Some Common Errors in English
Some Common Errors
in English
Incorrect One of my friend has three cars.
Correct One of my friends has three cars.
Trainer's Note: In sentences of the form ‘one of the’,’one of my’ etc.,the noun that follows is always plural. Eg: 1. one of my colleague 2. one of my colleagues
Incorrect
I love listening music.
Correct
I love listening to music.
Trainer's Note: Correct structure - ‘listen’ + ‘to’
Incorrect We are discussing about the matter.
Correct We are discussing the matter.Animal Grievances Meeting
Woof!!!!
Grrr…
I hate being
cuddled all the time !!
Everybody wants to kill
me !!!
Trainer's Note: You do not discuss about something. You always discuss something.
Incorrect Everyday I'm
reading "The Times" to improve my English.
Correct I read “The
Times” everyday to improve my English.
Trainer's Note: Everyday actions do not take the –ing form. Eg:1. I am taking the metro everyday 2. I take the metro everyday
Incorrect
I was doing calls to customers.
Correct
I was making calls to customers
Trainer's Note: Incorrect – ‘do’ + ‘calls’ Correct – ‘make’ + ‘calls’
Incorrect
He has just got retired.
Correct
He has just retired.
Trainer's Note: Here, ‘got’ is a non-value add. It is unnecessary.
Incorrect
He never speaks a lie.
Correct
He never tells a lie.
Trainer's Note:You never ‘speak’ a lie/the truth. You always ‘tell ’a lie/the truth.
Incorrect
The thing what you did was very nice.
Correct
The thing you did was very nice.
Trainer's Note: ‘what’ is a non-value add here. It is unnecessary
Incorrect
Ms. Smith have a
busy life.
Correct
Ms. Smith has a
busy life.
Use of Have / HasI We You They
have
He She It (3rd person singular
subjects)
has
Incorrect I was 23 when I married to her.
Correct
I was 23 when I married her.
Trainer's Note: Never use ‘to’ after the verb ‘marry’. ‘I am married to her’ is correct as ‘married’ is an adjective here, not a verb.
Incorrect
This does not suits to me.
Correct
This does not suit me
Trainer's Note: 1.Never add ‘s’ or ‘es’ to the verb after ‘does not’. 2. Never add the preposition ‘to’ after ‘suit(s)’
Incorrect Me and Chuck are good friends.
Correct Chuck and I are good friends.
Trainer's Note: Correct sequence – 3rd person, 2nd person and 1st person. Eg- 1. Peter, you and I should work on the project together
Incorrect Why you are angry with me?
Correct Why are you angry with me?
Trainer's Note: Correct Syntax – ‘Wh Word’ + ‘is/am/are’ + ‘subject’