85+ Common Grammatical Errors in English Language You Don’t Notice

This article is a compilation of over eighty-five (85) common grammatical mistakes made in the English language that most of the English-speaking people don’t notice in the process of communicating with one another.

Below is a list of over 85 common grammatical errors in the English language you need to start noticing when conversing:

[01]

Incorrect: A new clergy has been posted to our branch church. 

Correct: A new clergyman has been posted to our branch church.

[02]

Incorrect: Academic success is not a criteria for financial success. 

Correct: Academic success is not a criterion for financial success.

[03]

Incorrect: Adeniyi is my junior brother. 

Correct: Adeniyi is my younger brother.

[04]

Incorrect: Barber, I want to barb my hair. 

Correct: Barber, I want to have my hair cut.

[05]

Incorrect: Conductor, give me my balance. 

Correct: Conductor, give me my change.

[06]

Incorrect: Conductor, I want to drop here. 

Correct: Conductor, I want to get off here. 

Correct: Conductor, I want to alight here.

[07]

Incorrect: Do you think we're making money? 

Correct: Do you think we're minting money?

[08]

Incorrect: Five brethrens visited us after the service. 

Correct: Five brethren visited us after the service.

[09]

Incorrect: God will turn your morning into joy. 

Correct: God will turn your mourning into joy.

[10]

Incorrect: He requested for a bottle of cold minerals. 

Correct: He requested a bottle of chilled minerals.

[11]

Incorrect: Her elder brother’s wife died; the brother is now a widow. 

Correct: Her elder brother’s wife died; the brother is now a widower.

[12]

Incorrect: Her senior sister sent her to the market. 

Correct: Her elder sister sent her to the market.

[13]

Incorrect: His father deprived him from using the car. 

Correct: His father deprived him of using the car.

[14]

Incorrect: I'm younger to my brother by three years. 

Correct: I'm junior to my brother by three years.

[15]

Incorrect: I came to your house yesterday, but met your absence. 

Correct: I came to your house yesterday, but I did not see you.

[16]

Incorrect: I can hear the smell of the dead dog. 

Correct: I can perceive the smell of the dead dog.

[17]

Incorrect: I cover this vehicle by the blood of Jesus. 

Correct: I cover this vehicle with the blood of Jesus.

[18]

Incorrect: I did not hear the language she was speaking. 

Correct: I did not understand the language she was speaking.

[19]

Incorrect: I dropped a note for you yesterday. 

Correct: I wrote a note for you yesterday.

[20]

Incorrect: I finished my secondary school 19 years ago. 

Correct: I completed my secondary school 19 years ago.

[21]

Incorrect: I forgot my wallet in your office. 

Correct: I left my wallet in your office.

[22]

Incorrect: I had all you said. 

Correct: I heard all you said.

[23]

Incorrect: I saw the letter you wrote to me through your brother. 

Correct: I received the letter you wrote to me through your brother.

[24]

Incorrect: I want to seize this opportunity to thank all of you. 

Correct: I want to use this opportunity to thank all of you.

[25]

Incorrect: I was ashamed because I don’t go to my uncle’s house regularly. 

Correct: I was shy because I don’t go to my uncle’s house regularly.

[26]

Incorrect: I was opportune to meet with the bishop for the first time. 

Correct: I met with the bishop for the first time at an opportune time.

[27]

Incorrect: I will write you a letter very soon. 

Correct: I will write a letter to you very soon.

[28]

Incorrect: IBEDC has brought back the power supply in our factory. 

Correct: IBEDC has restored the power supply in our factory.

[29]

Incorrect: IBEDC has restored power supply, but it was low current. 

Correct: IBEDC has restored power supply, but it was low voltage.

[30]

Incorrect: If you see what I saw, your head will swell. 

Correct: If you see what I saw, you will be amazed.

[31]

Incorrect: Ifeanyi and Chinedu are brothers, but they don’t love themselves. 

Correct: Ifeanyi and Chinedu are brothers, but they don’t love each other.

[32]

Incorrect: Ikotun is the headquarter of the Alimosho local government. 

Correct: Ikotun is the headquarters of the Alimosho local government.

[33]

Incorrect: Joseph doesn’t want to fight; he is a coward boy. 

Correct: Joseph doesn’t want to fight; he is a coward.

[34]

Incorrect: Kemisola is my junior sister. 

Correct: Kemisola is my younger sister.

[35]

Incorrect: Let’s draw a comparism between the two. 

Correct: Let’s draw a comparison between the two.

[36]

Incorrect: Like I was telling you before, I will not be there. 

Correct: As I was telling you before, I will not be there.

[37]

Incorrect: Mind your business; don’t poke nose into what I am doing. 

Correct: Mind your business; don’t poke your nose into what I am doing.

[38]

Incorrect: Mr. and Mrs. Atanda were the only couples who wedded on Sunday in our church. 

Correct: Mr. and Mrs. Atanda were the only couple who wedded on Sunday in our church.

[39]

Incorrect: Mr. Akande did not go to primary school; he is an illiterate. 

Correct: Mr. Akande did not go to primary school; he is an illiterate man.

[40]

Incorrect: Mrs. Oluwabamiro is an alumnus of the University of Lagos. 

Correct: Mrs. Oluwabamiro is an alumna of the University of Lagos.

[41]

Incorrect: My Bible is with my friend. 

Correct: My friend has my Bible.

[42]

Incorrect: My brother’s business is moving fine. 

Correct: My brother’s business is booming.

[43]

Incorrect: My father’s brother did not attend my birthday celebration. 

Correct: My uncle did not attend my birthday celebration.

[44]

Incorrect: My mother’s sister gave me N5,000. 

Correct: My aunt gave me N5,000.

[45]

Incorrect: My neck is paining me. 

Correct: I have pain in my neck.

[46]

Incorrect: My sister is selling all kinds of underwears. 

Correct: My sister is selling all kinds of underwear.

[47]

Incorrect: My uncle was also sitting on the high table. 

Correct: My uncle was also sitting on the rostrum (i.e. platform or podium).

[48]

Incorrect: My uncle’s wife operates a beauty saloon. 

Correct: My uncle’s wife operates a beauty salon.

[49]

Incorrect: Oluwafunmike is my senior sister. 

Correct: Oluwafunmike is my elder sister.

[50]

Incorrect: Our science teacher is a British. 

Correct: Our science teacher is a Briton.

[51]

Incorrect: Please close the door. 

Correct: Please shut the door.

[52]

Incorrect: Please dress for me; I can’t sit properly. 

Correct: Please adjust for me; I can’t sit properly.

[53]

Incorrect: Please keep more money back in case of incasity. 

Correct: Please keep more money back in case of necessity.

[54]

Incorrect: Please remember me to take the book to Ifeoluwa. 

Correct: Please remind me to take the book to Ifeoluwa.

[55]

Incorrect: Please try this medicine; it is very powerful. 

Correct: Please try this medicine; it is very effective.

[56]

Incorrect: Please wait for me here; I am coming. 

Correct: Please wait for me here; I will be with you in a moment.

[57]

Incorrect: Say the truth: who took the book? 

Correct: Tell the truth: who took the book?

[58]

Incorrect: Is someone knocking the door? 

Correct: Is someone knocking at the door?

[59]

Incorrect: Stop insulting me; I am not your mate. 

Correct: Stop insulting me; I am not your equal.

[60]

Incorrect: Thank you very very much. 

Correct: Thank you very much.

[61]

Incorrect: The accident was fatal, but there was no loss of life. 

Correct: The accident was serious, but there was no loss of life.

[62]

Incorrect: The children are playing under the rain. 

Correct: The children are playing in the rain.

[63]

Incorrect: The clock was donated by the bachelor brothers. 

Correct: The clock was donated by the bachelors.

[64]

Incorrect: The company has just taken delivery of four sets of modern equipments. 

Correct: The company has just taken delivery of four sets of modern equipment.

[65]

Incorrect: The electric bulb has just blown. 

Correct: The electric bulb has just fused.

[66]

Incorrect: The furnitures were packed out of the office. 

Correct: The furniture were packed out of the office.

[67]

Incorrect: The government of democracy is better than the military government.

Correct: Democracy is better than the military government.

[68]

Incorrect: The MD is living in a secured compound. 

Correct: The MD is living in a secure compound.

[69]

Incorrect: The president’s address was broadcasted live. 

Correct: The president’s address was broadcast live.

[70]

Incorrect: The principal has just rounded up his address. 

Correct: The principal has just rounded off his address.

[71]

Incorrect: The spinster sisters were asked to wait after the service. 

Correct: The spinsters were asked to wait after the service.

[72]

Incorrect: The way you talked to your brother was very insultive. 

Correct: The way you talked to your brother was very insulting

.

[73]

Incorrect: The work in the factory is very hard for me. 

Correct: The work in the factory is very difficult for me.

[74]

Incorrect: There is no single water in the bucket. 

Correct: There is no water in the bucket.

[75]

Incorrect: There was a serious go slow on the expressway. 

Correct: There was a serious traffic jam on the expressway. 

Correct: There was a serious hold up on the expressway.

[76]

Incorrect: There were forty staff on the payroll last year. 

Correct: There were forty members of staff on the payroll last year.

[77]

Incorrect: This is my brother’s son. 

Correct: This is my nephew.

[78]

Incorrect: This is my sister’s daughter. 

Correct: This is my niece.

[79]

Incorrect: This short does not size you. 

Correct: This short does not fit you.

[80]

Incorrect: Two Majors-General were promoted yesterday. 

Correct: Two Major-Generals were promoted yesterday.

[81]

Incorrect: What I saw today, my mouth cannot say. 

Correct: What I saw today, I cannot really express it.

[82]

Incorrect: Who is banging the door? 

Correct: Who is banging at the door?

[83]

Incorrect: Who is your English teacher? 

Correct: Who is your English language teacher?

[84]

Incorrect: You are not telling the true. 

Correct: You are not telling the truth.

[85]

Incorrect: Your soup is very sweet. 

Correct: Your soup is very tasty.

[86]

Incorrect: Let me charge with your power bank.

Correct: Let me charge with your power pack.

Apart from all the ones outlined above, it should be noteworthy that there are some other common errors in English grammar exercises; meanwhile, as time goes on, you will be getting more familiar with others in the subsequent update especially after treating English concord rules.

This post will also assist our readers to know some correct spellings of some words.

Thanks for reading and sharing.