Learning English can be fun, exciting—and sometimes confusing. Even advanced learners slip up now and then, often without realizing it. But don’t worry! In this article, we’ll walk through 10 of the most common English mistakes learners make and give you simple tips to avoid them.
Let’s dive in!
1. Confusing “Say,” “Tell,” and “Speak”
🔸 Mistake: “She told that she was tired.”
🔸 Correct: “She said that she was tired.” or “She told me that she was tired.”
🧠Tip:
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Use “say” when there’s no listener: He said he was busy.
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Use “tell” when there’s a listener: She told me the news.
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Use “speak” for formal or general talking: I spoke to the manager.
2. Misusing “Since” and “For”
🔸 Mistake: “I have lived here since five years.”
🔸 Correct: “I have lived here for five years.”
🧠Tip:
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Use “since” with a starting point: since 2019
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Use “for” with a period of time: for 3 years
3. Wrong Word Order in Questions
🔸 Mistake: “You like coffee?”
🔸 Correct: “Do you like coffee?”
🧠Tip:
In questions, use the helping verb before the subject:
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Do you like…?
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Are you ready…?
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Can she swim…?
4. Overusing the Present Continuous
🔸 Mistake: “I am knowing the answer.”
🔸 Correct: “I know the answer.”
🧠Tip:
Some verbs (called stative verbs) like know, love, believe, need usually don’t take the continuous form. Use the simple present instead.
5. Using “He” or “She” for Objects and Animals
🔸 Mistake: “My car is old. He is breaking down.”
🔸 Correct: “My car is old. It is breaking down.”
🧠Tip:
Use “it” for things and most animals, unless the animal is a pet or the gender is important.
6. Incorrect Prepositions
🔸 Mistake: “I’m good in cooking.”
🔸 Correct: “I’m good at cooking.”
🧠Tip:
Prepositions are tricky! Some common collocations:
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Good at something
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Interested in something
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Afraid of something
7. Translating Directly from Your Language
🔸 Mistake: “I have 25 years.” (from Spanish or French structure)
🔸 Correct: “I am 25 years old.”
🧠Tip:
Every language has its own structure. Avoid word-for-word translation. Focus on English expressions and grammar patterns.
8. Forgetting the “S” in the Third Person Singular
🔸 Mistake: “She work in a hospital.”
🔸 Correct: “She works in a hospital.”
🧠Tip:
In the present simple, add -s or -es to verbs when using he/she/it:
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He eats
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She watches
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It runs
9. Using “Too” Instead of “Very”
🔸 Mistake: “This movie is too good!”
🔸 Correct: “This movie is very good!”
🧠Tip:
“Too” usually means more than necessary or a negative degree:
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It’s too hot to go outside.
Use “very” to say something is strong or extreme in a positive way.
10. Confusing Countable and Uncountable Nouns
🔸 Mistake: “I have many money.”
🔸 Correct: “I have much money.” or “I have a lot of money.”
🧠Tip:
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Use many for countable nouns: many books, many apples
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Use much or a lot of for uncountable nouns: much water, a lot of information
Final Thoughts
Mistakes are part of learning—and they help you grow! The key is to notice, practice, and correct. With time, these common English errors will become part of your past.
Want to practice more? Try writing your own sentences using the examples above—or better yet, record yourself speaking to check for these patterns.
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