COMMON MISTAKES

Hi...
Last month I received an interesting email from one of my basic students and I decided to share it with you!!! Sometimes we don't know the right word in ENGLISH, so take a look at the clues below and let me know if you think it's helpful, ok?

1- Good or Well

Good is an adjective and well is an adverb. Many people, including many native speakers, incorrectly use the adjective form good, rather than the adverb well.
Examples:

I did good on the test. INCORRECT! - Correct form: I did well on the test.
She played the game good. INCORRECT! - Correct form: She played the game well.

Use the adjective form good when describing something or someone. In other words, use good when stating how something or someone is.
Examples:

She is a good tennis player.
Tom thinks he is a good listener.

Use the adverb form well when describing how something or someone does something.
Examples:

She did extremely well on the exam.
Our parents think we speak English well.

2- Bring Take Fetch/Get

The use of bring and take is confusing for many students. The choice between bring or take depends on the location of the speaker. If the speaker refers to something that is at her current location, she uses bring. Generally, use bring when something moves from there to here.
Examples:

I'm glad you brought me to this shop. It's great!
I'll bring the map with me on the trip.

If the speaker refers to something that has been moved to a different location, she uses take. Generally, use take when something moves from here to there.
Examples:

The coach took the boys to football field.
Jack took his laptop with him on his trip.

Fetch/Get

When speaking about going somewhere and getting something and then bringing it back, use get (American English) or fetch (British English).
Examples:

Could you get the newspaper?
She fetched her diary and showed him the entry.

3- Everyone

Use everyone as a pronoun to mean all the people in a group.
Examples:

Do you think everyone will want to come to the party?
She wants everyone to leave comments on her blog.

Every one

Use every one as a noun to indicate each person.
Examples:

Every one of the students has a question about the grammar.
My boss told every one of the employees himself

4- Everyday

Use everyday as an adjective to mean 'daily'.
Examples:

Peter has an everyday appointment with his boss for briefings.
Susan has an everyday yoga class at five pm.

Every day

Use every day as a time expression to mean 'each day'.
Examples:

Peter studies Russian every day.
She pratices the piano three hours every day.

5- Whether / If

Both whether and if are used to introduce a yes/no question:
Examples:

He asked me whether I felt well.
We're not sure if they have decided.

The verb discuss generally takes whether rather than if.
Examples:

We discussed whether he should be hired.
They discussed whether to invest in the new idea.

After Prepositions

Use only whether after prepositions:
Examples:

We talked about whether we should go or not.
I looked into whether he should stay.

Infinitives

Use only whether before infinitives:
Examples:

She can't decide whether to buy the house or wait.
He considered whether to give up the position or quit next year.

Formal / Informal

Generally, whether is considered more formal than if.
Examples:

Let me know whether you will be able to attend the conference.
The CEO will decide whether this is a risk worth taking.

6- Too vs. Two vs. To

Too means "also" and is generally used at the end of a sentence. "Too" also indicates too much of a particular quality.
Examples:

That car is too expensive for me!
I'd love to come to the party, too.

Two is the written form of the number 2.
Examples:

There are two applicants for the job.
She has two cats.

To is generally used as a preposition. It is also used as part of the infinitive form of verbs.
Examples:

I gave the book to him.
The verb "to understand" is irregular.

7- Has gone to vs. Has been to

... has/have gone to ... refers to someone who has gone to a place but has not yet returned.
Examples:

He's gone to the bank. He should be back soon.
Where has Tom gone?

... has/have been to ... refers to a place which someone has visited sometime in his life. In other words, "has been to" refers to an experience.
Examples:

He's been to London many times.
I've been to Disneyland twice.

8- Then vs. Than

Then is used as a time expression.
Examples:

I'll see you then.
I'll be at the party. We can speak then.

Note: It is not used in the form "different than" which is used for comparisons.

Than is used for comparisons.
Examples:

He's lived here longer than I have.
His skills are very different than mine.

see ya!