We all make mistakes when speaking English!
Here are some common mistakes to watch out for.
1. It’s or Its
If you’re not sure which spelling to use—”it’s” or “its”—try adding “it is” or “it has” to the sentence. If neither of those phrases works, then its is the word you’re looking for.
2. Gone or Went
If you aren’t sure whether to use “gone” or “went,” remember that “gone” always needs an auxiliary verb before it. Auxiliary verbs include: has, have, had, is, am, are, was, were, be.
3. Watch, Look, See
“See,” “look” and “watch” are often confused in meaning. However, they should be used in different situations. The difference between the three verbs can be explained in the following way:
Look — to look at something directly.
See — to see something that comes into our sight that we weren’t looking for.
Watch — to look at something carefully, usually at something that’s moving.
4. Casual or Formal
Know your audience! Casual talk is for friends, not your boss. This isn’t formal, it’s slang. It can even be considered inappropriate or rude. To speak more formally in English, you should avoid contractions (say “how is” instead of “how’s”) and try to be more polite.
5. Punctuation
Be sure you understand the purpose for your punctuation.
Colons (:) are used when you want to make a list of something, and usually not when you’re addressing someone.
We hope this helps and good luck with your English studies!
Engo English
www.engo.co.jp