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Common Grammatical Errors We All Need to Stop Making

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Below are some of the most common grammatical errors made by English students, in speech and in writing.

Common Grammatical Errors in English

Here are some common grammatical errors for ESL Learners.

Incorrect: The last bus leaves at eleven o’clock. It’s about eleven now, Hurry up!

Correct: The last bus leaves at eleven o’clock. It’s nearly ( almost ) eleven now, Hurry up!

 

Incorrect: Come to here.

Correct: Come here.

 

Incorrect: Little children are difficult to understand that.

Correct: It is difficult for children to understand that.

 

Incorrect: I recommend you to take a long vacation.

Correct: I recommend that you take a long vacation.

 

Incorrect: Would you like a drink ?

Correct: Would you like something to drink ?

 

Incorrect: I have no exercise talent.

Correct: I am not athletic.

 

Incorrect: Don’t expect me too much.

Correct: Don’t expect too much from (of) me.

 

Incorrect: I forget my hat in the house.

Correct: I left my hat in the house.

 

Incorrect: I have a free time.

Correct: I am free.

 

Incorrect: The sun rises from the East.

Correct: The sun rises in the East.

 

Incorrect: The thief got in from the window.

Correct: The thief got in through the window.

 

Incorrect: Let’s begin from page 10.

Correct: Let’s begin at ( on ) page 10.

 

Incorrect: Did you attend college ?

Correct: Did you go to college ?

 

Incorrect: I wanted to go to Europe last summer, but it was too expensive so I gave up to go.

Correct: I wanted to go to Europe last summer, but it was too expensive so I gave up the idea.

 

Incorrect: I am going back my home.

Correct: I am going home.

 

Incorrect: His temperature went down.

Correct: His temperature came down.

 

Incorrect: I like green color.

Correct: I like green.

 

Incorrect: Today’s newspapers has his articles on Taiwan.

Correct: Today’s newspapers carries his articles on Taiwan.

 

Incorrect: Give me money, if you have.

Correct: Give me money, if you have any.

 

Incorrect: You’ll have a cold if you sleep with your window open.

Correct: You’ll catch a cold if you sleep with your window open.

Incorrect: Somebody’s knocking on the door. Go and see who he is.

Correct: Somebody’s knocking on the door. Go and see who it is.

 

Incorrect: The head office is in Taipei.

Correct: The main office is in Taipei.

 

Incorrect: He cannot read and write.

Correct: He cannot read or write.

 

Incorrect: Where is here.

Correct: Where are we.

 

Incorrect: How heavy are you ?

Correct: How much do you weigh ?

 

Incorrect: He was talking in a high voice.

Correct: He was talking loud.

 

Incorrect: Most Westerners have high noses.

Correct: Most Westerners have long noses.

 

Incorrect: Are you home tomorrow.

Correct: Are you at home tomorrow.

 

Incorrect: How does she look like ?

Correct: What does she look like ?

 

Incorrect: This is the way how I did it.

Correct: This is how I did it. or This is the way I did it.

 

Incorrect: How do you think about Taiwan.

Correct: What do you think about Taiwan.

 

Incorrect: How can I do ?

Correct: What can I do ?

 

Incorrect: ” How long have you been in Taiwan ?”” Six months “” How about Chinese food ?”

Correct: ” How long have you been in Taiwan ? “” Six months “” Do you like Chinese food ?”

Incorrect: I visited her ill mother in the hospital.

Correct: I visited her sick mother in the hospital.

 

Incorrect: There is a limit in my patience.

Correct: There is a limit to my patience.

 

Incorrect: Please wait inside the white line.

Correct: Please wait behind the white line.

 

Incorrect: Is your house insured for fire ?

Correct: Is your house insured against fire ?

 

Incorrect: I introduce Mr. Smith to you !

Correct: May I introduce Mr. Smith to you !

 

Incorrect: She was first prize.

Correct: She took first prize.

 

Incorrect: Do you have any automatic camera ? Yes I have it .

Correct: Do you have any automatic camera ? Yes, I have one.

 

Incorrect: That was a traffic accident on my way here. It is why I was late.

Correct: That was a traffic accident on my way here. That is why I was late.

 

Incorrect: She is wearing blue jeans pants.

Correct: She is wearing blue jeans.

 

Incorrect: Keep the right.

Correct: Keep to the right.

 

Incorrect: Last night I didn’t keep my diary.

Correct: Last night I didn’t write anything in my diary.

 

Incorrect: The train was late about an hour.

Correct: The train was about an hour late.

 

Incorrect: Leave your hand from the end of the wire.

Correct: Let go of the end of the wire.

 

Incorrect: I was ten minutes late for the English lesson.

Correct: I was ten minutes late for the English class.

 

Incorrect: How many Chinese letters do you know ?

Correct: How many Chinese characters do you know ?

 

Incorrect: He is fighting for his life.

Correct: He is fighting for his bread.

 

Incorrect: Why do you say like that.

Correct: Why do you say that.

 

Incorrect: I have no house to live.

Correct: I have no house to live in.

 

Incorrect: What a dirty face ! Look at the mirror.

Correct: What a dirty face ! Look in the mirror.

 

Incorrect: He lost conciousness for a long time.

Correct: He was unconcious for a long time.

 

Incorrect: He made a world record.

Correct: He set a world record.

 

Incorrect: Her marriage was happy.

Correct: Her married life was happy.

 

Incorrect: Maybe I think so.

Correct: I think so.

 

Incorrect: The club’s members are 55.

Correct: There are 55 members in the club.

 

Incorrect: They didn’t understand my mind.

Correct: They didn’t understand what I was thinking.

 

Incorrect: This is where you mistake.

Correct: This is where you are mistaken.

 

Incorrect: I felt good mood.

Correct: I am in a good mood.

 

Incorrect: Please allow me more two hours.

Correct: Please allow me two more hours.

 

Incorrect: My watch doesn’t move at all. I must get it checked up.

Correct: My watch isn’t running, I must get it checked up.

 

Incorrect: We moved house to Johor last month.

Correct: We moved to Johor last month.

 

Incorrect: He is our common friend.

Correct: He is our mutual friend.

 

Incorrect: It was my first time to go abroad.

Correct: It was the first time I had gone abroad.

 

Incorrect: While walking along the street, I met my friend.

Correct: While walking along the street, I met a friend of mine.

 

Incorrect: My this book cost me nearly 300 dollars.

Correct: This book of mine cost me nearly 300 dollars.

 

Incorrect: My room is narrow.

Correct: My room is small.

 

Incorrect: I’ll visit my native place for the first time in ten years this summer.

Correct: I’ll visit my birth place for the first time in ten years this summer.

 

Incorrect: Is this seat empty.

Correct: Is this seat taken.

 

Incorrect: Don’t be noisy.

Correct: Be quiet.

 

Incorrect: It is not of only your business.

Correct: It is none of your business.

 

Incorrect: I will do anything I can do for you.

Correct: I will do anything I can for you.

 

Incorrect: This is the key of my room.

Correct: This is the key to my room.

 

Incorrect: I am going to take a two-year course of English.

Correct: I am going to take a two-year course in English.

 

Incorrect: He treated me very friendly.

Correct: He treated me in a friendly way.

 

Incorrect: This is the largest department store of the world.

Correct: This is the largest department store in the world.

 

Incorrect: It’s a novel of three volumes.

Correct: It’s a novel in three volumes.

 

Incorrect: He is a student of Harvard University.

Correct: He is a student at Harvard University.

 

Incorrect: Do you know the meaning of the word of bumpy ?

Correct: Do you know the meaning of the word bumpy ?

 

Incorrect: He had a child of his former wife.

Correct: He had a child by his former wife.

 

Incorrect: She married old.

Correct: She married late in life.

 

Incorrect: I saw it on the newspapers.

Correct: I read ( saw ) it in the newspapers.

 

Incorrect: He is a liar, and you are one too.

Correct: He is a liar, and you are too.

 

Incorrect: Open page 20 of your books.

Correct: Open your books to page 20.

 

Incorrect: Our Chinese students are diligent.

Correct: We Chinese students are diligent.

 

Incorrect: Don’t make the office out of order.

Correct: Don’t leave the office in a mess.

 

Incorrect: I like to paint this door to black.

Correct: I’d like to paint this door black.

 

Incorrect: I have a Chinese pen friend.

Correct: I have a Chinese pen pal.

 

Incorrect: Give me a phone.

Correct: Give me a phone call.

 

Incorrect: Is there any place for me in the car.

Correct: Is there any room for me in the car.

 

Incorrect: Let’s play together.

Correct: Why don’t you come over ?

 

Incorrect: I was very pleasant today.

Correct: I had a very good time today.

 

Incorrect: He got 87 points in chemistry.

Correct: He got an 87 in chemistry.

 

Incorrect: Chang is a popular name in Taiwan.

Correct: Chang is a common name in Taiwan.

 

Incorrect: I’m a public servant.

Correct: I work for the government.

 

Incorrect: She is pure.

Correct: She is naive.

 

Incorrect: I have a question to you.

Correct: I have a question to ask you.

 

Incorrect: This book deserves to read several times.

Correct: This book deserves to be read several times.

 

Incorrect: I like red tea.

Correct: I like black tea.

 

Incorrect: History repeats.

Correct: History repeats itself.

 

Incorrect: I make a rule of going to bed early and get up early.

Correct: I make a rule to keep early hours.

 

Incorrect: I went to the sea.

Correct: I went to the beach.

 

Incorrect: The door was shut when I returned home.

Correct: The door was closed when I returned home.

 

Incorrect: Shall we sit in that sofa ?

Correct: Shall we sit on that sofa ?

 

Incorrect: This steak is soft.

Correct: This steak is tender.

 

Incorrect: His new book will be sold well.

Correct: His new book will sell well.

 

Incorrect: There’re a lot of sparrows stopping on the telephone lines.

Correct: There’re a lot of sparrows sitting on the telephone lines.

 

Incorrect: He hit me strongly.

Correct: He hit me hard.

 

Incorrect: My pay cannot support my living.

Correct: My pay is not enough to live on.

 

Incorrect: He wants to establish a sweet home.

Correct: He wants to establish a happy home.

 

Incorrect: Why don’t you take a driving license.

Correct: Why don’t you get a driving license.

 

Incorrect: Last year I went to Seattle. I liked there very much.

Correct: Last year I went to Seattle. I liked it very much.

 

Incorrect: My mother likes to drink thick tea.

Correct: My mother likes her tea strong.

 

Incorrect: I think it will not rain tomorrow.

Correct: I don’t think it will rain tomorrow.

 

Incorrect: Is your camera this kind ?

Correct: Is your camera like this ?

 

Incorrect: His house was struck by thunder last night.

Correct: His house was struck by lightning last night.

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Sathya Srikanth

Sunday 28th of February 2021

Superb

Ali

Saturday 13th of October 2018

Good

Ali

Saturday 13th of October 2018

Informative

Sachintha

Wednesday 1st of August 2018

excellent :)

Ben

Thursday 28th of June 2018

I appreciate it's really good lossen