10 Common Mistakes English Learners Make—and How to Fix Them

Learning English is a journey—and like any journey, it’s easy to take a few wrong turns along the way. As an English teacher, I’ve worked with students from all over the world, and I see the same mistakes pop up again and again. The good news? Most of them are easy to fix with a bit of practice and the right strategies.

Here are 10 of the most common mistakes English learners make—and how you can avoid them.

1. Confusing “he,” “she,” and “it”

The Mistake:“He is my mother.” “She is my dog.” It’s easy to get pronouns mixed up, especially if your first language doesn’t use gendered pronouns.

The Fix:Practice with real examples. Try labeling people and objects around you. “He is my father.” “She is my sister.” “It is a phone.” You can even use flashcards or try speaking about photos out loud.

2. Using the wrong verb tense

The Mistake:“I go to the store yesterday.”Mixing past, present, and future is super common.

The Fix:Keep it simple. Practice the three most common tenses: present simple, past simple, and future simple. Example:

• I go to the store (present)

• I went to the store (past)

• I will go to the store (future)

3. Forgetting to use articles (“a,” “an,” “the”)

The Mistake:“I saw cat in street.”

The Fix:Use “a” or “an” for something general, and “the” for something specific.

• I saw a cat. (any cat)

• The cat was sitting on a car. (a specific cat)

4. Translating directly from your native language

The Mistake:Direct translation often leads to weird or awkward English: “I have 25 years” instead of “I am 25 years old.”

The Fix:Think in English as much as possible. Watch TV shows, read books, and listen to English music or podcasts daily. Try to learn full phrases, not just words.

5. Pronouncing silent letters

The Mistake:Saying the “k” in “knife” or the “b” in “doubt.”

The Fix:Read with your ears. Use a dictionary with audio, like Cambridge or Merriam-Webster online, and listen to how words are said by native speakers.

6. Using “very” too much

The Mistake:“That movie was very very good.”

The Fix:Upgrade your vocabulary! Try stronger words like “amazing,” “fantastic,” or “hilarious” instead of always saying “very good.”

7. Misusing prepositions

The Mistake:“She is married with a doctor” (instead of “married to a doctor”).

The Fix:Prepositions can be tricky because they often don’t follow logic. Memorize common phrases:

• Good at

• Interested in

• Married to

• Afraid of

8. Overusing “I’m fine, thank you.”

The Mistake:“I’m fine, thank you. And you?”—Every. Single. Time.

The Fix:Use more natural responses:

• “I’m doing well, thanks. How about you?”

• “Not bad! What about you?”

• “Pretty good, thanks!”

9. Forgetting subject-verb agreement

The Mistake:“She go to school.” (should be “She goes to school.”)

The Fix:Practice third person singular:

• I go

• You go

• He/She/It goes

This small “-s” makes a big difference.

10. Being afraid to make mistakes

The Mistake:Not speaking at all because you’re afraid of making an error.

The Fix:Mistakes are part of learning. Speak up! Every mistake is a chance to improve. Remember, native speakers make mistakes too—we just don’t notice them as much.

Final Thoughts

Making mistakes is a natural part of learning any language. The key is to notice them, learn from them, and keep practicing. With time, patience, and a little bit of fun, you’ll become a more confident and fluent English speaker.

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