DON'T MAKE These Common English Speaking MISTAKES | Speak Better English

Hi there, this is Harry, welcome back to advanced English lessons with Harry, where I try to

help you to get a better understanding of the English language.

If you're preparing for a job interview with an international company, preparing for proficiency

exams, whatever it is, we're here to help you.

And if you've got any problems, or if you want me to include anything in particular

in future lessons and just write to me, I'll give you the address at the end of our lesson

today.

And you can write to me and I'd be very happy to include them in a future lesson.

And in this advanced English lesson, we're looking at mistakes.

And we've got 20 of the very common or the... the... those mistakes that I see most often

in people's written work, or indeed, when we give lessons.

Okay, so 20 common mistakes that people make with the English language.

So as always, I'll go through them with you.

I'll point out the mistake.

And I'll also give you an example.

Okay.

And just for people out there, somebody made a comment that I use the word particular,

or particularly a lot.

And they were wondering how come I'm such a wonderful teacher, if I can only use the

same word over and over again.

So for you out there, if you find in during this particular lesson that I use that word

more often than not, then drop me a line, try and count the number of times that I use

it, I'll try to avoid it in this particular lesson.

And of course, if you want to use a word instead of particular, or particularly you can use

expressly.

Okay, so that's another word you could use in in that sense as well.

Okay, so I can give you other synonyms if you wish, but there's one for you 'expressly'

instead of particularly.

Okay, so let's get on to the most important thing, the content of our lesson today, as

I said, is 20 of the most common speaking mistakes that we come across in the English

language.

Number one, when people misuse modal verbs, okay.

The most frequent mistake here is when they put 'to' after the modal verb must to, should

to, would to, can to, they don't take two, okay.

So it's always must, should, would, could, can, okay.

So be very, very careful.

So, for example, I often see I must to study for the exam.

When it should be, I must study for the exam, or I should to study for my exam, I should

study for my exam.

So when you're using a modal verb, make sure you don't follow it with that infinitive to.

Okay.

Now, there are modal verbs that take it for example, I have to.

Okay, I need to so you can use it in some situations, but the most frequently used modal

verbs I can must should never, never, never followed with two.

Okay, so that's a golden rule.

And if you follow that, that will improve your English quite dramatically.

Number two.

Number two, the mistake here is when people are a little bit inconsistent when they use

the subject pronoun, okay.

So for example, me and him are going to the party.

Now, it's not correct what it should be.

He and I are going to the party.

Always put I second, okay.

So my wife and I, my best friend and I, my brother and I, my children, and I, so always

put the other person, it's more polite to put them first but it's never me and him,

yeah, okay are going to the party.

It's, he and I are, she and I are going to the party later.

Okay.

Number three, when people miss use gerunds, or gerunds, can be pronounced in both ways,

the mistake often made is I enjoy to swim in the ocean.

The correct format should be I enjoy swimming in the ocean.

I enjoy reading books at night.

I enjoy cycling in the park.

I enjoy running in the mornings.

They're all good examples of those -ing.

Okay, so I enjoy running.

I enjoy swimming.

I enjoy reading.

I enjoy looking at.

But it's not I enjoy to read or enjoy to swim enjoy to cycle, that's a mistake.

Number four.

And this is the one I always always remind my students about avoid double negatives at

all costs in the English language.

Avoid using double negatives for example, I don't have no money.

Yeah, I don't have no money.

Okay, you might have no money and I understand that.

But it's I don't have any money.

Okay, or I've got no money but it's not a double negative.

I don't have no money.

I don't have no time.

I haven't got any time.

So, one positive one negative one negative one positive, but never double negatives avoid

double negatives at all costs in the English language.

Number number five.

Another mistake that people often use as the misuse of adverbs, and it's very easy to fall

into the habit of misusing adverbs.

For example, She writes good.

What it should be as she writes well.

So here people have mistaken good as an adverb when in fact it's an adjective.

And the way to check yourself is that adverbs always go with verbs, they qualify verbs.

So if' we're using the adverb, well, it must go with a verb.

She writes well.

She speaks well.

Okay, so if you want to use good and it's an adjective, and it has to go with a noun.

So her reading is good.

Okay.

So reading is there as a noun or reading is good.

Her writing is good.

She writes well.

She speaks well.

So differentiate adverbs and adjectives.

Adverbs qualify the verb, and adjectives always qualify the noun.

And so if you can remember those rules, again, it will help you a lot when you're preparing

and speaking your English.

Number six now about misusing adjectives and this situation, okay, so here, we have to

be very careful, particularly with adjectives like unique, okay, so unique is one of those

high level or intensive adjectives.

So we can't say I have a very unique car, we can say I have a really unique car, okay?

Or I have a unique car without adding very or really.

But you have to be really careful it can say I have a very interesting car, I have a very

smart car, or I have a very new car that's fine.

Or I have a really new car or a really smart car.

But when we use those intensive adjectives, we have to be careful and there's always confusion

between very and really.

So yes, you can say a really unique car, but not a very unique car.

And if you're in any doubt, just drop really in very just focus on unique.

I have a unique car and everybody will know what you mean.

Another mistake we make number seven here is the misuse of verb tenses.

Okay?

For example, I have met her yesterday.

Now, that's a mistake because yesterday is time specific.

And we can only say I met her yesterday.

I have met is the present perfect tense, and we tend not to be time specific with that.

You can say I have met her recently.

I have met her a few times.

Or negatively I haven't met her yet.

But you can't say I have met her yesterday.

Correctly it I met her yesterday.

So you have to be really really careful and there's a very very thin line between the

present perfect I have met and that past simple met but you have to be really really careful

when you use it.

So we are talking about time specific like an hour ago a day ago yesterday, then you

really have to use that simple past.

And if you want to use something that's not time specific then yes, you can use the present

perfect.

I have met her only once.

I have met her recently.

I haven't met her yet.

Number eight incorrect use of conjunctions.

Yeah, so this can happen quite a lot.

For example sentence, I'll go to the store so I'll buy some bread, but it should be is

I will go to the store and buy some bread or go to the store and buy some bread.

Now, you could change it around a little bit and say, I am going to the store so I'll buy

some bread.

So that's very very good English I'm going to the store, so I buy some bread, but when

you just print...

there...

set it out, I'll go to the store, so I buy some bread.

It's not good English grammatically not correct.

I'll go to the store and buy some bread.

So there is always ways in which you can correct yourself change it around to get the right

structure, get the right sound so people understand really what you're trying to talk about.

Okay, so that's number eight finished now, let's get on to number nine where again we

can also talk about adjectives when we misuse them.

One adjective does often misuse is hard and hardly okay.

So they don't mean the same or even though they sound the same, they have a very different

meanings.

So we cannot say, The test was very hardly okay.

What you have to say is the test was very hard, meaning it was very difficult When we

use hardly, it means almost nothing.

I hardly ever see my children these days, I hardly ever go to a restaurant.

I hardly ever see the sun during the winter, okay.

So hardly means almost never or nothing at all, whereas hard is about the degree of difficulty.

So, the test was very hard.

The exam was very hard.

His language was very hard, so we use it in that context.

So be very, very careful when you're using hard and hardly as adjectives.

Okay, so number 10 on our list is about phrasal verbs.

Now, we've got lots and lots of material about phrasal verbs and you've heard me going on

about them from time to time, but often they are misused or people are using incorrect

phrasal verbs.

So let me give you an example of this.

It's about put off so the verb is put, and the preposition is off.

O-F-F.

And some people say I'm putting off my homework.

Now, phrasal verbs often have more than one meaning this is a real good example of it.

So I'm putting off my homework is incorrect.

What you should be saying is I'm putting off doing my homework for a couple of hours, I'm

putting off doing my homework until the weekend when I have more time.

So putting off doing it, and that will be the correct use of the phrasal verb in that

context.

But of course, you can put things off, okay.

So for example, she is putting off her wedding because she hasn't got enough money saved.

Or she's putting off a wedding because she's having doubts, or she's having second thoughts

about whether she should get married at all.

So in this case, then we don't need to follow it with doing so it's all important with the

phrasal verbs to use them in the correct way.

So in the example I gave you, it's not I'm putting off my homework.

It's, I'm putting off doing my homework.

And then the second example, we could say she is putting off her wedding meaning delaying

the wedding by a few months or whatever it might be okay, and then you can also use it

to say, don't be put off by his manner.

He is actually really a nice guy when you get to know him.

So don't be put off because he sounds a little bit gruff, always sounds a little bit serious.

He's really a nice guy when you get to know him.

So different ways in which you can use that phrasal verb.

So with this phrasal verb and other phrasal verbs, always, always important to make sure

you use it correctly.

Use it with the correct preposition and followed up with the correct verb or whatever else

you you follow it with.

But make sure it is correct, because people will look at you strangely, when you use them

in the right way.

Great.

It adds to your vocabulary and your expressions.

But if you use them incorrectly, it sounds really odd and funny.

Nobody will will correct you and say that's wrong, but they may look at you in a critical

way.

Okay, so that's number 10 on the list.

Number 11.

And this is an area where we often make mistakes when we're using comparative and superlatives.

Okay, that this is the most happiest day of my life.

No, this is the happiest day of my life.

Yes.

Okay, so when we have what we call single syllable adjectives, or we have those adjectives

ending in -y, usually the comparative is like happy, happier, and then the superlative,

happiest, we don't use most or more.

So we can say this is a happier time than I've ever had.

This is the happiest time I've ever had.

Okay, this is a happy day for me just use it in its simple format.

But we can't say the most happier or more happier or the most happiest, okay.

So it is happier than I have remembered.

It is the happiest time I have ever had.

Okay, now if you do use longer adjectives that of course you can use more and more.

For example, beautiful.

We don't see beautifuler or beautifulest.

It's more beautiful than that.

The most beautiful ever.

Okay?

So be very, very careful with your comparatives and superlatives.

The longer adjectives you can use more and most, the shorter adjectives and those ending

in -y, always, well not always, there are a couple of exceptions, but mostly, you can

use them as happy, happier, happiest.

Long, longer longest.

And all the other ones that go in between.

So just check up on your adjectives and make sure you have them right.

It's not so difficult to find lists of them.

So once you put them into practice, you'll understand where and when you can use your

company arches and your superlatives in a correct way.

Number 12.

Often mistakes are made with prepositions.

And these are really tricky, the smallest shortest words you can think of, but they

are often the ones that cause most confusion and where the most mistakes are made.

So, for example, I'm looking forward to meet you.

I'm looking forward to meet you.

Here it should be I'm looking forward to meeting you.

Okay.

So anytime you have a preposition, usually the verb following that will be in its -ing

format.

I'm looking forward to meeting you.

I'm looking forward to reading the book.

I'm looking forward to talking to you.

I'm looking forward to greeting you.

I'm looking forward to eating that cake.

So when you use looking forward, preposition 'to' it will always be followed by -ing.

So don't say I'm looking forward to meet, I'm looking forward to hear.

Always looking forward to meeting, looking forward to hearing.

Okay, so you got to be really, really careful with that.

And again, number 13.

If we go back to our phrasal verbs, let's look at this one.

I need to break out my shoes.

So you go to the shop and you buy a new pair of shoes, what usually happens when you put

them on, they might be a little bit tight.

And you might get a blister or two on the back of your heel very painful or on one of

your toes.

So it takes a little bit of time for you to get used and for your feet to get used to

the shoes.

So they have to stretch a little bit.

Okay, so the phrasal verb we use here is to break in the shoes, not break out.

Okay, so it's not I need to break out my shoes.

I need to break in my shoes means I need to wear them a few times, go on a few walks so

that the shoes get used to my feet, and my feet get used to this different material,

or the size, or the shape, or whatever it might be.

So I need to break in my shoes.

So again, correct use of the phrasal verb will make sure that people understand you.

So if you buy a pair of shoes and you're limping a little bit and your friend asks you what's

wrong, Oh, I'm breaking out my shoes, they will look at your thinking that's a little

bit strange.

It should be I am breaking in a new pair of shoes.

Number 14.

The misuse of verb tenses.

Again, something that can happen quite easily, particularly with beginners.

But it also happens with people at a more advanced level that intermediate upper intermediate

level perhaps don't think about it carefully.

So be very, very careful with your verb tenses.

I give you..

I give you an example.

I have lived in Japan for two years ago.

Okay, I have lived in Japan for two years ago.

Now, you can say I...

I lived in Japan two years ago, but you don't live there now.

But if you want to use that present perfect.

And it's I have lived in Japan for two years.

So when we're talking about a period of time, we use that preposition 'for.'

I have lived in Japan for two years.

Or indeed, I have been living in Japan for two years.

And you can use that present perfect continuous.

But if you want to use the period of time ago, two years ago that I lived in Japan two

years ago, but now I live in Germany.

I lived in the UK, okay, 10 years ago, but now I live in Ireland.

So yes, you can use it that way.

But if you're talking about the specific period of time, use that preposition 'for.'

I have lived or I have been living here for two years.

I have been living here for 10 years.

I have been living here for six weeks.

Okay, always with 'for.'

Number 15.

Here is when we get confused with the conditional format of sentences.

And this is all about if and will and the big mistake that people often make is that

they put 'if' and 'will' in the same clause and that's a real no-no as far as I'm concerned.

If you have two clauses in the sentence, then if will be in one and 'will' will be in the

other end.

It doesn't matter which one you put first, you can put the 'if' clause first, the will

clause second, as long as you don't put if and will in the same clause, then you'll be

on the right track okay.

So, let me give you an example of that.

If I will have time, I will call you.

That's something you hear all the time.

If I will have time, I will call you.

What the correct version should be is, If I have time, I will call you.

If followed by the simple format, if I have time.

And then the... the will clause, I will call you.

Or reverse it and say, I will call you if I have time.

But not if I will have time.

Okay.

Or even when we're talking about second conditionals.

If I would.

Yeah.

So again, we'll and would when we're talking about conditionals sentences, keep will and

would in a separate clause than if.

And if you're using other words instead of if, like unless the same rules apply.

Okay?

Number 16 When we misuse conjunctions, okay.

So I like to swim, because it's relaxing.

I like to swim because it's relaxing.

And it should be, I like to swim as it's relaxing.

I like to swim as it's relaxing.

Now, you will hear because it's relaxing.

And it might be natural English, and nobody will lift an eyebrow when you say it.

But if you want to be grammatically correct, I like to swim as it's relaxing.

But you will hear people, native English speakers in particular, will say, I like to swim, because

it's relaxing.

Okay, so we've got four to go.

And as you remember, if you haven't forgotten, we are looking at common mistakes that people

make when they are speaking.

And this if you can improve or correct, these type of mistakes, and your English will sound

much, much better.

So number seventeen is the overuse of the passive voice.

And people do this all the time I had a student this morning.

And in two sentences, he used the passive, and you don't really need to use it.

Passive is more often used in written format of of English, okay.

So the mistake was made by me.

So that's the passive format, the mistake was made by me, it's correct.

If you made the mistake, the mistake was made by me.

But you're more...

it's more natural to say, I made that mistake.

He made the mistake.

Who made the mistake?

So we would use that act of way of speaking not passive.

There are times as I said, when you can use passive, but most of the time, we'll see it

in reported speech, and we'll read about it from journalists, and the... you know, the...

the office was opened by the Lord Mayor.

The thief was arrested by the police.

So that's what your read about in a report on the internet or in a newspaper if you're

still buying newspapers.

But when you're talking and speaking, more natural to speak in the act of format, so

I made a mistake.

Who made the mistake?

I made the mistake.

Okay.

Number 18.

Here, again, is when we use incorrect subjects and verbs.

Okay, so the group of people were arguing.

The group of people were arguing.

The group of people was arguing because the group is one.

Yeah, so it's single.

So the group of people was arguing.

Now, you could say there were several people on the street, and they were arguing because

they're not a group.

They're just individuals, but there were more than one.

So there were several people on the street.

And they were arguing very, very aggressively.

But the group of people was arguing, okay.

So you've got to be really, really careful when you talk about the subject and the verb

to make sure when you've got more than one person, how you address them, and how we how

you use the verb, whether it's in the single or in the plural.

Number 19, a mistake that is made, and it's not so easy to correct because in lots of

languages, you don't include or don't use articles.

But it is a very, very common mistake in English, and something you need to focus on, particularly

when you're writing in English.

Okay.

So this is a situation when you're writing and you're writing essays, or you're doing

some exams, or even doing something for a job interview to make sure that you've got

the articles in the right place.

So lots of people drop them.

A, an, the.

So you're going to make sure you use them when it's appropriate to use them.

But equally, when it's inappropriate, or you don't have to use them then then don't don't

include them.

Because again, that's that's a second type of mistake you are making them is one mistake,

including them when they shouldn't be included.

Well, that's of course, as another mistake, but the same thing.

So for example, I'm going to store.

I'm going to the store.

I'm going to university.

It's it's not I'm going to the university, I'm going to university because we don't need

it, okay, I'm going to bed, it's not I'm going to the bed.

So there are times when you use it, and times when you don't and I see all those mistakes

in equal measure.

So people including when they shouldn't.

Excluding when they shouldn't.

So it's an area of the grammar that you have to really really focus on to make sure that

you have done it correctly.

Okay.

So just be careful with the use of a, an, the.

And finally, when we are misusing adverbs, number 20.

He runs really quick.

Okay, it should be he runs really quickly.

Okay, he runs really quickly.

Why?

Because runs is the verb and we must use an adverb quickly.

Okay, he runs really quickly.

He runs really quickly.

He drives quickly.

Yeah, he cycles quickly.

Again, all of those action verb cycle, dry, run, and then they are followed by the adverb

quickly, not quick.

Okay, so some of these are quite simple mistakes.

Some of these are habits that we get into that we have to break, but all of them can

be corrected.

And if you correct them, and look at the list that I've given you there, practise them,

build your own sentences around them to change them a little bit here and there.

Particularly with things like modal verbs and adjectives and adverbs.

Make sure you get the right structure, the right place the right formation, you will

make your English read much better.

But particularly when you're speaking, you will sound much better, and people won't have

a strange look on their face.

Okay, so 20 of the most common mistakes that people make when they're speaking.

And if you want to contact me, you can do so on www.englishlessonviaskype.com.

Very happy to hear from you.

And as I said at the beginning, if there's something you want me to include, then drop

me a line, and I'll happily include it going forward.

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So this is Harry saying thanks for listening, and thanks for watching.

And as always, make sure you join me for the next lesson.