Top 5 Common Errors in English (and How to Fix Them)

Every English learner makes mistakes. That is normal and even useful, because mistakes are how you notice a gap and close it. Errors are a little different: an error is something you say wrong without knowing it is wrong, which means you cannot correct yourself in the moment. Understanding the difference between the two is the first step to fixing them for good.

Mistakes vs. errors: what is the difference?

When you learn another language, you make both mistakes and errors, and it helps to treat them differently. A mistake happens when you know the right answer but you misspeak, get nervous, or simply forget in the moment. You can correct yourself on a mistake as soon as someone points it out, because the knowledge is already there.

An error is different. It happens when you say something wrong and genuinely do not know it is incorrect. You cannot correct an error the way you correct a mistake, because there is a gap in your knowledge, not just a slip of the tongue. The best way to improve is to let yourself correct your own mistakes (ask a friend or teacher to flag them without giving you the answer straight away), while asking a teacher to explain the grammar behind your errors so you can actually learn the rule.

The top 5 errors English learners make

Here are five errors that come up again and again in classrooms around the world, no matter the learner’s native language. See if you can spot what is wrong before you check the table below.

• I am going to shopping.
• He like to go to the movies.
• You really should to fix your car.
• I am go to the ski resort on the weekend.
• I will go to upstairs.

Why you keep making the same mistake

Even students who know the correct way to say something still slip back into the wrong pattern. That is not a sign you have forgotten the rule, it is a sign you have built a habit of saying the sentence incorrectly, even though your brain knows better. Habits are changed through repetition, not through a single correction.

How a teacher helps you spot errors

Because errors are things you do not know are wrong, you usually cannot fix them alone. This is exactly where a teacher earns their keep: instead of just telling you “that’s wrong,” a good teacher identifies the specific grammar point or vocabulary item behind the error and shows you how it actually works. Once you understand the rule, the error usually disappears within a few weeks of active practice.

If you are studying without a teacher, keep a running list of corrections you receive and look for patterns. If the same type of error shows up three or four times, that is a strong signal you have found a genuine gap in your knowledge rather than a one-off slip. Our free grammar reviews are a good place to check the rule behind a recurring error.

Building a daily correction habit

A few simple habits make a big difference over time. First, keep a small notebook or phone note of every correction you receive, whether from a teacher, a colleague, or a language app. Second, review that list once a week and pick two or three items to actively practice in speech, not just in writing. Third, record yourself speaking for two minutes on any topic and listen back for the errors on your list. Hearing your own voice make (or avoid) the mistake is far more memorable than reading a grammar rule in a textbook.

Finally, be patient with yourself. Even advanced speakers carry a handful of fossilized errors from early in their learning, and the goal is steady progress, not instant perfection. Our English Learning Center has free self-paced reviews if you want extra practice between lessons.

Frequently asked questions