Do you also make these mistakes when speaking English?
Don’t you think English is an interesting and fun language? It can be even more enjoyable and amusing when we speak it incorrectly, but never worry about it.
Even native English speakers may mix up some phrases and get confused with specific words. This section isSelMagzdesigned to introduce you to common mistakes made while speaking English so you can avoid them.
Using the wrong tense
We sometimes use the wrong tense for ourselves and others. For example, instead of saying “I didn’t say that,” we say “I didn’t said that.”
Many people confuse the present tense with the past tense, leading to incorrect speech. So, be careful to use the right tenses while speaking and don’t mix them up.
Starting every sentence with Basically or Like
The phrase “Basically, it’s like I always like to travel” is an example where using the word Basically is not appropriate. So, try to avoid overusing Basically and like at the beginning or between words of your sentences.
Doing this shows laziness or a lack of creativity in conversation, and it’s a common mistake that many English speakers in India also make.
Using two comparatives or superlatives together
As a general rule, remember that a sentence shouldn’t have two comparatives or two superlatives. For instance, “The pizza is more better than the one we had yesterday” is incorrect because better is a comparative that shouldn’t be used with another comparative like more. The correct form is: “The pizza is better than the one we had yesterday.”
The difference between Me and I
Consider the sentence “They are going to send my friend and I an invitation package.” If we remove “I,” the sentence becomes “They are going to send I a package,” which is incorrect.
The correct sentence would be: “They are going to send me a package.” Similarly, if we say “Rahul and me are going to the market,” and then remove me, it results in “Me am going to the market,” which is also incorrect. So, be careful not to make these mistakes in such sentences, and always place yourself last.
Using say and tell
Confusing these words leads to incorrect sentences and makes your speaking less appropriate. For example, the sentence “Say me your name” is wrong because say is usually used to express something in words. It’s also incorrectly used for requesting an action. The correct usage would be “Tell me your name.”
Incorrect use of Do and Does
A common mistake that occurs when speaking English is the incorrect use of these two words. Does is the singular form, while do is plural.
Does is used with the words he, she, or it, and do is used with I, you, we, or they. For example, their usage is shown in sentences like “He does not like that” or “They do not like that.”
Confusion between the words Revert and Revert back
The word revert means to return to a previous topic or condition. Adding back makes the sentence incorrect and unnecessary. So the sentence “I will revert soon” is correct, and you shouldn’t use “I will revert back soon.”
The difference between Cope up and cope up with
Most of us use cope with in speaking, but when in an informal conversation, it’s better to know the correct usage. Cope up is never used with with. For example, “Let’s cope with the hectic days” is correct. Adding up after cope makes the sentence incorrect.
