English is a language rich in both written and unwritten rules , many of which can feel anything but straightforward. As a result, it's easy for mistakes to sneak into our speech and writing.
Surprisingly, some of the most common errors in English are so subtle that they often go unnoticed—mainly because we don’t even realize they’re mistakes.
While such mistakes may not raise eyebrows in casual conversations with friends or family, they can become glaring issues in professional settings—such as during a TOEFL exam . In these scenarios, even minor missteps can have a significant impact.
The truth is, no matter how commonplace these errors might seem, they’re still mistakes. Ignoring them could lead to bigger challenges down the line.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the most common English grammar mistakes that often go unnoticed—and more importantly, we’ll show you how to fix them.
1. Double Negatives Double negatives occur when two negative words are used in the same sentence. While they might be acceptable—and even required—in some languages and even in certain American regional dialects , they’re considered incorrect in standard English grammar rules.
For instance, in languages like Spanish or Italian , it’s normal to pair multiple negatives in a single sentence for emphasis. However, English doesn’t work that way. In English, two negatives don’t strengthen the negation; instead, they cancel each other out, creating confusion or even an unintended positive meaning.
Take the sentence: “I didn’t see her nowhere.” Logically, the two negatives ("didn’t" and "nowhere") cancel each other out, which would technically mean that the speaker did see her somewhere. If your intention is to say you didn’t see her at all, the correct phrasing would be: “I didn’t see her anywhere.”
To ensure your message is clear and grammatically accurate, stick to using only one negative word per sentence in English. It’s a simple way to avoid confusion and ensure your meaning comes across as intended.
2. "Should of" This is one of the most common English grammar mistakes, among English learners and native speakers alike.
If you've ever heard someone say, “I should of gone to the meeting,” it’s important to understand that this is a grammatical error that stems from how we hear contractions .
The correct phrase is “should’ve”, a contraction of “should have.” When spoken quickly, “should’ve” can sound like “should of,” leading to this common error. Unfortunately, this mishearing has crept into writing and casual speech, where it doesn’t belong.
This rule also extends to similar phrases like “could have” and “would have.” For example:
Incorrect: “I could of gone.” Correct: “I could have gone.”
The key to avoiding this error is remembering that “of” is a preposition, not an auxiliary verb. It can’t perform the grammatical function of “have” in these phrases.
So, whether you’re speaking or writing, always use the correct verb form—“have”—to keep your English clear and precise.
3. "Could care less" The phrase "I could care less" is commonly used in casual speech, but it’s actually incorrect.
If you think about it, saying "I could care less" implies that you do care to some degree—because there’s still room to care less than you currently do.
The intended meaning, however, is to express that you don’t care at all. The correct usage of the phrase is "I couldn’t care less," which makes it clear that your level of care is already at zero, leaving no room to care less.
This error is so widespread because "I could care less" feels easier and smoother to say in casual conversations, and most people don’t stop to think about its logical inconsistency. The next time you use this phrase, remember to keep the "not" in "couldn’t" to ensure your meaning is accurate.
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4. "Use to" When describing past habits or situations, people often say, "I use to go there all the time." This mistake happens because, when spoken quickly, "used to" can sound like "use to." The "d" sound tends to blend into the next word, making the difference almost unnoticeable.
While this might not cause much confusion in spoken conversation, it stands out in writing. The correct phrase is "used to," which indicates something you did regularly or a state that was true in the past but no longer applies.
For example:
Incorrect: "I use to love reading at night." Correct: "I used to love reading at night."
To avoid this mistake, remember that "used to" always reflects a past habit or condition, so it's essential to to employ the past tense. The "d" is essential for clarity and accuracy in both writing and speech.
5. Less vs. Fewer The words "fewer" and "less" are often mixed up, but they serve different purposes.
"Fewer" is used for things you can count individually, like books, apples, or cars. For example:
"Less" is used for things you can’t count individually, like water, sugar, or time. For example:
Generally speaking, it's rare to hear someone employ the word "fewer" incorrectly. The sentence "I have fewer coffee in my cup" just sounds plain wrong. With "less," however, it's less clear.
A simple rule to remember the correct usage: "fewer" is used for countable nouns and "less" for uncountable nouns. Keeping this distinction in mind will help you avoid this common mistake.
6. There/Their/They're Mixing up their, there, and they’re is a common mistake because these words are homophones —they sound the same but have different meanings and uses. Here’s how to keep them straight:
Their: Use "their" when referring to something that belongs to someone.
Example: "Their house is big." "Their" shows possession; the house belongs to them.
There: Use "there" to indicate a place or location, or to introduce a sentence.
Example: "The book is over there." Here, "there" points to a specific location.
Example: "There is a reason for this rule." In this case, "there" introduces the sentence.
They’re: This is the contraction of "they are."
Example: "They’re going to the party." If you expand it, it reads as "They are going to the party."
Quick tips:
Replace "they’re" with "they are" in your sentence. If it works, you’ve used the right word. Ask yourself if you’re referring to ownership (their) or a location (there).
Understanding these differences will help you avoid this easy-to-make mistake.
7. Me vs. I One of the most common grammar mistakes in English is confusing "me" and "I."
The rule is simple: use "I" when the speaker is part of the subject, and use "me" when the speaker is part of the object.
For example:
Incorrect: "John and me went to the store." Correct: "John and I went to the store."
Here, "I" is part of the subject performing the action, so it’s the correct choice.
On the other hand:
Incorrect: "He gave the book to John and I." Correct: "He gave the book to John and me."
In this sentence, "me" is the object receiving the action, so it’s the appropriate pronoun.
To avoid this mistake, try removing the other person from the sentence and see if it still makes sense.
"John and I went to the store" becomes "I went to the store," which sounds correct. "He gave the book to John and me" becomes "He gave the book to me," which also works perfectly.
But if you remove the extra name and say "Me went to the store" or "He gave the book to I," it’s clear something is wrong.
Using this trick makes it easy to follow English grammar rules and choose the right pronoun every time.
8. Word Order in Questions In English, word order changes when forming questions. Instead of saying, "You are going to the store?" the correct structure is, "Are you going to the store?"
This mistake often happens because learners apply word order rules from their native language, where questions might simply rely on tone rather than rearranging words. In English, most questions start with an auxiliary verb such as "are," "can," or "do."
For example:
Incorrect: "She can play the piano?" Correct: "Can she play the piano?"
Here, the subject ("she") and the auxiliary verb ("can") must switch places to properly form a question.
That said, "She can play the piano?" is not completely incorrect—it can be used to express surprise or disbelief in informal conversation. In this context, the speaker is making more of a statement with a rising intonation rather than asking a direct question.
Remember: In English questions, the auxiliary verb typically comes before the subject. Practicing this rule will make your sentences sound natural and clear.
9. Since vs. For "Since" and "for" are often confused, but they serve different purposes in English.
"Since" indicates the starting point of an action, often referring to a specific moment or event in time. For example: "I have lived here since 2010."
In this sentence, 2010 marks the starting point of the action (living here).
"For" is used to express the duration of an action and answers the question "How long?" For example: "I have lived here for 10 years."
Here, the phrase "10 years" tells us how long the action has been happening, not when it started.
When people mix these up, the sentence becomes incorrect. For example, the sentence "I have lived here for 2010" is incorrect because 2010 is a point in time, not a duration. The correct phrase would be "I have lived here since 2010."
To avoid confusion:
Use "since" when referring to the starting point of an action. Use "for" when describing how long the action has lasted.
By keeping this distinction in mind, you can avoid this common mistake and make your sentences clear and accurate.
Keep in mind, "for" has two common pronunciations: a weak form and a strong form. The weak form is used most often and sounds like /fɚ/, with a reduced vowel sound , the schwa sound . The strong form, pronounced as /fɔːr/, is used for emphasis or when the word is stressed in a sentence.
Watch as BoldVoice Coach Ron gives a detailed explanation of weak forms, in words like "to" and "for":
VIDEO
For access to hundreds of expert pronunciation lessons like this one, download the BoldVoice app .
10. It’s vs. Its These two words look similar and sound identical , but they have different meanings, and using the wrong one can change the meaning of your sentence.
"It’s" is a contraction of "it is" or "it has."
Example: "It’s a beautiful day" means "It is a beautiful day." Example: "It’s been a long time" means "It has been a long time."
"Its" shows possession, meaning something belongs to "it."
Example: "The dog chased its tail" means the tail belongs to the dog.
A helpful tip to avoid confusion is to expand "it’s" into "it is" or "it has." If the sentence still makes sense, then you’re using the right form. If it doesn’t, you should be using "its" instead.
For example:
"The cat licked its paw" cannot be rewritten as "The cat licked it is paw," so "its" is correct. "It’s raining outside" can be expanded to "It is raining outside," so "it’s" is correct.
This quick check makes it easy to choose the right word every time.
11. Plurals Without an “S” In English, most plural words are formed by adding an “s” (e.g., "cats," "books").
However, some words don’t follow this rule and have the same form for both singular and plural, or they are uncountable nouns that don’t take an “s” at all. Adding an “s” to these words sounds incorrect and unnatural.
Here are 10 examples of words that should not be pluralized with an “s”:
Sheep Fish Information Equipment Deer Furniture Bread Clothing Luggage Homework
For example:
Incorrect: "I saw five deers in the forest." Correct: "I saw five deer in the forest."
Similarly, uncountable nouns like "information" and "equipment" refer to things in a general sense and don’t take a plural form.
Incorrect: "He gave me many informations." Correct: "He gave me a lot of information."
When in doubt, it’s helpful to check if a word belongs to this group to avoid making this common mistake. The above list is not exhausted, so don't be afraid to double-check until you get the hang of it!
12. Watch vs. Look vs. See These three verbs all involve sight, which is why they are often confused. However, they each have distinct meanings and uses.
"Watch" means to closely observe something that moves or changes over time. For example: "We watched the sunset."
Watching requires focus and attention over a period of time.
"See" refers to the natural ability to perceive something without effort. For example: "I see the birds in the tree."
Seeing happens automatically, without intentional focus.
"Look" implies directing your eyes at something for a shorter or momentary focus. For example: "Look at that painting."
Looking is an action that requires intention but is usually brief.
For example, you can say, "Did you see/watch the entire movie?" depending on whether you passively perceived it (see) or actively paid attention (watch). However, it would be incorrect to say, "Did you look at the entire movie?" since movies are typically experienced over time and not in a brief glance.
Understanding these subtle differences helps you use these verbs correctly in context.
Overcome Common Mistakes in English with BoldVoice Mistakes are a natural part of learning and can be valuable opportunities for growth.
The first step to improving is recognizing and understanding your errors. Now that you know how to correct these 12 common mistakes in English, you’ll be prepared for when you encounter them again.
However, pronunciation is often where learners face the most challenges, and even small errors can affect clarity and confidence. That’s where BoldVoice comes in.
The BoldVoice AI-powered app is specifically designed to help you perfect your English pronunciation. It offers tools to identify your pronunciation mistakes and provides tailored exercises to help you speak clearly and confidently. With over 10,000 interactive resources and practice materials, BoldVoice adapts to your learning needs, providing instant, personalized feedback on your pronunciation exercises.
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