10 Common English Mistakes Beginners Make (and How to Fix Them)

Learning English as a beginner is exciting, but it’s also easy to make mistakes that can slow your progress. Many students make the same errors when learning English grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure. The good news is that these are very common English mistakes, and once you understand them, you can improve your English quickly. In this article, we’ll cover 10 common English mistakes beginners make and show you how to fix them so you can speak and write more confidently.

1. Mixing Up "He," "She," and "It"

Many learners confuse pronouns, especially when translating directly from their native language.

• He = boy/man

• She = girl/woman

• It = object or thing

Mistake: She is my brother.

Correct: He is my brother.

Tip: Always match the pronoun to the gender or type of noun to avoid beginner English mistakes.

2. Forgetting the "-s" in Present Simple

In English, the present simple tense requires an -s for he, she, it.

Mistake: He play football every day.

Correct: He plays football every day.

Tip: Remember this simple rule to improve your English grammar.

3. Using the Wrong Plural Forms

Irregular plurals are a common challenge for beginner English learners.

• man → men

• woman → women

• child → children

Mistake: I have two childs.

Correct: I have two children.

4. Saying "I am agree"

This mistake often comes from direct translation from another language.

Mistake: I am agree with you.

Correct: I agree with you.

Tip: In English, agree is a verb—you don’t need “am.”

5. Forgetting Articles ("a," "an," "the")

Articles are small but very important in English.

• a before consonant sounds (a dog, a car)

• an before vowel sounds (an apple, an idea)

• the for something specific (the sun, the teacher)

Mistake: I bought book.

Correct: I bought a book.

Tip: Using articles correctly is a key part of beginner English grammar.

6. Wrong Word Order in Questions

English questions need an auxiliary verb.

Mistake: You like pizza?

Correct: Do you like pizza?

Tip: Use Do/Does + subject + verb to make correct questions.

7. Confusing "In," "On," and "At"

Prepositions are often confusing for English learners.

• in = inside (in the room, in the car)

• on = surface/transport (on the table, on the bus)

• at = specific place (at school, at the station)

Mistake: I am in the bus.

Correct: I am on the bus.

Tip: Remember these basic rules to improve your English speaking and writing.

8. Double Negatives

English uses only one negative in a sentence.

Mistake: I don’t know nothing.

Correct: I don’t know anything.

Tip: Replace the second negative word with a positive word to avoid beginner English mistakes.

9. Forgetting Past Tense Forms

Irregular verbs often confuse beginners learning English.

Mistake: Yesterday I go to the park.

Correct: Yesterday I went to the park.

Tip: Practice the most common irregular verbs (go, eat, see, have) to improve your English quickly.

10. Translating Directly from Your Language

Some expressions don’t translate word-for-word in English.

Mistake: I have 25 years.

Correct: I am 25 years old.

Tip: Pay attention to how native speakers express ideas in English instead of translating literally.

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Making mistakes is part of learning, but you don’t have to repeat them. At SkillUp, our live online classes focus on real conversation, grammar correction, and everyday English practice. We help beginners and intermediate learners identify common English mistakes and correct them step by step, so you can improve English speaking and writing quickly.

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