Common Errors in English
1. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors
Correct: She goes to school every day.
Incorrect: She go to school every day.
Tip: Be careful with third person singular (he, she, it) - add -s or -es to the verb.
2. Misuse of Tenses
Correct: I saw the movie yesterday.
Incorrect: I see the movie yesterday.
Tip: Use past tense for completed actions in the past.
3. Wrong Prepositions
Correct: She is good at math.
Incorrect: She is good in math.
Correct: I'm interested in music.
Incorrect: I'm interested on music.
Tip: Memorize common verb-preposition combinations.
4. Incorrect Use of Articles
Correct: He is an honest man.
Incorrect: He is a honest man.
Correct: The sun rises in the east.
Incorrect: Sun rises in east.
Tip: Use 'a/an' for general things and 'the' for specific things.
Common Errors in English
5. Using Double Negatives
Correct: I didn't see anything.
Incorrect: I didn't see nothing.
Tip: Don't use two negatives in the same clause.
6. Confusing Similar Words
Examples:
Accept vs. Except
Affect vs. Effect
Then vs. Than
Correct: She accepted the offer.
Incorrect: She excepted the offer.
7. Misplacing Modifiers
Correct: She almost ate the whole cake.
Incorrect: She ate almost the whole cake.
Tip: Place modifiers near the word they describe.
8. In Spite of vs. Despite vs. Despite of
Correct: Despite the rain, we went out.
Correct: In spite of the rain, we went out.
Incorrect: Despite of the rain, we went out.
Tip: Never use 'despite of'.
Common Errors in English
9. Few, A Few, Little, A Little
Correct: I have a few friends. (positive)
Incorrect: I have few friends. (unless negative meaning intended)
10. Using 'Unless' Wrongly
Correct: I won't go unless she comes.
Incorrect: I won't go except she comes.
Tip: 'Unless' means if not.
11. 'Neither...nor' and 'Either...or'
Correct: Neither John nor Mary was present.
Correct: Either John or Mary is coming.
Incorrect: Neither John or Mary was present.
12. Misusing 'None'
Correct: None of them is available.
Correct: None of the answers are correct.
Incorrect: None is corrects.
13. Using 'Seldom' Wrongly
Correct: He seldom eats out.
Incorrect: He seldom does not eat out.
Common Errors in English
14. Gerunds and Infinitives
Correct: I enjoy reading.
Correct: I decided to leave.
Incorrect: I enjoy to read.
15. Question Word Order
Correct: Where are you going?
Incorrect: Where you are going?
Tip: Use auxiliary verbs before the subject in questions.
16. Much vs. Many
Correct: Many books (countable)
Correct: Much water (uncountable)
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct sentence:
1. a) He don't like tea. b) He doesn't like tea.
2. a) I didn't see nothing. b) I didn't see anything.
3. a) She is interested on music. b) She is interested in music.
4. a) They has gone to the market. b) They have gone to the market.
5. a) I have a little friends. b) I have a few friends.
6. a) Despite of the rain, we stayed outside. b) Despite the rain, we stayed outside.
7. a) Neither Peter nor Paul were late. b) Neither Peter nor Paul was late.
8. a) I prefer reading to writing. b) I prefer to read than write.
Common Errors in English
9. a) The girl who sings well is my sister. b) The girl which sings well is my sister.
10. a) He seldom goes to the library. b) He seldom doesn't go to the library.
