English Lesson 233: Common Mistakes That Native Speakers Make195

Even native speakers make mistakes when speaking English. Here are some of the most common mistakes that native speakers make, along with tips on how to avoid them:

1. Using "ain't" as a contraction for "am not" or "are not"

The contraction "ain't" is considered non-standard English and should be avoided in formal writing and speaking. Instead, use "am not" or "are not." For example:❌ I ain't going to the store.
✅ I am not going to the store.

2. Using "of" instead of "have" in the present perfect tense

The present perfect tense is used to describe an action or event that began in the past and continues into the present. The correct form of the present perfect tense is "have" + past participle. Do not use "of" instead of "have." For example:❌ I have of finished my homework.
✅ I have finished my homework.

3. Using "them" instead of "they" as the subject of a sentence

"They" is the correct subject pronoun for a plural noun. Do not use "them" as the subject of a sentence. For example:❌ Them are my friends.
✅ They are my friends.

4. Using "me" instead of "I" as the subject of a sentence

"I" is the correct subject pronoun for the first person singular. Do not use "me" as the subject of a sentence. For example:❌ Me and my friends are going to the movies.
✅ I and my friends are going to the movies.

5. Using "who" instead of "that" as a relative pronoun

"That" is the correct relative pronoun to use when referring to a non-human noun. Do not use "who" instead of "that." For example:❌ The book who I read was very interesting.
✅ The book that I read was very interesting.

6. Using "lay" instead of "lie"

"Lay" is a transitive verb that means "to put or place something down." "Lie" is an intransitive verb that means "to recline." Do not use "lay" instead of "lie." For example:❌ I lay down on the couch.
✅ I lie down on the couch.

7. Using "their" instead of "there" or "they're"

"There" is an adverb that means "in or at that place." "They're" is a contraction for "they are." Do not use "their" instead of "there" or "they're." For example:❌ Their going to the store.
✅ They're going to the store.

8. Using "less" instead of "fewer"

"Less" is used to compare uncountable nouns. "Fewer" is used to compare countable nouns. Do not use "less" instead of "fewer." For example:❌ There is less students in the class today.
✅ There are fewer students in the class today.

9. Using "could of" instead of "could have"

"Could have" is the correct form of the modal verb "could" followed by the past participle of the verb "have." Do not use "could of" instead of "could have." For example:❌ I could of gone to the store yesterday.
✅ I could have gone to the store yesterday.

10. Using "between" instead of "among"

"Between" is used to refer to two things or people. "Among" is used to refer to more than two things or people. Do not use "between" instead of "among." For example:❌ The prize money was divided between the three winners.
✅ The prize money was divided among the three winners.

2025-01-18

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