English is a complex language with many nuances and exceptions, which can make it challenging for non-native speakers to master. English learners often make common mistakes while speaking, writing, or understanding the language. These mistakes can range from pronunciation and grammar errors to using the wrong vocabulary or idioms.
By identifying and understanding common mistakes, English learners can work to improve their language skills and avoid making these errors in the future.
Common Mistakes Made by English Learners
Listed below are 100+ of the 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 tomorrow.
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?
Common Mistakes Made by English Learners | Images
James
Saturday 11th of June 2022
I am a native English speaker lecturing in languages at a top Chinese university. 'Would you mind POSTING this letter for me' IS perfectly acceptable. Incorrect: Common students in US don’t wear a uniform. Correct: The average students in US don’t wear a uniform. I don't think this is as good as: The average student in the US doesn't wear a uniform. Otherwise, if you want to insist on using the plural, then maybe use the following: Students in the US don't usually wear uniforms. 'Would you like a drink?' is perfectly acceptable - NOT incorrect at all! Incorrect: Did you attend college ? - acceptable Correct: Did you go to college ? - acceptable I would make a differentiation though between 'college' and 'university' - University is the academic whole, as in Oxford University, but College refers to a part of a university or a department within the university (e.g. Foreign Language College}. 'College' can also mean a type of independent 'High School' in English. Incorrect: His temperature went down. - acceptable [maybe even better!] Correct: His temperature came down. - acceptable BOTH of the following are INCORRECT: Incorrect: Today’s newspapers has his articles on Taiwan. Correct: Today’s newspapers carries his articles on Taiwan. Newspapers is a plural word, so the verb should correspond [have or carry]. I would say that in English here, people usually say 'have' rather than 'carry', which seems incorrect to me. Perhaps it is an Americanism? Incorrect: The head office is in Taipei. - CORRECT Correct: The main office is in Taipei. - CORRECT The 2 above are BOTH correct, but have different meanings or connotations. Others you might want to include are: less and fewer / good and well [Americans often make the mistake: 'you done good', using 'good' incorrectly as an adverb, when it is really a noun or adjective]. Also: obsolete prepositions - next 'up' / save 'up' my progress / continue 'on' and so on. Lastly - improper use of conjunctions such as 'and' and 'but' at the beginning of sentences. Thank you for this interesting list; keep up the good work!
Nurul Azim
Tuesday 22nd of June 2021
Join
Sheikh Gulzar Ahmad
Sunday 28th of March 2021
You are doing a great job 👏 👍 keep doing the work 💪.
Amilton
Saturday 21st of November 2020
Very useful!
Francis odong
Friday 4th of October 2019
What should we do to avoid such a mistakes , the ideas is great