Incorrect: John is kindness, so many people want to chat with him.
Correct: John is so kind that many people want to chat with him.
Incorrect: Had you come to Korea? Randy
Correct: Have you ever been to Korea, R.mdy?
Incorrect: Chan, are your work busy?
Correct. Chan, do you have a busy job?
Incorrect: I am going to a picnic.
Correct: I am going on a picnic.
Incorrect: I am a bit in a hurry
Corrrect: I am in a bit of a hurry
Incorrect: My house is to ten minute of her.
Correct: It is a ten-minute drive from my house to hers.
Incorrect: I had told you I am from China.
Correct: I have told you before that I am from China.
Incorrect: How do you think to learn the English?
Correct: What is your point on learning English?
Incorrect: Would you please don’t ask me this question, OK?
Correct: Would you please not ask me this question, OK?
Incorrect: I’m heard music.
Correct: I am listening to some music now.
Incorrect: I am come from China.
Correct: I am from China/ I come from China.
Incorrect: OK, I will see you late!
Correct: OK, I will see you ‘tater!
Incorrect: I wish I have…
Correct: I wish I had….
Incorrect: I am going to watch the cinema tonight.
Correct: I am going to a movie tonight.
Incorrect: I am difficult to learn English.
Correct: It is difficult for me to learn English.
Incorrect: I still so surprise we were born in same day.
Correct: I am so surprised that we were born on the same day.
Incorrect: Is there some topic talk about?
Correct: Is there any topic to talk about?
Incorrect: Give me a favour!
Correct: Please do me a favour!
Incorrect: I don’t understand the meaning what you say…
Correct: I don’t understand the meaning of what you said….
Incorrect: There are not anything wrong…
Correct: There is nothing wrong….
Incorrect: Why not come yesterday?
Correct: Why didn’t you come yesterday?
Incorrect: What hobby do you like?
Correct: What is your hobby?
Incorrect: Almost people here I never met before.
Correct: Almost all the people here are strangers to me.
Incorrect: You must be quite a character.
Correct: You are quite a character
Incorrect: In fact, Billy really owns some personality to be a VIP.
Correct: In fact, Billy really has what it takes to be a VIP.
Incorrect: Just now my connection have problem…
Correct: I just had a connection problem………
Incorrect: Joei, maybe I will sleepless after I saw his pic !
Correct: Joei, I may be sleepless tonight after seeing his picture!
Incorrect: I am so boring today, please bring me fun.
Correct: I feel so bored today, please say something funny.
Incorrect: Judy: Tom sent his pic to me for long time ago.
Correct: Judy: Tom sent me his picture a long time ago.
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Improve Your English & Speak English Correctly
1. We use “DO” when someone performs actions, repetitive tasks, and obligations. In other words, “DO” is often used when referring to work of any kind and referring to the action itself.
2. We use “MAKE” for creating or producing something, and for actions you choose to do. In other words, “MAKE” is often used when referring to the result.
A common error is to use the word today with morning, afternoon, or night when talking about things that happen on the same day that the speaker is speaking.
When using morning, afternoon, and night it is implied that the speaker is talking about the same day. Using the word today in this situation is redundant. Instead, use this (this morning, this afternoon, this evening).
If you are referring to other days, use yesterday, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, etc.
- Don’t say: Today morning I started making tamales at 6:30.
- Do say: This morning I started making tamales at 6:30
The word major, when used to mean the subject that one studies in college, is frequently used incorrectly.
When used as a verb, the word major requires the preposition in. When used as a noun, the word major often requires a possessive noun or pronoun. Also major is only used in referring to students, not graduates.
If referring to graduates the past tense must be used.
- Don’t say: Miss Suda majored political science.
- Do say: Miss Suda majored in political science.
- Do say: Mr. Grey’s major is chemistry.
For English speakers the expression sleeping with usually means two people are having sex together. Using this expression incorrectly could give the listener the wrong impression and embarrass the speaker.
- Don’t say: I stopped sleeping with my male room mate because he snores too loudly. This sentence implies that the two people were in a sexual relationship, which may not be the intent of the speaker.
- Do say: I no longer sleep in the same room as my male room mate because he snores too loudly
MAYBE I THINK
A common expression used by many students is maybe I think when they are expressing their thoughts about something.
The problem is that maybe expresses uncertainty, so using it with I think suggests that the speaker is not sure whether he thinks (or believes) what he is saying.
Don’t say: Maybe I think I will become a reporter after I graduate from university.
Do say: I think I will become a reporter after I graduate from university.
or,
Do say: Maybe I will become a reporter after I graduate from university
Students often confuse the meaning of these two words and use them interchangeably.
Refuse is a verb that typically means someone is unwilling to allow, accept, consider, or receive someone or something.
Refuse may imply that someone is determined and may even be mildly rude in their refusal.
Example: When he came to her office, she refused to see him.
Deny is also a verb and usually has the meaning to refuse to admit the existence, truth, or value of something. She denied that her car was worth only £500.
- Don’t say: She was offered an opportunity to take a great job in China, but she denied to take it.
- Do say: She was offered an opportunity to take a great job in China, but she refused to take it.
- Don’t say: Some people say he gambles away all of his earnings. But he refuses it.
- Do say: Some people say he gambles away all of his earnings. But he denies it
When using the titles of Mr., Mrs., and Miss when addressing people, English speakers use the person’s last name (family name). Asians frequently use a persons first name (given name) and not the family name.
- Don’t say: I would like to introduce my English professor, Mr. Jim.
- Do say: I would like to introduce my English professor, Mr. Heard
COMMON/POPULAR
The words common and popular are often incorrectly interchanged by English students.
Popular means to be liked, appreciated, and accepted by many people.
Common means to be prevalent and occurring often. Many common things are not well liked and occur often, but this does not make it popular.
Heart disease is common among older people, but it is not very popular!
- Don’t say: Traffic accidents are very popular in Kenya.
- Do say: Traffic accidents are very common in Kenya
Trip and travel are frequently used interchangeably and they should
not be. Trip is usually used as a noun and travel is usually used as a
verb.
- Don’t say: I took a travel to Africa last summer.
- Do say: I took a trip to Africa last year.
- Don’t say: I want to trip to Europe after I graduate.
- Do say: I want to travel to Europe after I graduate.
FAMOUS/WELL-KNOWN
Many students use famous when they should use the term well known.
While these two terms can be usually be considered synonyms, famous has in its definition that something is famous because of an achievement of some sort.
Something that is famous could also be said to be better-known and more widely-known than something that is just well-known.
- Don’t say: Washington state is famous for its delicious apples.
- Do say: Washington state is well known for its delicious apples.
- Don’t say: Mexico is famous for its spicy foods.
- Do say: Mexico is well-known for its spicy foods.
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According to the Macmillan dictionary
- famous: if someone or something is famous, a lot of people know their name or have heard about them
- well-known: known by many people or by the people involved in a particular situation
Other explanation
Famous: usually describes a celebrity or an important person that a lot of people know.
Well-known: is similar to famous. However, it also describes people within their own group.
For example, you can say that the principal of your school is well-known at school. He/she is the principal, so everyone knows him/her. You cannot use the word “famous” because most people in your country probably do not care about the principal of your school.
Learn more:
The post Improve Your English – Lesson 15: FAMOUS/WELL-KNOWN first appeared on Helena Daily English.]]>