To our workshop

Common Errors in EnglishSchool Manager: Sameera Al-Shati

ELT Supervisor: Muhammed Azatour Head of Department: Hessah Al-

Deyyain

Presented By: Head of Department: Hessah Al-Deyyain

It is known that making mistakes is very common, even for teachers. It is not shameful, nor should it be embarrassing. But what’s shameful is when a teacher makes mistakes and insists on or ignores them. It is important to realize that we all learn through our mistakes, only then will we be able to improve.

Let’s all acknowledge and bear in mind that we are responsible before Allah and our students for our performances in the classroom. So how should a teacher act when she makes a mistake?!

The first thing she has do is to draw the students’ attention to the error she made. Then she should tell her students that she is a human being, whose nature is to make mistakes. She can also add that nobody is perfect except Allah. If she is not sure of a certain information she should bravely tell them that she will check it with a reliable reference or source and inform them later. She should then try to avoid making the same mistake again. If a teacher does so, then indeed she is a brave teacher.

What is the difference between an error and a

mistake?

‘Error’ and ‘mistake’ mean : A wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention .

In terms of etymology , the word ‘error’ comes from the

Latin word ‘errorem’ or ‘errare’ which means ‘to wander or stray’. Error is highly acceptable to use in formal or technical contexts especially in the world of computing and programming. ‘Error’ is the more fitting term to indicate something wrong than ‘mistake’ .

For example : ‘System Error’ sounds better than ‘System

Mistake’, doesn’t it ?

The root of the word ‘mistake’, nails from the old Norse word ‘Mistaka’ which means ‘mis’ (wrong) and ‘taka’ (take). As a whole, it means ‘wrongly taken’.

The term ‘mistake’ is used more extensively in casual

conversations. For example, it would be awkward to say, ‘I am sorry, it was all an error!’. The more natural sounding statement would be: ‘I am sorry. It was all a mistake ‘.

Errors could occur in the following cases :

( 1 ) Using Wrong Prepositions.

( 2 ) Misuse of Infinitive. ( 3 ) Confused words.( 4 ) Miscellaneous examples. ( 5 ) Un-English Expressions.

( 1 ) Using a Wrong Preposition:

Mistakes are often made by using a wrong preposition after certain words. The following list includes the words which most often give trouble:

Eg:- 1- Accuse of, not for. Don’t say: He accused the man for stealing. Say: He accused the man of stealing.

• Note: But “charge” takes “with” as: The man was charged

with murder.

2- Accustomed to, not with. Don’t say: I am accustomed with hot weather. Say: I am accustomed to hot weather.

3- Arrive at, not to. Don’t say: We arrived to the village. Say: We arrived at the village. • Note: “Arrive in” is used for countries and large cities:

Mr. Smith has arrived in London. (New-York\ India, etc.)

4- Angry with, not on. Don’t say: The teacher was angry on him. Say: The teacher was angry with him.

• Note 1: We get angry “with” a person, but “at” at a thing: as: “He was angry at the weather.” (not with the

weather)• Note 2: Also “annoyed with”, “indignant with” a person,

but “at” a thing.

5- Congratulate on, not for. Don’t say: I congratulate you for success. Say: I congratulate you on your success.

6- Die of an illness, not from an illness.

Don’t say: Many people have died from malaria. Say: Many people have died of malaria.• Note: Men “die of an illness”; “of hunger”, “of thirst”; “from wounds”; “from overwork”; “by violence”; “by the sword;” “in battle”; “in poverty”; “for their country”.

7- Cure of, not from. Don’t say: The man was cured from his illness. Say: The man was cured of his illness.

• Note: But the noun “cure” takes “for” as: “There is no

cure for that disease.”

8- Different from, not than. Don’t say: My book is different than yours. Say: My book is different from yours.

9- Full of, not with or from. Don’t say: The jar was full with oil. Say: The jar was full of oil. • Note: But “fill” takes “with” as: “He filled the glass with

water.”

10- Independent of, not from. Don’t say: He is independent from his parents. Say: He is independent of his parents.• Note: But we say “dependent on” as: A child is

dependent on its parents.

11- Leave for a place, not to a place. Don’t say: “They are leaving to England soon.” Say: “They are leaving for England.”

12- Sit at a desk, etc., not on a desk, etc. Don’t say: The teacher often sits on his desk. Say: The teacher often sits at his desk. • Note: Also “sit at the table” but “on a chair” “on a bench” “on

a sof,” etc; “in an arm-chair” “in a tree” or “up a tree.”

13- Surprised at, not for. Don’t say: We were surprised for his failure. Say: We were surprised at his failure. • Note: Also “astonished at”; “amazed at”; “alarmed at”;

“puzzled at”; “shocked at.”

14- Warn (a person) of danger, not about danger. Don’t say: They were warned about the danger. Say: They were warned of the danger.

• Note: But we warn a person against a fault; as: “His

teacher warned him against disobeying the regulation.”

(2 )Misuse of the Infinitive

(2 )Misuse of the Infinitive The gerund and not the infinitive should be after

prepositions or preposition phrases :

1-Insist on+ ing Don’t say: He insisted to go to London .

Say: He insisted on going to London .

2 -Object to + ing Don’t say : “I object to be treated like this”.

Say : “I object to being treated like this ”.

3 -Succeed in + -ing Don’t say : He succeeded to gain the prize .

Say: He succeeded in gaining the prize.

4-Avoid + -ing : Don’t say: You can’t avoid to make mistakes .

Say: You can’t avoid making mistakes.

• Note :Also “can’t help ‘’ (can’t avoid) as: ‘’I can’t help

laughing”.

5 -Excuse + ing Don’t say: Please excuse me to be so late.

Say: Please excuse my being so late . Please excuse me for being so late.

6 -Have the pleasure of + ing : Don’t say: I had the pleasure to meet him.

Say: I had the pleasure of meeting him. •Note : also “take pleasure in” as: “He takes great pleasure in

helping the poor.”

3-Confused words

1- Beside and besides : (a)Beside : Don’t Say: He was standing just besides me.Say: He was standing just beside me.

(b)Besides:Don’t Say: We study French beside English.Say: We study French besides English.

• Note: “Beside” means “by the side of,” “besides” means “in addition to.”

2- Wounded and Injured or Hurt.(a)Wounded:Don’t Say: Thousands were injured in the war.Say: Thousands were wounded in the war.

(b)Injured or Hurt:Don’t Say: He was wounded in a motor accident. Say: He was injured in a motor accident.• Note: people are injured or hurt as a result of an accident,

and Wounded in battle or in war.

3- Nervous for Angry. Don’t Say: Our teacher is very nervous today.Say: Our teacher is very angry today.

• Note: (a) “Nervous” denotes the habit of being easily excited

or frightened. (b) “Angry,” denotes only a temporary state.

4- House and Home.(a)House:Don’t Say: Many new homes have been built.Say: Many new houses have been built.

(b)Home:Don’t Say: You should go to your house now.Say: You should go home now. • Note: Take care not to say “my house,” “his house,” or “your

house” when you should rather say “home” A “house” is any building used for living in.

Home is a particular house in which one is living.

5- Centre and Middle.(a)Centre: Don’t say: Can you find the middle of a table?Say: Can you find the centre of a table?

(b)Middle: Don’t say: He was in the centre of the street.Say: He was in the middle of the street.• Note: (a) “centre” is a definite point. (b) “middle” is the indefinite space around or near the

“centre.”

6- Poetry for Poem.Don’t say: I have a poetry to learn by heart.Say: I have a poem to learn by heart. • Note: (a) “Poetry” is the form of literature dealing with poems. (b) “Poem” is one piece of poetry.

(4 ) Miscellaneous examples :

1- Using the objective case after the conjunction “than”: Don’t say: My brother is taller than me .

Say: My brother is taller than I (am).

• Note 1: The word “than” is a conjunction , and can only be followed by the pronoun in the nominative case. The verb coming after the pronoun is generally omitted.

• Note 2: In spoken English the objective case is often

used. as: “You’re much taller than me.”

2- Using “his” as an indefinite pronoun. Don’t say: One should take care of his health. Say: One should take care of one’s health.

•Note 1: The indefinite pronoun “one” must be followed by one of it’s parts ( one, one’s, oneself ) and not by he, she, it, or their parts.

• Note 2: It is, however, advisable to avoid using “one” as subject, and to use instead such words as “boy”; “girl”; “man” as: “A boy should take care of his health.”

5 -Each other and one another :(a ) Each other :

Don’t say: These two girls help one another . Say: These two girls help each other.

(b ) One another :

Don’t say: These three girls help each other . Say: These three girls help one another .

•Note : “Each other” is better used when there are two people concerned , and “one another” when there are more than two people concerned. Many writers,

however, do not observe this distinction.

6- Using “the other day” instead of “the next day,”. Don’t say: He slept well and was better the

other day. Say: He slept well and was better the next day. (or

on the following day).

• Note: “The other day” is an idiom meaning a few days ago. as: “I met an old friend the other day.”

(5 ) Un-English Expressions:

( 5 ) Un-English Expressions:

1- Mount or get on a horse, etc., not ride a horse, etc. Don’t say: He rode his bicycle and went home. Say: He got on his bicycle and rode home.

• Note: “To ride” denotes a continuous action; “To mount” or “to get on” denotes a simple action.

2- Have one’s hair cut, not cut one’s hair. Don’t say: I am going to cut my hair. Say: I am going to have my hair cut.

• Note: Also avoid: “I shall make a pair of shoes (or a suit of clothes).” Say instead: “I shall have a pair of shoes (or a suit of clothes) made.”

3- Put on weight, not put weight. Don’t say: I have put at least three kilos. Say: I have put on at least three kilos.

• Note: The opposite of “put on weight” is “to lose weight” as: “She has lost five kilos.”

4- It works miracles, not it makes miracles. Don’t say: That medicine makes miracles. Say: That medicine works miracles.

5- Getting on with, not going with Don’t say: How is he going with his work? Say: How is he getting with his work?

How to avoid common errors in English ?

The location of a teacher in the classroom is very sensitive. The teacher feels that all eyes are on her, just waiting for her to start, causing her to shiver and sweat. To avoid this fear:

A) She should calm down and try to control herself. This is the first step in teaching because controlling one’s self helps a lot in avoiding mistakes.

B) To avoid mistakes and thus embarrassment, a teacher is obliged to prepare the lesson very

well and in advance .

C) She should also try to imagine the questions the students might ask

and prepare for them .

D) A teacher must read the whole unit and not only the step she is going to teach. This will prepare her for

unexpected questions .

Test your selfDon’t say Say The sentence

1-He accused the man for stealing.

2-We arrived at the village .

3-The teacher was angry on him.

4-I congratulate you on your success .

5-He insisted to go to London .

6-Please excuse me to be so late .

7-I had the pleasure to meet him .

8-He said that he will come tomorrow .

9-These two girls help one another .

10-He slept well and was better the other day .

11-He rode his bicycle and went home .

12-I'm going to cut my hair.

Test your selfDon’t say Say The sentence

√ 1-He accused the man for stealing.

√ 2-We arrived at the village .

√ 3-The teacher was angry on him.

√ 4-I congratulate you on your success .

√ 5-He insisted to go to London .

√ 6-Please excuse me to be so late .

√ 7-I had the pleasure to meet him .

√ 8-He said that he will come tomorrow .

√ 9-These two girls help one another .

√ 10-He slept well and was better the other day .

√ 11-He rode his bicycle and went home .

√ 12-I'm going to cut my hair.