Avoid These Common English Speaking Mistakes: Simple Corrections Explained!

 

English is an universal language. It is used in the world by majority of people. It is the official language in 53 countries and also most common second language in the world. But most of the people commit common mistakes in speaking. Here we will see those mistakes in English speaking and their corrections.

In India many regional languages are used, a lot of people use English language and also commit many common mistakes while speaking. Being a non native speaker this mistakes are very normal and mostly from the grammar part. Grammatical mistakes come in many forms. These mistakes can confuse the conversation and obscure the meaning. But it is necessary to rectify the mistake. So my dear readers today this post is to help you to rectify the mistakes in the English language while speaking.

Prepositions, Subject verb agreement adverbs, tenses these are common mistakes commit by many people.

Here are some common mistakes in English Grammar in speaking and their corrections.

1. Many people introduce them as “myself (own name)”

While introducing oneself, it is usually seen that the speakers mix up the reflexive pronoun ‘myself’ and the subject pronoun ‘I’ it also shows pride and it is not good manners to show attitude in front of anyone while introducing you.

 So correct way to introduce is, ‘I am (your name)’

2. Use of do and dose

 According to the subject use do or does. If the subject is third person singular person use does.

‘Do’ should not use after he/she/it or any singular subject

 For example:

Wrong:  He do not like reading comics.

Correct: He does not like reading comics.

Wrong: Does she has a blue dress?

Correct: Does she have a blue dress?

The helping verb ‘does’ is used at the beginning and the main verb have denotes possession or ownership.

 

 

3. Watch /see / look

 

Watch/ see/ look are always confusing the meaning. However they should be used in different situations. The differences between the three are in following manner.

Watch: to look at something carefully, mostly something that is moving

For example

Wrong: I am looking TV serial.

Correct: I am watching TV serial.

See: to see something that comes into the sight and which we are not looking for.

For example;

1. I daily see these vendors from my balcony.

 2. I saw you in the fair yesterday.

 

Look: to look at something directly.

Wrong: Watch at the window

Correct: Look at the window.

 

4. Use of did

When one use did in the sentence, the verb after ‘did’ should be in V1 form. The word ‘did’ should ot use with the v2 form.

Wrong: I did not wrote the letter.

 Correct: I did not write the letter.

When using ‘did’ in the question also should not use past tense of verb with ‘did’

 For example;

 Wrong: How did he went for school?

Correct: How did he go for school?

 6.  Formation of question

 Many people ask the question but use the form of sentence. This leads the confusion in speakers mind whether the person asking the question or giving the information.

 

For example:

Wrong: This is your book?

Correct: is this your book?

Incorrect: That only, she is very arrogant.

Correct: That was what I said. She is very arrogant.

Saying "That only" was the wrong way to emphasize what the speaker has already said.

7. Incorrect: Last before year she got very good marks. Correct: Year before last she got good marks.

Phrases that can be used: Month before last, Day before last, Week before last.

8. Incorrect: He did not wrote the test last week.

Correct: He did not write the test last week.

The helping verb 'did' is followed by the present tense of the verb and not the past tense form.

9. Incorrect: I cannot cope up with this pressure.

Correct: I cannot cope with this pressure.

The meaning of the verb cope is to manage. 'Cope' is followed by the preposition 'with', and never followed by 'up'. Even professionals commit this error.

10. Incorrect: I came to office by walk.

Correct: I came to office on foot.

We can say "by car", "by bike", "by bus", "by train" and "by flight". However, we cannot say "by walk", as it is the "foot" which is being used to travel and not "walk".

11.   Incorrect: What is the time in your watch?

         Correct: What is the time by your watch?

12.   Incorrect: Our classroom is in the 2nd floor.

         Correct: Our classroom is on the 2nd floor.

13.     Incorrect: The price of this mobile phone is higher than yours.

          Correct: The price of this mobile phone is higher than that of yours.

   While comparing two individuals/things than is followed by the pronoun that.

14.   Incorrect: His son-in-laws have come home.

       Correct: His sons-in-law have come home.

    In plural form, it is always mothers-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law.

15.   Incorrect: He has white hairs.

       Correct: He has white hair.

All the hair on one's head is considered uncountable and so, "hairs" is almost always incorrect.

16. Incorrect: I prefer coffee than tea.

   Correct: I prefer coffee to tea.

'Prefer' is always followed by the preposition 'to'.

Knowledge of grammar and vocabulary both are essential for confident and fluent use of English language. Regularly read standard newspapers in English and as far as possible, use grammatically, logically, and meaningfully correct English.

17. Use of adverb.

Usually adverb is identified by suffix ‘ly’. Most of the adverbs made by adding the suffix ‘ly’

For example, slowly, steadily, hardly, kindly, loudly

  But all adverbs cannot be use by adding suffix ‘ly’

 Just like many people use fastly

You go fastly and get the tickets.

In the above sentence use of fatsly is wrong. When one use fastly that is totally wrong.

 Correct sentence is--- You go fast and get the tickets.

These are the common mistakes in English language. Non native speakers may commit many mistakes as English is the very new language for the learner. Thank you Visit Again!