Top 100+ Most Common Mistakes Made by English Learners

Incorrect: It's seven twenty o'clock.

Correct: It's seven twenty.

Incorrect: Your coat is broken.

Correct: Your coat is torn.

Incorrect: Susan didn't make a fault anyway.

Correct: Susan didn't make a mistake anyway.

Incorrect: Would you mind posting this letter for me ? Yes, certainly.

Correct: Would you mind mailing this letter for me ? Of course not. OR ( Not at all ) 

Incorrect: He becomes better.

Correct: He got better.

Incorrect: We'll have a hearing test tomorrow.

Correct: We'll have a listening test tomorow.

Incorrect: I recommend you to take a long vacation.

Correct: I recommend that you take a long vacation.

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: It was still bright outside.

Correct: It was still light outside.

Incorrect: Come to here.

Correct: Come here.

Incorrect: Common students in US don't wear a uniform.

Correct: The average students in US don't wear a uniform.

Incorrect: Who cooked this salad ?

Correct: Who made this salad ?

Incorrect: Different from me, she is proficient in English.

Correct: Unlike me, she is proficient in English.

Incorrect: Little children are difficult to understand that.

Correct: It is difficult for children to understand that.

Incorrect: Don't step on the grass.

 Correct: Keep off the grass.

Incorrect: I get my salary twice a month.

Correct: I get paid twice a month..

Incorrect: Would you like a drink ?

 Correct: Would you like something to drink ?

Incorrect: Let me examine your pulse.

 Correct: Let me feel your pulse.

Incorrect: I have no exercise talent.

Correct: I am not athletic.

Incorrect: I forget my hat in the house.

Correct: I left my hat in the house.

Incorrect: Lend me some money, for instance 500 dollars, Lin

Correct: Lend me some money, say 500 dollars, Lin

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: 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: 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: 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: 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 ?