Common English Mistakes Explained With Examples : Over 300 Mistakes

Pesticides have many negative influences on people’s health. (Don’t say: Pesticides have many bad influences on people’s health).

Poverty has many negative influences on families. (Don’t say: Poverty has many bad influences on families).

Smoking has many negative influences on oral cavity. (Don’t say: Smoking has many bad influences on oral cavity).

The plural form of "offspring" is "offspring", (NOT offsprings).

Conflicts between parents and offspring. (Don’t say: Conflicts between parents and offsprings).

Nowadays, aging parents are less likely to live together with their offspring. (Don’t say: Nowadays, aging parents are less likely to live together with their offsprings).

We say be lack of + noun, (NOT be lack + noun).

Her mother’s problem is lack of sleep. (Don’t say: Her mother’s problem is lack sleep).

His only problem is lack of confidence. (Don’t say: His only problem is lack confidence).

We say lack + noun, (NOT lack of + noun).

He lacks money to buy a house. (Don’t say: He lacks of money to buy a house).

They lack money to buy food. (Don’t say: They lack of money to buy food).

They lack food to feed themselves and their children. (Don’t say: They lack of food to feed themselves and their children).

We say be/feel scared, (NOT be/feel scare).

She is scared of going out alone at night. (Don’t say: She is scare of going out alone at night).

She feels scared to drive on the road by herself. (Don’t say: She feels scare to drive on the road by herself).

The blind, the deaf, the mute, the dead, the injured, the old, the poor, the rich, the unemployed, the jobless, the young, the mentally ill are always plural.

The rich are not always happy. (Don’t say: The rich is not always happy).

The rich are usually powerful. (Don’t say: The rich is usually powerful).

The poor are not always unhappy. (Don’t say: The poor is not always unhappy).

The unemployed are still increasing. (Don’t say: The unemployed is still increasing).

The young don't usually plan ahead. (Don’t say: The young doesn't usually plan ahead).

The injured are still in hospital in a critical condition. (Don’t say: The injured is still in hospital in a critical condition).

We say over the last five years, (NOT during five years up to now).

I've used this car often over the last five years. (Don’t say: I've used this car often during five years up to now).

She’s been getting better and better at Japanese over the last three years. (Don’t say: She’s been getting better and better at Japanese during three years up to now).

We say contribute to something/V-ing, (NOT contribute to + Vo).

He would like to contribute to arresting that man. (Don’t say: He would like to contribute to arrest that man).

Technology has contributed to improving our lives. (Don’t say: Technology has contributed to improve our lives).

We say consumers’ health, (NOT consumer’s health).

There are many negative effects of fast food on consumers’ health. (Don’t say: There are many negative effects of fast food on consumer’s health).

Workers' compensation insurance. (Don’t say: Worker’s compensation insurance).

We say unhealthy food, (NOT harmful food).

People should keep themselves from consuming unhealthy food. (Don’t say: People should keep themselves from consuming harmful food).

We should not buy or eat unhealthy food. (Don’t say: We should not buy or eat harmful food).

We say detrimental/devastating effects, (NOT harmful effects).

The sun’s detrimental/devastating effects on skin. (Don’t say: The sun’s harmful effects on skin).

Pesticides have detrimental/devastating effects on people’s health and the environment. (Don’t say: Pesticides have harmful effects on people’s health and the environment).

The drought has had detrimental/devastating effects. (Don’t say: The drought has had harmful effects).

We say the age of technology/the information age, (NOT the technology age).

We live in the modern age of technology. (Don’t say: We live in the modern technology age).

We live in the information age. (Don’t say: We live in the technology age).

He didn't grow up in the age of technology. (Don’t say: He didn't grow up in the technology age).

We say developed society, (NOT development/developmental society).

We live in a well-developed society. (Don’t say: We live in a development/developmental society).

People in developed societies seldom confront discrimination. (Don’t say: People in development/developmental societies seldom confront discrimination).

We say …two years older than…, (NOT older two years than).

He is two years older than I am. (Don’t say: He is older two years than I am).

Her sisters is three years older than she is. (Don’t say: Her sisters is older three years than she is).

We say six miles long, (NOT long six miles).

The race was six miles long. (Don’t say: The race was long six miles).

This river is one hundred kilometers long. (Don’t say: This river is long one hundred kilometers).

We say 4 metres high, (NOT high 4 metres).

The statue is 4 metres high. (Don’t say: The statue is high 4 metres).

The wall is six metres high. (Don’t say: The wall is high six metres).

We say eleven feet deep, (NOT deep eleven feet).

The ditch is eleven feet deep. (Don’t say: The ditch is deep eleven feet).