Cᴏᴍᴍᴏɴ Mɪsᴛᴀᴋᴇs:
101 It's no good + -ing.
❌ Don't say: It's no good to get angry.
✅ Say: It's no good getting angry.
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102 Look forward to + -ing.
❌ Don't say: I look forward to see him soon.
✅ Say: I look forward to seeing him soon.
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103 There is no harm in + -ing.
❌Don't say: There's no harm to visit her now.
✅Say: There's no harm in visiting her now.
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104 Using the past tense after did instead of the infinitive without to.
(a) To ask questions:
❌Don't say: Did you went to school yesterday?
✅Say. Did you go to school yesterday?
(b) To make negatives:
❌Don't say: 1 did not went to school yesterday.
✅Say: I did not go to school yesterday.
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105 Using the third person singular after does instead of
the infinitive without to.
(a) To ask questions:
❌ Don't say: Does the gardener waters the flowers?
✅ Say: Does the gardener water the flowers?
(b) To make negatives:
❌ Don't say: The man doesn't waters the flowers.
✅ Say: The man doesn't water the flowers.
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106 Using the third person singular after can, must, etc.,
instead of the infinitive without to.
❌Don't say: Ian can speaks English very well.
✅Say: Ian can speak English very well.
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107 Wrong sequence of tenses.
❌ Don't say: Rachel asked me what I am doing.
✅ Say: Rachel asked me what I was doing.
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108 Using will/'ll instead of would/'d in a subordinate
clause.
❌ Don't say: He said (that) he will/'ll come tomorrow.
✅ Say: He said (that) he would/'d come tomorrow.
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109 Using may instead of might in a subordinate clause.
❌ Don't say: Last Sunday Ailsa told me that she may
come.
✅ Say: Last Sunday Ailsa told me that she might come.
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110 Using can instead of could in a subordinate clause.
❌ Don't say: Ben thought he can win the prize.
✅ Say: Ben thought he could win the prize.
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111 Using the past simple tense after to + the infinitive.
❌Don't say: He tried to kicked the ball away.
✅Say: He tried to kick the ball away.
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112 Using the past simple tense after an auxiliary verb,
instead of the past participle.
❌ Don't say: I've forgot to bring my book.
✅ Say: I've forgotten to bring my book.
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113 Using must or ought to to express a past obligation.
❌Don't say: You ought to come yesterday.
✅Say: You ought to have come yesterday.
✅Or: You should have come yesterday.
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114 Using the present perfect instead of the simple past tense.
❌Don't say: I have seen a good film yesterday.
✅ Say: I saw a good film yesterday.
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115 Using the simple past tense instead of the present perfect.
❌Don't say: 1 saw the Parthenon of Athens.
✅Say: I have seen the Parthenon of Athens.
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116 Using the simple past tense with a recent, action, instead of the present perfect.
❌ Don't say: The clock struck.
✅ Say: The clock has struck.
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117 Using the simple present instead of the present perfect.
❌ Don't say: I'm at this school two years.
✅ Say: I've been at this school two years.
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118 Using the simple present instead of the present perfect after a since clause of time.
❌Don't say: Since he came, we're happy.
✅ Say: Since he came, we've been happy.
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119 Using the simple present instead of the present continuous.
❌ Don't say: Look! Two boys fight.
✅ Say: Look! Two boys are fighting.
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120 The continuous form of the tense misused.
❌ Don't soy: Pm understanding the lesson now.
✅ Say: I understand the lesson now.
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121 Using the present continuous for a habitual action, instead of the simple present.
❌ Don't say: Every morning I'm going for a walk.
✅ Say: Every morning I go for a walk.
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122 Using the verb to use for the present habitual action.
❌Don't say: I use to get up at six every morning.
✅Say: I get up at six every morning.
Or: I'm accustomed to getting up at six, etc.
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123 Using the past continuous for a habitual action, instead of the simple past tense.
❌ Don't say: Last year I was walking to school every day.
✅ Say: Last year I walked to school every day.
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124 Using the past tense instead of the past perfect.
❌Don't say: The train already left before I arrived.
✅ Say: The train had already left before I arrived.
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125 Using the past perfect instead of the simple past tense.
❌ Don't say: I'd finished the book yesterday
✅ Say: I finished the book yesterday.
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126 Using the future in a clause of time, instead of the present tense.
❌ Don't say: I'll see you when I shall come back.
✅ Say: I'll see you when I come back.
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127 Using the future in the if clause instead of the present tense.
❌Don't say: If he'll ask me, I will/'ll stay.
✅Say: If he asks me, I will/'ll stay.
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128 Using the present tense after as if or as though instead of the past.
❌ Don't say: Janine talks as if she knows everything.
✅ Say: Janine talks as if she knew everything.
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129 Using the past conditional of wish instead of the present indicative.
❌Don't say: I would wish to know more English.
✅Say: I wish (that) I knew more English.
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130 Using a wrong tense with an improbable condition.
❌ Don't say: If he would/'d ask me, I would/'d stay.
✅ Say: If he asked me, I would/'d stay.
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131 Using a wrong tense with a counterfactual condition.
❌ Don't say: If he would/'d have asked me, I would/'d stay.
✅Say: If he had/'d asked me, I would/'d have stayed.
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132 Using the infinitive instead of a finite verb.
❌ Don't say: Sir, to go home to get my book?
✅ Say: Sir, may I go home to get my book?
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133 Mixing up the tenses.
❌Don't say: They asked him to be captain, but he refuses.
✅Say: They asked him to be captain, but he refused.
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134 Confusion of gender.
❌Don't say: The door is open, please shut her.
✅Say: The door is open, please shut it.
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135 Using the possessive 's with inanimate objects.
Don't say: Her room's window is open.
Say: The window of her room is open.
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136 Using the objective case after the verb to be.
❌Don't say: It was him.
✅Say: It was he.
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137 Using the objective case after the conjunction than.
❌Don't say: My sister is taller than me.
✅Say: My sister is taller than I (am).
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138 Using the subject pronoun after between.
❌ Don't say: It's a secret between you and I.
✅ Say: It's a secret between you and me.
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139 Using an object pronoun before a gerund.
❌Don't say: Him laughing at her was what made her angry.
✅Say: His laughing at her was what made her angry.
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140 Using an object pronoun in a double genitive.
❌Don't say: A friend of him told us the news.
✅Say A friend of his told us the news.
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141 Misuse of -self forms.
❌Don't say: Michael and myself are here.
✅Say: Michael and I are here.
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142 Using hisself or then selves instead of himself or themselves.
❌ Don't say: They fell down and hurt theirselves.
✅ Say: They fell down and hurt themselves.
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143 Misuse of noun/verb homonyms.
❌ Don't say: Becky played, a good play of chess.
✅ Say: Becky played a good game of chess.
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144 Using the relative pronoun which for persons.
❌ Don't say: I've a brother which is at school.
✅ Say: I've a brother who is at school.
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145 Using what or which after everything, etc.
❌ Don't say: I heard everything which (or what) he said.
✅ Say: I heard everything (that) he said.
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146 Who and whom.
❌ Don't say: I saw the woman whom you said lived next door.
✅ Say: I saw the woman (who) you said lived next door.
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147 Using who, whom, or which after the superlative, instead of that.
❌ Don't say: It's the best which I've seen.
✅ Say: It's the best (that) I've seen.
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148 The same as/same that.
❌ Don't say: Amelia bought the same bag that me.
✅ Say: Amelia bought the same bag as me.
🌀@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
149 Using who? or what? instead of which?
❌ Don't say: Who of the two boys is the taller?
✅ Say: Which of the two boys is the taller?
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150 Who? and Whom?
(a) Who?
❌ Don't say: Whom do you think will be chosen?
✅ Say: Who do you think will be chosen?
(b) Whom?
❌ Don't say: Who do you think I saw yesterday?
✅ Say: Whom do you think I saw yesterday?
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151. Using "one other" instead of "another".
❌ Don't say: Please give me one other book.
✅ Say: Please give me another book.
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152. Using the superlative instead of the comparative.
❌Don't say: John is the tallest of the two boys.
✅Say: John is the taller of the two boys.
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153. Using "from" after the comparative instead of "than".
❌Don't say: Amy is taller from her brother.
✅Say: Amy is taller than her brother.
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154. Using the comparative instead of the superlative.
❌Don't say: Cairo is the larger city in Africa.
✅Say: Cairo is the largest city in Africa.
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155. Using "the more" instead of "most".
❌Don't say: The more people will agree with me.
✅Say: Most people will agree with me.
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156. Using "more good" or "more bad" instead of "better" or "worse".
❌Don't say: This one looks more good than that.
✅Say: This one looks better than that.
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157. Using "home" instead of "at home".
❌Don't say: In the afternoon I stay home.
✅Say: In the afternoon I stay at home.
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158. Using "from" instead of "one of" or "among".
❌Don't say: She is from the nicest girls I know.
✅Say: She is one of the nicest girls I know.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
159. Using the passive infinitive (to be + past participle) instead of the active (to + infinitive).
❌Don't say: English isn't easy to be learned.
✅Say: English isn't easy to learn.
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160. Using an intransitive verb in the passive form.
❌Don't say: She was disappeared from the house.
✅Say: She disappeared from the house.
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161. Mixing up one form of the verb with another.
❌Don't say: It's better to enjoy yourself when you're young rather than wasting time worrying about the future.
✅Say: It's better to enjoy yourself when you're young than to waste time worrying about the future.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
162. Wrong sequence of moods.
❌Don't say: If you would/'d do me this favour, I will/'ll be very grateful to you.
✅Say: If you would/'d do me this favour, I would/'d be very grateful to you.
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163. The unrelated participle.
❌Don't say: Being in a hurry, the door was left open.
✅Say: Being in a hurry, he left the door open.
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164. The question phrase "isn't it?" misused.
❌ Don't say: He played well yesterday, isn't it?
✅ Say: He played well yesterday, didn't he?
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165. Misuse of the gerund to express purpose.
❌Don't say: I come here for learning English.
✅Say: I come here to learn English.
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166. Yes or No in answer to negative questions.
Question:
Didn't you see the game?
Answer:
Yes, - that is, I saw it.
No, - that is, I didn't see it.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
167. Using a double negative.
❌Don't say: She says she's not afraid of nobody.
✅Say: She says she's not afraid of anybody.
Or: She says she's afraid of nobody.
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168. Using "one time" or "two times" instead of "once" or "twice".
❌Don't say: I was absent one time or two times.
✅Say: I was absent once or twice.
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169. Using a day, etc., instead of one day, etc.
❌Don't say: A day they went sight-seeing in Florence.
✅Say: One day they went sight-seeing in Florence.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
170. Using "the other day" instead of "the next day", etc.
❌Don't say: David slept well and was better the other day.
✅Say: David slept well and was better the next day (or on the following day).
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
171. Using "one and a half", instead of "half past one", etc.
❌Don't say: Lessons begin at eight and a half.
✅Say: Lessons begin at half past eight.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
172. Using "as usually" instead of "as usual".
❌Don't say: As usually, he left his pen at home.
✅Say: As usual, he left his pen at home.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
173. Using "according to my opinion" instead of "in my opinion".
❌Don't say: According to my opinion, she's right.
✅Say: In my opinion, she's right.
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174. Using "at the end" instead of "in the end".
❌Don't say: At the end they reached the city.
✅Say: In the end they reached the city.
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175. Using "under the rain" instead of "in the rain".
❌Don't say: They played football under the rain.
✅Say: They played football in the rain.
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176. Using "the reason is because" instead of "the reason is that".
❌Don't say: The reason is because I believe it.
✅Say: The reason is that I believe it.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
177. Using "a country" instead of "the country".
❌Don't say: I spend my holidays in a country.
✅Say: I spend my holidays in the country.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
178. Using "if" instead of "whether".
✖️Don't say: I asked Paul if he was going.
✔️Say: I asked Paul whether he was going.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
179. Using "any" for two, instead of "either".
❌Don't say: Any of these two books is good.
✅Say: Either of these two books is good.
https://t.me/Common_Mistakes_Grammar
180. Using "likes me" instead of "I like".
❌Don't say: The cinema likes me very much.
✅Say: I like the cinema very much.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
181. Using "neither ...or" instead of "neither ... nor".
❌Don't say: Sara speaks neither English or French.
✅Say: Sara speaks neither English nor French.
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182. Using "both" in a negative sentence instead of "neither".
❌Don't nay: Both of them didn't go to school today.
✅Say: Neither of them went to school today.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
183. Using "also" or "too" in a negative sentence instead of "either".
❌Don't say: Joe hasn't come also (or too).
✅Say: Joe hasn't come either.
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184. Using "and" in a negative sentence instead of "or".
❌Don't say: I don't like red and orange. I want the blue one.
✅Say: I don't like red or orange. I want the blue one.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
185. Using "till" instead of "before" or "when".
❌Don't say: I'd reached the school till the rain started.
✅Say: I'd reached the school before the rain started.
Or: I'd reached the school when the rain started.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
186. Take an exam, not give an exam.
❌Don't say: The pupil gave his exam.
✅Say: The pupil took his exam.
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187. To "be right" or "wrong", not to "have right" or "wrong".
❌Don't say: You've right or You've wrong.
✅Say: You're right or You're wrong.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
188. To "be busy", not to "have work".
❌Don't say: I have much work this morning.
✅Say: I'm very busy this morning.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
189. It's cold, etc., not it has cold, etc.
❌Don't say: It has cold this winter.
✅Say: It's cold this winter.
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190. "Go for a walk", not "make a walk".
❌Don't say: We made a walk along the river.
✅Say: We went for a walk along the river.
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191. Go for a ride on a bicycle, etc., not go for a walk on a bicycle, etc.
❌Don't say: We went for a walk on our bicycles.
✅Say: We went for a ride on our bicycles.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
192. Mount or get on a horse, etc. not ride a horse, etc.
❌Don't say: Peter rode his horse and went home.
✅Say: Peter got on his horse and rode home.
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193. Dismount or get off a horse, etc., not come down from a horse, etc.
❌Don't say: They came down from their horses.
✅Say: They got off their horses.
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194. Go on foot, not go with the feet.
❌Don't say: Shall we go there with the feet?
✅Say: Shall we go there on foot?
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195. Take or have a shower, not make a shower.
❌Don't say: I make a shower every morning.
✅Say: I take a shower every morning.
Or: I have a shower every morning.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
196. Ask a question, not make a question.
❌Don't say: Naomi made me several questions.
✅Say: Naomi asked me several questions.
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197. Take an hour, not need an hour, etc.
❌Don't say: I'll need an hour to do that.
✅Say: It'll take me an hour to do that.
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198. Give a discount, not make a discount.
❌Don't say: He made me a small discount.
✅Say: He gave me a small discount.
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199. Take exercise, not make exercise.
❌Don't say: You ought to make more exercise.
✅Say: You ought to take more exercise.
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200. Give or deliver a lecture, not make a lecture.
❌Don't say: He made an interesting lecture.
✅Say: He gave an interesting lecture.
Or: He delivered an interesting lecture.
Note: We say: He made an interesting speech.
@Common_Mistakes_Grammar
