learning. You can also watch this video from John August writing action:
You can check out this tutorial from StudioBinder: Best Practices when Formatting Action Lines in a Screenplay And Christopher Riley's book The Hollywood Standard is the best screenwriting formatting guide I've come across, so if you really want to make sure you know your stuff, I'd get a copy.
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