Top 10 English Mistakes to Avoid

English is a deceptively simple language. It has no gendered nouns (a table is just "it"). It has simple verb conjugations. It welcomes everyone.

But then, it traps you.

You think you are saying: "I am feeling bored right now." But you actually say: "I am boring." The room goes silent. You have just insulted yourself.

English is full of these little landmines. Here are the Top 10 mistakes learners make, and how to fix them so you sound like a pro.

1. "I am boring" vs. "I am bored"

• The Mistake: confusing the -ed and -ing endings.
• The Reality:
  • Bored: How you feel.
  • Boring: Your personality is dull.
• The Fix: If you have the feeling, use -ed.

2. "I have 25 years"

• The Mistake: Translating directly from Romance languages (J'ai / Ho / Tengo).
• The Reality: In English, you are your age, you don't possess it.
• The Fix: "I am 25 years old."

3. "Actually" vs. "Currently"

• The Mistake: Thinking "Actually" means "Right now" (like Actuellement in French).
• The Reality:
  • Currently: Right now.
  • Actually: In fact / The truth is.
• The Fix: "I am currently working." (Not actually).

4. "Explain me"

• The Mistake: Forgetting the preposition.
• The Reality: You cannot explain a person. You explain to a person.
• The Fix: "Can you explain to me?" or "Can you explain this?"

5. "I know him since 3 years"

• The Mistake: Using "Since" for a duration.
• The Reality:
  • Since: A starting point (Since 2020).
  • For: A duration (For 3 years).
• The Fix: "I have known him for 3 years."

6. "Make" vs. "Do"

• The Mistake: They mean the same thing in many languages, but not English.
• The Reality:
  • Make: Create something (Make a cake, Make a decision).
  • Do: Action/Activity (Do homework, Do business).
• The Fix: This is pure collocation. You have to learn them as chunks.

7. "Informations"

• The Mistake: Pluralizing uncountable nouns.
• The Reality: Information, Furniture, and Advice are uncountable. They have no plural.
• The Fix: "I need some information." (Never "Informations").

8. "Fun" vs. "Funny"

• The Mistake: Using them interchangeably.
• The Reality:
  • Funny: Makes you laugh (A clown).
  • Fun: Enjoyable (A party).
• The Fix: "The movie was funny (I laughed)." vs "The party was fun (I enjoyed it)."

9. "Loose" vs. "Lose"

• The Mistake: Spelling and pronunciation.
• The Reality:
  • Lose (Z sound): To misplace something.
  • Loose (S sound): Not tight (pants).
• The Fix: Use Vokabulo’s Voice Input to practice the Z vs S buzzing sound.

10. "Sensible" vs. "Sensitive"

• The Mistake: False friends.
• The Reality:
  • Sensitive: You cry easily / have feelings.
  • Sensible: You are logical / practical.
• The Fix: Don't tell your boss you are "Sensitive" if you want to say you make good decisions.

How Vokabulo Stops the Embarrassment

These mistakes happen because you translate word-for-word. With Vokabulo, you learn via Context. If you type "Make a mistake" into Vokabulo, the AI teaches you the collocation immediately. It won't let you say "Do a mistake."

Ready to perfect your English? Download Vokabulo and let our AI fix your "Spanglish" or "Denglish" today. 🇬🇧🇺🇸