Typical Mistakes

Typical Mistakes
Workshop
TABLE OF CONTENTS
02
01 03
False Friends
German - English Mistakes
Difficult Grammar
frequently made
phrases and by Germans
vocabulary
When we talk about predictions
we can use the going to / will+infinitive.
Future Look at those clouds! I think it’s going to rain.

The boss looks angry. I think he’s going to shout at somebody.
In the future, I think people won’t write emails anymore.
When we talk about plans or decisions for the future,
we can use the going to / present Progressive.
I’ve made my decision. I’m going to quit smoking. We use will + infinitive when we make a (new) decision
Are you going to come to the party tonight? at the time of speaking (not before):
I’m meeting an old friend for lunch tomorrow.
‘It’s cold in here.’ ‘I’ll go and shut the window.’
‘Can you send me the information I need?’ ’Sure, I’ll do it right away’
borrow Lend
to get or receive something to give something to someone

from someone for a period of for a short period of time and,
time and then return it expecting it to be given back
Can I borrow your pen? If you need a coat I can lend you mine
Can I borrow some money? Can you lend me £10 until tomorrow?
advice advise
It is a noun (uncountable)
It is a verb
Don’t say: some advices
Don’t say: an advice
an opinion you give someone about what they should do to tell someone what you think they should do
I need some advice about my computer. She needed someone to advise her.
My father gave me some useful advice. The doctor advised me to lose weight.
effect affect
It is a noun It is a verb
the result of a particular influence to have an influence on someone or something
The harmful effects of drinking too much alcohol. Smoking affects your health.
Working too hard had a bad effect on my health. This disease affects the central nervous system.
ensure
to make something certain to happen= make sure
insure The airline is taking steps to ensure safety on its aircraft
to provide insurance for something or someone The role of the police is to ensure (that) the law is obeyed.
The house is insured for two million dollars.
Many companies won’t insure young drivers
assure
to tell someone that something will definitely happen
She is telling the truth, I can assure you.
She assured him (that) the car would be ready the next day.
Important
Many
Much + countable nouns
+ uncountable nouns How many friends do they have?

I don’t have many friends
How much money do you have?
I don’t have much money
a lot of
+ countable/uncountable nouns
I have a lot of friends

I have a lot of money
Don't use the before nouns to
talk about food in general
I don't like meat, but I eat eggs.
I don’t like the meat, but I eat the eggs.
—COMMON ERRORS
What day is it today?
What date is it?

Date
What date is it?
What is the date (today)?
25/4/2022
What is today’s date?
Written English Spoken English Numbers
April 7 April seventh 4/7/2022
7th April The seventh of April 7/4/2022

When is your birthday?
I was born in 1995.

I was born in December (1995).
I was born on Monday.
I was born on April 9th
False friends Der Chef
What it looks like: chef

What it means: boss/manager
False friends Die Rente
What it looks like: rent

What it means: pension
False friends Das Lokal
What it looks like: local

What it means: pub/restaurant
Das Gymnasium/Gym
False friends
What it looks like: gym

What it means: grammar school
False friends Die Hochschule
What it looks like: high school

What it means: college/university
False friends Die Fabrik
What it looks like: fabric

What it means: factory
False friends Der See
What it looks like: sea

What it means: tranquil lake
False friends spenden
What it looks like: to spend

What it means: to donate
False friends bekommen
What it looks like: to become

What it means: to receive/get
False friends Die Kaution
What it looks like: caution

What it means: security deposit (for an apartment)
False friends Das Gift
What it looks like: gift

What it means: poison/toxin
False friends Der Brand
What it looks like: brand

What it means: fire (n.)
False friends Der Mist
What it looks like: mist

What it means: rubbish; oh crap!
False friends Die Aktion
What it looks like: action

What it means: retail store with a sale
political demonstration
False friends Das Mobbing
What it looks like: mob

What it means: bullying
False friends Die Noten
What it looks like: note

What it means: grade
False friends Die Billion
What it looks like: billion

What it means: trillion
False friends Die Art
What it looks like: art

What it means: kind/sort/type
False friends Das Handy
What it looks like: handy

What it means: cellphone
Common mistakes
Present Continous tense
Example:
Wrong: At the moment I work on my PHP application.
Right: At the moment I am working on my PHP application.
Momentan arbeite ich an meiner PHP Applikation.

Common mistakes
Make versus do
Example:
Wrong: I make my homework.
Correct: I do my homework.
Ich mache meine Hausaufgaben.

Collocations with make:
make a decision, make money, make a profit, make a fortune, make a phone call, make a
complaint, make a suggestion, make a prediction, make an excuse, make an
observation, make a comment, make plans, make sure, make an exception.
Collocations with do:

do a task, do work, do business, do a great job, do a course, do well, do the
right thing, do your best, do damage, do a favor, do paperwork.
Common mistakes
Present Perfect
With specific time
Examples:
Wrong: I’ve finished the whole project last weekend.
Correct: I finished the whole project last weekend.
Ich habe das Projekt letztes Wochenende fertiggestellt.

Common mistakes
Things that you shouldn’t say
Wrong: I live in the near of Berlin.
Correct: I live near Berlin.

Common mistakes
Wrong: I work by the university.
Correct: I work at/in the university.

Common mistakes
Wrong: We discussed about this topic.
Correct: We discussed this topic.

Common mistakes
Wrong: I am born in Dresden.
Correct: I was born in Dresden.

Common mistakes
Wrong: She is on a meeting.
Correct: She is in/at a meeting.

Common mistakes
Wrong: I live in London. I moved here for 3 years.
Correct: I live in London. I moved here 3 years ago.

Common mistakes
Wrong: It depends on!
Correct: It depends.
Common mistakes
Wrong: We moved here before 5 years.
Correct: We moved here 5 years ago.

Common mistakes
Wrong: We see us next week.
Correct: See you next week.

Common mistakes
Wrong: I am engineer.
Correct: I am an engineer.
Common mistakes
Wrong: Let’s make a pause. (at a meeting)
Correct: Let’s take a break.

Common mistakes
Wrong: How many persons came?
Correct: How many people came?.

Common mistakes
Wrong: My chef comes from Denmark.
Correct: My boss comes from Denmark.

Common mistakes
Wrong: This remembers me of my previous job.
Correct: This reminds me of my previous job.

Pronunciation
Errors
This, that, these and those.
Three, thrice, thirty, third.
‘th’ sounds
They / day
Pronunciation
Errors
Why was Walter Wilson’s wish not welcomed?
/v/ and /w/ sounds

Pronunciation
Errors
Recommended retail prices started falling in March.
‘r’sound
room, ready, car
Pronunciation
Errors
hour/honour/honest/vehicle/ghost/rhythm
Silent H
Pronunciation
Errors
psychology/pseudo/receipt/raspberry
Silent P
Teachers open the door but you must enter by yourself
Thank you!

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Typical Mistakes

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Typical Mistakes

Future Look at those clouds! I think it’s going to rain.

to get or receive something to give something to someone

the result of a particular influence to have an influence on someone or something

insure The airline is taking steps to ensure safety on its aircraft

Many companies won’t insure young drivers

She is telling the truth, I can assure you.

Much + countable nouns

+ uncountable nouns How many friends do they have?

I have a lot of friends

What date is it?

Written English Spoken English Numbers

April 7 April seventh 4/7/2022

7th April The seventh of April 7/4/2022

I was born in 1995.

What it looks like: chef

What it looks like: rent

What it looks like: local

What it looks like: gym

What it looks like: high school

What it looks like: fabric

What it looks like: sea

What it looks like: to spend

What it looks like: to become

What it looks like: caution

What it looks like: gift

What it looks like: brand

What it looks like: mist

What it looks like: action

What it looks like: mob

What it looks like: note

What it looks like: billion

What it looks like: art

What it looks like: handy

Present Continous tense

Momentan arbeite ich an meiner PHP Applikation.

Ich mache meine Hausaufgaben.

Collocations with do:

Ich habe das Projekt letztes Wochenende fertiggestellt.

Wrong: I live in the near of Berlin.

Correct: I live near Berlin.

Wrong: I work by the university.

Correct: I work at/in the university.

Wrong: We discussed about this topic.

Correct: We discussed this topic.

Wrong: I am born in Dresden.

Correct: I was born in Dresden.

Wrong: She is on a meeting.

Correct: She is in/at a meeting.

Wrong: I live in London. I moved here for 3 years.

Correct: I live in London. I moved here 3 years ago.

Wrong: It depends on!

Wrong: We moved here before 5 years.

Correct: We moved here 5 years ago.

Wrong: We see us next week.

Correct: See you next week.

Wrong: Let’s make a pause. (at a meeting)

Correct: Let’s take a break.

Wrong: How many persons came?

Correct: How many people came?.