Mastering English Grammar: Common Mistakes and Sentence Structure

Posted on Jan 11, 2025 in Administration and Management

Present Perfect vs. Simple Past

  • We have worked here for three years. (Corrected: We started working here three years ago.)
  • I have never been on a plane before. (Corrected: This is the first time I’ve been on a plane.)
  • That’s strange! My pen has disappeared. (Corrected: That’s strange! My pen isn’t here.)
  • Nicky and Jan have left this school. (Corrected: Nicky and Jan aren’t at this school any more.)
  • I just saw a friend of yours. (Corrected: I saw a friend of yours a few moments ago.)
  • I haven’t finished reading my notes yet. (Corrected: I’m still reading my notes.)
  • Have you ever visited South America before? (Corrected: Is this your first visit to South America?)
  • Oh no! I have left my wallet in the car. (Corrected: Oh no! My wallet is still in the car.)
  • We haven’t spoken to your sister for a long time. (Corrected: It’s a long time since we spoke to your sister.)
  • Has Anna woken up yet? (Corrected: Is Anna still asleep?)

Comparatives and Superlatives

  • Paula is not as good a runner as David. (Corrected: David is a better runner than Paul.)
  • Anna is the tallest student in the class. (Corrected: Nobody in the class is taller than Anna.)
  • The last exhibition was not as interesting as this one. (Corrected: This exhibition is much more interesting than the last one.)
  • Sophie’s hair is longer than Jane’s. (Corrected: Jane’s hair isn’t as long as Sophie’s.)

Negation

  • Please don’t leave until I come back. (Corrected: Please stay here until I come back.)

Sentence Structure

Exercise 2:

  • There is a small restaurant near the hotel. (Corrected: Near the hotel is a small restaurant.)
  • It is strange that you went to Thailand for your holiday too. (Corrected: You went to Thailand for your holiday too, which is strange.)
  • There is a big tree at the end of my road. (Corrected: My road has a big tree at the end of it.)
  • It seems Brian has left. (Corrected: Brian seems to have left.)
  • It is really cold today! (Corrected: Today is really cold!)
  • It’s a long way from here to Budapest. (Corrected: Budapest is a long way from here.)
  • There aren’t any batteries in your torch. (Corrected: Your torch hasn’t got any batteries in it.)
  • It appears that we are lost again! (Corrected: We appear to be lost again!)

Indirect Questions

Exercise 3:

  • Do you know where he is? (Corrected: Where is he?)
  • Could you tell me when it starts? (Corrected: When does it start?)
  • Would you mind telling me where Pete went? (Corrected: Where did Pete go?)
  • Do you know if this bus goes to Ely? (Corrected: Does this bus go to Ely?)
  • Do you think we should leave now? (Corrected: Should we leave now?)
  • Can you tell me if this is Ali’s number? (Corrected: Is this Ali’s number?)
  • Could you tell me what it is called? (Corrected: What’s it called?)
  • Do you think she has lost her job? (Corrected: Has she lost her job?)

Question Tags

Exercise 4:

  • Lisa and Daniel aren’t married, are they?
  • Charlie and Daniel haven’t met before, have they?
  • Rebecca and Lisa live in the same village, don’t they?
  • Charlie’s lived there for about three years, hasn’t he?
  • Daniel left London last year, didn’t he?
  • Daniel and Lisa shared a flat at university, didn’t they?
  • Charlie works for a holiday company, doesn’t he?
  • Rebecca isn’t very keen on football, is she?
  • Harry is Charlie and Rebecca’s son, isn’t he?
  • Daniel hasn’t got any children, has he?

Short Answers

Exercise 5:

  • We’ve got a test tomorrow. Have we?
  • I don’t understand this sentence. Don’t you?
  • Fiona phoned me last night. Did she?
  • I don’t like ice cream. Don’t you?
  • Tom is leaving tomorrow. Is he?
  • There’s a policeman at the door. Is there?
  • Lisa has just had a baby. Has she?
  • I haven’t eaten Chinese food. Haven’t you?
  • There isn’t any milk in the fridge. Isn’t there?
  • I met David in France. Did you?

Comparatives and Superlatives

Exercise 6:

  • Anna is the tallest student in the class. (Corrected: Nobody in the class is taller than Anna.)
  • You’ve written more than me. (Corrected: I haven’t written as much as you.)
  • Sophie’s hair is longer than Jane’s. (Corrected: Jane’s hair isn’t as long as Sophie’s.)
  • I’m the noisiest person in the school. (Corrected: No student in the school is noisier than I am!)
  • The last exhibition was not as interesting as this one is. (Corrected: This exhibition is much more interesting than the last one.)
  • The car can’t go faster. (Corrected: This is as fast as the car can go.)
  • Kate didn’t eat as much as Helen. (Corrected: Kate ate much less than Helen did.)

Adjectives

  1. Equality: as…as
  2. Inferiority: less…than
  3. Superiority: -er than (short adjectives), more…than (long adjectives)
  4. Superlative: the…-est (short adjectives), the most… (long adjectives)
  • Good: better than, the best
  • Bad: worse than, the worst

Verb Tenses

  • Simple Present: I eat, I don’t eat (always, often, usually, sometimes)
  • Present Continuous: I am eating (now, at the moment, today)
  • Present Perfect: I have eaten (already, just, yet, for, since)
  • Present Perfect Continuous: I have been eating
  • Simple Past: I ate (when, ago, last, yesterday)
  • Past Continuous: I was eating
  • Past Perfect: I had eaten
  • Simple Future: I will eat (think, believe, hope)
  • Be going to: I am going to eat (plans or intentions)
  • Future Continuous: I will be eating
  • Future Perfect: I will have eaten