Typical Mistakes

Workshop
TABLE OF CONTENTS

02
01 03
False Friends
German - English Mistakes
Difficult Grammar
frequently made
phrases and by Germans
vocabulary

Future
When we talk about plans or decisions for the future,
we can use the going to / present Progressive.
I’ve made my decision. I’m going to quit smoking.
Are you going to come to the party tonight?
I’m meeting an old friend for lunch tomorrow.
When we talk about predictions
we can use the going to / will+infinitive.
Look at those clouds! I think it’s going to rain.
The boss looks angry. I think he’s going to shout at somebody.
In the future, I think people won’t write emails anymore.
We use will + infinitive when we make a (new) decision
at the time of speaking (not before):
‘It’s cold in here.’ ‘I’ll go and shut the window.’
‘Can you send me the information I need?’ ’Sure, I’ll do it right away’
 borrow Lend

to get or receive something to give something to someone

from someone for a period of for a short period of time and,
time and then return it expecting it to be given back

Can I borrow your pen? If you need a coat I can lend you mine

Can I borrow some money? Can you lend me £10 until tomorrow?
 advice advise
It is a noun (uncountable)
It is a verb
Don’t say: some advices
Don’t say: an advice

an opinion you give someone about what they should do to tell someone what you think they should do

I need some advice about my computer. She needed someone to advise her.

My father gave me some useful advice. The doctor advised me to lose weight.
 effect affect
It is a noun It is a verb

the result of a particular influence to have an influence on someone or something

The harmful effects of drinking too much alcohol. Smoking affects your health.

Working too hard had a bad effect on my health. This disease affects the central nervous system.
 ensure
to make something certain to happen= make sure

insure The airline is taking steps to ensure safety on its aircraft

to provide insurance for something or someone The role of the police is to ensure (that) the law is obeyed.
The house is insured for two million dollars.

Many companies won’t insure young drivers

assure
to tell someone that something will definitely happen

She is telling the truth, I can assure you.

She assured him (that) the car would be ready the next day.
Important
Many

Much + countable nouns

+ uncountable nouns How many friends do they have?

I don’t have many friends
How much money do you have?
I don’t have much money

a lot of
+ countable/uncountable nouns

I have a lot of friends

I have a lot of money
 Don't use the before nouns to
talk about food in general
I don't like meat, but I eat eggs.
I don’t like the meat, but I eat the eggs.

—COMMON ERRORS
What day is it today?

What date is it?

Date
What date is it?
What is the date (today)?
25/4/2022
What is today’s date?

Written English Spoken English Numbers

April 7 April seventh 4/7/2022

7th April The seventh of April 7/4/2022

When is your birthday?

I was born in 1995.

I was born in December (1995).
I was born on Monday.
I was born on April 9th
False friends Der Chef

What it looks like: chef

What it means: boss/manager
False friends Die Rente

What it looks like: rent

What it means: pension
False friends Das Lokal

What it looks like: local

What it means: pub/restaurant
 Das Gymnasium/Gym
False friends

What it looks like: gym

What it means: grammar school
False friends Die Hochschule

What it looks like: high school

What it means: college/university
False friends Die Fabrik

What it looks like: fabric

What it means: factory
False friends Der See

What it looks like: sea

What it means: tranquil lake
False friends spenden

What it looks like: to spend

What it means: to donate
False friends bekommen

What it looks like: to become

What it means: to receive/get
False friends Die Kaution

What it looks like: caution

What it means: security deposit (for an apartment)
False friends Das Gift

What it looks like: gift

What it means: poison/toxin
False friends Der Brand

What it looks like: brand

What it means: fire (n.)
False friends Der Mist

What it looks like: mist

What it means: rubbish; oh crap!
False friends Die Aktion

What it looks like: action

What it means: retail store with a sale
political demonstration
False friends Das Mobbing

What it looks like: mob

What it means: bullying
False friends Die Noten

What it looks like: note

What it means: grade
False friends Die Billion

What it looks like: billion

What it means: trillion
False friends Die Art

What it looks like: art

What it means: kind/sort/type
False friends Das Handy

What it looks like: handy

What it means: cellphone
Common mistakes

Present Continous tense

Example:
Wrong: At the moment I work on my PHP application.
Right: At the moment I am working on my PHP application.

Momentan arbeite ich an meiner PHP Applikation.

Common mistakes

Make versus do
Example:
Wrong: I make my homework.
Correct: I do my homework.

Ich mache meine Hausaufgaben.

Collocations with make:
make a decision, make money, make a profit, make a fortune, make a phone call, make a
complaint, make a suggestion, make a prediction, make an excuse, make an
observation, make a comment, make plans, make sure, make an exception.

Collocations with do:

do a task, do work, do business, do a great job, do a course, do well, do the
right thing, do your best, do damage, do a favor, do paperwork.
Common mistakes

Present Perfect
With specific time

Examples:
Wrong: I’ve finished the whole project last weekend.
Correct: I finished the whole project last weekend.

Ich habe das Projekt letztes Wochenende fertiggestellt.

Common mistakes
Things that you shouldn’t say

Wrong: I live in the near of Berlin.

Correct: I live near Berlin.

Common mistakes
Things that you shouldn’t say

Wrong: I work by the university.

Correct: I work at/in the university.

Common mistakes
Things that you shouldn’t say

Wrong: We discussed about this topic.

Correct: We discussed this topic.

Common mistakes
Things that you shouldn’t say

Wrong: I am born in Dresden.

Correct: I was born in Dresden.

Common mistakes
Things that you shouldn’t say

Wrong: She is on a meeting.

Correct: She is in/at a meeting.

Common mistakes
Things that you shouldn’t say

Wrong: I live in London. I moved here for 3 years.

Correct: I live in London. I moved here 3 years ago.

Common mistakes
Things that you shouldn’t say

Wrong: It depends on!

Correct: It depends.
Common mistakes
Things that you shouldn’t say

Wrong: We moved here before 5 years.

Correct: We moved here 5 years ago.

Common mistakes
Things that you shouldn’t say

Wrong: We see us next week.

Correct: See you next week.

Common mistakes
Things that you shouldn’t say

Wrong: I am engineer.

Correct: I am an engineer.
Common mistakes
Things that you shouldn’t say

Wrong: Let’s make a pause. (at a meeting)

Correct: Let’s take a break.

Common mistakes
Things that you shouldn’t say

Wrong: How many persons came?

Correct: How many people came?.

Common mistakes
Things that you shouldn’t say

Wrong: My chef comes from Denmark.

Correct: My boss comes from Denmark.

Common mistakes
Things that you shouldn’t say

Wrong: This remembers me of my previous job.

Correct: This reminds me of my previous job.

Pronunciation
Errors

This, that, these and those.

Three, thrice, thirty, third.

‘th’ sounds
They / day
Pronunciation
Errors

Why was Walter Wilson’s wish not welcomed?

/v/ and /w/ sounds

Pronunciation
Errors

Recommended retail prices started falling in March.

‘r’sound
room, ready, car
Pronunciation
Errors

hour/honour/honest/vehicle/ghost/rhythm

Silent H
Pronunciation
Errors

psychology/pseudo/receipt/raspberry

Silent P
Teachers open the door but you must enter by yourself

Thank you!