Hello, learners! I’m Maxine, and I know that making mistakes is a natural part of learning any language. Today, we’re going to look at some common English mistakes English learners often make—and, more importantly, how to overcome them!
With a little guidance and practice, you’ll be able to recognise and correct these errors, building both confidence and fluency.
1. Using “a” and “an” Incorrectly
Mistake: Many learners forget the rule or mix up “a” and “an” when speaking or writing.
Solution: Remember, use “a” before words that start with a consonant sound (e.g., a book, a cat) and “an” before words that start with a vowel sound (e.g., an apple, an hour).
Practice by reading sentences aloud and listening to how native speakers use these words in context.
2. Confusing “In,” “On,” and “At”
Mistake: Prepositions of time and place can be tricky, often leading to sentences like “I am in the bus” instead of “on the bus.”
Solution:
Use “in” for enclosed spaces (in a room, in a city).
Use “on” for surfaces and public transport (on the table, on a train).
Use “at” for specific locations (at school, at home).
Practice Tip: Picture where you are in each sentence. Visualising helps reinforce these connections.
3. Confusing “He,” “She,” and “They”
Mistake: Mixing up pronouns is common, especially in languages without gender-specific pronouns.
Solution: Practise using each pronoun in sentences until it feels natural. Associating a specific image or name with each pronoun can help. For example, imagine “he” with a famous male character, “she” with a female one, and “they” with a group.
4. Mistaking “I Am” and “I’m”
Mistake: Learners often use “I am” for everything, making sentences sound overly formal (e.g., “I am going to the store” instead of “I’m going to the store”).
Solution: Use “I am” in formal situations and “I’m” for everyday conversation. Try practising by reading sentences aloud with both forms. With time, you’ll start to recognize when contractions sound more natural.
5. Incorrect Verb Forms
Mistake: Confusion over verb tenses, like saying “I go yesterday” instead of “I went yesterday,” is a frequent issue.
Solution: Practise using verbs in different tenses with examples. Focus on common verbs like “go,” “eat,” and “see.” Try creating simple sentences with each, such as “I go,” “I went,” “I will go,” and so on. Repetition builds familiarity.
6. Mixing Up “Too,” “To,” and “Two”
Mistake: These words sound alike, making them easy to confuse.
Solution:
“Too” means “also” or “excessively” (e.g., “I want to go too” or “too much”).
“To” is a preposition or part of a verb (e.g., “go to school” or “to read”).
“Two” is the number (e.g., “two apples”).
Practice writing sentences with each form and reading them aloud to understand their differences.
7. Struggling with Plurals
Mistake: Adding “s” to words that don’t need it, or forgetting it when it’s needed.
Solution: For regular nouns, add “s” for plural forms (e.g., “one book, two books”). But remember, some nouns are irregular, like “child” to “children.” Practice by listing common plural nouns to get a feel for which words change and which don’t.
8. Misplacing Adjectives and Nouns
Mistake: Saying “a book big” instead of “a big book.”
Solution: In English, adjectives typically come before nouns. Practice creating short sentences to reinforce this order. For example, say “a red apple,” “a tall building,” and “a fast car” until the pattern feels natural.
9. Using “Say” and “Tell” Incorrectly
Mistake: Confusing “say” and “tell,” as in “He said me” instead of “He told me.”
Solution: Use “say” when there’s no direct object (e.g., “He said hello”) and “tell” with a direct object (e.g., “He told me”). Practice with sample sentences like “He said he was coming” vs. “He told her the news.”
10. Forgetting Articles (a, an, the)
Mistake: Many languages don’t have articles, leading to sentences like “I have dog” instead of “I have a dog.”
Solution: Practice by using “a/an” for general items and “the” for specific ones. For example, “I saw a movie” (general) vs. “I saw the movie” (specific). Try practising with items around you, such as “a chair” vs. “the chair.”
Mistakes are part of the learning journey, so don’t be hard on yourself! With a little practice and awareness, you’ll find these common errors becoming less frequent. Embrace every step of your progress—you’re improving with each lesson!
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