Common English Errors
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Table of Contents:
‘CHEAP’ is used two ways.
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cheap usually has a negative meaning (-) |
| ...More accurate, positive, precise words should be used, if the meaning is positive (+): Inexpensive = not much money.
Economical = does not cost much money to use it. A good value for the money.
Efficient = uses little energy.
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‘GAS’ |
1. Three forms of matter: Solid, Liquid, Gas
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2. Casual for any burnable liquid.
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3. Types of gas:
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Big difference!!!There's nothing I'd rather be doing I'd rather be doing nothing. |
So/Very/Too |
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Negative (-) Adjectives |
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| English is very difficult English is so difficult English is too difficult ? |
Its difficult but still we try Its extremely difficult, but still we try We don’t try, its impossible. |
| Louis Vuitton is very expensive Louis Vuitton is so expensive Louis Vuitton is too expensive |
...but we buy the handbag anyway. ...maybe we can’t afford the handbag ...we definitely don’t buy the bag. |
Positive (+) Adjectives |
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| I’m very happy I’m so happy I’m too happy ? |
better Best more than the best (tears of happiness) |
Neutral (+/-) Adjectives |
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| Its very blue Its so blue Its too blue |
A truly blue object It can’t possibly be more blue Please make it less blue |
There are very many people |
A lot of people, its crowded Its extremely crowded! People everywhere! You do not want to go there, or you don't like it. |
To Be:
To Have:
To Do:
To Get:
To Go:
Can:
COMMON IRREGULAR VERBS
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'In' vs. 'At':
This is a huge problem in English. I've been working on it for two lessons today, and the best I can say is that we simply learn which to use in which situation from common use. The problem is the same as 'o'を and 'ga' が in Japanse...
The basic rule is, if someone goes somewhere, far from where we are, we say "at" i.e. He is at the story, I was at a movie... But if I mean to say something or someone is "inside" something else, then I use in.
These are from a grammar book:
The following is a question from an application for a course I am applying to that addresses the same question:
How Would you explain to a learner
of English the difference in meaning between the following pairs
of sentences? |
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| A |
“She’s in the cottage.” |
| B |
“She’s at the cottage.” (she’s out of town) |
| Comments In and At are difficult. Native speakers often confuse them, too! If I say she is “in” the cottage, I mean inside, or within. I mean that If I open the door, I will see her inside the building. If I say “at,” then I mean that she is “not here.” “A” answers the question “Where is she?” if we are standing in front of the cottage. “B” answers the SAME question if we are in a different city, or are far away from the cottage. I would say “A” if I was talking to her friend, and wanted to know “is she by the lake?” or “is she at the store?” And her friend would say, “no, she is in the cottage.” I would say “B” if you asked me now, “where is your friend?” I would answer. “She is in Switzerland. She is at the cottage.” But a better example is, “where is your dad/wife/husband/mom?” you say, “She is at work/at home/at the bar.” vs. “Where is the other teacher?” you say: “She is in the other classroom.” |
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Common Verbs:
Common Prepositions:
“GET”
| Preposition |
Idiom |
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| in |
She is always getting in trouble | |
| at |
what are you getting at? | |
| to |
where did he get to? | |
| on |
How are they getting on? | |
| by |
I know enough English to get by. |
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| of |
X | |
| up |
What time did you get up? | |
| with |
I'd like to get with her! | |
| into |
I don't want to get into it with you! | |
| from |
Where do you get [your curly hair] from? | |
| down |
Get down! Now! (=lay down) | |
| back |
When did you get back from Hokkaido | |
| over |
I'll never get over her. I loved her! | |
| after |
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| about |
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| around |
Its difficult, but I found a way to get around the problem. | |
| along |
Do you get along with her? | |
| across |
I can't seem to get across to you how important this is. | |
| under |
She really gets under my skin | |
| behind |
Get behind me, I'll do the talking. | |
| before |
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| through |
Its a difficult book to get through. | |
| between |
Don't get between a mother bear and her child |
Difficult sounds:
R – L – D
B – V
Th – Th
Fa – Fi – Fu – Fe – Fo
M - N
Wa – Wi – Wu – We – Wo
S – Sh
| S |
Sh |
| Sea |
She |
Difficult Sentences:
Tongue Twisters: |
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| Red lorry, Yellow lorry, Red lorry Yellow Lorry, Red lorry yellow lorry |
'Lorry' is the British name for a truck; lolly is the British name for candy. Be careful! |
| Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers | [Peder-Piper-Pickda-Pecka-Pickld-Peppers] |
| SHe Sells Sea SHells by the Sea SHore | this one's a classic. SHI and SI. Be careful! |
| How much wood would a would chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood? |
'chuck' means 'throw'. woodchucks are like chipmunks or mice. |
| How much myrtle would a wood turtle hudtle If a wood turtle could hurdle myrtle? |
myrtle [mur-dul] is a kind of small bush |
English uses spaces in writing, Japanese uses spaces is speech. Normally, english blends smoothly from word to word without breaks in pronunciation.
WILL |
HAVE |
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Written: |
Pronounced |
NOT! |
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| I’ll |
I – ul |
ill |
I have | I've | Iyv | |
| You’ll | U – ul | You have | You've | U-vv | ||
| He’ll | ひ – ul | hell | He is | She's | sheez | |
| She’ll | し - ul | shell | she is | she's | sheez | |
| It’ll | i - tul | It is | It's | ihts | ||
| They’ll | thay-ul | |||||
| We’ll | wE – ul | well | ||||
Pronouns |
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| Written: |
Pronounced: |
| You |
ya |
| Your | yer |
| t + you | cha |
| t + your | cher |
Verbs |
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| want to | wanna (whaddaya wanna do tonight?) |
| going to | gonna (Its gonna be trouble!) |
| have to | hafta (what do I hafta do |
| has to | hasta (She hasta work late tonight) |
| Got to | gotta (Ya-gotta-check this out!) |
Conditionals |
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| should have | shoulda |
| could have | coulda |
| would have | woulda |
| might have | mighta |
| will have | willuv |
Questions |
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| will you? | Willya? |
| won't you? | woncha? |
| Could you? | Couldja? |
| Should you? | shouldja? shouldn-tya? |
| would you? | wouldja? |
| might you? | mie-cha? |
The only real problem with adjectives is their proper order. Very descriptive English uses up to three adjectives per sentence more than three and it starts to sound awkward, but its a fun game to play!!!
Order of Adjectives |
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| number | size | judgement | shape | age | color | pattern | country / brand | kind/type | [NOUN] |
| a | small | ugly | misshapen | antique | brown | smattered | japanese | tea | bowl |
| three | long | scary | slender | young | brown | diamond-backed | japanese | adder | snakes |
| some | small | delicious | round | fresh | yellow | ridged | Ruffles Sour Cream™ | potato | chips |
| many | big | expensive | clunky | new | brown | monogrammed | Louis Vuitton | hand- | bags |
| a | short | beautiful | plump | 19 year old | blushing | freckled | irish | college | freshman |
This is a typically
Typical mistakes in English involve a present or near future happening that is natural to express in the present tense, followed by a possibility. For example:
| degree of certainty | ||
| It must be | 100% | |
| It could be | 75% | This is the optomist for positive statements, the pessimest for negative statements |
| It may be | 50% | |
| It might be | 25% | |
| It can't be | 99% | This is often used as an exclamation |
| It couldn't be | 100% |