Top Mistakes English Learners Make

Level: B1. The same handful of mistakes appear in almost every learner’s English, and each one comes from a clear pattern. Fix the pattern once and you correct it everywhere. For each error below you get the wrong version, the right version, and the reason — with a link to the grammar page that drills it.

By the end of this page you can…

…recognise the most frequent English errors in your own writing and speaking, and know which rule fixes each one.

1. The missing third-person -s

With he, she and it in the present simple, the verb takes -s.

• ✗ She work in a bank.
• ✓ She works in a bank.
• Why: present simple adds -s for he/she/it. It drops again in questions and negatives — Does she work?, She does not work — because does already carries it. See present simple.

2. A dropped article

Most singular countable nouns need a, an or the in front.

• ✗ I have car.
• ✓ I have a car.
• Why: a singular countable noun rarely stands alone. Use a/an for one of many, the for a specific one both of you know. See a and an.

3. Make vs do

English fixes certain verbs to certain nouns. You cannot swap them.

• ✗ I did a mistake.
• ✓ I made a mistake.
• Why: these are collocations — fixed combinations. You make a mistake, a decision and a plan; you do your homework, the washing-up and a job. See collocations.

4. The wrong preposition

Many verbs and adjectives take one fixed preposition that is not the one your first language would choose.

• ✗ It depends of the weather. · ✗ I am good in maths.
• ✓ It depends on the weather. · ✓ I am good at maths.
• Why: depend on, good at, interested in, listen to, arrive at/in — the preposition is part of the phrase and must be memorised with it. See verb + preposition.

5. Uncountable nouns made plural

Some nouns are uncountable: no plural -s, no a.

• ✗ I need some informations and an advice.
• ✓ I need some information and some advice.
• Why: information, advice, news, furniture, luggage and money are uncountable. To count them, use a unit: a piece of advice, two pieces of luggage. See countable and uncountable.

6. Much vs many

Use many with things you can count and much with things you cannot.

• ✗ How much people came? · ✗ I do not have many money.
• ✓ How many people came? · ✓ I do not have much money.
• Why: many goes with countable plurals (people, books); much goes with uncountables (money, time, water). In everyday positive sentences, a lot of works with both. See much and many.

7. -ed vs -ing adjectives

A feeling you have ends in -ed; a thing that causes the feeling ends in -ing.

• ✗ I am boring in this class.
• ✓ I am bored in this class.
• Why: I am bored describes how you feel; the class is boring describes the cause. The same split gives interested / interesting, tired / tiring, excited / exciting. See adjectives basics.

8. Say vs tell

Tell takes a person as its object; say usually does not.

• ✗ He said me the truth. · ✗ She told that she was late.
• ✓ He told me the truth. · ✓ She said that she was late.
• Why: you tell someone something, but you say something (to someone). See reported speech.

See the fixes side by side

Press play to hear the correct sentence:

1. She works in a bank.
   Third-person -s on the verb with she.
2. I have a car.
   A singular countable noun needs an article.
3. I made a mistake.
   You make a mistake, never do a mistake.
4. It depends on the weather.
   Depend takes on, not of.
5. I need some information.
   Information is uncountable — no plural -s.
6. How many people came?
   Many with countable plurals like people.
7. I am bored in this class.
   Bored is the feeling you have.
8. He told me the truth.
   Tell takes a person as its object.

Tools on this site

• Drill weak spots with the vocabulary quiz generator.
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Quick recap before you practise.

Practice

Practice

Correct the common mistakes

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 Fix the verb: My brother ____ in a hospital. (work, present simple)

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Hint: he / she / it takes -s

Show answer

works — Present simple adds -s for he, she and it: my brother works.

2 Which sentence is correct?

I have car. I have a car. I have the car for the first time. I have cars a.

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Show answer

I have a car. — A singular countable noun needs an article: I have a car.

3 Complete the collocation: Please do not ____ a mistake with the dates.

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Hint: not do

Show answer

make — English fixes this pair: you make a mistake, you do not do a mistake.

4 Choose the right preposition: Success depends ___ hard work.

of on from at

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Show answer

on — Depend takes the preposition on: it depends on hard work.

5 Which is correct?

I got two useful advices. I got two useful advice. I got two pieces of useful advice. I got a useful advices.

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Show answer

I got two pieces of useful advice. — Advice is uncountable; count it with a unit: a piece of advice.

6 Choose much or many: How ____ books did you read this year?

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Hint: books can be counted

Show answer

many — Use many with countable plurals like books.

7 Pick the correct adjective: The long flight was really ___, so I slept at once.

tired tiring tire tires

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tiring — The flight causes the feeling, so it is tiring; you are tired.

Quiz

Check yourself

Common English mistakes quiz

8 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

0/8 0 answered

1. 1Which sentence is correct?

   A She work in a bank. B She works in a bank. C She working in a bank. D She work in bank.
   Show answer

   She works in a bank. — Present simple adds -s for he, she and it: she works.

2. 2Choose the correct sentence.

   A I did a mistake. B I maked a mistake. C I made a mistake. D I do a mistake.
   Show answer

   I made a mistake. — The fixed pair is make a mistake; the past of make is made.

3. 3Complete: I am very ___ in history.

   A interesting B interested C interest D interests
   Show answer

   interested — You feel interested; a thing that causes the feeling is interesting.

4. 4Which preposition is right? Are you good ___ drawing?

   A in B on C at D of
   Show answer

   at — The fixed phrase is good at something.

5. 5Choose the correct sentence.

   A I need some informations. B I need an information. C I need some information. D I need informations.
   Show answer

   I need some information. — Information is uncountable: no plural -s and no a.

6. 6Pick the right word: There were too ___ cars on the road.

   A much B many C a much D lot
   Show answer

   many — Cars are countable, so use many.

7. 7Which sentence is correct?

   A He said me the news. B He told me the news. C He told the news to me the news. D He say me the news.
   Show answer

   He told me the news. — Tell takes a person as its object: he told me the news.

8. 8Choose the correct question.

   A Does she works here? B Do she work here? C Does she work here? D She works here?
   Show answer

   Does she work here? — In a question, does carries the -s, so the main verb stays plain: Does she work?

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