Learning English is a rewarding journey, but like any language, it comes with its own set of tricky spots. Making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process! The key is to recognize common errors and understand how to correct them. This helps build accuracy and fluency faster.

This post highlights some of the most frequent mistakes English learners encounter, along with clear explanations and the correct forms. Let's dive in!

Common Mistakes & Corrections

1. Preposition Choice: Good 'at' vs. 'in'

❌ I am good in English.

✅ I am good at English.

Explanation: Use the preposition at after 'good' when referring to skills or abilities (e.g., good at math, good at drawing, good at English).

2. Subject-Verb Agreement: Third Person Singular

❌ She go to school every day.

✅ She goes to school every day.

Explanation: In the simple present tense, verbs take an '-s' or '-es' ending for third-person singular subjects (he, she, it).

3. Duration vs. Starting Point: 'For' vs. 'Since'

❌ I have lived here since five years.

✅ I have lived here for five years.

Explanation: Use for to indicate a duration of time (how long). Use since to indicate a specific starting point in the past (e.g., since 2019, since last Tuesday).

4. Countable vs. Uncountable Nouns: 'Many' vs. 'Much'

❌ I have much friends.

✅ I have many friends.

Explanation: Use many with countable nouns (friends, books, cars). Use much with uncountable nouns (money, time, water).

5. Avoiding Double Negatives

❌ Don't need no help.

✅ I don't need any help. (Or: I need no help.)

Explanation: Standard English avoids double negatives. Use 'not...any' or 'no' instead of 'not...no'.

6. Word Order in Indirect Questions

❌ Can you tell me where is she?

✅ Can you tell me where she is?

Explanation: In indirect questions (questions embedded within a statement or another question), use statement word order (subject + verb) after the question word (where, what, who, etc.).

7. Possessive vs. Contraction: 'Its' vs. 'It's'

❌ Its a beautiful day.

✅ It's a beautiful day.

Explanation: It's is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has'. Its (without an apostrophe) is the possessive form of 'it' (like 'his' or 'her').

8. Subject vs. Object Pronoun: 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

❌ Who do you love?

✅ Whom do you love?

Explanation: Use who as the subject of a verb (Who is calling?). Use whom as the object of a verb or preposition (To whom did you speak? You love whom?). Tip: If you can replace it with 'him' or 'her', use 'whom'. If 'he' or 'she' fits, use 'who'. (Note: In modern informal English, using 'who' as an object is common, but 'whom' is grammatically correct).

9. Adverb Placement: 'Only'

❌ I only eat vegetables in the morning.

✅ I eat only vegetables in the morning.

Explanation: The placement of only affects the meaning. Place it as close as possible to the word or phrase it modifies. In the incorrect sentence, it implies the *only action* you do is eat. In the correct sentence, it implies vegetables are the *only food* you eat.

10. Intensity: 'Very' vs. 'Too'

❌ This book is too interesting.

✅ This book is very interesting.

Explanation: Very simply means 'to a high degree'. Too implies an excess, often with a negative connotation or indicating something prevents another action (e.g., "It's too hot to go outside"). Use 'very' for positive emphasis.

11. Auxiliary Verb Agreement: 'Don't' vs. 'Doesn't'

❌ He don’t like pizza.

✅ He doesn’t like pizza.

Explanation: Use doesn't (does not) with third-person singular subjects (he, she, it) in the simple present negative. Use don't (do not) for all other subjects (I, you, we, they).

12. Modal Verbs + Base Form

❌ She can sings very well.

✅ She can sing very well.

Explanation: Modal verbs (can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must) are always followed by the base form of the main verb (without 'to' or any endings like -s, -ed, -ing).

13. Past Tense Auxiliary 'Did' + Base Form

❌ I didn’t went to the party.

✅ I didn’t go to the party.

Explanation: When using the auxiliary verb 'did' or 'didn't' to form questions or negatives in the simple past tense, use the base form of the main verb.

14. Preposition Choice: Married 'to' vs. 'with'

❌ He is married with a teacher.

✅ He is married to a teacher.

Explanation: The standard preposition to use after 'married' is to.

15. Pronoun Order: Putting Others First

❌ Me and my friend went shopping.

✅ My friend and I went shopping.

Explanation: When listing people including yourself, it's polite and grammatically standard to put the other person(s) first and yourself ('I' when used as a subject, 'me' as an object) last.

16. Double Comparatives

❌ She is more kinder than her sister.

✅ She is kinder than her sister.

Explanation: Do not use more with short adjectives that already have a comparative form ending in '-er' (kind -> kinder). Use 'more' only with longer adjectives (e.g., more beautiful, more interesting).

17. Adjective Forms: '-ing' vs. '-ed'

❌ I am interesting in this course.

✅ I am interested in this course.

Explanation: Adjectives ending in -ed usually describe a person's feeling or state (I am interested, bored). Adjectives ending in -ing usually describe the thing or person *causing* the feeling (The course is interesting, the movie was boring).

18. Reporting Verbs: 'Say' vs. 'Tell'

❌ He said me the truth.

✅ He told me the truth.

Explanation: Use tell when you mention the person being spoken to (the indirect object - 'me', 'him', 'us'). Use say when you don't mention the listener directly after the verb, or when reporting direct speech (e.g., He said, "It's true." or He said that it was true).

19. Tense Choice: Past Simple vs. Present Perfect

❌ I have seen her yesterday.

✅ I saw her yesterday.

Explanation: Use the Past Simple (saw) for actions completed at a specific, finished time in the past (like 'yesterday', 'last week'). Use the Present Perfect (have seen) for actions with a connection to the present (e.g., experience, recent events without a specific past time).

Tips for Avoiding These Mistakes

Becoming aware of these common errors is the first step. Here’s how you can actively work on improving:

• Practice Regularly: The more you use English, the more natural correct grammar will become. Try writing sentences using the rules above.
• Get Feedback: Ask a teacher, tutor, or native-speaking friend to point out your mistakes. Structured courses often provide valuable correction.
• Read and Listen Actively: Pay attention to how native speakers use these structures in books, articles, movies, and conversations.
• Focus on Patterns: Instead of memorizing single rules, try to understand the underlying grammatical patterns (like subject-verb agreement or preposition use).
• Use Grammar Resources: Refer to grammar guides, websites, or apps when you're unsure.
• Don't Fear Mistakes: Everyone makes them! See them as learning opportunities.

Conclusion

Mastering English grammar takes time and effort, but tackling these common mistakes can significantly boost your accuracy and confidence. Keep practicing, stay curious, and don't hesitate to seek help when needed.

If you're looking for structured language learning, explore the course options available at Sprachlingua. While this post focuses on English, our methodical approach applies to all languages we teach. Good luck with your English studies!