It really and truly seems very difficult
to learn English grammar step by step,
especially in the absence of an experienced mentor, but do you know what the best way to English is? If you
are at a beginner or an intermediate level, you are probably making a lot of loopholes.
I will share a list of the most common mistakes that almost everybody is making
while speaking and writing. There are 11 grammar goofs that make you look dumb
in front of people you use English.
1. You are better than me
2. Beside or besides
3. Should have or should had
4. Than and then
5. Me and my friend
6. More good or better
7. Each other or one another
8. Their or there
9. Don’t or Didn’t
10. To study or for studying
11. Used to doing or used to
do
Hello English learners, it’s great to have you here. It shows that you are an amazing English learner and really wish to reform the most common above-mentioned mistakes. Let’s get started without any further delay.
1. You are better than me:- People mostly use this term in
order to show someone else superior to you, but you may be surprised to know
that it is totally incorrect. This is a common mistake to use personal pronouns
incorrectly. There are many types of
pronouns and one of them is the personal pronoun.
a) You are better than me. (Incorrect)
b) You are better than I.
(Correct)
This is a comparison between subjects
therefore the subjective case must be used as shown in the second sentence.
2. Beside or besides:- These words seem alike in spelling,
but are totally different in meaning. Let’s learn how to use them individually
and with examples.
Beside:- it is a preposition in the grammatical
term. A preposition always demonstrates the relationship between a noun and a
pronoun. It usually means to be inside.
Examples:
He sits beside me.
They have been living beside my home.
Besides: it is an adverb used
positively in the sentences for ‘in addition to’.
Examples
a) He knows English besides
German. (he knows both languages English and German)
b) Rahul works in a company besides managing his own restaurant. (Rahul does two different jobs)
3. Should had or have:- should is a model auxiliary verb.
There are some basic rules to use ‘Should’ that you must go through at once.
a) All the model auxiliaries
(helping verbs) are universally used with all the subjects.
b) They all always prefer V1
(present form)
Therefore Should have (Correct) and Should had (Incorrect) because ‘had’ is the past form of ‘Have’ but we can’t use a past form with any modal auxiliaries according to rules (b) as above mentioned.
4. Than or then
Than is a conjunction of
comparison used to compare two objects.
a) The Indians are better
than those of any county.
b) She is more beautiful than
her classmates.
c) He is taller than his
father.
Then is an adverb used for an antecedent
consequence of any precedent actions.
a) He will reach Mumbai then
leave for his next destination.
b) We made a plan for our future then executed it.
5. Each other and one another:
these are reciprocal pronouns used for togetherness.
Each other:- we use for
any two persons.
a) He and she truly love each
other.
b) Birth and death complete the circle with each other.
One another
a) All the species are
dependent on one another.
b) True friends always help one another.
6. Their and there:- these
words may seem similar, but are different in actual ways.
Their:- it is a possessive adjective
and always contains a noun after it compulsorily.
a) They will perform their
duty well.
b) Their parents are very kind.
There:- it is an adverb of place used
to show a far destination and a sentence wherein the subject is absent.
a) A lion used to live there
in the dense forest.
b) There are numerous opportunities available in one’s life ahead.
7. Used to do or used to doing:- these words are of different
grammar categories.
Used
to do:- In this case ‘Used to’ is a modal auxiliary verb therefore it always
takes V1 for showing any part activity.
Example a) Every teacher used to go
to school to study.
Used to doing:- here ‘Used to’ is an
adjective which is followed by a fixed preposition ‘To’. It always takes an ING
verb form. There are some more examples given.
Used to, addicted to, accustomed to,
habitual to (all of these show an addiction to something).
a) My father is used to
waking up early in the morning.
b) Sonu is addicted to
playing online games excessively.
c) Since she has come from
London, she is accustomed to speaking in English.
Some more examples are also given on the same pattern, but these are not adjectives therefore use them differently.
(In addition to & look forward to)
In addition to:- to show any result.
a) In addition to learning English, she goes to the English
Phobia academy.
b) The government keeps launching new schemes in addition to facilitating the poor people.
Look forward to:- it means to
anticipate something.
a) We look forward to
receiving a positive response.
b) He looks forward to meeting the prime minister.
8. Don’t or Didn’t:- both of
these are helping verbs with a negative expression thus we use them for a
refusal or disagreement.
Don’t :- we use it for present
indefinite tense with plural subjects for negation.
a) People usually don’t
accept their mistakes.
b) We don’t leap in the dark
for anything.
Didn’t :- we use ‘Didn’t’ for the
past indefinite tense with all the subjects for showing any past incident,
habit or a long-ago occurred action.
a) We went to school
regularly but didn’t study.
b) I didn’t feel like working in my previous company.
9. Me and my friend: it is an incorrect phrase that is most commonly used by people, especially on social media. If you want to know the reason behind it learn the types of pronouns for it.
My friend and I (Correct)
Me and my friend (Incorrect)
10. More good or better:-
although good and better are an adjective in various forms.
Good better best
We
generally don’t use ‘more good’ because ‘better’. It is a comparative degree.
Better
a) Education is better than
any superstition.
b) Friendship is better than
hostility.
More
good
In
a totally different case wherein we demonstrate two different qualities of the
same thing.
a) He is more good than
intelligent.
b) The students are more good than studious.
11. To study or for studying
These
are two distinct verbs ‘To study’ is an infinitive and ‘For studying’ is an
example of the present participle.
To
study
We
use it differently as a subject and as an infinitive in the sentences.
As
a subject
a) To study in life is very
important these days because education is the foundation of a great life
b) To learn English grammar, you must gather interest.
As
an infinitive
a) Students go to school to study.
For
studying
It
is used for subjects that directly relate to the verbs.
Examples
a) This keyboard is for
typing.
b) The books are for reading.
c) The school is built for studying.
These
are some silly mistakes people unknowingly make while writing and speaking
English. I hope you will not repeat them now again.
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