Common mistakes

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[Fiona Toh]

Some examples of the mistakes commonly made by my students.

[Habsah Ibrahim]

Some examples of the mistakes commonly made by my students.

Good examples. Thank you, Fiona. I'm learning too....

[Leander Lim]

Problem Words

This is the list of problems commonly made by students. The word or words in bold below are often wrongly used.

	Wrong Usage	Correct Usage
1	They discussed about their work.	They discussed their work.
2	I haven’t returned back the book.	I haven’t returned the book.
3	Can you please repeat again the statement?	Can you please repeat the statement?
4	The children enjoyed very much at the seaside.	The children enjoyed themselves very much at the seaside.
5	I gave up because I could not cope up with the work.	I gave up because I could not cope with the work.
6	The team comprises of only school children.	The team comprises only school children.
7	Although he is strong but he is scared.	Although he is strong, but he is scared.
8	You must walk more faster as it is late.	You must walk faster as it is late.
9	The tired beggar laid down on the grass.	The tired beggar lay down on the grass.
10	The price of the house is expensive.	The price of the house is high. (or The house is expensive.)
11	I prefer coffee than tea.	I prefer coffee to tea.
12	Can you borrow me some money?	Can you lend me some money?
13	May I lend you bicycle?	May I borrow you bicycle?
14	We reached at Pulau Pinang late.	We reached Pulau Pinang late.
15	The two towns are connected together by a road.	The two towns are connected by a road.
16	We shall consider about Janet’s suggestion.	We shall consider Janet’s suggestion.
17	They debated about the plan for one hour.	They debated the plan for one hour.
18	The fire was put off.	The fire was put out.
19	Ahmad has not replied to my letter.	Ahmad has not replied my letter.
20	I apologized him for stepping on his shoe.	I apologized to him for stepping on his shoe.
21	Due to the rain, the match was cancelled.	Owing to the rain, the match was cancelled.
22	The teacher deplored Bee Lin.	The teacher deplored Bee Lin’s bad behaviour.
23	Maniam kicked the ball hardly.	Maniam kicked the ball hard.
24	No sooner had I arrived home the telephone rang.	No sooner had I arrived home than the telephone rang.

Thanks for sharing, learn a lot today.

[Agnes Lim]

i have been told before by my English teacher in university that 'about' we used is wrong. but now became clearer with examples showed. i think it is because of the Malay sentence structure.

one of my friend's father even suggest that the language teacher points out what is similarity and differences in English and other languages. perhaps language teacher could look into that?

[Onn Ibrahim]

not only student... but sometimes the teacher also.....

[Veronica Ramina Bt. Kawi]

Hello Fiona,
         
            Thank you for sharing the info...


            Have a nice day!

[Dylen De]

Mr Leander..   

Give any opinion on this one...

"Look at the blackboard"

any mistakes in that line?
 

[Leander Lim]

"Look at the blackboard"

I don't see any mistake. Btw, I'm not an English teacher. 

[Dylen De]

"Look at the blackboard"

I don't see any mistake. Btw, I'm not an English teacher. 

Thanks..
its ok Mr Leander...
I just wanted to know about it...cos last few years ago I was being observed on my P&P for English Language lesson in the class by one of the Panitia..She told me there was something wrong with the instructions..till now its still haunting me...

[Fiona Toh]

Don't feel bad or anything because of that. It is not wrong if you mean just "look" at the blackboard. Maybe what your colleague meant was it was not so clear or accurate if you were asking your students to read what you wrote on the blackboard. Anyway, personally I think probably she was being a bit picky about that sentence. If we speak, it is acceptable and understandable to use that sentence to ask the students to read what is written on it.

[Dylen De]

Don't feel bad or anything because of that. It is not wrong if you mean just "look" at the blackboard. Maybe what your colleague meant was it was not so clear or accurate if you were asking your students to read what you wrote on the blackboard. Anyway, personally I think probably she was being a bit picky about that sentence. If we speak, it is acceptable and understandable to use that sentence to ask the students to read what is written on it.

Thanks....

[Adeline Ong]

Just got this from the grammar link

Conjunctions
One long-running debate regarding conjunctions is the use of words like and, but and or at the beginning of a sentence. Bernstein has this conclusion for us:

Sentences beginning with "and", "but", or "or" are acceptable provided the practice is not overdone. Indeed, nothing that is overdone is ever acceptable, be it language or lamb chops.
 
—Theodore M. Bernstein
 

One very common error with the usage of the conjunctions although and but is illustrated below:Although/But

 Although these products are expensive but retailers have no problem selling them. (wrong)
 Although these products are expensive, retailers have no problem selling them. (correct)
 These products are expensive but retailers have no problem selling them. (correct)
 Although these products are expensive, yet retailers have no problem selling them. (correct)

 I remember that 'although' cannot go with 'but'

Adeline

[Lau Shin Chai]

Thanks Cikgu Adeline,

[Habsah Ibrahim]

Thanks a lot Cikgu Adeline. I'm still learning. Good tips though.....

[Ch'ng Oon Hock]

Thanks both to Fiona and Adeline.

[Richard Boon]

As a refresher - when two words are joined together by a conjunction, they are usually of the same part of speech, Hence -

1. a noun is joined to a noun or pronoun, as in "Mike and Tom went to the market".
2. a verb to a verb, as in "She sat down and wept"
3. an adjective to an adjective or participle, as in "He is poor but honest"; "They are sad but hopeful"
4. an adverb to an adverb, or to a phrase which does the work of an adverb, as in "The cat approaches slowly and silently".
5. a preposition to a preposition, as in "The naughty boy ran in and out of the house".

[Wong Yau Nyau]

Thanks,  Fiona and Adeline.

[Richard Boon]

I sometimes come across this usage:

I am no teacher (instead of I am not a teacher)

Please kindly clarify.

[Abd Rahman]

It's good for our English vocab...

[William P Nojey]

I sometimes come across this usage:

I am no teacher (instead of I am not a teacher)

Please kindly clarify.

Cikgu Richard, as I understand it, there is usually a qualifying phrase or an explanation which follows the phrase "I am no teacher". For example, I am no teacher, but I think the way Cikgu William teaches is wrong. In this example, the person who utters this sentence is not a teacher but he thinks he knows how a teacher should teach. I hope this explanation helps.

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