Download - COMMON MISTAKES-English language

7/29/2019 COMMON MISTAKES-English language

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A CHECKLIST OF COMMON MISTAKES

What follows is a list of the most common language

mistakes occurring in student papers. We have arranged theerrors into grammatical categories. Study the list and avoid

making the same mistakes yourselves. [Click here to see all theCORRECT sentences] [Click here to see all the INCORRECT

sentences][Click here to see all the CORRECT and INCORRECT

sentences] [BAC1 students in English Literature should clickHERE to do to correct the mistakes interactively and will have

to enter their ULg "identifiant" and "mot de passe" to accessthe page. Others, whose work need not be monitored, can click

here.]

Correct usage is highlighted in green

[Misuse of the definite article][Prepositions][Pronouns][Negation][Verbforms][Possessive forms][Countable and uncountable nouns][Vocabulary]

[Miscellaneous errors][Interesting links]

The following sentences are the CORRECT versions.

Misuse of the definite article:

Abstract nouns do not normally take the definite article

when used in generalisations:

Right

The gang cannot distinguish Good from Evil'

She is afraid to enter/of entering the house to face reality

He prefers to live close to nature because he is afraid of death
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2. Prepositions:

wrong use of at after come:

They come home

We can follow the evolution of her state of mind through the

description of the house

wrong use of with instead of to:

Daisy is married to Tom

wrong use of to instead of with

The problem I am confronted with

wrong use of during instead of for:

She has not seen her son for eight years

wrong use of since instead of for:

They have known each otherfor eight years

wrong use of in the whole of instead of throughout:

throughout the story

wrong use of in instead of inside :

She is unaware of the conflict happening inside her

wrong use of in instead of into:

She only wants to get into her sons room

wrong use of as instead of like:
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3/28

She felt like a stranger

wrong use of of instead of with:

They cause Mrs Carnavon to be disgusted with herself

wrong use of of instead of by:

In this story by Doris Lessing

wrong use of of instead of for:

I think there are two reasons for the fact that she decides to clear

the room

She feels confused, and the reason for this is to be found in

wrong use of that instead of as:

The second waiter feels the same as the old man

wrong use of to instead of with after confront:

They are confronted with an inextricable situation

wrong use of to instead of at after arrive:

She must arrive at a decision

wrong use of explain without to:

This story explains to us how we must look beyond the

appearance of things

wrong use of say without to:

He saidto him/told him that he liked the house

wrong use of present without with:


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John OHara presents us with the evolution of a mothers state

of mind

Pronouns:

wrong use of him/her instead of himself/herself(when

the object and the subject are the same person):

She sees herselffrom a certain distance

wrong use ofwho (personal pronoun) instead of which

(impersonal pronoun):

The wolf, which is a wild animal

wrong use of the one of instead of that of:

Mrs Carnavons behaviour is that ofa depressed person

The third image is that ofthe magazine

Negation:

wrong use of also not instead of nor:

He felt no qualm of conscience, nor any regret

wrong use of not anymore instead of no longer:

She must go back home because it is no longerpossible to stay

in France

Verb forms

Inconsistent tenses:
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5/28

Her stepfather often comes to see her. One day he asks her..

Wrong use of the present continuous instead of the present

simple:

The atmosphere is tense and the authorintensifies it further with

words like

Wrong use of the infinitive instead of the present participle:

This is a way to protect herself and to avoid showing what she

really feels

This shows that she is not used to going into her sons room

Wrong use of the present participle instead of the infinitive:

This scene explains her decision to get rid of Harrys

belongings

Wrong use of a that subclause instead of the infinitive:

He would like the old man to leave

She wants them to know

Wrong use of can instead of may:

When we watch movies we may ormaynot identify with the

characters

Wrong use of the present tense instead of the presentperfect:

Jim and Crystal Styan have lived/have been living in a log

cabin by a river for five years

Possessive forms

Wrong use of whos instead of whose:


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The story is about a woman whose son has died

Wrong use of its instead of its:

This is an intriguing story, its setting is significant

Wrong use of the definite article in possessive forms:

The Spielberg film / Spielbergs film

Countable and uncountable nouns

Wrong use of informations instead of information:

We are given much information about the characters thoughts

Wrong use of evidences instead of evidence:

We have little evidence that the author is being ironic

Vocabulary

Wrong use of admit instead of accept:

Her son is dead and she cant accept it

Wrong use of accept instead of agree:

He agreed to come to the cinema

Wrong use of actual instead of current:

'The article is in the current edition ofLe Monde Diplomatique

Wrong use of current instead of common:
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7/28

The story offers a metaphor for a common misunderstanding

between generations

Wrong use of good instead of right/correct:

Mrs Carnavon tries to take the right/correct decision

Wrong use of good instead of well:

They knew each other really well

Wrong use of good instead of effective:

The description of the place is most effective

Wrong use of loose instead of lose:

She does not want to lose her memories of him

Wrong use of remember instead of remind:

She decides to remove all the things which could remind her of

her son

Wrong use of support instead of bear or stand:

She does this because she cant bear/stand seeing the door

locked

Wrong use of this instead of it is (as a translation of

cest) at the beginning of sentences:

It is here that the story really begins

Wrong use of according to me instead of in my opinion

(in my view, as I see it, etc.):

In my opinion, the title of the story reflects Mrs Carnavons

state of mind


8/28

Wrong use of tell instead of speak:

In this story Kate Chopin speaks about social class

Wrong use of make instead of do:

But we dont know what her husband does to her

Wrong use ofdevelop instead of analyse:

I will now analyse the symbolism of the house

Wrong use of remark instead of notice:

He wants to talk to her but then notices that

Wrong use of find again instead of rediscover:

She want to rediscover the traces of his existence

Wrong use of project instead of plan:

She has to do what she planned

Wrong use of decease instead of die:

Time stopped when Harry died

Wrong use of get in instead of enter:

As soon as she enters the house

Wrong use of critic instead of review

I have read a very good review of that book

Miscellaneous:


9/28

Always use full forms in formal essays:

cannot, will not, who would, we are, etc.

Confusion of noun with adjectival form, e.g. ironic instead

of irony:

The last sentence of the story is ironic

Confusion of the noun form with the infinitive, e.g.

apologies with apologize:

I must apologize for being late

Wrong use of News with are instead of is:

What is the latest news?

Failure to capitalise days of the week and adjectives of

nationality:

See you on Wednesday

His behaviour is classically British

Interesting links:

[Common errors compiled by the Virtual Language Centre]

[Common errors in English]

Incorrect usage is highlighted in red
http://vlc.polyu.edu.hk/commonhttp://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.htmlhttp://www2.ulg.ac.be/facphl/uer/d-german/remed/check.htm#table%23tablehttp://vlc.polyu.edu.hk/commonhttp://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html


10/28



The following sentences are the WRONG ones


Abstract nouns do not normally take the definite articlewhen used in generalisations:

Wrong

The gang cannot distinguishtheGood from theEvil

She is afraid to enter the house, to facethe reality

He prefers to live close tothenature because he is afraid ofthedeath

Prepositions:

at after come:

They comeathome

We can follow the evolution of her state of mind by the description ofthe house

with instead of to:

Daisy is marriedwithTom

to instead of with

The problem I am confronted to

during instead of for:

She has not seen her sonduringeight years

since instead of for:

They have known each othersinceeight years
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11/28

in the whole of instead of throughout:

In the wholestory

in instead of inside :

She is unaware of the conflict happeninginher

in instead of into:

She only wants to getin her sons room

as instead of like:

She feltasa stranger

of instead of with:

They cause Mrs Carnavon to be disgusted ofherself

of instead of by:

In this storyofDoris Lessing

of instead of for:

I think there are two reasonsofthe fact that she decides to clear the

room

She feels confused, and the reasonofthis is to be found in

that instead of as:

The second waiter feels the samethat the old man

to instead of with after confront:

They are confrontedto an inextricable situation

to instead of at after arrive:


12/28

She must arrive to a decision

explain without to:

This story explains us how we must look beyond the appearance of

things

say without to:

Hesaid himthat he liked the house

present without with:

John OHarapresents usthe evolution of a mothers state of mind

Pronouns:

him/her instead of himself/herself(when the object andthe subject are the same person):

She seesher from a certain distance

who (personal pronoun) instead of which (impersonalpronoun):

The wolf,who is a wild animal

the one of instead of that of:

Mrs Carnavons behaviour isthe one of a depressed person

The third image isthe one ofthe magazine

Negation:

also not instead of nor:

He felt no qualm of conscience, andalso not any regret


13/28

not anymore instead of no longer:

She must go back home because it is notpossibleanymore to stay in

France

Verb forms


Her stepfather often comes to see her. One day heasked her

Use of the present continuous instead of the present

simple:

The atmosphere is tense and the author is still intensifying it with words

like

Use of the infinitive instead of the present participle:

This is a way to protectherself and to avoidto showwhat she really

feels

This shows that she is not used to go into her sons room

Use of the present participle instead of the infinitive:

This scene explains her decisionof getting rid of Harrys belongings

Use of a that subclause instead of the infinitive:

He would likethatthe old manleaves

She wantsthat theyknow

can instead of may:

When we watch movies wecan orcannotidentify with the characters

Use of the present tense instead of the present perfect:

Jim and Crystal Styanlivein a log cabin by a river for five years


14/28

Possessive forms

whos instead of whose:

The story is about a womanwhos son has died

its instead of its:

This is an intriguing story,its setting is significant

use of the definite article in possessive forms:

TheSpielbergs film


informations instead of information:

We are givenmany informations about the characters thoughts

evidences instead of evidence:

We havefew evidences that the author is being ironic

Vocabulary

admit instead of accept:

Her son is dead and she cantadmit

it

accept instead of agree:

Heaccepted to come to the cinema

actual instead of current:
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15/28

The article is in theactualedition ofLe Monde Diplomatique

current instead of common:

The story offers a metaphor for a currentmisunderstanding between

generations

good instead of right/correct:

Mrs Carnavon tries to take thegood decision

good instead of well:

They knew each other reallygood

good instead of effective:

The description of the place is mostgood

loose instead of lose:

She does not want toloose her memories of him

remember instead of remind:

She decides to remove all the things which couldremember her of her

son

support instead of bear or stand:

She does this because she cantsupport seeing the door locked

this instead of it is (as a translation of cest) at thebeginning of sentences:

This is here that the story really begins

according to me instead of in my opinion (in my view,

as I see it, etc.):

According to me, the title of the story reflects Mrs Carnavons state of


16/28

mind

tell instead of speak:

In this story Kate Chopintells about social class

make instead of do:

But we dont know what her husband makes her

develop instead of analyse:

I will nowdevelop the houses symbolism

remark instead of notice:

He wants to talk to her but then remarks that

find again instead of rediscover:

She wants tofind again the traces of his existence

project instead of plan:

She has to do what sheprojected

decease instead of die:

Time stopped when Harrydeceased

get in instead of enter:

As soon as shegets in the house

critic instead of review

I have read a very goodcritic of that book

Miscellaneous:


17/28

Always use full forms in formal essays; never use thefollowing:

cant, wont, whod, were, etc.

Confusion of noun with adjectival form, e.g. irony insteadof ironic:

The last sentence of the story isirony

Confusion of the noun form with the infinitive, e.g.apologies with apologize:

I must apologies for being late

News with are instead of is:

Whatare the latest news?

Failure to capitalise days of the week and adjectives of

nationality:

See you onwednesday

His behaviour is classicallybritish

Interesting links:



Correct usage is highlighted ingreen on the left

Incorrect usage is highlighted in

red on the right
http://vlc.polyu.edu.hk/commonhttp://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.htmlhttp://www2.ulg.ac.be/facphl/uer/d-german/remed/check.htm#table%23tablehttp://vlc.polyu.edu.hk/commonhttp://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html


18/28




Abstract nouns do not normally take the definite article

when used in generalisations:

Right Wrong

The gang cannot distinguish

Good from EvilThe gang cannot distinguishthe

Good from theEvil

She is afraid to enter/of

entering the house to face

reality

She is afraid to enter the house, to

facethe reality

He prefers to live close to

nature because he is afraid of

death

He prefers to live close tothenature because he is afraid ofthedeath

Prepositions:

at after come:

They come home They comeathome

We can follow the evolution of

her state of mind through the

description of the house

We can follow the evolution of

her state of mind by the description

of the house

with instead of to:

Daisy is married to Tom Daisy is marriedwithTom

to instead of with

The problem I am confronted

withThe problem I am confronted to

during instead of for:
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19/28

She has not seen her son for

eight yearsShe has not seen her sonduring

eight years

since instead of for:

They have known each other

for eight yearsThey have known each othersinceeight years

in the whole of instead of throughout:

throughout the story In the wholestory

in instead of inside :

She is unaware of the conflicthappening inside her

She is unaware of the conflict

happeninginher

in instead of into:

She only wants to get into her

sons roomShe only wants to getin her sonsroom

as instead of like:

She felt like a stranger She feltasa stranger

of instead of with:

They cause Mrs Carnavon to be

disgusted with herselfThey cause Mrs Carnavon to bedisgusted ofherself

of instead of by:

In this story by DorisLessing

In this storyofDoris Lessing

of instead of for:

I think there are two reasons I think there are two reasonsofthefact that she decides to clear the


20/28

for the fact that she decides to

clear the roomroom

She feels confused, and the

reason for this is to be found

in

She feels confused, and the reason

ofthis is to be found in

that instead of as:

The second waiter feels the

same as the old manThe second waiter feels the same

that the old man

to instead of with after confront:

They are confronted with an

inextricable situationThey are confrontedto an

inextricable situation

to instead of at after arrive:

She must arrive at a decision She must arrive to a decision

explain without to:

This story explains to us how

we must look beyond theappearance of things

This story explains us how we

must look beyond the appearance ofthings

say without to:

He saidto him/told him that he

liked the houseHesaid himthat he liked thehouse

present without with:

John OHara presents us with

the evolution of a mothers state

of mind

John OHarapresents usthe

evolution of a mothers state ofmind


21/28

Pronouns:

him/her instead of himself/herself(when the object and

the subject are the same person):

She sees herselffrom a certaindistance

She seesher from a certaindistance

who (personal pronoun) instead of which (impersonal

pronoun):

The wolf, which is a wild

animalThe wolf,who is a wild animal

the one of instead of that of:

Mrs Carnavons behaviour is

that ofa depressed personMrs Carnavons behaviour isthe

one of a depressed person

The third image is that ofthe

magazineThe third image isthe one ofthe

magazine

Negation:

also not instead of nor:

He felt no qualm of conscience,

nor any regretHe felt no qualm of conscience, and

also not any regret

not anymore instead of no longer:

She must go back home

because it is no longerpossible

to stay in France

She must go back home because itis notpossibleanymore to stay in

France


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Verb forms


Her stepfather often comes to

see her. One day he asks her..Her stepfather often comes to seeher. One day heasked her

Use of the present continuous instead of the present

simple:

The atmosphere is tense and the

authorintensifies it further with

words like

The atmosphere is tense and the

author is still intensifying it with

words like

Use of the infinitive instead of the present participle:

This is a way to protect herself

and to avoid showing what she

really feels

This is a way to protectherself and

to avoidto showwhat she reallyfeels

This shows that she is not used

to going into her sons roomThis shows that she is not used to

go into her sons room

Use of the present participle instead of the infinitive:

This scene explains her

decision to get rid of Harrys

belongings

This scene explains her decisionof

getting rid of Harrys belongings

Use of a that subclause instead of the infinitive:

He would like the old man to

leave

He would likethatthe old man

leaves

She wants them to know She wantsthat theyknow

can instead of may:

When we watch movies we

may ormaynot identify with

When we watch movies wecan or

cannotidentify with the characters


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the characters

Use of the present tense instead of the present perfect:

Jim and Crystal Styan havelived/have been living in a log

cabin by a river for five years

Jim and Crystal Styanlivein a logcabin by a river for five years

Possessive forms

whos instead of whose:

The story is about a woman

whose son has diedThe story is about a woman

whos son has died

its instead of its:

This is an intriguing story, its

setting is significant

This is an intriguing story,its

setting is significant

use of the definite article in possessive forms:

The Spielberg film /

Spielbergs filmTheSpielbergs film


informations instead of information:

We are given much

information about the

characters thoughts

We are givenmany informationsabout the characters thoughts


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evidences instead of evidence:

We have little evidence that

the author is being ironicWe havefew evidences that theauthor is being ironic

Vocabulary

admit instead of accept:

Her son is dead and she cant

accept itHer son is dead and she cantadmitit

accept instead of agree:

He agreed to come to the

cinemaHeaccepted to come to the cinema

actual instead of current:

'The article is in the current

edition ofLe Monde

Diplomatique

The article is in theactualeditionofLe Monde Diplomatique

current instead of common:

The story offers a metaphor for

a common misunderstanding

between generations

The story offers a metaphor for a

currentmisunderstanding between

generations

good instead of right/correct:

Mrs Carnavon tries to take theright/correct decision Mrs Carnavon tries to take thegood decision

good instead of well:

They knew each other really

wellThey knew each other reallygood


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good instead of effective:

The description of the place is

most effectiveThe description of the place is most

good

loose instead of lose:

She does not want to lose her

memories of himShe does not want toloose her

memories of him

remember instead of remind:

She decides to remove all the

things which could remind her

of her son

She decides to remove all the

things which couldremember her

of her son

support instead of bear or stand:

She does this because she cant

bear/stand seeing the door

locked

She does this because she cant

support seeing the door locked

this instead of it is (as a translation of cest) at thebeginning of sentences:

It is here that the story really

beginsThis is here that the story really

begins

according to me instead of in my opinion (in my view,as I see it, etc.):

In my opinion, the title of the

story reflects Mrs Carnavons

state of mind

According to me, the title of the

story reflects Mrs Carnavons stateof mind

tell instead of speak:

In this story Kate Chopin

speaks about social classIn this story Kate Chopintells

about social class


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make instead of do:

But we dont know what her

husband does to herBut we dont know what herhusband makes her

develop instead of analyse:

I will now analyse the

symbolism of the houseI will nowdevelop the houses

symbolism

remark instead of notice:

He wants to talk to her but then

notices thatHe wants to talk to her but then

remarks that

find again instead of rediscover:

She want to rediscover the

traces of his existenceShe wants tofind again the traces

of his existence

project instead of plan:

She has to do what she

plannedShe has to do what sheprojected

decease instead of die:

Time stopped when Harry

died

Time stopped when Harry

deceased

get in instead of enter:

As soon as she enters the

houseAs soon as shegets in the house

critic instead of review

I have read a very good review

of that bookI have read a very goodcritic of

that book


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Miscellaneous:

Always use full forms in formal essays:

cannot, will not, who

would, we are, etc.cant, wont, whod, were,etc.

Confusion of noun with adjectival form, e.g. ironic instead

of irony:

The last sentence of the story is

ironicThe last sentence of the story is

irony

Confusion of the noun form with the infinitive, e.g.

apologies with apologize:

I must apologize for being late I must apologies for being late

News with are instead of is:

What is the latest news? Whatare the latest news?

Failure to capitalise days of the week and adjectives ofnationality:

See you on Wednesday See you onwednesday

His behaviour is classically

BritishHis behaviour is classically

british

Interesting links:


http://vlc.polyu.edu.hk/commonhttp://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.htmlhttp://www2.ulg.ac.be/facphl/uer/d-german/remed/check.htm#table%23tablehttp://www2.ulg.ac.be/facphl/uer/d-german/remed/check.htm#table%23tablehttp://vlc.polyu.edu.hk/commonhttp://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html


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