10 common mistakes most English learners make!

10 common mistakes most English learners make!

English in India is both, a necessity and a vanity (Read: Show off).

More often than not, in the day-to-day life, we Indians use English to look cool and portray ourselves as a grade above.

The professional environment today demands the skills of written and spoken English. To bridge this gap, we have found our very own 'Desi' way to amalgamate English and Native phrases.

Let us see the top ten common mistakes Indians make and the ways to correct them.

1) Ending with phrases as - Ok na? Ha? Right na?

Incorrect: You are going na?
                  Will you do this, ha?

Correct: You are going.
                Will you do this?

2) Like this, Like that, Like that only.

We Indians have a way of doing things 'Aise hi', but when we incorporate this in spoken English, it's a disaster.

Example: We do like this only.

I was like this...and then it was like that.
He said like this only.

The right thing to say in such situations would be something as:

We do it in such a manner. He said that…. following which...
Phrases such as – following which, in such a manner, apart from it.

3) Slang/Short form language

Example: We are gonna do that.
                  I wanna be a singer.

Words such as wanna, gonna, bro, sista, wassup may make you sound upbeat, but are NOT WELCOME in the professional environment.

Correct: When you are tempted to say gonna, remind yourself that you mean “going to”. Wassup should be replace with “What are you up to?”.

4) Introduction - The Indian Way

Example: Hi, Myself Amar. I come here in study.
Correct: Hi, I am Amar. Or

My name is Amar. I come here to study.

Or say, I come here for studies.

Example: Himself is Aman, my bro.
Correct: He is Aman. He is my brother.

5) Not using 'is', 'am', 'are' where required

Example: They coming to the movie.
                  You going or not?
Correct: They are coming to the movie.
                You are going or not?

6) Desi Spellings

Example: Why are you wearing blue genes?
Correct: Why are you wearing blue jeans?

One cannot just wear genes over his legs and roam around!

Correct	Incorrect
Gym	Gim, Jym
Ladies	Laedies, Ledies
Gents	Jents, Jens
Tasty	Testy
Beer	Bear(Animal)
Dear	Deer(Animal)

7) Commonly Misused Words

Accept/ Except/ Expect

Example: I accept your invitation.
Incorrect: I except your invitation.

Accept- Agree

Except- Exclude

Expect- Look forward to

There/ Their/ They're

Their – denotes possession

There – denotes place

They're – contracted form of “They are”

Example: It is there birthright.
Correct: It is their birthright.

8) Real Vs. Cousin

Example: She is my real sister. He is my real brother.

There is no concept as 'real' or 'unreal' sister, brother, aunt, uncle mother, father. Sister is sister, not real or unreal.

If not blood related, the word cousin is used - Cousin sister, cousin brother is wrong. Just say, "He/She is my cousin."

9) Misusing Yesterday/Tomorrow, He/She, His/Her

Example: I will go there yesterday.
Correct: I will go there tomorrow.

Example: This is pen of she. This pen is of hers.
Correct: This is her pen.

10) Years Back/ Years Ago

Example: The class started 20 minutes back.
Correct: The class had started 20 minutes ago.

It would be proper to use ago, when time is specific, otherwise, back.

Example: Hundred years ago
                 A few years back

Bonus: The 'in-law' mistake

Correct	Incorrect
Brothers-in-law	Brother-in-laws
Sisters-in-law	Sister-in-laws

Same applies for Mother-in-law and Father-in-law.
(On a fun note - Unless you wish to invite more trouble in your life, stick with Mother-in-law NOT
Mothers-in-law.)

Be aware and try not to make these mistakes.