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’