How To Recognize Common English Errors

English is a complicated language, compiled from many other languages covering the globe. This diversity often makes avoiding English errors a difficult task. Most of the most common English errors, however, can be easily caught if you learn the root of the error.

The first most common error in English is "me" versus "I". If your mother asks: "Who went to the park?” it would be correct to say "Martha and I did", not "Martha and me did". Another common error is the phrase "It's just you and I". This is incorrect; it should be "It's just you and me". The easiest way to avoid this very common English error is to think of the sentence minus the other person. For example, you would never say in response to "Who went to the park?", "Me did". In the second example, you would never say "It's just I", you would respond "It's just me". To correct English error number one: remember the noun ("I") does something while the pronoun ("me") is the subject or has something done to it.

Another common English error all over the internet is the misuse of "there", "they're", and "their". This particular common error is an annoyingly pervasive one. "Their" is in reference to someone that belongs to 'them': "this is their boat" or "that is their food". "They're" is a contraction, meaning a letter has been removed and replaced with an apostrophe for the sake of ease. "They're" is an abbreviation of "they are": the "a" is replaced by the apostrophe. Proper use would be "they're here", "they're in class", or "they're upset". "There" covers all else: "the pen is over there" and "there is no one here" are proper uses of the word. Avoid these common English errors by understanding what you are expressing.

The most modern of common English errors is the use of "good" versus "well". The easiest way to avoid this English error and understand the difference is to remember "good" describes someone or something while "well" describes an action. "She is a good speaker" and "she speaks well" are both proper descriptions. Notice, however, that in the first example you are describing her as a person ("a speaker") and in the second you are describing her action ("speaks"). Another example of this is if you say "you look good"; it would be understood as "you look nice/attractive". "You look well", on the other hand, would be understood as "you look healthy". Remember the difference the next time you respond to "How are you?" so you do not make that common error.

Most of the common English errors are rooted in grammar, so if you understand who is doing what, you can avoid the worst offenders of common English errors.