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.

/ M! y$ R% _6 W1 d& w& h1 k2 [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.
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- `$ i  |! J1 h5 Y+ }6 aThe reason to make this mistake is not due to grammar knowledge. One reason might be she and he have the same pronunciation in Chinese.

$ b; ^" Y& V7 |4 D' |2. I do not like big rain, I like small rain.
" i# \/ a. d1 r' c+ U! I3. 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.
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: q" O& d  ]& A9 ?8 _+ L, y! @4. How to say: heavy rain, light rain, and turn off your phone in English?
" G5 v: a2 v3 d3 d5 r0 N+ L+ BThe correct way to ask the question is like this: how do you say... in English?
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5. I am a Chinese.
I am a Chinese person, or I am Chinese.
$ \1 s0 R  ~' @$ F6. He is a gay.
He is gay.

4 ^+ }) u8 I6 x- Q/ t% U( q! |7. Why? No why.
: R9 j) f- k+ |Not no why, no reason.
8. Thanks! No thanks!
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