Learning English can be challenging, even for native speakers. With so many grammar rules, confusing vocabulary, and tricky sentence structures, it’s easy to make mistakes. The good news is that most errors are common—and once you know them, you can easily avoid repeating them.
In this article, we’ll highlight some of the most common English mistakes and how to avoid them to improve your writing and speaking skills.
1. Confusing “Their,” “There,” and “They’re”
One of the most frequent mistakes in English is mixing up these three words.
☑ Their: shows possession (e.g., That is their car.)
☑ There: refers to a place (e.g., We went there yesterday.)
☑ They’re: contraction of they are (e.g., They’re going to the park.)
How to avoid it: Always pause and check if the word refers to ownership, location, or is a shortened form of “they are.”
2. Misusing “Your” and “You’re”
Similar to the above, these two words often confuse learners.
☑ Your: shows possession (e.g., Is this your book?)
☑ You’re: short for you are (e.g., You’re my best friend.)
☑ Tip: Try replacing the word with you are. If it still makes sense, use you’re.
3. Wrong Use of Apostrophes
Apostrophes are often misplaced, leading to confusing sentences.
☑ Use an apostrophe to show possession (e.g., Sarah’s laptop).
☑ Do not use it for plurals (e.g., Apples, not Apple’s).
☑ Use it for contractions (e.g., don’t for do not).
Example mistake: The dog’s are playing outside.
Corrected: The dogs are playing outside.
4. Mixing “Its” and “It’s”
This is another classic mistake.
☑ Its: shows possession (e.g., The cat licked its paw.)
☑ It’s: contraction of it is (e.g., It’s raining outside.)
How to avoid it: Try expanding “it’s” into it is. If it doesn’t make sense, use its.
5. Incorrect Subject-Verb Agreement
Many learners forget that verbs must match the subject in number.
Example mistake: She go to school every day.
Corrected: She goes to school every day.
Rule:
☑ Singular subject → verb ends with “s” (he runs, she writes).
☑ Plural subject → verb stays simple (they run, we write).
6. Using the Wrong Preposition
Prepositions in English can be tricky. Common mistakes include:
☒ He is married with her. (Incorrect)
☑ He is married to her. (Correct)
☑ She is good in English. (Incorrect)
☑ She is good at English. (Correct)
Tip: Learn prepositions with phrases, not as single words.
7. Saying “Less” Instead of “Fewer”
Many people use less when they should use fewer.
☑ Fewer: for countable nouns (e.g., fewer apples).
☑ Less: for uncountable nouns (e.g., less water).
Example mistake: There are less people today.
Corrected: There are fewer people today.
8. Double Negatives
Using two negatives in one sentence makes it incorrect.
Example mistake: I don’t need no help.
Corrected: I don’t need any help.
9. Misplacing Adjectives and Adverbs
Adjectives describe nouns, while adverbs describe verbs. Mixing them up can cause errors.
Example mistake: She runs quick.
Corrected: She runs quickly.
10. Overusing “Very”
Many learners use “very” too often: very big, very small, very good. While not grammatically wrong, it weakens your writing.
Better alternatives:
☑ Very big → huge
☑ Very small → tiny
☑ Very good → excellent
Final Thoughts
Making mistakes is a natural part of learning any language. The key is to identify common errors, understand why they happen, and practice using the correct forms. By paying attention to details like word choice, grammar, and sentence structure, you’ll improve both your written and spoken English.
Now that you know the most common English mistakes and how to avoid them, you can communicate more confidently and clearly.