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.
) ~' s7 W  h: ?& S( O
1. My husband has a good job. She makes over 100,000 dollars a year.
/ r4 Y/ L/ v+ w( ^% T# c# T* y% ]    My girlfriend did not live with me, because he is still in China.
  r, o  g) I# c- b( u5 ]# x
) k: v; ^% ]  ^7 i5 u& ~The reason to make this mistake is not due to grammar knowledge. One reason might be she and he have the same pronunciation in Chinese.

2. 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.

& r0 n  J3 T, G4 N, H6 d
- d, k1 r6 s% _' u, O' D4. How to say: heavy rain, light rain, and turn off your phone in English?
The correct way to ask the question is like this: how do you say... in English?
8 |" N' _8 R/ {+ \/ f8 P7 ]% x
: ]* Z( u% A4 o) K  R5. I am a Chinese.
I am a Chinese person, or I am Chinese.
- B; y2 \. x' S( e6. He is a gay.
He is gay.
1 {) R! ?+ T2 |5 t1 X0 m  _
7. Why? No why.
/ n' @9 N1 Z# l& ^# o4 ~4 Y* RNot no why, no reason.
- y2 A* j9 {5 f$ |8. Thanks! No thanks!

$ g# @3 J$ ~( }; v' ~