50 MOST COMMON MISTAKES in English Grammar - Error Identification & Correction

Summary

This lesson guides English learners through 50 of the most common mistakes in grammar, vocabulary, and usage, offering clear explanations and corrections. Topics covered include subject-verb agreement, question formation, tenses, irregular verbs, modal verbs, conditionals, adjectives, prepositions, plurals, articles, and word choice. Each mistake is illustrated with examples, followed by the correct form and a concise rule to help learners understand and remember. The video emphasizes practical tips, such as using the correct tense, preposition, or comparative form, and clarifies tricky points like uncountable nouns and indirect questions, providing learners with actionable strategies to improve both spoken and written English.

Takeaways

• 😀 Subject-verb agreement is crucial: singular subjects use verbs with -s, plural subjects do not.
• 😀 In question formation, the auxiliary or helping verb comes first, followed by the subject and main verb.
• 😀 Present simple tense is used for occupations and general truths, while present continuous is for actions happening right now.
• 😀 Present perfect continuous requires 'have/has been' plus the verb -ing for actions starting in the past and continuing to the present.
• 😀 Use correct past tense and past participle forms for irregular verbs in past and present perfect sentences.
• 😀 After modal verbs, always use the base form of the main verb.
• 😀 Conditional sentences: do not use 'will' in the if-clause; past tense indicates unreal or hypothetical situations.
• 😀 Use -ed and -ing forms of adjectives correctly: -ing for cause, -ed for result.
• 😀 Countable vs uncountable nouns matter: use 'fewer' for countable and 'less' for uncountable nouns, and articles appropriately (a/an/the).
• 😀 Common vocabulary mistakes include using 'say' vs 'tell' correctly and using proper expressions like 'in my opinion' instead of 'according to me'.
• 😀 Time expressions: use 'ago' for past duration and 'since' vs 'for' correctly in perfect tenses.
• 😀 Plurals and uncountable nouns must be used accurately; irregular plurals and non-count nouns like 'equipment' and 'luggage' should be memorized.

Q & A

What is the rule for subject-verb agreement in English?

If the subject is 'I', 'You', 'We', 'They', or any plural noun, we use the base form of the verb without adding -s. If the subject is 'He', 'She', 'It', or any singular noun, we add -s to the verb in the present tense.

How should questions be properly formed in English?

In English, a question typically starts with a helping or auxiliary verb (like be, have, can, will) followed by the subject, then the main verb in its base form. If there is no auxiliary verb, we add 'do', 'does', or 'did' depending on the tense.

When should the present simple tense be used instead of the present continuous tense?

The present simple tense is used for permanent situations, general truths, or habitual actions. The present continuous tense (-ing form) is used for actions happening at the moment of speaking.

What is the difference between using 'for' and 'since' in the present perfect tense?

'For' is used to indicate the duration of an action (e.g., 'for two hours'), while 'since' is used to indicate the exact starting point of an action (e.g., 'since 5 o'clock').

How do irregular verbs differ from regular verbs in past tense forms?

Irregular verbs do not follow the regular -ed pattern for the past tense. Instead, they have unique past forms that need to be memorized, such as 'go' → 'went', 'spend' → 'spent', 'fall' → 'fell'.

What is the correct way to use modal verbs like 'can' or 'could'?

After a modal verb, the main verb should always be in its base form. For example, 'He could run fast' is correct, not 'He could running fast.'

How do you distinguish between -ed and -ing adjectives?

-ing adjectives describe the cause of a feeling (e.g., 'interesting lecture'), while -ed adjectives describe the effect on the person experiencing it (e.g., 'I am interested').

What is the difference between 'less' and 'fewer'?

'Less' is used with uncountable nouns (e.g., 'less water'), while 'fewer' is used with countable nouns (e.g., 'fewer books').

When should 'a' or 'an' be used before a noun?

'A' or 'an' is used before singular common nouns. 'An' is used before words that start with a vowel sound, not necessarily a vowel letter. For example, 'a university' is correct because 'university' starts with a /y/ sound.

How do you correctly use 'most' versus 'most of'?

'Most' is used when speaking generally (e.g., 'Most people have a computer'). 'Most of' is used when referring to a specific group (e.g., 'Most of the students in my class passed the exam').

What is the correct use of the verbs 'say' and 'tell' in reported speech?

'Say' does not take an indirect object, so you say 'He said that he needed money.' 'Tell' requires an indirect object, so you say 'He told me that he needed money.'

How do you form correct past conditionals for unreal situations?

For unreal past situations, use 'had' plus the past participle in the condition clause and 'would have' in the result clause. For example: 'If I had known it was your birthday, I would have bought you a present.'