MOST COMMON MISTAKES
(AND HOW TO FIX THEM..)
Yes, everybody makes mistakes, then why do you think YOU wouldn’t? Mistakes are inevitable parts of every learning process, without them we wouldn’t be able to make progress and be a better, more confident speaker. What shall I do now? – you may ask. First, let’s spot and be aware of mistakes, then anylize and understand and finally get rid of them. Sounds easy, doesn’t it?
On this page, I have listed the most common mistakes made by my students over years. Most of them were grammatical errors but there were also numerous collocation inaccuracies, sentence structure (syntax) problems and stylistic issues.
1
Common Mistake #1
Stop saying:
I’m going to finish the project on this week. The students have to hand in their HW on next Monday.
One of the most common mistakes is using a preposition before time phrases with adverbs last, next, and this.
Correct sentences:
I’m going to finish the project this week.
The students have to hand in their HW next Monday.
Trevor quit and left for Chicago last Monday.
but,
We learned some new words in the last lesson. (‘in the last lesson’ is a prepositional phrase)
We went to NY last year. (in the year before this one)
We’ve had many difficulties in the last year. (in the last 12 months counting back from today)
2
Common Mistake #2
Stop saying: I’m living in Budapest, Hungary. My brother is working at IBM .
Use the Present Simple for permanent states or situations.
Correct sentences:
I live in Budapest, Hungary.
My brother works at IBM.
but,
Since my girlfriend got rid of me, I am living at my friend’s until I find a place on my own. (temporary situation, hopefully 🙂
Some students are working at our company during the summer break. (temporarily)
3
Common Mistake #3
Stop saying: If I would be a bit taller, I could be a super model. If you would speak English at a higher level, you could get a better job. If you wouldn’t go to bed that late, you could get up early and wouldn’t be late for work.
Use the past form of the verbs (subjunctive mood) in the IF-clause to express unreal situation or a wish in the present.
Correct sentences:
If I were a bit taller, I could be a super model.
If you spoke English like a pro, you could get a better job.
If you didn’t go to bed that late, you would never be late for work.
4
Common Mistake #4
Stop saying: She suggested to go to the cinema instead of the theatre. The teacher suggested us to read as much as possible.
Mistakes with ‘suggest’ are actually so common that it should perhaps be at the top of this list.
Here are four ways how you can use it:
a) SUGGEST + a noun phrase
b) SUGGEST + V1+ing
c) SUGGEST + THAT-clause
d) SUGGEST + question word
Correct sentences:
a) She suggested an Italian restaurant near the city center.
b) She suggested going to the cinema instead of going for a walk.
c) The teacher suggested (that) we should read more.
d) Can you suggest where I could buy a good English book?
5
Common Mistake #5
Stop saying: My daughter’s birthday will be next week. The movie will start at 8 PM.
Use the Present Simple for future events that are certain or facts or if they are set by a timetable.
Correct sentences:
My daughter’s birthday is next week.
I turn 53 at the end of this year.
The train arrives at Luton station at 12:15 PM.
6
Common Mistake #6
Stop saying: We could find the museum quite easily. The student could explain the exercise to his classmates.
Talking about a single action in the past (in a positive sentence or question) use the modal phrase BE ABLE TO or MANAGE TO instead od ‘could’.
Correct sentences:
We were able to find the museum easily.
The student was able to/managed to explain the exercise to his classmates.
In the end, did you manage to fix the printer? NOT: could you fix the printer..
7
Common Mistake #7
Stop saying: An extensive amount of people have decided to leave the country.
Use AMOUNT to talk about uncountable nouns and NUMBER with plural nouns.
Correct sentences:
A large number of people have decided to leave the country.
Only a small number of cars can fully satisfy the safety standars in the EU.
This tiny USB stick can store vast amount of information.
She inherited a huge amount of money after her grandpa passed away.
A certain amount of stress can help you when it comes to taking an exam.
8
Common Mistake #8
Stop saying: I had no idea how did he do that. Could you tell me where is the main entrance? Nobody knows how much money does Bill Gates have.
In reported speech leave out the helping verbs (do, does, did) and put the subject before the verb.
Correct sentences:
I had no idea how he managed.
Could you tell me where the main entrance is?
Nobody knows how much money Bill Gates has.
9
Common Mistake #9
Stop saying: A: I never go to the gym. B: I don’t like going to the gym too.
Use ‘too’ in positive and ‘either’ in a negative sentence.
Correct sentences:
A: I never go to the gym. B: I don’t like going to the gym either.
but,
A: I don’t like this party. B: Me neither/Neither do I. (to agree with a negative sentence)
10
Common Mistake #10
Stop saying: By the time I got home, all the furnitures have been removed. My lawyer gave me two advices what I should say if the police stop me.
Uncountable nouns (information, advice, news, furniture etc.) do not have plural forms. Use the phrases ‘a piece of/plenty of/lots of’ and keep the noun in a singular form. (no -S)
Correct sentences:
We bought some furniture at IKEA. Two chairs, a coffee table and a bookshelf.
My lawyer gave two pieces of advice. Both of them were helpful.
Some nouns are always in plural while some others that end in -S take a singular verb.
We’d better run now, the police are coming.
Where are my glasses? Have you seen them?
The news was really shocking.
Physics is my favorite subject.
11
Common Mistake #11
Stop saying: I knew she will come to the party. I wasn’t sure if my boss will approve it or not. Jeff promised Kelly that when she would get home, he would take her out for dinner.
If the main verb /knew, wasn’t/ is in the past simple use ‘Would’ to talk about the future. /future in the past/
And remember, no future forms in Time Clauses beginning with WHEN, BEFORE, WHILE, AS SOON AS, BY THE TIME etc.
Correct sentences:
I knew (that) she would come to the party.
I wasn’t sure if/weather my boss would approve it or not.
Jeff promised Kelly that when she got home, he would take her out for dinner.
Only a few of us believed that the project would be finished by 6 PM yesterday. /passive/
12
Common Mistake #12
Stop saying: Everybody thought it was enough good. She wasn’t enough smart to get that position.
Put ‘ENOUGH’ after the adjectives but before nouns.
Correct sentences:
Everybody thought it was good enough.
She wasn’t smart enough to get that position.
We didn’t have enough time to finish it.
13
Common Mistake #13
Stop saying: Please, give me the document what is on my desk. I don’t like movies what have unhappy endings. Everthing what happened in the meeting was Peter’s fault.
Use THAT (WHICH) in relative clauses to refer to the noun in the main clause. Do NOT use a comma before THAT.
Correct sentences:
Please, give me the document that is on the desk.
I don’t like movies that have unhappy endings.
Everything that happened in the meeting was Peter’s fault.
but,
WHAT happened the other day was not only my fault.
WHAT I appriciate most is her honesty.
14
Common Mistake #14
Stop saying: The students wanted to know that they could hand in the tests the other day. Jenny is stil undecided that she wants to stay or to leave.
Use the conjuction IF/WHETHER when you report a yes/no question.
Correct sentences:
The students wanted to know if they could hand in the tests the other day.
Jenny is still undecided whether (if) she wants to stay or to leave.
15
Common Mistake #15
Stop saying: Neither of the options wasn’t good for us. I didn’t hear nothing. She has done hardly nothing today.
The English language doesn’t use double negatives. You can either negate the verb or the object of the verb, but not both. Some words such as BARELY, SCARCLY, HARDLY convey negative meaning, therefore there is no need to add another negative in the sentence.
Correct sentences:
Neither of the options was good for us.
I didn’ hear anything or I heard nothing.
She has done hardly anything today.
BUT,
I wasn’t unhappy with my grades but my dad thougth they could have been much better.
I can’t get no satisfaction. (The Rolling Stones)
16
Common Mistake #16
Stop saying: She announced that she would leave the company. Before she had left, she greeted everybody. I heard that he was singing in the bathroom.
Actually, these sentences are correct but there are better(shorter) ways to say them. If there is a chance to use a phrase instead of a clause, do so.
And your writing or speech will sound more succinct.
Correct sentences:
She announced her leaving the company.
Before leaving, she greeted everybody.
I heard him singing in the bathroom.
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