Speak English With Vanessa

Free PDF Worksheet

Dear English Learner,
Get ready to speak confidently without making these common English mistakes. I
recommend reading these words and sample sentences out loud and using the blank
space on the last page to answer my challenge question using what you have learned.
Thanks so much for learning English with me. You rock!

Your teacher,
Vanessa

Grammar Mistakes

MISTAKE CORRECTION

1. I went there by bus. I took the bus./ I drove.

2. I have thirty-three years. I am thirty-three years old.

3. We were five people. There were five people/ of us.

4. Don’t be scary. Don’t be scared.

1. I went there by bus. VS I took the bus.

TIP: Use a verb like “take” or “drive,” not the phrase “by __.”

2. I have thirty-three years. VS I am thirty-three years old

TIP: Always use a “be” verb for age.

3. We were five people. VS There were five people/ of us.

TIP: Use “there” to talk about a group of people.

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 4. Don’t be scary. VS Don’t be scared.
TIP: If you are trying to comfort someone, you can say, “Don’t be scared.”

Vocabulary Mistakes

Definitely Defiantly
5. I definitely do not want to jump He defiantly jumped into the cold water
into the cold water. after I told him not to.

Dessert Desert
6. I think I want the cheesecake for When I was walking across the desert, all
dessert. I could think about was ice cream.

Quiet Quite
7. I was very quiet when I walked up He was quite noisy when he walked up
the stairs. the stairs.

Recipe Receipt
8. I followed the recipe closely. Why I checked the receipt. Oops! I bought salt
didn’t my cookies turn out well? instead of sugar!

5. Definitely: absolutely
Defiantly: in opposition of, resist or fight
TIP: Usually the word “definitely” is misspelled as “defiantly” so double check your
spelling!

6. Dessert: sweets, usually the last course of a meal

Desert: arid, sandy land with little or no vegetation
TIP: An easy way to remember that “dessert” has two S’s: you don’t want one dessert,
you want two desserts!

7. Quiet: low noise or very little noise

Quite: completely, positively, in a big way
TIP: Many “spell check” programs will not catch this mistake because both words are
spelled correctly

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8. Recipe: [re-si-pee] instructions for cooking or baking some food
Receipt: [ri-seet] a paper or document that shows a list of your purchases
TIP: Don’t forget to say “ee” at the end of “recipe”! This is essential for understanding
the word.

Pronunciation Mistakes

Word Correct Pronunciation

9. Pronunciation [pro-nun-see-ay-shun]

10. Aisle [eye-uhl]

11. Drawer [droor or jor]

9. Pronunciation
I’m improving my pronunciation!
TIP: Take your time and don’t rush the syllables.
10. Aisle
Where is the sugar? -It’s on Aisle 8.
TIP: Don’t be tricked by the “A” at the beginning of this word or the “S” in the
middle! They are both silent.
11. Drawer
I put my clothes in the drawer.
TIP: Don’t pronounce this word with two syllables “draw-er”

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 Vanessa’s Challenge Question
Use the space below to write a few sentences answering this question.
How are you definitely going to travel to your next vacation?
Sample answer: I’m definitely going to take the bus because there will be ten of us
going to the beach...

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