Everyday English Mistakes You Didn’t Know You Made 🚫

Advanced Level | September 21, 2025

Read the article aloud on your own or repeat each paragraph after your tutor.

Even advanced English speakers make small mistakes without realizing it. These everyday English mistakes don’t always stop communication, but they can make you sound less professional in meetings, presentations, or casual business conversations. Today, we’ll look at some of the most common everyday English mistakes—and how to fix them.

Mistake 1: Saying “He don’t” Instead of “He doesn’t”

This one is simple, but even advanced learners slip here. And here’s the interesting part: native speakers do it too, especially in casual speech or certain regional dialects. You might hear someone say, “He don’t know” in a song or on the street, but in professional settings it sounds careless. Remember: he, she, it always takes doesn’t, not don’t.

❌ He don’t know the answer.
✅ He doesn’t know the answer.

Mistake 2: Confusing “Much” and “Many”

This mistake happens often—even native speakers mix it up when speaking quickly. The rule is simple: use much with uncountable nouns and many with countable nouns.

❌ We don’t have many time for this project.
✅ We don’t have much time for this project.

Narrative: Imagine you’re in a meeting and someone says, “We don’t have many time left.” The meaning is clear, but the small slip can make you sound less polished. Native speakers sometimes do this too, especially when they’re tired or speaking fast, but it’s best to stay precise.

Mistake 3: Overusing “Very”

When you use very too often, your speech sounds weaker. Stronger adjectives are more professional. Native speakers also fall into the “very” trap, saying very good, very bad, or very nice instead of using richer words.

❌ The report was very bad.
✅ The report was terrible.

Narrative: Next time you’re tempted to say “very interesting,” switch it to “fascinating.” This small change adds power to your language. Even native speakers work on this habit to sound sharper.

Mistake 4: Mixing Up “Say” and “Tell”

Say focuses on the words themselves, while tell is used when you mention the listener. Native speakers slip here too—sometimes saying “He said me” instead of “He told me.”

❌ She said me about the meeting.
✅ She told me about the meeting.

Narrative: Picture yourself explaining to your boss what a colleague mentioned. Using “say” instead of “tell” might confuse the meaning. Being precise shows clarity and professionalism.

Mistake 5: Incorrect Prepositions

Prepositions are tricky! Even native speakers get them wrong. Here are two common errors:

❌ Let’s discuss about the problem.
✅ Let’s discuss the problem.

❌ I’m married with a lawyer.
✅ I’m married to a lawyer.

Narrative: Preposition mistakes are among the most common slips, and they happen across all levels. You’ll even catch native speakers saying “discuss about” because it feels natural. But in professional English, precision is key.

Everyday English Mistakes: Why They Matter

Even if you’re advanced, small mistakes can affect how others see your communication skills. Native speakers make these everyday English mistakes too—but if you learn to spot and correct them, you’ll stand out as clear, confident, and professional.

Vocabulary List

Slip (verb) — To make a small mistake.
Example: Even native speakers slip when speaking quickly.
Countable (adjective) — Something that can be counted.
Example: Apples are countable, but water is not.
Uncountable (adjective) — Something that cannot be counted.
Example: Information is uncountable.
Professional (adjective) — Polite and suitable for work.
Example: She gave a professional presentation.
Awkward (adjective) — Uncomfortable or unnatural.
Example: His mistake made the meeting awkward.
Confuse (verb) — To mix up or not understand clearly.
Example: He often confuses ‘say’ and ‘tell’.
Preposition (noun) — A word like in, on, at, about used to show relationships.
Example: She is interested in technology.
Precise (adjective) — Exact and accurate.
Example: His explanation was clear and precise.
Common (adjective) — Happening often.
Example: This is a common mistake in business English.
Replace (verb) — To use one thing instead of another.
Example: Replace ‘very good’ with ‘excellent’ to sound stronger.

5 Questions About the Article

Why is “he don’t” incorrect?
When should you use “much” and when should you use “many”?
What is the problem with overusing “very”?
What’s the difference between “say” and “tell”?
Which preposition mistake is common with the word “married”?

5 Open-Ended Discussion Questions

Which of these mistakes do you hear most often at work?
Do you think native speakers also make these errors? Why?
What other words could you use instead of “very good” or “very bad”?
How do you usually practice avoiding small mistakes in English?
Which of today’s corrections will you start using immediately?

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