Some Common Mistakes In English

* Anxious = Troubled
Inc : She is anxious for her health
Cor : She is anxious about her health.

Inc: Parents are anxious about their children’s success.
Cor: Parents are anxious for their children’s success.

* Believe = To have faith
Inc : Muslims believe to /at Allah.
Cor : Muslims believe in Allah.

Inc : I don’t believe at astrology.
Cor : I don’t believe in astrology.

* Benefit
The word can be used both as a noun and a verb.

Inc : She got a lot of benefit with this change.
Cor : She got a lot of benefit from this change.

Inc :Who is lkely to benefit for his death?
Cor : Who is lkely to benefit from/by his death?

* Cover with
Inc:We covered the body by a sheet.
Cor : We covered the body with a sheet.

Inc:The mountains were covered by snow.
Cor : The mountains were covered with snow.

*Deprive=take away
Inc:He was deprived from his paternal property.
Cor: He was deprived for his paternal property.

Inc:This law will deprive us from our basic rights.
Cor: This law will deprive us of our basic rights.

* Exception:
Inc:This is an exception of the rule.
Cor:This is an exception to the rule.

Note:there is an phrase namely ‘with the exception of ’ to mean ‘except’

Inc:I enjoy every subject with the exception to Chemistry.
Cor: I enjoy every subject with the exception of or except Chemistry.

*Get rid =free oneself
Inc:I m trying to get rid from her.
Cor: I m trying to get rid of her.

Note:The word Rid can also be used as a verb and then also it takes the same Preposition after it.For example:
One day we shall be able to rid the world of this terrible disease

*Jealous = envious
Inc:He is very jealous with me.
Cor:He is very jealous of me.

Inc:They are jealous for my success.
Cor: They are jealous of my success.

*Prefer
Inc:I prefer coffee from/than tea.
Cor:I prefer coffe to tea

Note:Preferable also takes ‘to’ after it.

Inc:Death is preferable than dishonour.
Cor:Death is preferable to dishonour.

*Proud
Inc:He is very proud for his new car.
Cor: He is very proud of his new car.

Note:The noun from ‘pride’ is followed by ‘in’.
For example:
He takes great pride in his son.

*popular:
Inc:He is very popular among this people.
Cor: He is very popular with this people.

*Does +bare infinitive

Inc:Does he takes a bath everyday?
Cor: Does he take a bath everyday?

Inc: It does not rains here regularly.
Cor: It does not rain here regularly.

*Did+bare infinitive
Inc:Did u finished the work yesterday?
Cor: Did u finish the work yesterday?

Inc:He did not went there.
Cor:He did not go there.

*Can,willetc has no s/es form
Inc:He cans walk now.
Cor:He can work now.

*Modal+infinitive
Inc:It may to rain tonight.
Cor: It may rain tonight.

Inc:You should to obey your parents.
Cor: You should obey your parents.

Inc:He used visit me regularly.
Cor:He used to visit me regularly.

* Modal+infinitive
Inc:He can speaks English fluently.
Cor: He can speak English fluently.

Inc:They could not finished the work yesterday.
Cor: They could not finish the work yesterday.

*Modal+perfect infinitive
Inc:You should do it yesterday.
Cor: You should have done it yesterday.

Inc:It might rain last night.
Cor: It might have rained last night.

*’Had to’ for past obligation
Inc:I must go there yesterday.
Cor: I must to go there yesterday.

*Past tense for past action
Inc:I have visited him yesterday.
Cor: I visited him yesterday.

*Present simple
Inc:I am taking a walk every morning.
Cor: I take a walk every morning.

*Wish+Past simple
Inc:I would wish to be a bird.
Cor: I wish I were/was a bird a bird.

*As if+Past simple
Inc:She spends if she is very rich.
Cor: She spends if she were very rich.

*Taller/Harder
Inc:Zinia is taller from her mother.
Cor: Zinia is taller than her mother.

Inc:He works harder from me.
Cor: He works harder than me.

*Superior+To
Inc:This book is superior than that.
Cor: This book is superior to that.

*Double negatives
Inc:He is not afraid of nobody.
Cor: He is not afraid of anybody.

Or
He is afraid of  nobody.

*Glasses
Inc:He wears glass for reading.
Cor: He wears glasses for reading.

Inc:Where is my glass?
Cor: Where is my glasses?

*Listened to something
Inc:I was listening his song.
Cor: I was listening to his song.

Inc:She never listens my advice.
Cor: She never listens to my advice.

*Verb+s/es
Inc: He speak English very fluently.
Cor: He speaks English very fluently.

Inc:Nilu go to school regularly.
Cor: Nilu goes to school regularly.

*Do +s/es
Inc:DoTipu plays cricket?
Cor:DoesTipu play cricket?

*Possessives for comparisoion
Inc:A man’s dress is different from a women.
Cor:A man’s dress is different from a women’s.

Inc:My pen is better than your.
Cor:My pen is better than yours.

*The English
Inc:English are fond of sports.
Cor:The English are fond of sports.

Inc:Japanese are very diligent.
Cor:The Japanese are very diligent.

*Be+Present participle
Inc:Belal watching television now.
Cor:Belal is watching television now.

Inc:He sleeping then.
Cor:He was sleeping then.

*Do(Auxiliary)+do(main verb)
Inc:Do they their work regularly?
Cor: Do they do their work regularly?

*Had better

Inc:You better go home now.
Cor: You had better go home now.

*Enter+object
Inc:We entered into the building.
Cor: We entered  the building.

Note:But when “enter”means ‘take part in’,you need a preposition after it.For example:
He entered into a debate with us.

*Despite+noun
Inc:He came to the meeting despite of his illness.
Cor: He came to the meeting despite his illness.

*Abstract noun
Inc:The honesty is the best policy.
Cor: The honesty is the best policy.

*Material noun
Inc:The gold is a precious metal.
Cor:Gold is a precious metal.

*Name of the language
Inc:He speaks the English very fluently.
Cor: He speaks English very fluently.

*To school,to the school
Inc:My son goes to the school.
Cor:My son goes to school.

Inc:He goes to the mosqe on Friday.
Cor:He goes to mosque on Friday.

*Can+bareinfinitve
Inc:He can to swim well.
Cor: He can swim well.

Inc:She can not to dance well.
Cor:She cannot dance well.

*Let+bare infinitive
Inc:Please let me to go out.
Cor: Please let me go out.

*Sunject need not be repeated
Inc:I went to market and I bought fruit.
Cor: I went to market and bought fruit.

*”Return”=”come back”
Inc:She has returned back home.
Cor: She has returned home.

*Adverbial of time come
Inc:We last night went to the cinema.
Cor: We went to the cinema last night.

Inc:I two months ago went home.
Cor:We went home two months ago.

*Always,neveretccbefore principle verb
Inc:He speaks the truth always.
Cor:He always  speaks the truth.

Inc:She tells a lie never.
Cor:She never tells a lie.

*In and into(place)
Inc:We were sitting into his bedroom.
Cor:We were sitting in his bedroom.

Inc:We went in his bedroom.
Cor: We went into his bedroom.

*Beside and Besides
Inc:The lady sat besides me.
Cor:The lady sat beside me.

Inc:We studied French beside English.
Cor: We studied French besides English.

*Between and Among
Inc:There was a quarrel among the two girls.
Cor: There was a quarrel between the two girls.

Inc:She was lost between the crowd.
Cor: She was lost among the crowd.

*For and Since

Inc:He has been ill since four days.
Cor: He has been ill for four days.

Inc:He has been ill for Sunday last.
Cor: He has been ill since Sunday last.

*From And Since
Inc:It has been raining from morning.
Cor:It has been raining since morning.

Inc:They will work since Monday.
Cor: They will work from Monday.

*Say and tell
Inc:He said me a story.
Cor: He told me a story.

Inc:She told that she would go home.
Cor: :She said that she would go home.

*Speak and Tell
Inc:He spoke a lie.
Cor: He told a lie.

Inc:Do u tell English?
Cor: Do u speak English?

*Smoke and Drink
Inc:He drinks  20 cigarettes a day.
Cor:He smokes 20 cigerettes a day.

Inc:She smokes a lot of tea.
Cor: She drinks a lot of tea.

*Lie and Lay
Inc:I am going to lay down for an hour.
Cor: I am going to lie down for an hour.

Inc:Please lie the book on the table.
Cor: Please lay the book on the table.

*Sit and Seat
Inc:Please take your sit.
Cor: Please take your seat.

Inc:We seat at a desk to write a letter.
Cor: We sit at a desk to write a letter.

*Hanged and Hung
Inc:The criminal was hung last night.
Cor: The criminal was hanged last night.

Inc:We have hanged a picture on the wall.
Cor: We have hung a picture on the wall.

*See and look at
Inc:I looked at him crossing the road.
Cor:I saw him crossing the road.

Inc:He was seeing me again and again.
Cor: He was looking at me again and again.

*Remember and remind
Inc:I shall always remind that day.
Cor:I shall always remember that day.

Inc:I have forgotten his name.Will you remember me?
Cor: I have forgotten his name.Will you remind me of it?

*Study and read
Inc:Read French before you go to French.
Cor: Study French before you go to French.

Inc:He is studying a newspaper.
Cor: He is reading a newspaper.

*Hard and hardly
Inc:It is raining hardly.
Cor: It is raining hard.
*Many and much
Inc:He does not have much work.
Cor: He does not have many work.

Inc:I don’t have many money.
Cor: I don’t have much money.

*Few and a few
Inc:Though the test was easy,a few boys passed it.
Cor: Though the test was easy, few boys passed it.

Inc:Though the test was tough,few boys passed it.
Cor: Though the test was tough,a few boys passed it.

*A little and Little
Inc:I ate a little food and felt very bad.
Cor: I ate little food and felt very bad.

Inc:I ate little food and felt better.
Cor: I ate a little food and felt better.

*Older and Elder
Inc:The building is elder that that one.
Cor: The building is older that that one.

Inc:My older broher is a doctor.
Cor: My elder broher is a doctor.

*Interesting and interested
Inc:This is a very interested book.
Cor:This is a very interesting book.

Inc:I am interesting in music.
Cor: I am interested in music.

*Ill and Sick
Inc:He has been sick for about a month.
Cor: He has been ill for about a month.

Inc:The bad smell is made me ill.
Cor: The bad smell is made me sick.

*Hot and Warm
Inc:The handle is too warm to touch.
Cor: The handle is too hot to touch.

Inc:It’s a lovely hot room.
Cor: It’s a lovely warm room.

*Play and Game
Inc:Let’s  have a play of cards.
Cor: Let’s  have a game of cards.

Inc:Football is a popular play.
Cor: Football is a popular game.

*Men and People
Inc:The streets were full of men.
Cor: The streets were full of people.

Inc:People are physically stronger than women.
Cor: Men are physically stronger than women.

*Advice
Inc:He gave me some good advices.
Cor: He gave me some good advice

*News
Inc:I have some newses for you.
Cor:I have some news for you.

Inc:All the newses are false.
Cor: All the news are false.

*Information
Inc:Could you give  me some informations about flights to Delhi?
Cor: Could you give  me some information about flights to Delhi?

*Furniture
Inc:There are many furnitures in his room.
Cor: There are many furniture in his room.

*Cattle
Inc:Thecattles are in the shed.
Cor: The cattle are in the shed.

Inc:He has twenty heads of cattle on his farm.
Cor: He has twenty head of cattle on his farm.

*Deer
Inc:I saw ten deers in the zoo.
Cor: I saw ten deer in the zoo.

*Glasses/spectacles
Inc:Where is my glass/spectacle?
Cor: Where is my glasses/spectacles?

*Riches
Inc:Rich has wings.
Cor: Riches have wings.

Inc:Hard work brought him vast rich.
Cor: Hard work brought him vast riches.

*News
Inc:The news are very sad.
Cor: The news is very sad.

*The rich
Inc:The rich is helping the flood affected people.
Cor: The rich are helping the flood affected people.

*Miles
Inc:Fifty miles are a long distance.
Cor: Fifty miles is a long distance.

*The English
Inc:The English is famous for his liking tea.
Cor: The English are famous for his likig tea.
*Measles
Inc:Measles are infectious.
Cor: Measles is an infectious disease.

*One of
Inc:One of the girls were absent from the class.
Cor: One of the girls was absent from the class.

*Everybody
Inc:Everybody were present there.
Cor:Everybody was present there.

*Fool and Foolosh
Inc:I said that he was a foolish.
Cor:I said that he was a fool.

Inc;He was absolutely fool.
Cor: He was absolutely foolish.