Common Mistakes

Do I know
English well ?

What are my
mistakes? Do I make
mistakes?

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 Things for discussion
 Nouns
 Articles
 Adjectives
 Verbs
 Tenses
 Prepositions
 Subject- verb agreement
 Word order in questions
 Conditionals
Materials are here:
https://ej.uz/ang_val_9kl_mistakes
1. Nouns
countable uncountable
 we can count them:  they don’t usually have plural forms:
one apple, three cars, six students milk,sugar, advice, information
 we need to add singular article:  you need to use quatifiers to explain
a /an how much of the noun there is:
a piece of advice, a cup of tea

 I have an apple for you.  I have some milk for you.

 How many apples do you have?  How much milk do you have?
 I have a few apples for you.  I have a little milk.
 Nouns
1.
countable uncountable
many much ( ? - sentences)
a lot of a lot of

 We don’t know many people in this town.  Do you drink much coffee?
 We bought a lot of books.  I drink a lot of coffee.
 We don’t have much money.

a few a positive idea = have some a little

few a negative idea = nearly no little

 I have got a few friends. I am not lonely.  They have a little money. They are not poor.
 I have few friends. I am sad and lonely.  They have little money. They are poor.
1. Plural nouns
 We usually add ending –s; -es
bus – buses; flower – flowers; potato-potatoes; day – days;
baby- babies; shelf- shelves
 There are irregular plurals man-men tooth – teeth
woman- women mouse –mice
child – children sheep – sheep
foot - feet person -people
WRONG CORRECT
• The childrens are playing outside.  The children are playing outside.
• Do you know many persons in this town?  Do you know many people in this town?
• There was a woman in the car with two  There was a woman in the car with two
mens. men.
 le s
2. Articles e art ic
e art ic le

init init
ef ef
the d
a ind an
 we use it with specific noun  we use them before singular, general
Can you pass me the blue pen? nouns
 before superlative forms Can you pass me a pen?

the best, the worst, the most  an – before vowel sound – a, e, i,o,u
expensive a university or an university

 Wedo not use a, an before uncountable nouns

idea (countable) – an idea
advice (uncountable) – some advice

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3. Adjectives
WRONG CORRECT

I am really interesting in knitting I am really interested in knitting

-ing adjectives -ed adjectives

(reason or cause) (result or effect)

Knitting is interesting I am interested in knitting

The lesson was boring The students were bored

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4. Verbs
WRONG CORRECT
 When Joe took out his wallet, his  When Joe took out his wallet, his
keys fallen out. keys fell out.
Past Simple subject + V2
 Have you ever were to Sicily?  Have you ever been to Sicily?
Present Perfect subject + have/has V3
 I didn’t ate anything for lunch.  I didn’t eat anything for lunch.
Negativa sentences subject + didn’t V (base)
don’t
won’t
 He spended all his money within  He spent all his money within a
a week. week.
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5. Tenses
Auxiliary verbs

DO HAVE

simple tenses BE perfect tenses

continuous tenses
Passive Voice
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 Tenses
Present Simple Present Continuous
 I work every day from 9 to 5.  Please be quite. I am working now.
 It rains a lot in autumn.  It is raining outside. Take an umbrella!
 I don’t watch TV very often.  What are you doing right now?

general situation, all the time now, at the time of speaking

or sometimes

SIGNAL WORDS: SIGNAL WORDS:

every day, usually, always now, right now, at this moment, etc.
regularly, often, sometimes etc.

BUT DON’T USE THESE VERBS IN PRESENT CONTINUOUS:

like, love, want, know, understand, remember, depend, prefer,
hate, need, mean, believe, forget, cost, etc.
 Tenses
Past Simple finished time or Present Perfect
unfinished time
Last month, I visited my This month, I have visited
grandparents. my gradparents twice

SIGNAL WORDS: SIGNAL WORDS:

yesterday, the day before yesterday, today, this week, in my life, for, since, just,
last week, ago never, ever, already, yet

WRONG CORRECT
 I have seen Paul yesterday.  I saw Paul yesterday.
 We lived in London for six years.  I have lived in London for six years.
 Did you ever meet a famous  Have you ever met a famous
person? person?
 Tenses
Present Perfect finished time or
Present Perfect
Simple unfinished time Continuous
SIGNAL WORDS: SIGNAL WORDS:
today, this week, in my life, for, since, just, for, since
never, ever, already, yet

 They have eaten the pizza.  They have been eating the pizza.
 She has been borrowing our car
 She has borrowed our car. result
every Thursday
 I have studied English
 I have been studying English for 6
since – a specific point in time months
since 3 o’clock for – a period of time
since last month for 3 month still happening,
since I lived in London for 3 years unfinished
since 1991 for a long time

6. Prepositions
 Your keys are in the car.
 Your keys are at the car.
 You are at school.
 You are in school.
 I had a coffee at Helen’s.
 I had a coffe with Helen.
time
place
in, on, at, by, with, for etc.
direction
at + time (clock)
on + specific date/ day of the week
in + month/year/parts of the day
arrive at + specific place
arrive in + country/city
live/ work/ study + city/ country
study at + university
work at/for +company
listen to good at
interested in married to
afraid of different from
 S and V
7. Subject – verb agreement must agree
must match
WRONG CORRECT
• He have two sisters.  He has two sisters.
• Many people likes travelling.  Many people like travelling.
• Joe and Marry lives in Sicily.  Joe and Marry live in Sicily.
• There is ten apples on the table.  There are ten apples on the table.
• Everyone know that the sun rise  Everyone knows thet the sun rises
in the East. in the East.

I you we they/ plural noun have / eat/ run/ walk

he she it / singular noun has/ eats/runs/ walks

8. Word order in questions
• We can go shopping this afternoon? W CLEAR STRUCTURE:

 Can we go shopping this afternoon? C 1. Question word.

2. Auxiliary verb.

• What you are cooking for dinner? 3. Subject.

 What are you cooking for dinner? 4. Main verb

Do you know who is that woman? Do you know who that woman is?
9.
Conditionals
 1st conditional • If I will hear about any summer job , I will let you know.
real situations  If I hear about any summer job, I will let you know.
If + S + V, S + will + V
 2nd conditional • If I have wings, I will fly all over the world.
unreal , imaginary  If I had wings, I would fly all over the world.
situations
If + S + V2, S + would + V
• If I knew it was your birthday yesterday, I would have
 3rd conditional bought you a present.
past situations  If I had known it was your birthday yesterday, I would
have bought you a present.
If + S + had +V3, S + would have + V3
• Go back to your check
list!
• Understand your
problems!
• Send the check list to
your teacher and ask
for more practice!
• Enjoy learning!

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Materials are here:
https://ej.uz/ang_val_9kl_mistakes

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