Common Mistakes English Learners Make (and How to Fix Them)
“Did you went to the party?”
Have you ever said something like this and then felt a little unsure, even though it sounded almost right?
You’re not alone.
After more than 10 years of teaching English to learners from all walks of life—students, professionals, homemakers, even retirees—I can tell you one thing for sure: everyone makes mistakes while learning English.
Some are small. Some are persistent. And some are, frankly, adorable (like calling a blanket a “sleeping cloth”—true story!).
But here’s the good news: most of these mistakes are fixable.
With a little awareness, some practice, and the right guidance, you can avoid them and sound much more natural and confident in English.
Let’s dive into the most common English mistakes learners make—and more importantly, how to fix them.
1. Mixing Up Tenses (Especially Past Tense Mistakes)
❌ “Yesterday, I go to the market.”
✅ “Yesterday, I went to the market.”
Why It Happens:
Tenses can feel like a puzzle, especially if your native language doesn’t use them in the same way English does.
I’ve worked with many students who understand past, present, and future—but struggle with applying the correct verb form in casual conversation.
How to Fix It:
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Focus on Time Markers: Words like yesterday, last week, two days ago usually indicate past tense.
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Learn Irregular Verbs by Groups: Instead of memorizing one by one, group them by patterns. For example:
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go-went-gone,
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buy-bought-bought,
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eat-ate-eaten
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- Practice with Short Stories: Retell your day in past tense. Say:
“I woke up at 7. I brushed my teeth. I made tea.”
Teacher Tip:
Use storytelling to practise. I often asked my students to tell me what they did over the weekend.
The moment they said, “I wake up late,” I’d gently correct them:
“You woke up late.”
Simple, but powerful.
2. Confusing Prepositions (In, On, At…Oh My!)
❌ “I will meet you in Monday.”
✅ “I will meet you on Monday.”
Why It Happens:
Prepositions are sneaky. They change depending on time, place, and even abstract ideas.
And unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all rule.
How to Fix It:
Use this cheat sheet:
-
Time:
-
Place:
Real-World Anecdote:
One student once told me:
I smiled and said, “That sounds like you’re lying on top of the country!”
We both laughed, and then she never made that mistake again.
3. Literal Translation from Native Language
❌ “Open the fan.”
✅ “Turn on the fan.”
Why It Happens:
If your brain is thinking in your mother tongue and just converting to English, you’re bound to run into trouble.
What sounds natural in Hindi, Spanish, or Chinese may sound awkward in English.
How to Fix It:
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Start Thinking in English: Even short thoughts. Instead of “मैं पानी पीना चाहता हूँ”, think “I want to drink water.”
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Note Collocations: Certain words go together in English, like:
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make a mistake, not do a mistake
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take a break, not do a break
-
Expert Insight:
A 2020 study by the British Council highlighted that collocation errors are among the top causes of unnatural speech among intermediate learners. Learning these pairs builds fluency fast.
4. Articles (The, A, An) Confusion
❌ “I have cat.”
✅ “I have a cat.”
Why It Happens:
Some languages don’t use articles at all. Others use them very differently. So learners often skip them or overuse them.
How to Fix It:
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Use ‘a’ and ‘an’ for non-specific, singular nouns:
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a book, an apple
-
-
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the sun, the book I gave you
-
-
No article for plurals and general ideas:
Quick Test:
Which sounds better:
✅ I saw a lion at the zoo.
or
❌ I saw lion at zoo.
5. Word Order in Questions
❌ “You are coming?”
✅ “Are you coming?”
Why It Happens:
In many languages, questions are formed simply by raising the tone at the end of a sentence. But in English, word order is key.
How to Fix It:
Use the formula:
-
Question word (if needed) + helping verb + subject + main verb
Example: Where do you live? -
If no question word:
Do you speak English?
Can she drive?
Fun Tip:
Record yourself asking questions. Play them back. Do they sound like statements? Adjust the word order and try again.
6. Overusing Present Continuous
❌ “I am having two brothers.”
✅ “I have two brothers.”
Why It Happens:
Many learners rely heavily on “I am + verb-ing” because it feels active and familiar. But English doesn’t use present continuous for everything.
When NOT to Use It:
-
For permanent facts:
-
❌ “I am knowing him.”
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✅ “I know him.”
-
-
With stative verbs:
Think: love, know, want, believe, have (for possession)
Practice Tip:
Make a list of common stative verbs and practice forming simple present sentences with them.
7. Pronunciation Pitfalls (Especially Silent Letters & ‘TH’ Sounds)
Common Errors:
-
“Febuary” instead of February
-
“Wensday” instead of Wednesday
-
“Tree” instead of Three
Why It Happens:
English pronunciation is famously inconsistent. Blame history, not yourself! Many spellings come from Old English, French, Latin—you name it.
How to Fix It:
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Use apps like YouGlish or Forvo to hear native pronunciation in real contexts.
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Record and compare your speech.
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Practice tongue placement: For “th,” your tongue should touch the back of your teeth (not easy, but practice helps!).
8. Using the Wrong Verb with the Wrong Subject
❌ “He go to school.”
✅ “He goes to school.”
Why It Happens:
Subject-verb agreement errors are common, especially with third-person singular (he, she, it) in the present simple.
How to Fix It:
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Remember: in present simple, add -s to the verb when using he, she, it
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She walks, He likes, It rains
-
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Try the “He-She-It” chant I use in class:
“He, she, it—add an ‘s’ to it!”
(It sounds silly, but it sticks!)
9. Trying to Sound Too Formal or Textbook-y
❌ “How do you do?”
✅ “Hi! Nice to meet you!”
Why It Happens:
Many learners are taught from traditional grammar books, where English sounds stiff and outdated.
How to Fix It:
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Watch Real English: YouTube vlogs, Netflix shows, podcasts.
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Learn Conversational Phrases:
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What’s up?
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How’s it going?
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I’m doing well, thanks!
-
-
Be careful with slang—avoid overusing it until you’re confident about the context.
Bonus:
If you’re preparing for formal exams or business English, balance both styles: casual and formal.
10. Being Afraid to Make Mistakes
Yes, this one’s big—and personal.
I’ve seen brilliant learners freeze mid-sentence because they were terrified of saying the wrong word. And I get it. Mistakes can feel embarrassing. But here’s the truth:
If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not learning.
How to Fix It:
Final Thoughts: Progress, Not Perfection
You don’t need to speak like a native speaker. You just need to speak clearly, confidently, and correctly enough to be understood.
So the next time you catch yourself saying “I didn’t knew,” smile, correct it to “I didn’t know,” and move on. That’s growth.
Action Steps for You:
Here’s what you can do today to improve:
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Record Yourself: Talk for 1 minute daily. Pick a topic like “My Day” or “My Hometown.”
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Correct One Mistake a Day: Choose one common mistake from this list and focus on fixing it.
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Practice Speaking: Join a language exchange group or talk to yourself in the mirror (yes, it works!).
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Keep a “Mistake Diary”: Write down errors you catch and note the correction.
Resources I Recommend:
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British Council’s Learn English – Great for grammar and listening.
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HelloTalk / Tandem – Apps to chat with real learners around the world.
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Forvo / YouGlish – To improve pronunciation.
You’re doing great. Keep learning, keep laughing at your mistakes, and most importantly—keep going.
If you’ve got questions or want more help with any of the topics above, just drop a comment or email me.
I’m always here to help.
Happy learning! 🌟
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