English can be a confusing language. Even people who have spoken it for years sometimes make mistakes with spelling, grammar, punctuation or word choice.
Some mistakes are easy to notice, while others sound perfectly normal until someone points them out.
Here are 30 common English mistakes, with simple explanations and examples to help you avoid them.
1. Your vs you’re
These two words sound the same but have different meanings.
Your shows possession.
Is this your phone?
You’re is short for “you are”.
You’re very kind.
Remember: If you can replace the word with “you are”, use you’re.
2. Their vs there vs they’re
These three words are often confused.
Their shows possession:
They left their bags at home.
There refers to a place or position:
The books are over there.
They’re means “they are”:
They’re coming later.
3. It’s vs its
It’s means “it is” or “it has”.
It’s raining.
Its shows possession.
The company changed its policy.
A useful test is to replace it’s with “it is”. If the sentence still makes sense, it’s is correct.
4. Your welcome vs you’re welcome
A common mistake is writing:
Your welcome.
The correct expression is:
You’re welcome.
It means you are welcome.
5. I vs me
Use I when you are the subject of the sentence.
James and I went to the meeting.
Use me when you are the object.
She called James and me.
A simple trick is to remove the other person’s name:
I went to the meeting.
Not:
Me went to the meeting.
6. Then vs than
Then usually relates to time or sequence.
We had dinner and then went home.
Than is used when making a comparison.
Nairobi is larger than many other Kenyan cities.
7. Affect vs effect
These words are particularly easy to confuse.
Affect is usually a verb meaning to influence something.
Lack of sleep can affect your concentration.
Effect is usually a noun meaning a result.
The new policy had a positive effect.
There are exceptions, but this distinction works in many everyday situations.
8. Advice vs advise
Advice is a noun.
She gave me some useful advice.
Advise is a verb.
I would advise you to arrive early.
One is something you give; the other describes the action of giving it.
9. Less vs fewer
Use fewer with things you can count individually.
There are fewer people here today.
Use less with things considered as a quantity or amount.
I need less water.
Compare:
- fewer books
- fewer cars
- less money
- less time
10. Much vs many
Use many with countable nouns.
How many people attended?
Use much with uncountable nouns.
How much money do you need?
Examples:
Many:
- many books
- many students
- many cars
Much:
- much time
- much water
- much information
11. Could have vs could of
You may sometimes see:
I could of gone.
This is incorrect.
The correct form is:
I could have gone.
The same applies to:
- should have
- would have
- might have
- must have
12. Should have vs should of
Incorrect:
You should of called me.
Correct:
You should have called me.
This mistake often happens because “should’ve” sounds similar to “should of” when spoken quickly.
13. There is vs there are
Use there is with a singular noun.
There is a problem.
Use there are with plural nouns.
There are several problems.
In everyday speech, people sometimes use “there’s” before plural nouns, but in formal writing, there are is usually the better choice.
14. He don’t vs he doesn’t
Incorrect:
He don’t like coffee.
Correct:
He doesn’t like coffee.
With he, she and it, use doesn’t in the simple present negative.
- He doesn’t know.
- She doesn’t understand.
- It doesn’t work.
15. She go vs she goes
Incorrect:
She go to work every day.
Correct:
She goes to work every day.
In the simple present tense, verbs generally take -s or -es with he, she and it.
- He works.
- She studies.
- It looks good.
16. I have went vs I have gone
Incorrect:
I have went to the shop.
Correct:
I have gone to the shop.
The past tense of “go” is went, but the past participle is gone.
- I went there yesterday.
- I have gone there before.
17. More better
Incorrect:
This option is more better.
Correct:
This option is better.
Better is already a comparative form, so “more” is unnecessary.
The same idea applies to words such as:
- worse
- bigger
- smaller
- faster
18. Most unique
The word unique generally means one of a kind.
Because something is either unique or it isn’t, phrases such as “most unique” can be problematic.
Instead of:
This is the most unique design.
You could write:
This is a unique design.
In casual English, however, “very unique” and similar expressions are commonly used for emphasis.
19. Alot vs a lot
Alot is not normally written as one word.
Incorrect:
I have alot of work.
Correct:
I have a lot of work.
20. Everyday vs every day
Everyday is an adjective meaning ordinary or usual.
These are my everyday shoes.
Every day means each day.
I walk every day.
A useful test: if you mean “each day”, use two words.
21. Apart vs a part
Apart generally means separated or away from each other.
The two buildings are several metres apart.
A part means one piece or section of something.
Everyone wants to be a part of the team.
22. Could care less vs couldn’t care less
The traditional expression is:
I couldn’t care less.
It means you care so little that it is impossible to care any less.
“I could care less” is widely used in informal speech, particularly in American English, but it literally suggests that you still care to some degree.
For formal writing, couldn’t care less is the safer choice.
23. Irregardless vs regardless
Regardless is the standard word.
Regardless of what happens, we will continue.
“Irregardless” is widely regarded as nonstandard or informal, so it is best avoided in formal writing.
24. Me and my friend vs my friend and I
When you are the subject of a sentence, put the other person first and use I.
Instead of:
Me and my friend went shopping.
Write:
My friend and I went shopping.
However, when you are the object:
She invited my friend and me.
25. A university vs an university
The choice between a and an depends on the sound that follows, not simply the spelling.
Correct:
a university
The word “university” begins with a “you” sound.
But:
an umbrella
Here, the word begins with a vowel sound.
26. An hour vs a hour
Although “hour” begins with the letter h, the h is silent.
Correct:
an hour
Not:
a hour
This is another example of why pronunciation matters when choosing between a and an.
27. Loose vs lose
Loose usually means not tight.
My shirt is too loose.
Lose means to no longer have something or to fail to win.
I don’t want to lose my phone.
28. Quiet vs quite
Quiet means making little or no noise.
The room is very quiet.
Quite is used to mean fairly, rather or completely, depending on context.
The film was quite interesting.
Changing one letter changes the meaning.
29. Principal vs principle
Principal can refer to a person in charge of a school or something that is most important.
The principal spoke to the students.
Principle means a basic belief, rule or idea.
Honesty is an important principle.
30. Punctuation mistakes
Punctuation can completely change how a sentence is understood.
Compare:
Let’s eat, Grandma.
with:
Let’s eat Grandma.
The first sentence is an invitation to Grandma. The second one has a very different meaning.
Common punctuation mistakes include:
- Missing full stops
- Using commas incorrectly
- Forgetting apostrophes
- Using too many exclamation marks
- Confusing quotation marks
- Writing very long sentences without proper punctuation
Good punctuation makes your writing easier to read.
How to avoid common English mistakes
You don’t need to become a grammar expert overnight. A few simple habits can make a noticeable difference.
Read more
Reading good-quality English exposes you to correct spelling, grammar and sentence structure.
Slow down when writing
Many mistakes happen simply because people type too quickly.
Check commonly confused words
Words such as your/you’re, its/it’s, their/there/they’re and advice/advise are worth learning properly.
Read your writing again
Before sending an important email, application or article, take a moment to read it from beginning to end.
Learn from mistakes
Making mistakes is a normal part of learning a language. The important thing is to notice recurring mistakes and gradually stop making them.