8 Common Grammar Mistakes in English!

Summary

In this lesson, Rebecca from engVid reviews eight common mistakes that English learners frequently make in grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation. Through simple examples, she explains the correct usage of phrases such as "this morning" instead of "today morning," "difference" instead of "different," and "two years ago" instead of "two years before." She also highlights errors with compound adjectives, reflexive verbs like "enjoy myself," and the spelling difference between "lose" and "loose." Additionally, she corrects the pronunciation of "academic" and explains why "free time" should not use the article "a." The lesson encourages learners to notice these common errors and improve their English accuracy through practice.

Takeaways

• 😀 Always say 'This morning' instead of 'Today morning' when referring to events that happened earlier today.
• 😀 Use the noun 'difference' rather than the adjective 'different' when asking 'What's the difference?'.
• 😀 Use 'ago' instead of 'before' when referring to a specific time in the past without another reference point (e.g., 'I met John two years ago').
• 😀 When describing a course length as an adjective, do not pluralize the unit: 'six-month course', not 'six-months course'.
• 😀 Reflexive verbs like 'enjoy' require the reflexive pronoun: 'I really enjoyed myself.'
• 😀 Spelling matters: 'lose' (opposite of find) vs. 'loose' (not tight).
• 😀 Correct pronunciation is important; stress the middle of 'academic' rather than mispronouncing it.
• 😀 'Time' is uncountable, so do not say 'a free time'; simply say 'free time'.
• 😀 English learners often make common mistakes, but recognizing them can improve both writing and speaking skills.
• 😀 Utilizing online resources such as engVid lessons or compiled error lists can help systematically improve grammar and usage.

Q & A

What is the common error in the sentence 'Today morning I woke up late'?

The error is that 'Today morning' is incorrect. The correct phrase should be 'This morning'. We do not say 'Today morning' in English.

Why is 'What's the different?' grammatically incorrect?

The word 'different' is an adjective, and when asking about a difference, you should use the noun form 'difference'. The correct sentence is 'What's the difference?'

How should you correctly say 'I met John two years before'?

The correct expression is 'I met John two years ago'. The word 'before' requires a time reference, such as 'before I graduated'.

What’s the mistake in 'This is a six-months course'?

'Six-months' is incorrect because when referring to a period of time used as an adjective, we do not pluralize it. The correct phrase is 'This is a six-month course'.

What is the issue with the sentence 'Thank you. I really enjoyed'?

The error here is related to reflexive verbs. The correct sentence should be 'I really enjoyed myself'. Reflexive verbs in English require the reflexive pronoun (myself, yourself, etc.) after the verb.

What’s the correct spelling of the verb in 'Did you loose your cellphone'?

The correct spelling is 'lose'. 'Loose' is an adjective meaning 'not tight', while 'lose' means 'to misplace'. The correct sentence is 'Did you lose your cellphone?'

How should the word 'academic' be pronounced correctly?

The correct pronunciation of 'academic' stresses the middle syllable: 'ac-A-de-mic'. Many people mispronounce it as 'a-ca-demic', but the emphasis should be on the second syllable.

Why should 'Yes, I have a free time' be corrected?

The phrase 'free time' is uncountable, so we don’t use 'a' before it. The correct sentence should be 'Yes, I have free time.'

What kind of English errors are addressed in this lesson?

This lesson focuses on common grammatical mistakes in English, including incorrect word usage, incorrect pluralization, reflexive verbs, and pronunciation issues.

How can learners improve their English based on this lesson?

Learners can visit the engVid website, which offers over 700 lessons on various aspects of English grammar and language. Additionally, a resource showing 50 common English errors is available to help learners avoid common mistakes.