Common errors made by learners of English, and their corrections Recently I made a list of some of the most common mistakes I hear from my students of English. Here they are, with corrections. Listen to the audio above to hear me explain the corrections in more detail. This is not a blog article, it’s just the text which accompanies an audio podcast episode. :)
ERROR: I am agree CORRECTION: I agree
ERROR: I said you something CORRECTION: I told you something
E: Luke told that… C: Luke told us that…
E: If I will… C: If I go… I will…
E: If I would go… C: If I went…
E: If I would have gone to university… C: If I had gone to university
E: A present to someone C: A present for someone
E: to buy a gift to someone C: to buy a gift for someone
E: Let’s have a coffee to that cafe C: Let’s have a coffee in that cafe
Rise = to go up “taxes rose by 5%” Raise = to make something go up “The government raised taxes by 5%”
E: I am living here since/during 1 year C: I have been living here for 1 year
E: a girl who she lives in Brazil C: A girl who lives in Brazil
E: What do you do tonight? C: What are you doing tonight?
E: Tonight I will go to the pub C: Tonight I’m going to the pub
E: go to shopping C: go shopping
a holiday = a vacation ( a week or two with no work) a day off = one day in which you don’t work a public holiday / a bank holiday = days when everyone in the country has a day off, e.g. Christmas Day or Easter
E: almost people in my country C: most of the people in my country / almost all of the people in my country / most people in my country
E: I explain you something C: Let me explain something (to you)
E: I haven’t any money C: I don’t have any money / I haven’t got any money
E: some advices C: Some advice / some pieces of advice
E: some informations C: some information / some pieces of information
E: I had learned that when I was at school C: I learned that when I was at school
E: I don’t know what means this word C: I don’t know what this word means
E: Can you tell me where is the station? C: Can you tell me where the station is?
E: In the next years / in the next months / in the next weeks C: In the next few years / in the next few months / in the next few weeks
E: a four hours journey C: a four hour journey
E: a £1m pounds cut C: a £1m pound cut
E: I forgot my book at home C: I left my book at home / I forgot to bring my book
E: I backed to my country C: I went back to my country
E: Are you from England, aren’t you? C: You’re from England, aren’t you?
E: I feel myself sick C: I feel sick
E: I bought me an iPod C: I bought myself an iPod
lend = give (temporarily) borrow = take (temporarily)
E: I went to home C: I went home
E: I went by walk C: I went on foot
at midnight = at 12.00 in the middle of the night = from midnight until sunrise
E: I came to London for study English C: I came to London to study English
E: You are the same like me C: You are the same as me
E: Popular sports as football and tennis C: Popular sports such as football and tennis / Popular sports like football and tennis
E: women /womens/ C: women /wimmin/
E: in spite of he was tired, he did the washing up C: in spite of the fact that he was tired… / despite the fact that he was tired… / although he was tired… / in spite of being tired… / despite being tired…
E: We are used to live in a cold climate C: We are used to living in a cold climate
E: What is he like? -He likes football C: What is he like? -He’s a really nice guy
E: We have to wait during three weeks C: We have to wait for three weeks
E: Finish the report until Friday C: finish the report by Friday
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