Common Mistakes in English

Hi folks!

I'm here in order to raise awareness of some common mistakes in English. These tips are quite helpful...hope you like it and make good use of it!

1) Everybody have problems.
Somebody,someone,anybody,anyone,everybody,etc. When these words are subjects they are used with singular verbs.

"Everybody HAS problems."

2)The news I heard yesterday were devastating.
The word 'news' is a singular noun.

" The news I heard yesterday WAS devastating."

3) Do you know where is the pub?

If an auxiliary verb is used, there is no need to change the position of the main verb.

" Do you know where the PUB IS?" or " Where is the pub?"

4) Both of them are not here.
In negative structure we normally use 'neither", instead of "both".

"NEITHER OF them IS here"

5) We don't have many informations about the robbery.
Information is an uncountable noun, so it has NO plural.

" We don't have MUCH INFORMATION anout the robbery."

6) My sister, that is a lawyer, works a lot.
A non-defining relative clause can't be replaced by "that".

" My sister, WHO is a lawyer,works a lot."

7) They have a ten-years-old child.
Adjectives in English have NO plural.

" They have a TEN-YEAR-OLD child.

8) Are the shops opened tomorow?
We use open, not opened,as an adjective.

" Are the shops OPEN tomorrow?"

9) How come are you always late?
Differently from questions starting with 'why", the verb DOS NOT change places in questions beggining with "how come".

" How come YOU ARE always late?"

10) Do you think this hair style fits me?
"Fit" refers to size and shape. "Suit" refers to style, color, etc.

" Do you think this hair style SUITS me?"

11) This is a nice hotel. Thanks for taking me here.
We use 'bring for movements to the place where the speaker or hearer is, but we use 'take' for movements to other places.

" This is a nice hotel. Thanks for BRINGING me here.

12) I am short-sighted. I am not seeing what is written there.
Some verbs are not usually used in the 'ing' form.

" I am short-sighted. I CAN'T SEE what is witten there.

13) YOu had better to go now.
We use 'had better' to give strong advice, and tell people what to do. There is no need to place the word 'to' before the verb.

" You had better GO now"

14) Will you marry with me?
Before a direct object, "marry" is used without propositions.

" WIll you MARRY ME?"

15) Can I lend your pen for a minute?
You'lend' someone something, but you 'borrow' something from someone.

"CAn I BORROW your pen for a minute?"

16) France is an European country.
Some words begin with a vowel, but the sound is of a CONSONANT. E.g. European, university,uniform,etc.

"France is A European country".

That's all people. Hope you've enjoyed it!

All the best ^^