While your main focus might be to improve your fluency in English or your overall communication skills, my own individual students seem to appreciate it when I give feedback on their progress, including highlighting any common mistakes.
The idea is to look at this positively.
Now you know that you’re making a mistake, and we can focus on how to either correct it for next time, or find a better way of getting across the message you’d like to communicate.
Can you spot the mistakes below?
Level: B1 and B2+
Please cross out what you think is wrong and correct it. Also ask yourself if it comes from your language – it could reveal a difference between how you say things in your mother tongue and how we say it in English.
Good luck 😉
1. It was very unpolite of her to burp in front of me like that.
2. On one side, I’m happy to leave Prague. On the other side, I’m sure I’ll miss it.
3. I have always 2 credit cards on me.
4. If I would need to borrow more money, I would do it.
5. Simon – Do you agree that this is a problem?
Mark – I think that yes.
6. [as your mobile is ringing] “I don’t answer it.”
7. I’m watching the American news quite often.
8. One of our biggest customer is struggling.
9. It depends on the people who involved in the process.
10. If you think you’re important person, you can buy Lexus.
11. It’s important to listen people.
12. He should to know.
13. People is very friendly there.
14. I have good relationship with my mother.
15. It depends what do you need.
16. It’s could be true.
17. I want to get haircut.
18. They spend a lot of money for their appearance.
19. It’s not so good question.
20. In Slovakia we don’t have so good schools.
Answers and notes
Check your answers here – after you’ve printed out the list above and tried to find the mistakes 🙂
1. It was very impolite of her to burp in front of me like that.
nb. Phrases with side can be found here (scroll down the page).
2. On one hand/on the one hand, I’m happy to leave Prague. On the other hand, I’m looking forward to the future.
This mistake came from a French speaker: in French ‘side‘ is used.
3. I always have 2 credit cards on me.
Also from French: j’ai toujours…
4. If I needed to borrow more money, I would do it.
Note that the ‘would/modal verb’ comes in the second clause, followed by the main verb.
5. Simon – Do you agree that this is a problem?
Mark – I think so.
French and other speakers often say this. In English we say “I think so” or “I don’t think so.”
6. [as your mobile is ringing] “I won’t answer it.”
We use WILL or in fact ‘ll when we make a decision now about what we’ll do or won’t do now or in the future:
I’ll cook for you tonight, darling.
I’ll send her a message.
7. I watch the American news quite often.
I have a few students right now who mix present simple with present continuous. When you’re speaking about habits and things you do as part of your routine, we use present simple:
I often go swimming.
I watch TV every morning before work.
I always have a glass of wine in the evening.
nb We use present continuous with ‘always‘ to communicate that there is something we don’t like about a particular habit or to make fun of someone. In short, there’s an emotional aspect in the following sentences:
You’re always snoring!
She’s always buying him chocolates.
8. One of our biggest customers is struggling.
One of my favourite actors is…
One of my favourite films is..
One of my favourite clubs is..
One of the best countries I’ve visited is..
9. It depends on the people who are involved in the process.
or
It depends on the people involved in the process.
10. If you think you’re an important person, you can buy a Lexus.
11. It’s important to listen to people.
12. He should know.
No ‘to‘ after should, must, can’t, can, might, may, could.
13. (The) People are very friendly there.
14. I have a good relationship with my mother.
15. It depends what you need.
Note:
Direct question: What do you need?
But:
-> It depends what you need.
-> Can you tell me what you need?
-> Please tell me what you need.
-> I’d like to know what you need.
16. It could be true.
17. I want to get a haircut.
18. They spend a lot of money on their appearance.
19. It’s not such a good question.
20. In Slovakia we don’t have such good schools.
SO v. SUCH
…
It’s such a good play.
It’s such a pretty city.
He’s such a great player.
She’s such a beautiful woman.
The play is so good.
Prague is so pretty.
Tom Simms is so talented.
She’s so beautiful.
Can you see the pattern here?
Though do note:
so little time
so much rice
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Photo credits
Image Peter Cuba
Licence: CC by 2.0
Great post.
I think those are common mistakes at intermediate level, some of them probably caused by language interference.
Hi Francisco – definitely, and although these come from individual lessons last week, they’re all very common among learners at B1 and B2 level. And some mistakes seem to take longer than others to iron out..
David