The Most Common Errors in English

[b]أحببت أن أقدم لكم موضوعاً جديداً كلياً ، يتحدث عن الأخطاء الشائعة في اللغة الإنجليزية والتي قد تٌواجه الدارس أو الدارسه سواءً من ينتمي لهذا التخصص أو التخصصات الأخرى ، وقد تشرفت بأن أكتب مقدمة هذا الموضوع ثم يليها مثال لكيفية فهم وإستيعاب محتوى هذا الموضوع و إختصاراً لوقتكم الذي ستقضونه في البحث سواءً في قواميس اللغة الإنجليزية أو في كٌتب القواعد وما إلى ذلك نتمنى أن يستفيد كل من يقرأ هذا الموضوع نظراً لأهميته

وما هذا العمل إلا جٌهد مشترك لمشرفي قسم اللغة الإنجليزية نتمنى أن يحوز على رضاكم ، وهو مأخوذ من جامعة كامبرج لإختبارات اللغة الإنجليزية

وكما هو مٌعتاد ستٌكتب الأخطاء كما هو معروف بالترتيب الأبجدي في اللغة الإنجليزية

[size=12]There’re a number of words and phrases which regularly cause difficulty for learners of English of all nationalities students often spend a lot of time ******ing through general dictionaries and grammars for information about these difficult items
This work is taken from a book titled 'Common Errors', of course it talks about the common mistakes that the speaker or writer might commit

We start with letter A

No 1: a

[size=12]x I hope you all have a enjoyable stay
√ I hope you all have an enjoyable stay

Always use an (Not a) before a word beginning with a vowel sound : ‘an egg’, ‘an envelope’
x My husband is doing a MSc in civil engineering
√ My husband is doing an MSc in civil engineering

Use an (Not a) before an abbreviation that begins with a vowel sound

x Sometimes it's difficult to live a honest life
√ Sometimes it's difficult to live an honest life

Use an (Not a) before words beginning with h when the h is not pronounced like an honor, an hour and so on

x A bottle of milk is in the fridge
√ There's a bottle of milk in the fridge
x A party will be at the language school
√ There will be a party at the language school

In many sentences, the verb be is used to mean 'exist' or 'take place', if the subject hasn't been mentioned before, it's placed immediately after the verb and the sentence begins with there

To Be Continued
Regards[/size][/b][/size]

No 2: a lot of

x She makes us do a lots of homework
√ She makes us do a lot of homework
√ She makes us do lots of homework

a lot of, or lots of WITHOUT a

No 3: above

x There were above a hundred people in the crowd
√ There were over a hundred people in the crowd

Don't use above with numbers (unless referring to points on a scale): ' He is over eighty years of age,' 'I receive over twenty letters a day,' But 'Don't let the temperature get above thirty degrees,'

No 4: above-mentioned

x I would be grateful if you would send it to the address above-mentioned
√ I would be grateful if you would send it to the above-mentioned address

Above-mentioned ALWAYS comes before the noun it modifies: 'above-mentioned person', 'above-mentioned company',

No 5: absent

x The sales manager was absent at the meeting
√ The sales manager was absent from the meeting

absent from, not at

x I went to her house at four o'clock but she was absent
√ I went to her house at four o'clock but she wasn't in

absent = not present at something that you're supposed to attend: absent from school

No 6: Accept

[size=12]x These people accept to take risks in order to succeed
√ These people accept the need to take risks in order to succeed

x The company will not accept to buy new machines
√ The company will not agree to buy new machines

We accept a person's advice, opinion, or suggestion
But agree to do something. Compare: 'I accepted her suggestion and agreed to see the doctor that evening'

x To tell you the truth, I can't accept people who think about money all the time
√ To tell you the truth, I can’t stand/bear/abide people who think about money all the time

can’t stand/bear/abide = can’t tolerate

No 7: accommodation

x I can’t find the right accomodation
√ I can’t find the right accommoation

accommodation (double c, double m)

√ Accommodation in london are very expensive AmE
√ Accommodation in London is very expensive

In British English accommodation (= a place to live or spend the night) is always uncountable. In American English it can be countable

No 8: accord

[size=12]x People think he resigned on his own accord
√ People think he resigned of his own accord

of your own accord , NOT on

No 9: according to

x According to me, we should spend more money on education
√ In my opinion, we should spend more money on education

According to can’t be followed by me or for

No 10: accuse

x Some unemplyed men accuse women for taking their jobs
√ Some unemployed men accuse women of taking their jobs

accuse someone of something, not for

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No 12: actual

x We’d like to know more about the actual crisis, not the economic problems of the past
√ We’d like to know more about the present/current crisis, not the economic problems of the past

actual = real (as opposed to ‘guessed’, ‘supposed , etc.’): ‘People think he is over fifty but his actual age is forty-eight.’

present/current = happening or existing now

No 13: actually

x We need to produce and export more than we do actually
√ We need to produce and export more than we do at present

actually = strange as it may seem; in fact (despite what is said or thought): ‘People think we’ve got lots money, but actually we’re very poor.’

At present = now

No 14: address

x I'll give you my adress
√ I'll give you my address

address (Double D

No 15: advice

x I adviced him to tell the police
√ I advised him to tell the police

Advice is a noun
Advice is a verb

x She gave me a good advice
√ She gave me some good advice

Advice is an uncountable noun
Note the alternative: ' She gave me a good piece of advice'

No 16: advise

x I asked my lawyer for her advise
√ I asked my lawyer for her advice

Advise is a verb
Advice is a noun

No 17: affair

x There's a new affair in the middle of Helsinki which sells them
√ There's a new shop in the middle of Helsinki which sells them

affair = a thing, matter, or happening: 'The murder of the politician was a terrible affair

No 18: affect

x It's a magazine about computers and their affects on your lives
√ It's a magazine about computers and their effects on your lives

Affect (with a) is a verb. To affect something is to have an effect on it :'Smoking affects your health.' (= Smoking has an effect on your health).

No 19: afford

x A newspaper can be a afforded by most people
√ Most people can afford a newspaper

afford is rarely used in passive

x My father couldn't afford paying for my education
√ My father couldn't afford to pay for my education

afford (to do) something

x My father couldn't afford himself to lend me any money
√ My father couldn't afford to lend me any money

Afford isn't a reflexive verb (reflexive means showing that the action of the verb affects the person who performs the action e.g. he cut himself, cut is a reflexive verb and himself is a reflexive pronoun) definition from Oxford dictionary

x I want to get my coat back because I can’t afford the money for a new one
√ I want to get my coat back because I can’t afford (to buy) a new one

Money is rarely used as an object of afford

No 20: afraid

x The road to the airport was very busy and we were afraid to miss the plane
√ The road to the airport was very busy and we were afraid of missing the plane

Be afraid to do something = be unwilling to do something because you’re frightened : ‘She was afraid to eat in case it was poisonous’.
Be afraid of doing something = be worried or anxious about something which might happen

No 21: after

x The flight had been very pleasant until a man sitting after me started to shout
√ The flight had been very pleasant until a man sitting behind me started to shout

after = following in time or order: ‘I’ll see you after lunch.’ ‘Remember to put a full stop after the last word.’

Behind = at the back of

x After a week we’re going to Italy
√ In a week’s time we’re going to Italy

In a week OR in a week’s time = after or at the end of a week

x Most of the people on the bus were after sixty
√ Most of the people on the bus were over sixty

The preposition over is used with ages (and numbers) to mean more than

x I promised to meet Hitomi at the exhibition a week after
√ I promised to meet Hitomi at the exhibition a week later

The use of after as an adverb (in place of later) is very colloquial (colloquial= informal) and is likely to be regarded as non-standard by careful user

√ AmE A police car arrived within minutes and soon after, an ambulance came
√ BrE A police car arrived within minutes and soon afterwards, an ambulance came

In British English the use of after as an adverb (in place of afterwards) is common in informal usage but is regarded by careful users as non-standard

√ After you’ll leave, we will write to you every day
√ After you leave/have left, we will write to you every day

After is followed by the present simple tense (or present perfect) for future reference, NOT shall/will + verb

No 22: after all

x After all, I’d like to thank you all for coming here today
√ Finally, I’d like to thank you all for coming here today

Use after all when (1) you want to intoduce an idea which seems to contradict something which has been said before: ‘They had planned to go by train, but they went by car after all’ (2) you want to remind someone of a fact which they should consider: ‘I’m not surprised you’re tired. After all, you were working all night.’ Remember that we use finally to conclude so finally = to conclude

No 23: afternoon

x The afternoon I met them at the hotel and we went to the beach
√ In the afternoon I met them at the hotel and we went to the beach

In the morning/afternoon/evening
Compare: the next afternoon I met them again

x On the afternoon we have two hours of classes
√ In the afternoon we have two hours of classes

When talking about a particular afternoon, use on
When speaking generally, use in: on the afternoon/morning/evening of 3rd July BUT in the evening/morning/afternoon

No 24: age

x I met a group of youngsters at my age in Trafalgar square
√ I met a group of youngsters (of) my own age in Trafalgar square

(of) my own age, NOT at

No 25: agenda

x In the left-hand pocket you will find a little red agenda that I need urgently
√ In the left-hand pocket you will find a little red diary that I need urgently

agenda = a list of topics for discussion at a meeting
diary = a book in which a person writes appointments or things to be remembered

No 26: ages

[size=12]x The glasses haven’t been washed since ages
√ The glasses haven’t been washed for ages

remember that we use since for beginning a period but for is used length of a period

No 27: ago

x It’s a month ago since I left Germany
√ It’s a month since I left Germany

Don’t use ago before since

x I’m writing in reply to your letter that I’ve received two days ago
√ I’m writing in reply to your letter that I received two days ago

The present perfect tense is NOT used with words showing past time such as yesterday, last week, a year ago

x The inspector asked to see his ticket, as I had done a few minutes ago
√ The inspector asked to see his ticket, as I had done a few minutes before

Ago is used of a period in the past that is measured from the present moment
Before is used of a period that is NOT measured from the present

A few minutes ago = before now
A few minutes before = before then

x The accident happened at ten years ago
√ The accident happened ten years ago

Don’t use at to introduce a time expression with ago

[center] No 28: agree

[size=12]x Unfortunately not many people agreed helping us
√ Unfortunately not many people agreed to help us

Agree + to – v

x I don’t agree the people who say women should stay at home
√ I don’t agree with the people who say women should stay at home

agree with someone or something = have the same opinion as

x In many ways I agree to his statement
√ In many ways I agree with his statement

agree with = have the same opinion as: ‘I fully agree with you/your opinion.’
‘The bank manager has agreed to our request for a loan.’

x In some ways I’m agree with those who want stricter punishments
√ In some ways I agree with those who want stricter punishments

agree is a verb NOT an adjective

Although I didn’t really like him, I agreed his invitation
Although I didn’t really like him, I accepted his invitation

accept an invitation, NOT agree

[center] No 29: agreed

[size=12]x We were both agreed with him
√ We both agreed with him

Agreed can’t be used as an adjective when it’s followed by with. Compare: ‘When it comes to the question of finance, we’re all agreed.’ = have the same opinion

No 30: aid

x Many more will die unless there is an increase in foreign aids
√ Many more will die unless there is an increase in foreign aid

Aid = support or help and it’s an uncountable noun

No 31: aim

x I started to learn English with the aim to become a teacher
√ I started to learn English with the aim of becoming a teacher

With the aim of + v-ing
Note however: ‘My aim is to become a teacher.’

x Everybody should be given the chance to reach their aims
√ Everybody should be given the chance to achieve their aims

achieve an aim, NOT reach

[center] No 32: alive

[size=12]x Every alive creature in the sea is affected by pollution
√ Every living creature in the sea is affected by pollution

Alive is the opposite of dead
Living is the opposite of non-living
Alive always follows the noun it modifies: ‘Some of the fish in the boat were still alive.’

x Our teacher, Mr Collins, is very alive
√ Our teacher, Mr Collins, is very lively

Alive = not dead = it’s rarely modified
Lively= full of energy and action

No 33: all

[size=12]x I like all the kinds of music
√ I like all kinds of music

Don’t use the after all when the reference is general. Compare: ‘I like all kinds of fruit.’(general reference) ‘I like all the kinds of fruit that my wife likes’ specific reference

x We all were delighted when we heard the news
√ We were all delighted when we heard the news
x We all must try to find a solution to the problem
√ We must all try to find a solution to the problem

All usually goes immediately after the (first) auxilary verb :‘You should all pass the exam if you work hard.’ ‘They have all been working hard.’ When there’s no auxilart verb, all is placed immediately before the main verb: ‘They all passed the exam.’ However, when the main verb is be, all is placed immediately after it: ‘The letters are all on your desk.’

x All of us didn’t want to go to bed
√ None of us wanted to go to bed

Use none of with an affirmative verb, NOT all of with a negative verb

x I was alone in the house as all my parents were at work
√ I was alone in the house as bot of my parents were at work

all is used for three or more people or things
both is used for two people or things

x if you sit down and listen, I will explain all the situation
√ if you sit down and listen, I will explain the whole situation
x he spent all the journey talking about accidents
√ he spent the whole/entire journey talking about accidents

all is rarely used with the singular form of a countable noun. Compare: ‘All the walls have been painted green.’ (plural) ‘The whole wall has been painted green’(singular

[center] No 34: allow

x It’s not allowed to talk in the library
√ People are not allowed to talk in the library
√ Talking in the library isn’t allowed

it is NOT used as a preparatory subject before allow

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