COMMON ERRORS
Very often, students make mistakes when they write. The errors occur in various forms. The
following are the most common errors committed in sentence construction. Look at the
examples and explanations carefully.
1. Errors in the use of pronouns
Wrong Sentence
My sister is good at debating and everyone
knows him.
That house belongs to their.
We watched us brothers playing in the
field.
2. Errors in the use of prepositions
Wrong Sentence
My sister will write my uncle today.
I have not replied his letter yet.
The police are searching the murderers.
We should obey to our parents.
After school, we entered into the library.
A photograph of our principal appeared on
Monday’s paper.
I like this painting; it’s different to the
other paintings.
Mr Tay succeeded in his business with
sheer hard work.
3. Errors in the use of connectors
Wrong Sentence
Azam did not study and he passed his
exam.
Although he is lazy, but he did well in his
examination.
I will agree to study in this room with you
unless you promise to be silent.
Correct Sentence
My sister is good at debating and everyone
knows her.
That house belongs to them.
We watched our brothers playing in the
field.
Correct Sentence
My sister will write to my uncle today.
(The preposition ‘to’ is needed)
I have not replied to his letter yet.
(The preposition ‘to’ is needed)
The police are searching for the murderers.
(The preposition ‘for’ is needed)
We should obey our parents. (Here, the
preposition ‘to’ is not needed.)
After school, we entered the library. (Here,
the preposition ‘into’ is not needed.)
A photograph of our principal appeared in
Monday’s paper.
(‘In’ is the correct preposition)
I like this painting; it’s different from the
other paintings.
(‘from’ is the correct preposition)
Mr Tay succeeded in his business through
sheer hard work.
(‘through’ is the correct preposition)
Correct Sentence
Azam did not study but he passed his exam.
Although he is lazy, he did well in his
examination.
(You can use either ‘although’ or ‘but’ in a
sentence. You can’t use both in the same
sentence.)
I will agree to study in this room with you if
you promise to be silent.
4. Confusion of number
Wrong Sentence
Before my sister went to university, my
mom gave her a lot of advices.
I have a lot of works to do.
The childrens are sleeping now.
The sceneries are beautiful.
5. Mistakes with determiners
Wrong Sentence
Puan Mary bought much things at the
supermarket.
Ramu hasn’t some money in his wallet
now.
The carnival attracted lot of people.
6. Errors in the use of gerunds
Wrong Sentence
Your hair is long. It needs cut.
Try take some rest. You will feel better.
The neighbour remembered see a
suspicious man lurking in front of the gate.
I enjoy watch television during my free
time.
7. Redundancy/ Repetition
Wrong Sentence
We are discussing about the project.
The shopkeeper refunded back the money.
Could you please repeat that again?
Joe returned back the money to his friend.
After school, we entered into the resource
centre.
My class comprises of twenty boys and ten
girls.
8. Errors in the use of articles
Wrong Sentence
Diyana went to United States for a holiday. Diyana went to the United States for a
Balbir is lecturing in an university.
Sidek climbed the Mount Kinabalu.
My father is a engineer.
Correct Sentence
Before my sister went to university, my
mom gave her a lot of advice.
I have a lot of work to do.
The children are sleeping now. (There is no
such word as ‘childrens’. We say ‘one
child’ and ‘many children’)
The scenery is beautiful.
(There is so plural form for ‘scenery’)
Correct Sentence
Puan Mary bought many things at the
supermarket.
Ramu hasn’t any money in his wallet now.
The carnival attracted lots of people. (You
can also use ‘a lot of’)
Correct Sentence
Your hair is long. It needs cutting.
Try taking some rest. You will feel better.
The neighbour remembered seeing a
suspicious man lurking in front of the gate.
I enjoy watching television during my free
time.
Correct Sentence
We are discussing the project.
The shopkeeper refunded the money.
Could you please repeat that?
Joe returned the money to his friend.
After school, we entered the resource centre.
My class comprises twenty boys and ten
girls.
Correct Sentence
holiday.
Balbir is lecturing in a university.
Sidek climbed Mount Kinabalu.
My father is an engineer.
In the evening, I play the badminton.
9. Errors in word division
Wrong Sentence
Girls, are you already to go for the picnic?
Vandalism seems to be an every day
occurrence in schools.
Lim can not dance gracefully.
10. Mistakes in the use of subject-verb agreement
Wrong Sentence
Poh Yee buy an ice cream for her younger Poh Yee buys an ice cream for her younger
sister once a month.
All the designs comes in many sizes and
colours.
Many sheep was grazing in the paddock.
Sugar taste sweet.
Everyone were waiting to see the king.
One of the girls have taken the notes.
11. Incorrect tenses
Wrong Sentence
My father asks me what I was doing.
Cathy borrow my textbook yesterday.
My mother went to the market every day.
She always jogged around the park in the
evening.
He polishing his shoes now.
We are use the computer to do our project
paper.
The manager is give a talk on leadership
next week.
Gavin will reached his home by dusk.
I have buy him a tie for his birthday.
She has cook lunch for all of us.
The cat was kick by the naughty boy.
The cucumbers sliced very thinly.
12. Errors in the use of the infinitive
Wrong Sentence
The butcher needs use a sharper knife.
It is better take a taxi than wait for the
school bus.
I’m delighted to meeting you.
She was sorry to disturbing you.
13. Misuse of imperatives
Wrong Sentence
In the evening, I play badminton.
Correct Sentence
Girls, are you all ready to go for the picnic?
Vandalism seems to be an everyday
occurrence in schools.
Lim cannot dance gracefully.
Correct Sentence
sister once a month.
All the designs come in many sizes and
colours.
Many sheep were grazing in the paddock.
Sugar tastes sweet.
Everyone was waiting to see the king.
One of the girls has taken the notes.
Correct Sentence
My father asked me what I was doing.
Cathy borrowed my textbook yesterday.
My mother goes to the market every day.
She always jogs around the park in the
evening.
He is polishing his shoes now.
We are using the computer to do our project
paper.
The manager will give a talk on leadership
next week.
Gavin will reach his home by dusk.
I have bought him a tie for his birthday.
She has cooked lunch for all of us.
The cat was kicked by the naughty boy.
The cucumbers are/were sliced very thinly.
Correct Sentence
The butcher needs to use a sharper knife.
It is better to take a taxi than to wait for the
school bus.
I’m delighted to meet you.
She was sorry to disturb you.
Correct Sentence
Firstly, pours some oil into the pot.
Drives straight on for one kilometre.
14. Errors in the use of indirect questions
Wrong Sentence
Please tell me what is the time.
I don’t understand what are you talking
about.
Could you tell me what are you doing?
Do you know where is he now?
15. Errors in the use of phrasal verbs
Wrong Sentence
It took them two hours to put off the fire.
He decided to drop on to see his friend.
The little boy took out the cap from his
head.
We were late because our car broke up.
16. Misuse of common words
Wrong Sentence
loose, lose
This skirt is too lose for me.
He will loose the money.
except, accept
Please except this gift.
Everyone, accept Ramli, wants to go for
the trip.
beside, besides
There is a library besides my house.
Beside collecting stamps, I love to read
novels.
find, fine
The weather is find today.
I paid a find of RM 100 for speeding.
He tried to fine the lost treasure.
cook, cooker
My mother is a good cooker.
My sister bought a new rice cook.
peace, piece
There is no piece in this noisy
neighbourhood.
Each child got a peace of cake.
prize, price
William received many prices during
Sport’s Day.
The prizes of vegetables have increased.
cause, course
My father is doing a cause in management.
Firstly, pour some oil into the pot.
Drive straight on for one kilometre.
Correct Sentence
Please tell me what the time is.
I don’t understand what you are talking
about.
Could you tell me what you are doing?
Do you know where he is now?
Correct Sentence
It took them two hours to put out the fire.
He decided to drop in to see his friend.
The little boy took off the cap from his head.
We were late because our car broke down.
Correct Sentence
This skirt is too loose for me.
He will lose the money.
Please accept this gift.
Everyone, except Ramli, wants to go for the
trip.
There is a library beside my house.
Besides collecting stamps, I love to read
novels.
The weather is fine today.
I paid a fine of RM 100 for speeding.
He tried to find the lost treasure.
My mother is a good cook.
My sister bought a new rice cooker.
There is no peace in this noisy
neighbourhood.
Each child got a piece of cake.
William received many prizes during Sport’s
Day.
The prices of vegetables have increased.
My father is doing a course in management.
The course of the flood is clogged drains.
taught, thought
He thought Mathematics for ten years.
Billy taught for a long time before he
answered the question.
17. Omissions
Wrong Sentence
My family enjoyed during the party.
Please reply my letter.
Joe was accompanied his sister.
The cause of the flood is clogged drains.
He taught Mathematics for ten years.
Billy thought for a long time before he
answered the question.
Correct Sentence
My family enjoyed themselves during the
party.
Please reply to my letter.
Joe was accompanied by his sister.