Minor but significant mistakes you may have made in speaking English

billzhao

Some friends, especially those who are just learning English, often make the following mistakes.

, A$ O: ~4 v, H. W( z9 X5 C/ \1. My husband has a good job. She makes over 100,000 dollars a year.
    My girlfriend did not live with me, because he is still in China.

! t3 P$ \. Y/ L+ F& U* R2 M" hThe reason to make this mistake is not due to grammar knowledge. One reason might be she and he have the same pronunciation in Chinese.

' s8 Y+ s* o% l5 _' U. O: Z0 v8 e2. I do not like big rain, I like small rain.
3. Please close your phone.
These mistakes are made because of direct translation. Another similar mistake is: I very like Canada. You really like Canada, or you like Canada very much.


" P8 b% W, C" s# c' F& B4. How to say: heavy rain, light rain, and turn off your phone in English?
' u/ m$ K( m2 n& zThe correct way to ask the question is like this: how do you say... in English?

* V- \7 R+ K& b3 Q# V2 T5. I am a Chinese.
+ w( D$ |. @+ P0 ?6 }- fI am a Chinese person, or I am Chinese.
+ \" T" p# T- ^2 K3 R6 t6. He is a gay.
He is gay.

7. Why? No why.
Not no why, no reason.
- ?" P/ S4 l. Q4 ?$ F& P* Z8. Thanks! No thanks!
  Q) y/ S) E- i' L4 W5 n* T