Common Mistakes People Make in English

Common Mistakes People Make in English

There are some mistakes that my students make frequently and I have a hard time convincing them that eventually it will affect their image in the "real" world once they get a job. Good grammar and good spelling are like dressing properly for any occasion. People will judge you at first impression by the way you look; the same happens the first time you apply for a job or to be accepted in college. You will be evaluated by the way you write and the mistakes you make.

Let's start with two of the most common grammatical errors:

1. Its and It's.

The first has to do with possession by a thing or animal. For example: My dog does not like its collar. I know many people talk about their pets as if they were human beings. They will use 'his' if it is a male and 'her' if female. But 'its' is the correct form. Another example: London is a fascinating city; its museums are famous all over the world.

The phrase 'it's" is a contraction of 'it is'. So if you have doubts, just change 'it's' with 'it is' in the sentence to see how it sounds. For example: I am not sure it's connected properly (speaking of the computer). There is no possession or ownership involved.

2. There and Their.

The first word refers to a location; for example: I want the piano right there, in that corner. The other word 'their' again signals ownership by more than one person. Example: The Giants won their first Super Bowl last year. The two words have pretty much the same pronunciation, a phenomenon known as homophones.

Now that we have explained the elementary aspects of grammar, let's embark on a more difficult task: Another case of homophones.

3. Lose and Loose.

That is a very common mistake, especially by people who are learning the English language. The first case, 'lose', is a verb (action) that means misplace. Example: Do not lose that key, or you won't be able to open your locker.
The other case, 'loose', can be an adjective meaning something that is not tight. Example: This dress is very loose on you. As you can see, the meanings are totally different and could cause some problems in a written communication. Another example: He looks very loose. It means relaxed, not showing any tension.

Another case has to do with two very similar words that mean different things:

4. To Affect and To Effect.

To affect means to provoke consequences, usually the negative type. I have seen college graduates confusing the use of these two words. For example: The recent heavy rains affected crops in the south.

On the hand, to effect means to carry out, to make as in: The boss effected several changes in the office. A synonym could also be "accomplish".

5. To Lie and To Lay.

Both verbs have to with being horizontal on the ground. But the first one is not transitive, that is it cannot be used to put something or somebody on the ground. Example: I just want to lie on my bed.

The other one is transitive, which means somebody is putting something on the ground. For example: Lay your weapons on the floor, a common summon by a policeman.

Please do not confuse with the verb lie as in telling lies. The past tense is regular: He lied to me. The other 'lie' is irregular: He lay on the ground asleep.

These are some of the most common mistakes in the English language which no writer should make. Let me know if you need help, because your Word Corrector may not catch these mistakes.

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