Learning English can be challenging, especially when it comes to grammar. Even advanced learners often make mistakes that can affect their fluency and confidence. The good news? These mistakes are easy to fix once you know what to look for!
In this blog post, we’ll explore 10 common English grammar mistakes that even advanced learners make, explain why they happen, and show you how to correct them. Let’s dive in!
1. Using “Since” vs. “For” in Present Perfect
❌: “I have lived here since five years.”
Why It Happens: Learners confuse “since” (used with a specific point in time) and “for” (used with a duration).
✅: “I have lived here for five years.”
Tip: Use “since” with a specific date or time (e.g., “since 2020”) and “for” with a period (e.g., “for five years”).
Explore Present Perfect / Present Perfect Continuous
2. Confusing “Few” vs. “A Few”
❌: “I have few friends.” (implies almost none)
Why It Happens: Learners don’t realize that “few” and “a few” have different meanings.
✅: “I have a few friends.” (implies some)
Tip: Use “few” to emphasize a small quantity (almost none) and “a few” to mean “some.”
Check out Quantifiers
3. Incorrect Use of Articles (a, an, the)
❌: “I saw a movie last night. Movie was great.”
Why It Happens: Learners forget to use “the” when referring to something specific.
✅: “I saw a movie last night. The movie was great.”
Tip: Use “the” when referring to something specific or already mentioned.
Check out Articles
4. Mixing Up “Its” and “It’s”
❌: “The dog wagged it’s tail.”
Why It Happens: Learners confuse the possessive pronoun “its” with the contraction “it’s” (it is).
✅: “The dog wagged its tail.”
Tip: Remember, “it’s” always means “it is” or “it has.” Use “its” for possession.
5. Using “Much” vs. “Many” with Countable/Uncountable Nouns
❌: “I don’t have much friends.”
Why It Happens: Learners don’t know that “much” is used with uncountable nouns, and “many” with countable nouns.
✅: “I don’t have many friends.”
Tip: Use “much” for uncountable nouns (e.g., “much water”) and “many” for countable nouns (e.g., “many books”).
6. Incorrect Word Order in Questions
❌: “Why you did not come?”
Why It Happens: Learners forget to invert the subject and auxiliary verb in questions.
✅: “Why did you not come?”
Tip: Always use the structure: Question Word + Auxiliary Verb + Subject + Main Verb.
7. Confusing “Say” and “Tell”
❌: “He said me to go.”
Why It Happens: Learners don’t realize that “say” is used without an object, while “tell” requires one.
✅: “He told me to go.”
Tip:
- Use “say” without an object (e.g., “He said hello”) and “tell” with an object (e.g., “He told me a story”).
- Remember, “Say something, tell someone“.
8. Using “Will” Instead of “Would” in Hypothetical Situations
❌: “If I will win the lottery, I will buy a car.”
Why It Happens: Learners use “will” instead of “would” in hypothetical or unreal situations.
✅: “If I won the lottery, I would buy a car.”
Tip: Use “would” (not “will”) in hypothetical sentences.
For a full explanation on modal verbs, click here.
Also, check out our post ! The Mystery of Modal Verbs: How to Use ‘Can’, ‘Could’, ‘May’, and ‘Might’ Correctly
9. Misusing “Make” and “Do”
❌: “I need to do a cake for the party.”
Why It Happens: Learners confuse “make” (creating something) and “do” (performing an action).
✅: “I need to make a cake for the party.”
Tip: Use “make” for creating or producing something (e.g., “make a decision”) and “do” for general actions (e.g., “do homework”).
To Learn more about do vs make, check out this Do vs. Make: Stop Making Mistakes and Do It Right!
10. Overusing “Very”
❌: “The movie was very good.”
Why It Happens: Learners rely too much on “very” to emphasize adjectives.
✅: “The movie was excellent.”
Tip: Use stronger adjectives instead of “very” + adjective (e.g., “very tired” → “exhausted”).
Bonus Tips for Mastering Grammar
- Practice Regularly: Use grammar exercises and quizzes to reinforce your learning.
- Read More: Reading books, articles, and blogs in English helps you internalize correct grammar.
- Use Tools: Try grammar checkers like Grammarly to catch mistakes in real-time.
- Learn from Mistakes: Keep a journal of your errors and review them regularly.
Conclusion
Grammar mistakes are a natural part of learning English, but they don’t have to hold you back. By understanding these 10 common errors and practicing regularly, you’ll sound more fluent and confident in no time.
For more tips, exercises, and resources, check out the other resources on our home page ! Happy Learning !
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