1 Correct your English Learn to Speak English More Like a Native © 2015 by Nestor Kiourtzidis All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author author,, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the author. 2 What is this book about? This book is a collection of 101 typical mistakes that intermediate and more advanced learners of English make during speaking.
These mistakes are very common, even among higher level learners, and many of them are not corrected during traditional English language courses. If you are a learner and you use English every day as a foreign or second language, you might not even realise that you are making these errors in your speaking. I will explain different areas of confusion in clear English, and help you to t o speak English more like a native. HOW ARE MISTAKES PRESENTED? Language problems are presented in alphabetical order and typical examples of mistakes are indicated *in asterisks*.
Both vocabulary and grammar problems are included 3 according to 8 after 9 all 9 amount 10 appointment 10 as far as … is considered 11 as for me 12 been in / been to 12 being 13 belong to 14 besides 14 Can I have a question? 15 cause that 16 bored/boring 17 come to 17 concentrated 18 Countable/uncountable noun errors 19 Double negatives 19 Doubling the subject 20 enough 20 even 20 even though / even if 21 except 22 feel badly/well etc. 23 finish school 23 for sure 24 from my point of view 25 from the one side 25 4 hard/hardly 26 holiday/vacation 26 How does she look like? 27 How to ….? 28 How do you call …? 29 however it is 29 How long are you …? 30 I am to … 30 if + will/would 31 important (An important problem) 32 impression 33 in future 33 I think so … 34 English language 34 learn (I have to learn) 35 learn (learn somebody) 36 like (the same like) 36 look/watch 37 May I ask ….? 37 meet something 38 Modal verbs + infinitive 38 most of people 39 neither 39 nervous 40 no/not 41 objects 41 occur (It occurred that …) 42 on the contrary 43 5 opposite to … 43 opened 44 opinion (a good opinion) 44 out of the question 45 phone/telephone (get a phone) 46 please 46 politics/politician/political/policy 47 possibility/opportunity/chance 48 practise sport 48 prepositional errors 49 Present continuous mistakes 50 problem/trouble with 50 propose/suggest 51 quarter 51 quite 52 rather 53 realise/realize 53 recommend/suggest/propose somebody to 54 remember/remind 55 repeat 55 resign 56 say/tell 56 since/for 57 so 58 something like this/that 58 spend time on 59 studies/study 59 suppose 60 6 take care of/about 60 take/pass an exam 61 there is/it is 62 this/it 62 travel/trip/journey 62 welcome 63 We’ll see us 64 We went with 64 what (relative pronoun) 64 What do you think about it? 65 which/who/that 65 which/whose 66 whole/whole of 66 workplaces 67 worth 67 year 68 7 according to TYPICAL MISTAKE MISTAKE 1: *According to the traffic, Mark was late for work.* We cannot use the phrase according to in this context. If you are trying to explain the reason for something, the t he following structures are more natural: because of something as a result of something Because of the traffic, Mark was late for work. As a result of the traffic, Mark was late for work.
TYPICAL MISTAKE MISTAKE 2: *According to me, nurses are not paid enough.* We cannot use according to in this context either. If you make this mistake, you are trying to say I think or In my opinion: In my opinion, nurses are not paid enough. I think nurses are not paid enough. We only use according to when we refer to the author of something or a person who claims that something is true: 8 According to Abdul, the film starts at 3 pm.
According to the president, the war will be over soon. after TYPICAL MISTAKE: *I’m after my dinner.* This is a common mistake for speakers of certain languages. If you want to say that something has (just) been done or finished, then use the present perfect with ‘just’: I’ve just had dinner. I’ve just finished my homework.
(NOT *I’m after my homework.*) In English, the expression be after something/somebody really means to chase something/somebody: The police are after the criminal. Everyone is after his wife. all TYPICAL MISTAKE: *All enjoyed the film. * Many languages use only one word to mean all, everybody and everyone.
In English we use everybody or everyone when there is no following noun (everybody likes him) and all with a noun or pronoun: 9 Everybody enjoyed the film. All the people enjoyed the film We all enjoyed the film. Another common area of confusion is understanding the difference between all the boys (a specific group of boys) and all boys (boys in general). All the boys in his class were very young.
Not all boys are naughty. amount TYPICAL MISTAKE: MISTAKE: *I have a large amount of books.* Many learners of English confuse the words amount and number. In English, we say amount before uncountable nouns and number before countable nouns. I have a large number of books.
He has a large amount of money. appointment TYPICAL MISTAKE: MISTAKE: *Can we have an appointment for tomorrow?* 10 We generally use the word appointment in formal situations and we use the following structure: make an appointment (with somebody/to see somebody) Can we make an appointment for tomorrow? For more informal situations (for example with friends), f riends), it is more natural to say: Let’s meet tomorrow. Can we meet tomorrow? Can you meet me tomorrow? as far as … is considered TYPICAL MISTAKE MISTAKE 1: *As far as ttransport ransport is considered, …* TYPICAL MISTAKE 2: *As concerns transport, …* If you want to introduce int roduce a new subtopic in a discussion, the following structures are correct: as far as X is concerned as for X regarding X if we’re talking X 11 As far as transport is concerned, London has many options. As for transport, London has many options.
As regards transport, London has many options. If we’re talking transport, London has many options. as for me TYPICAL MISTAKE: *As for me, the film was boring* We only use the expression as for me when a second person’s opinion is given in contrast to the first person’s opinion. For example: Jackie thought the film was boring, but as for me I loved it.
If you just want to give your opinion without comparing to another person’s opinion, say something like: I thought the film was boring. I found the film boring. been in / been to TYPICAL MISTAKE: MISTAKE: *I’ve been in Italy three times.* When we talk about places we have visited, we say I’ve been to, not ‘I’ve been in’: 12 I’ve been to Italy three times. We say I’ve been in when we are talking about staying or living somewhere for a period of time from f rom the past up to the present moment: Julia is tourist.
She’s been in Paris for 5 days. being TYPICAL MISTAKE MISTAKE 1: *Being in China, I met a lot of interesting people.* In English, we don’t normally use the present participle being in this way. We usually use when or while followed by thet he verb ‘be’ in the appropriate tense: While I was in China, I met a lot of interesting people. When I was a student, I went out a lot.
The word being is also used incorrectly in the following way: TYPICAL MISTAKE 2: *Being a manager, I have a lot of responsibility.* Instead, we usually say As a … : 13 As a manager, I have a lot of responsibility. We normally use being after a verb, such as ‘enjoy’, or in noun expressions: I enjoyed being a student. Being an astronaut was something I had always dreamed of. belong to TYPICAL MISTAKE: MISTAKE: *She belongs tto o the most talented actresses.* In English, the phrase belong to can only be used in the context of ownership or membership of an organisation, as in the following examples: This book belongs to my father.
My colleague belongs to an exclusive sports club. When followed by a superlative adjective + plural noun, we usually say one of the … She is one of the most talented actresses. besides TYPICAL MISTAKE: MISTAKE: *Athens has many cafes. Besides, there are many restaurants.* 14 In English, we normally use the word besides on its own to justify what was just said, often when we give an (additional) excuse for something: I’d like to go out tonight, but I’ve got too much work to do.
Besides, I need an early night. When giving additional information, we cannot use besides on its own. However, we can say besides that, apart from that, what’s more, on top of that, in addition: Athens has many cafes. Besides that, there are many restaurants.
Athens has many cafes. Apart from that, there are many restaurants. Athens has many cafes. In addition, there are many restaurants.
(formal) Besides (+ noun) has the same meaning as in addition to: Besides his desktop computer, he has a laptop. Can I have a question? This structure is unnatural in English. It is better to say: Can I ask you a question? I have a question. 15 cause that TYPICAL MISTAKE: MISTAKE: *The traffic caused that I was late.* In English, we cannot use ‘that’ after cause.
We can only say: X causes Y The storm caused a power cut. When you want to give a reason for something, use any of the following structures: as a result of … because of … make somebody + adjective make somebody + verb Because of the traffic, I was late. As a result of the traffic, I was late. The traffic made me late.
The traffic made me arrive late. 16 bored/boring TYPICAL MISTAKE MISTAKE 1: *I was boring during the film.* TYPICAL MISTAKE 2: *The film was bored.* These two words are very often confused. They are both used as adjectives, but boring describes the quality of something and bored describes a feeling. The film was boring.
(the quality of the film) I was bored during the film. (= the film cause me to feel bored) There are other similar pairs of adjectives, for example: interesting / interested frightening / frightened tiring / tired come to TYPICAL MISTAKE: *Can you come to me tomorrow? * If you are talking about somebody visiting you at your home, it is more natural to say come to my place: 17 Can you come to my place tomorrow? The phrasal verbs come round and drop by are also possible in informal English. Can you come round tomorrow? Can you drop by tomorrow? concentrated TYPICAL MISTAKE: *You must be very concentrated * In English, you cannot ‘be concentrated’. Y You ou can only concentrate: You must concentrate very hard.
We can say that something is concentrated when it is made stronger because water or other elements have been removed, for example: This orange juice is concentrated. 18 Countable/uncountable noun errors TYPICAL MISTAKE MISTAKE 1: *My money are in the bank.* TYPICAL MISTAKE 2: *My monies are in the bank.* A number number of nouns that are countable in other languages are uncountable in English. These include money, danger, damage, information, exercise, advice, etc. My money is in the bank.
Julie’s advice is very helpful. Some English nouns that are normally uncountable can be used in the plural form, but with a difference in meaning.