15 English Words & Phrases You May Be

Saying Wrongly

We understand that English can be a tricky language to master, and even small errors can
sometimes lead to misunderstandings. However, we want to remind you that making mistakes is
a natural part of learning, and this PDF is designed to support you on your English language
journey!

We have compiled 15 commonly misused words and phrases, along with their definitions and

✅ ❌
correct usage, to help you avoid making mistakes when communicating in English. Sentences
marked with a tick are in standard English, while sentences marked with a cross are
considered incorrect or not acceptable in standard English.

Remember, practice makes progress! With time and practice, you will become more fluent and
accurate in your English communication.

1. on, off and open

Sometimes, English learners use the words "on," "off," and "open" incorrectly in certain
contexts. Let's clarify their proper usage.

● "On" can be used to describe the state of being turned on or activated. For example, you
can say:

✅
✅
○ Please turn the computer on.
○ Can you please switch on the light?

NOT:

❌
❌
○ Please on the computer.
○ Open the light.

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 ● "Off" can be used to describe the state of being turned off or deactivated. For example,
you can say:

✅
✅
○ The computer is off.

✅
○ Can you please turn off the TV?
○ Please turn off the lights.

NOT:

❌
❌
○ Off the lights.
○ Off the TV.

● "Open" can be used to describe the state of being unclosed or unobstructed. For
example, you can say:

✅
✅
○ The door is open.
○ I opened the window.

English learners often use the word "open" incorrectly to mean "take off" or "turn on",
as in:

❌
❌
○ Open your shoes before you come in.
○ Open the TV please.

The sentences above should be:

✅
✅
○ Take off your shoes before you come in.
○ Turn on the TV please.

2. follow

You may often hear English learners use the word "follow" to mean "accompany", as in:

❌
❌
○ I followed my sister to Johor.
○ I needed to get some groceries so I followed my brother to the supermarket.

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To express that you went somewhere with someone else, use the word "accompany", as in:

✅
✅
○ I accompanied my sister to Johor.
○ I needed to get some groceries so I accompanied my brother to the supermarket.

Note: In standard English, to "follow" can have many different meanings, depending on the
context. Here are some of the most common meanings:

● To go after or behind someone or something.

● To move along a path or route.
● To imitate or copy someone or something.
● To pay attention to or watch something closely.
● To understand the meaning of something.
● To succeed or come after something in time or order.

To say that you “followed” your sister to Johor would mean that you went after her all the way
to Johor!

3. "I’m on MC"

You may often hear English learners say "I'm on MC" as a shortened form of "I'm on medical
leave." While the phrase "MC" is commonly used in countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and
parts of India (to mean that the person is taking time off work or school due to an illness or
medical condition), it is not the standard way of expressing it in other countries.

Here is the standard way to say "I'm on medical leave":

✅
✅
○ I'm on medical leave.
○ I'm on sick leave.

Note: Remember, you can use "MC" in informal settings or when talking to people who are
familiar with the term, such as in Malaysia, Singapore and parts of India. However, it is generally
more appropriate to use the full phrase "medical leave" or "sick leave" in professional or formal
contexts.

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 4. warded

The term "warded" is often used instead of "admitted" when referring to someone being
hospitalised or receiving medical care. It is specific to the context of hospitalisation and
indicates that a person has been assigned to a hospital ward for treatment or observation.

For example, in Malaysian English, someone might say, "He was warded for a week due to a
serious illness."

However, "warded" used in this context may not be widely recognised or accepted in standard
English. In most English-speaking countries, the more common and widely understood term is
"admitted" when referring to someone being hospitalised.

✅
✅
○ My father was admitted to (the*) hospital last week.

✅
○ She was admitted to the ICU after she had a heart attack.
○ The doctor said that he needs to be admitted for observation.

NOT:

❌
❌
○ My father was warded to the hospital last week.

❌
○ She was warded to the ICU after she had a heart attack.
○ The doctor said that he needs to be warded for observation.

*‘The hospital’ is American English.

Note: In standard English, the word "warded" does not have a specific meaning related to
hospitalisation or healthcare. Instead, "warded" is commonly used in other contexts. The verb
"ward" typically means to guard, protect, or defend against something. For example, you could
say, "He warded off the attacker," which means he defended himself against the attacker.

5. staffs

It is common to hear the word "staffs" being used incorrectly as the plural form of "staff." For
example, you might hear someone say:

○ We have many staffs in our company. ❌

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However, in standard English, the correct plural form of "staff" is simply "staff," without adding
an additional "s". The word "staff" is a collective noun that already implies a group or collection
of individuals.

○ We have many staff in our company. ✅

If you want to make the word plural, you can say "employees" or "members of staff" instead.
For example, you could say:

✅
✅
○ We have hired five new members of staff.
○ We have 20 full-time employees.

6. "eat your medicine"

The phrase "eat your medicine" is often used to tell someone to take their medication.
However, it is incorrect to use this phrase because it is not grammatically correct in English.

In English, the verb "to eat" is used to describe the act of consuming food.

The verb "to take" is used to describe the act of ingesting something, such as medicine.

Therefore, the correct phrase to use when telling someone to take their medication is:

✅
✅
○ Take your medicine.
○ Take your pills.

7. "last time"

The phrase "last time" is sometimes used by English learners in a way that may differ from its
usage in standard English.

For example, "last time" is often incorrectly used as a vague reference to the past without
specifying a particular occasion or time frame.

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For instance, someone might say:

○ Last time, I used to live in the city. ❌

In standard English, it would be more precise to mention a specific time or period. For example:

✅
✅
○ When I was younger, I lived in the city.
○ Ten years ago, I used to live in the city.

Note: In standard English, the phrase "last time" is used to refer to the most recent or previous
occasion or occurrence of an event or action. It is similar to saying "on the previous occasion" or
"the most recent time".

Here are a few examples of how "last time" is used in standard English:

✅
✅
○ Last time I visited Langkawi, it was raining heavily.

✅
○ We had a great time at the party last time.

✅
○ Last time we went to that restaurant, the food was excellent.
○ I saw him the last time I was in KL.

8. slang

❌)," when they actually mean "I like your

✅
English learners often say "I like your English slang (
English accent ( )".

An accent is a way of pronouncing words. Here are some examples of how the word is correctly
used.

○ The politician spoke fluent English with a Malaysian accent. ✅

✅
(He speaks with Malaysian pronunciation.)
○ The singer Adele speaks with a cockney accent.
(Cockney is an accent and a dialect associated with working-class Londoners.)

"Slang" refers to a type of informal language that is used in specific social groups, subcultures,
or communities. It consists of words, phrases, and expressions that are not considered part of
the standard or formal vocabulary.

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Examples of slang include words like "cool", "chill", "dude", "lit", "fam", and "bae". These terms
may have different meanings or usage compared to their standard English counterparts, and can
be influenced by popular culture, social media, and regional dialects.

9. "in colour"

English learners may sometimes say:

○ The dress was green in colour. ❌

The phrase "in colour" here is unnecessary because we already know that green is a
colour. Instead, just say:

The dress was green. ✅

○ I bought a beautiful blouse in pink colour. ❌
In this case, the phrase "in pink colour" is redundant because the word "pink" already
indicates the colour of the dress. The sentence can be simplified to:

I bought a beautiful pink blouse. ✅

By omitting the unnecessary phrases, the sentences become more concise and clear, avoiding
redundancy.

10. "raise up"

You may hear English learners say:

○ He raised up the issue at the meeting today. ❌

This is considered incorrect in standard English. The verb "to raise" already implies lifting or
elevating something, so adding "up" after "raised" becomes unnecessary.

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The correct phrase would be:

○ He raised the issue at the meeting today. ✅

By removing the redundant word, the sentence becomes more concise and grammatically
accurate. Pay attention to such redundancies to ensure clear and effective communication.

11. "discuss about"

The phrase "discuss about" is often used in informal speech, but it is not grammatically correct.
The preposition "about" is not necessary after the verb "discuss." The correct way to say this is
simply "discuss".

Here are some examples of how the phrase "discuss about" is often used incorrectly:

❌
❌
○ Let’s discuss about the new project.

❌
○ We need to discuss about the budget.
○ Can we discuss about the meeting minutes?

The correct way to say these sentences is:

✅
✅
○ Let’s discuss the new project.

✅
○ We need to discuss the budget.
○ Can we discuss the meeting minutes?

12. "pass up"

The phrase "pass up" is often used incorrectly to convey the meaning of submitting or handing
in homework, like in these sentences:

❌
❌
○ Please remember to pass up your homework by tomorrow morning.
○ I passed up my homework already.

Use of the phrase "pass up" in this way is not commonly used in standard English.

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To accurately express the action of submitting homework, it is more appropriate to use phrases
like "turn in", "hand in", or "submit".

For example:

✅
✅
○ Please remember to turn in your homework by tomorrow morning.

✅
○ I handed in my homework already.
○ Make sure to submit your homework online before the deadline.

Note: In standard English, the verb "pass up" typically means to decline or miss an opportunity,
rather than to submit or present something.

Here are some examples of how the phrase "pass up" is used correctly:

✅
✅
○ I passed up the opportunity to go to the concert.

✅
○ I passed up on the chance to buy a new car.
○ I passed up the promotion at work.

13. tentative

Here are some examples of how the word "tentative" is often used incorrectly:

❌
❌
○ Here is my tentative for our trip to London.

❌
○ Can you please send me a tentative for the conference?
○ I'm still working on the tentative, but I'll send it to you as soon as I can.

In these examples, the word "tentative" is used to refer to an itinerary for a trip or event. It is
important to note that the use of the word "tentative" to mean "itinerary" is not considered
standard English.

Instead, say:

✅
✅
○ Here is my itinerary for our trip to London.

✅
○ Can you please send me an itinerary for the conference?
○ I'm still working on the itinerary, but I'll send it to you as soon as I can.

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Note: In standard English, the word "tentative" is used to describe something that is uncertain,
hesitant, or subject to change. Here are a few ways to use the word "tentative" correctly:

● To describe plans or arrangements:

✅
We have made tentative plans to meet for dinner next week, but the exact date and time
are not yet confirmed.

● To express a cautious or hesitant approach:

✅
She gave a tentative response to the question, indicating her uncertainty about the topic.

● To indicate temporary or provisional nature:

✅
The company has issued a tentative release date for the new product, but it may be
subject to change.

✅
● To describe an initial or trial attempt:
He took a tentative step forward, unsure of his footing on the slippery surface.

14. borrow/lend

The words "borrow" and "lend" are often used interchangeably, but they have very different
meanings.

English learners often get these two words mixed up. Here is an example of how "borrow" is
commonly used incorrectly:

○ She borrow me the book. ❌

Borrow means to get something from someone with the intention of returning it. For example,
if you borrow a book from your friend, you are taking the book with the intention of returning it
to them at a later time.

✅
✅
○ She borrowed the book from her friend.
○ I plan to borrow this book from the library.

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Lend means to give something to someone with the understanding that they will return it. If
you lend your friend a book, you are giving them the book with the understanding that they will
return it to you at a later date.

✅
✅
○ I will lend you my pen. Just return it to me once you’re finished with it.
○ I lent my friend my car.

It is important to use the correct word in the correct context. If you say that you "lent"
something to someone when you actually "borrowed" it, you could be misunderstood and get
into trouble.

15. "I go first"

It is common to hear English learners say "I go first" to express that they are about to leave.
However, this is not standard English.

To correctly and politely indicate that you are leaving, you can use these sentences instead:

✅
✅
● I must get going now.

✅
● I should get going.

✅
● I really need to be on my way.

✅
● It was great talking to you, but I have to take off.

✅
● I’ve got to go.

✅
● I’d better be off.
● I must take my leave.

You can also use more informal phrases such as:

✅
✅
● I gotta go.
● I really gotta go.

It is important to choose the phrase that is most appropriate for the situation. For example, if
you are talking to a friend, you might use a more informal phrase, such as "I gotta go." However,
if you are talking to a business associate, you might use a more formal phrase, such as "I must
take my leave" or “It’s been a pleasure talking to you, but I have to get going.”

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Your next steps

1. Take note of any words and phrases you may have been using incorrectly and try to use
the correct alternatives provided in this PDF.
2. Search online for three more sentence examples for each word and phrase so that you
can further see how they are used in context.
3. Start using them at work or in other settings!
4. To learn even more from us, sign up to our email list at myenglishmatters.com. We will
send you weekly free English lessons to your email, along with updates on our courses
and programmes.

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