130 Common Mistakes in English

accused of	The man was accused of the murder. The man was accused with the murder.
administrative	This is just an administrative problem. I work as an administrative at a co-operative.
agree	Greta agrees with you. Greta is agree with you.
alive / live	Only three people were alive after the accident. Only three people were live after the accident.
alternate / alternative	We’ll meet on alternate Mondays. Today, on the 11th and on the 25th. We’ll meet on alternative Mondays. Today, on the 11th and on the 25th.
alternative / alternate	Is this the only solution? Isn’t there an alternative option? Is this the only solution? Isn’t there an alternate option?
among / between	The three boys divided the cake among themselves. The three boys divided the cake between themselves.
angry / hungry	He’s angry because he had an accident. He’s hungry because he had an accident.
anything / nothing	She can’t see anything. She can’t see nothing.
as / like	He’s an engineer but works as a driver. He’s an engineer but works like a driver.
attempt / intend	She tried to climb Mount Kilimanjaro last year but failed. This year she’ll attempt it again. She tried to climb Mount Kilimanjaro last year but failed. This year she’ll intend it again.
axis / axle	Shall I write the figure on axis X or axis Y? Shall I write the figure on axle X or axle Y?
axle / axis	My car wheels are held together by the axle. My car wheels are held together by the axis.
bad / badly	He reacts in a bad way. He reacts in a badly way.
badly / bad	He reacts badly. He reacts bad.
be fifteen years old	We are both fifteen years old. We have both fifteen years.
believe	I don’t believe anything she ever says. I’m not believing anything she ever says.
between / among	France lies between Spain and Germany. France lies among Spain and Germany.
billion	A billion is a thousand million in the USA. A billion is a million million in the USA.
boring	I find the economics class boring. I’m boring at the economics class.
can	I can speak Swahili. I can to speak Swahili.
can’t / mustn’t	It can’t be Silvia. It’s too early! It mustn’t be Silvia. It’s too early!
casual	We were expected to wear casual clothes so I didn’t bring a tie. It was a casual meeting. We met by chance.
certainly / surely	Unemployment is certainly rising. Look at these figures! Unemployment is surely rising. Look at these figures!
charge	They charge the laptop on the mains. They charge the elephant onto the lorry.
comprehensible / comprehensive	The book is written in a comprehensible style. It is easy to understand. The book is written in a comprehensive style. It is easy to understand.
comprehensive / comprehensible	That was a comprehensive research paper. It covered the history of mankind. That was a comprehensible research paper. It covered the history of mankind.
constipated	I’m constipated. I should take a laxative. I’m constipated. I think I have a cold.
continually / continuously	She’s continually taking days off. She missed Monday, Wednesday and Friday last week. She’s continuously taking days off. She missed Monday, Wednesday and Friday last week.
continuously / continually	The bell rang continuously and didn’t stop for even a second. The bell rang continually and didn’t stop for even a second.
crash into	He crashed into a wall. He crashed a wall.
current / actual	I always check news online because I like to be informed about current affairs. I always check news online because I like to be informed about actual affairs.
dairy	He works on a dairy farm. She writes on her dairy every night.
deduce / deduct	She deduced he was the murderer. She deducted he was the murderer.
deduct / deduce	We can either deduct taxes from your salary now or next year. We can either deduce taxes from your salary now or next year.
depend from	In a hierarchical organization employees depend from one boss. In a hierarchical organization employees depend on one boss.
depend on	My decision will depend on the information I have. My decision will depend of the information I have.
desert / dessert	The Gobi desert is cold at night and warm during the day. The Gobi dessert is cold at night and warm during the day.
dessert / desert	Would you like apple pie for dessert? Would you like apple pie for desert?
diary	He keeps a private diary. These are diary cows. They produce milk.
dislike	Mark dislikes modern architecture. Mark is disliking modern architecture.
doctor	My brother is a doctor. My brother is doctor.
download / upload	We must download the page from the server to our laptop. We must upload the page from the server to our laptop.
enjoy	I enjoy the cinema. I am enjoy the cinema.
enjoy	I enjoy my children. I enjoy with my children.
everywhere	He looked for the keys everywhere. He looked for the keys every place.
except	We’ll finance all the new projects except for Joe’s, which will be discontinued. We’ll finance all the new projects except Joe’s, which will be discontinued.
explain	Please explain your theory to me. Please explain me your theory.
familiar	I can’t remember her face but her name does sound familiar. We have a large family so I invited several familiars to the wedding.
few / little	We need a few dollars to meet our savings goal. We need a little dollars to meet our savings goal.
flour / flower	You need flour to bake a pizza. You need flower to bake a pizza.
flower / flour	Most flowers bloom in spring. Most flours bloom in spring.
folder / carpet	I use a folder to keep papers. I use a carpet to keep papers.
for / since	I’ve waited for three hours already. I’ve waited since three hours already.
good / well	This is a good book. This is a well book.
had better	You had better visit the client tomorrow. You had better to visit the client tomorrow.
hate	I hate her because she is mean. I’m hating her because she is mean.
intend / attempt	I intend to attend university when finish school. I attempt to attend university when I finish school.
it’s / its	It’s going to snow. Its going to snow.
its / it’s	The company pays its employees once a month. The company pays it’s employees once a month.
job / work	I’m the company manager. It is my job to solve problems. I’m the company manager. It is my work to solve problems.
ladder / stairs	Shall I move the ladder under the chandelier so you can change the bulb? Shall I move the stairs under the chandelier so you can change the bulb?
large enough	This boat isn’t large enough for all our family. This boat isn’t enough large for all our family.
lay / lie	You must lay the table before they arrive. You must lie the table before they arrive.
lie / lay	He always lies down for a nap. He always lays down for a nap.
like	I like Picasso because he’s a Cubist painter. I’m liking Picasso because he’s a Cubist painter.
like / as	That product is very much like the one we developed. That product is very much as the one we developed.
listen	I always listen to my boss. I always listen my boss.
live / alive	NBC will broadcast the match live. NBC will broadcast the match alive.
load	They’ll load the elephant onto the lorry. They’ll load the computer on the mains.
look forward to	We look forward to meeting your partner. We look forward to meet your partner.
love	I love him more and more every day. I’m loving him more and more every day.
make a mistake	Andrew wrote this list so he would make fewer mistakes. Andrew wrote this list so he would do fewer mistakes.
many / much	Many people came today. Much people came today.
media / medium	Most of the media live from advertising revenue. Most of the medium live from advertising revenue.
medium / media	I think you should try another medium. I think you should try another media.
most	Most managers have arrived. Most of managers have arrived.
motorway	We drove through the motorway. We drove through the autoway.
much / many	Having much money is always better than having little money. Having many money is always better than having little money.
must	We must increase prices. We must to increase prices.
nothing	She understood nothing. She didn’t understand nothing.
now / actually	He used to be a secretary. He’s a manager now. He used to be a secretary. He’s a manager actually.
officer / official	Could you please call a police officer? Could you please call a police official?
official / officer	This is an official statement. This is an officer statement.
parents-in-law	She loves her parents-in-law. She loves her fathers-in-law.
parking	I rarely leave my car at a parking lot because it’s too expensive. I rarely leave my car at a parking because it’s too expensive.
people	Most people are interested in their health. Most people is interested in their health.
personal / personnel	I have a personal trainer. I have a personnel trainer.
personnel / personal	Where’s the personnel department? Where’s the personal department?
price / prize	The price of this shirt is twelve dollars. The prize of this shirt is twelve dollars.
prize / price	She’s an excellent student and won the first prize. She’s an excellent student and won the first price.
professor	Anthony is a university professor. He teaches Physics. Richard is a kindergarten professor. He teaches children.
raise / rise	Farmers raise cattle. Farmers rise cattle.
recipe	Do you have the recipe for Yorkshire pudding? The doctor gave me a recipe for more antibiotics.
rise / raise	Prices rise because of inflation. Prices raise because of inflation.
rob / steal	He robbed me. He stole me.
safe / secure	Is your neighbourhood safe? There are many robberies in mine. Is your neighbourhood secure? There are many robberies in mine.
salary / wage	The manager collects her salary monthly. The manager collects her wage monthly.
say / tell	He always says that India is a powerful country. He always tells that India is a powerful country.
secure / safe	Is the rope secure? If it loosens the cargo might move. Is the rope safe? If it loosens the cargo might move.
sensible / sensitive	She’s a sensible woman so I trust she’ll make the right decision. She’s a sensitive woman so I trust she’ll make the right decision.
sensitive / sensible	She’s a very sensitive child and will cry if you shout at her. She’s a very sensible child and will cry if you shout at her.
series	2, 4, 6 and 8 make a series of even numbers. 2, 4, 6 and 8 make a serie of even numbers.
sew / sow	They need to sew at least ten shirts a day. They need to sow at least ten shirts a day.
since / from	I’ve been waiting here since eleven this morning. I’ve been waiting here for eleven this morning.
sow / sew	We will sow corn in our farm. We will sew corn in our farm.
stairs / ladder	Walk up the marble stairs to reach the hotel lobby. Walk up the marble ladder to reach the hotel lobby.
stake / steak	Our company owns a stake in Citibank. Our company owns a steak in Citibank.
stationary / stationery	Stationary satellites remain at the same relative position. Stationery satellites remain at the same relative position.
stationery / stationary	We need to purchase more stationery. We need to purchase more stationary.
steak / stake	I always order my steaks well-done. I always order my stakes well-done.
steal / rob	He stole the wallet from my bag and I never realized! He robbed the wallet from my bag and I never realized!
story / history	Can you tell me the Cinderella story tonight? Can you tell me the Cinderella history tonight?
straight / strait	Look straight ahead and you’ll see the factory. Look strait ahead and you’ll se the factory.
strait / straight	The ship crossed the Strait of Gibraltar. The ship crossed the Straight of Gibraltar.
suit / suite	All lawyers must wear suits at this office. All lawyers must wear suites at this office.
suite / suit	She stayed at her suite all day. She stayed at her suit all day.
tell / say	She never tells me the truth. She never says me the truth.
the reason why	She couldn’t explain the reason why she was here. She couldn’t explain the reason because she was here.
think of	I’m thinking of moving to Australia. I’m thinking to move to Australia.
times / per	Two times three equals six. Two per three equals six.
two pounds’ worth	I’d like two pounds’ worth of sweets. I’d like two pounds worth of sweets.
upload / download	We must upload the page from our laptop to the server. We must download the page from our laptop to the server.
used to	We used to run a small company. Now it’s grown rather large! We used run a small company. Now it’s grown rather large!
wage / salary	Their wages are between five and six dollar an hour though they should be much higher. Their salaries are between five and six dollars an hour though they should be much higher.
want to	I want you to contact the production supervisor immediately. I want that you contact the production supervisor immediately.
well / good	She dances, sings and draws quite well. She dances, sings and draws quite good.
who / whom	Who is responsible for collections at this office? Whom is responsible for collections at this office?
whom / who	I’ll send this note to whom it may concern. I’ll send this note to who it may concern.
work / job	Writing the budget is hard work. I wish I didn’t have to do it every year! Writing the budget is hard job. I wish I didn’t have to do it every year!

130 Common Mistakes in English

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