Common Grammatical mistake

 Cᴏᴍᴍᴏɴ grammatical mistake:

1. Using "one and a half", instead of "half past one", etc.

❌Don't say: Lessons begin at eight and a half.

✅Say: Lessons begin at half past eight.

2. Using "as usually" instead of "as usual".

❌Don't say: As usually, he left his pen at home.

✅Say: As usual, he left his pen at home.

3. Using "according to my opinion" instead of "in my opinion".

❌Don't say: According to my opinion, she's right.

✅Say: In my opinion, she's right.

4. Using "at the end" instead of "in the end".

❌Don't say: At the end they reached the city.

✅Say: In the end they reached the city.

5. Using "under the rain" instead of "in the rain".

❌Don't say: They played football under the rain.

✅Say: They played football in the rain.

6. Using "the reason is because" instead of "the reason is that".

❌Don't say: The reason is because I believe it.

✅Say: The reason is that I believe it.

7. Using "a country" instead of "the country".

❌Don't say: I spend my holidays in a country.

✅Say: I spend my holidays in the country.

8. Using "if" instead of "whether".

✖️Don't say: I asked Paul if he was going.

✔️Say: I asked Paul whether he was going.

9. Using "any" for two, instead of "either".

❌Don't say: Any of these two books is good.

✅Say: Either of these two books is good.

10. Using "likes me" instead of "I like".

❌Don't say: The cinema likes me very much.

✅Say: I like the cinema very much.

11. Using "neither ...or" instead of "neither ... nor".

❌Don't say: Sara speaks neither English or French.

✅Say: Sara speaks neither English nor French.

12. Using "both" in a negative sentence instead of "neither".

❌Don't nay: Both of them didn't go to school today.

✅Say: Neither of them went to school today.

13. Using "also" or "too" in a negative sentence instead of "either".

❌Don't say: Joe hasn't come also (or too).

✅Say: Joe hasn't come either.

14. Using "and" in a negative sentence instead of "or".

❌Don't say: I don't like red and orange. I want the blue one.

✅Say: I don't like red or orange. I want the blue one.

15. Using "till" instead of "before" or "when".

❌Don't say: I'd reached the school till the rain started.

✅Say: I'd reached the school before the rain started.

Or: I'd reached the school when the rain started.

16. Take an exam, not give an exam.

❌Don't say: The pupil gave his exam.

✅Say: The pupil took his exam.

17. To "be right" or "wrong", not to "have right" or "wrong".

❌Don't say: You've right or You've wrong.

✅Say: You're right or You're wrong.

18. To "be busy", not to "have work".

❌Don't say: I have much work this morning.

✅Say: I'm very busy this morning.

19. It's cold, etc., not it has cold, etc.

❌Don't say: It has cold this winter.

✅Say: It's cold this winter.

20. "Go for a walk", not "make a walk".

❌Don't say: We made a walk along the river.

✅Say: We went for a walk along the river.

21. Go for a ride on a bicycle, etc., not go for a walk on a bicycle, etc.

❌Don't say: We went for a walk on our bicycles.

✅Say: We went for a ride on our bicycles.

22. Mount or get on a horse, etc. not ride a horse, etc.

❌Don't say: Peter rode his horse and went home.

✅Say: Peter got on his horse and rode home.

23. Dismount or get off a horse, etc., not come down from a horse, etc.

❌Don't say: They came down from their horses.

✅Say: They got off their horses.

24. Go on foot, not go with the feet.

❌Don't say: Shall we go there with the feet?

✅Say: Shall we go there on foot?  

25. Take or have a shower, not make a shower.

❌Don't say: I make a shower every morning.

✅Say: I take a shower every morning. 

Or: I have a shower every morning.

26. Ask a question, not make a question.

❌Don't say: Namdev made me several questions.

✅Say: Namdev asked me several questions.

27. Take an hour, not need an hour, etc.

❌Don't say: I'll need an hour to do that.

✅Say: It'll take me an hour to do that.  

28. Give a discount, not make a discount.

❌Don't say: He made me a small discount.

✅Say: He gave me a small discount.  

29. Take exercise, not make exercise.

❌Don't say: You ought to make more exercise.

✅Say: You ought to take more exercise.  

30. Give or deliver a lecture, not make a lecture.

❌Don't say: He made an interesting lecture.

✅Say: He gave an interesting lecture. 

Or: He delivered an interesting lecture.

Note: We say: He made an interesting speech. 

By Haridas Patil

( Blogger, educator and trainer)

Better English. ........... Better Career