Find the mistakes! This educational worksheet challenges learners to spot common grammar errors in 24 sentences.
Worksheet titled "Common Errors" with 24 sentences containing grammar mistakes, designed for English language learners to identify and correct errors.
JPG
826×1169
272.8 KB
Free · Personal Use
Quality Assured by Worksheets Library Team
Reviewed for educational accuracy and age-appropriateness
ID: #331308
⭐
Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Common errors - ESL worksheet by Nicola5052
▼
Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Common errors - ESL worksheet by Nicola5052
Let's go through each sentence and identify the mistakes, then provide the corrected versions with explanations.
---
- Mistake: "Advise" is a verb. The noun form is "advice."
- Correction: He gave me good advice.
- Explanation: "Advice" is an uncountable noun, while "advise" is a verb meaning to give advice.
---
- Mistake: No mistake here. This sentence is correct.
- Explanation: "Among" is used when referring to more than two people or things. It is appropriate in this context.
---
- Mistake: "Between" is used for two people or things, not more than two. For more than two, use "among."
- Correction: She shared the cake among the five adults.
- Explanation: "Among" is the correct preposition when sharing something with more than two people.
---
- Mistake: "Already" should be followed by "ready."
- Correction: Are we already ready to go out, children?
- Explanation: The phrase "already ready" is grammatically correct, and the comma after "children" improves clarity.
---
- Mistake: "Accept" is a verb. The preposition needed here is "except."
- Correction: I can’t believe you told everyone except me.
- Explanation: "Except" is a preposition meaning "excluding," which fits the context.
---
- Mistake: "Board" is a noun. The adjective form is "bored."
- Correction: I was so bored at college yesterday.
- Explanation: "Bored" describes a feeling of being uninterested or tired.
---
- Mistake: "Cereal" is incorrect here. The intended word is likely "series."
- Correction: I watched the new documentary series on TV last night.
- Explanation: A "series" refers to a sequence of related programs, which fits the context of watching documentaries.
---
- Mistake: "Ensure" means to make certain of something. The correct verb here is "service" or "maintain."
- Correction: She serviced her car last week.
- Explanation: "Service" is the correct verb for maintaining or checking a car.
---
- Mistake: "Fare" is incorrect. The correct word is "fair."
- Correction: It’s not fair – she’s got more than me!
- Explanation: "Fair" means just or equitable, which fits the context of complaining about unequal distribution.
---
- Mistake: "Less" is used for uncountable nouns. For countable nouns like "people," use "fewer."
- Correction: There were fewer people here today than yesterday.
- Explanation: "Fewer" is the comparative form of "few," used for countable nouns.
---
- Mistake: "Of" is incorrect. The contraction of "should have" is "should've."
- Correction: I should’ve gone to the park with my friends.
- Explanation: "Should’ve" is the correct contraction of "should have."
---
- Mistake: "I" is incorrect. The object pronoun "me" should be used after a preposition.
- Correction: That CD was given to my sister and me last Christmas.
- Explanation: "Me" is the object form of the pronoun, used after "to."
---
- Mistake: "It’s" is incorrect. The possessive form of "it" is "its."
- Correction: The dog wagged its tail when it saw him.
- Explanation: "Its" is the possessive form of "it," while "it’s" is a contraction of "it is."
---
- Mistake: "Lay" is the infinitive form of the verb. The imperative form (command) is "lie."
- Correction: Come on. Lie down next to me.
- Explanation: "Lie" (to recline) is the correct imperative form here.
---
- Mistake: "License" is spelled incorrectly. The correct spelling is "licence" in British English, but "license" is also acceptable in American English.
- Correction: Wahoo! I’ve got my driving licence.
- Explanation: In British English, "licence" is the correct spelling for a permit or authorization.
---
- Mistake: "Loose" is an adjective. The verb form is "lose."
- Correction: Careful – don’t lose your keys.
- Explanation: "Lose" is the verb meaning to misplace something.
---
- Mistake: "Maybe" is an adverb. The correct form here is "may be" (two words).
- Correction: What you said may be true!
- Explanation: "May be" is the correct construction when expressing possibility.
---
- Mistake: "Past" is incorrect. The verb "pass" is needed here.
- Correction: Congratulations – you passed your exams!
- Explanation: "Passed" is the past tense of the verb "pass."
---
- Mistake: No mistake here. This sentence is correct.
- Explanation: The structure and grammar are correct as written.
---
- Mistake: "Quite" is incorrect. The correct word is "quiet."
- Correction: She’s really shy, isn’t she – she’s so quiet!
- Explanation: "Quiet" means silent or reserved, which fits the context of shyness.
---
- Mistake: "Stationery" is incorrect. The correct word is "stationary."
- Correction: The car was stationary at the traffic lights.
- Explanation: "Stationary" means fixed or unmoving, while "stationery" refers to writing materials.
---
- Mistake: "Threw" is incorrect. The correct word is "through."
- Correction: She fell through the hole in the ice.
- Explanation: "Through" indicates movement from one side to the other.
---
- Mistake: "Waste" is incorrect. The correct word is "waist."
- Correction: Her hair is so long – it’s down to her waist.
- Explanation: "Waist" refers to the part of the body where the dress hangs.
---
- Mistake: "Who’s" is incorrect. The correct form is "whose."
- Correction: Whose coat is this?
- Explanation: "Whose" is the possessive form of "who," used to ask about ownership.
---
Each sentence has been corrected with detailed explanations. The corrected sentences are as follows:
1. He gave me good advice.
2. She divided the sweets among the two children.
3. She shared the cake among the five adults.
4. Are we already ready to go out, children?
5. I can’t believe you told everyone except me.
6. I was so bored at college yesterday.
7. I watched the new documentary series on TV last night.
8. She serviced her car last week.
9. It’s not fair – she’s got more than me!
10. There were fewer people here today than yesterday.
11. I should’ve gone to the park with my friends.
12. That CD was given to my sister and me last Christmas.
13. The dog wagged its tail when it saw him.
14. Come on. Lie down next to me.
15. Wahoo! I’ve got my driving licence.
16. Careful – don’t lose your keys.
17. What you said may be true!
18. Congratulations – you passed your exams!
19. If you practice every day you’ll get better and better.
20. She’s really shy, isn’t she – she’s so quiet!
21. The car was stationary at the traffic lights.
22. She fell through the hole in the ice.
23. Her hair is so long – it’s down to her waist.
24. Whose coat is this?
Boxed Final Answer:
\boxed{
\text{See corrections above.}
}
---
1. He gave me good advise.
- Mistake: "Advise" is a verb. The noun form is "advice."
- Correction: He gave me good advice.
- Explanation: "Advice" is an uncountable noun, while "advise" is a verb meaning to give advice.
---
2. She divided the sweets among the two children.
- Mistake: No mistake here. This sentence is correct.
- Explanation: "Among" is used when referring to more than two people or things. It is appropriate in this context.
---
3. She shared the cake between the five adults.
- Mistake: "Between" is used for two people or things, not more than two. For more than two, use "among."
- Correction: She shared the cake among the five adults.
- Explanation: "Among" is the correct preposition when sharing something with more than two people.
---
4. Are we already to go out children?
- Mistake: "Already" should be followed by "ready."
- Correction: Are we already ready to go out, children?
- Explanation: The phrase "already ready" is grammatically correct, and the comma after "children" improves clarity.
---
5. I can’t believe you told everyone accept me.
- Mistake: "Accept" is a verb. The preposition needed here is "except."
- Correction: I can’t believe you told everyone except me.
- Explanation: "Except" is a preposition meaning "excluding," which fits the context.
---
6. I was so board at college yesterday.
- Mistake: "Board" is a noun. The adjective form is "bored."
- Correction: I was so bored at college yesterday.
- Explanation: "Bored" describes a feeling of being uninterested or tired.
---
7. I watched the new documentary cereal on TV last night.
- Mistake: "Cereal" is incorrect here. The intended word is likely "series."
- Correction: I watched the new documentary series on TV last night.
- Explanation: A "series" refers to a sequence of related programs, which fits the context of watching documentaries.
---
8. She ensured her car last week.
- Mistake: "Ensure" means to make certain of something. The correct verb here is "service" or "maintain."
- Correction: She serviced her car last week.
- Explanation: "Service" is the correct verb for maintaining or checking a car.
---
9. It’s not fare – she’s got more than me!
- Mistake: "Fare" is incorrect. The correct word is "fair."
- Correction: It’s not fair – she’s got more than me!
- Explanation: "Fair" means just or equitable, which fits the context of complaining about unequal distribution.
---
10. There were less people here today than yesterday.
- Mistake: "Less" is used for uncountable nouns. For countable nouns like "people," use "fewer."
- Correction: There were fewer people here today than yesterday.
- Explanation: "Fewer" is the comparative form of "few," used for countable nouns.
---
11. I should of gone to the park with my friends.
- Mistake: "Of" is incorrect. The contraction of "should have" is "should've."
- Correction: I should’ve gone to the park with my friends.
- Explanation: "Should’ve" is the correct contraction of "should have."
---
12. That CD was given to my sister and I last Christmas.
- Mistake: "I" is incorrect. The object pronoun "me" should be used after a preposition.
- Correction: That CD was given to my sister and me last Christmas.
- Explanation: "Me" is the object form of the pronoun, used after "to."
---
13. The dog wagged it’s tail when it saw him.
- Mistake: "It’s" is incorrect. The possessive form of "it" is "its."
- Correction: The dog wagged its tail when it saw him.
- Explanation: "Its" is the possessive form of "it," while "it’s" is a contraction of "it is."
---
14. Come on. Lay down next to me.
- Mistake: "Lay" is the infinitive form of the verb. The imperative form (command) is "lie."
- Correction: Come on. Lie down next to me.
- Explanation: "Lie" (to recline) is the correct imperative form here.
---
15. Wahoo! I’ve got my driving license.
- Mistake: "License" is spelled incorrectly. The correct spelling is "licence" in British English, but "license" is also acceptable in American English.
- Correction: Wahoo! I’ve got my driving licence.
- Explanation: In British English, "licence" is the correct spelling for a permit or authorization.
---
16. Careful – don’t loose your keys.
- Mistake: "Loose" is an adjective. The verb form is "lose."
- Correction: Careful – don’t lose your keys.
- Explanation: "Lose" is the verb meaning to misplace something.
---
17. What you said maybe true!
- Mistake: "Maybe" is an adverb. The correct form here is "may be" (two words).
- Correction: What you said may be true!
- Explanation: "May be" is the correct construction when expressing possibility.
---
18. Congratulations – you past your exams!
- Mistake: "Past" is incorrect. The verb "pass" is needed here.
- Correction: Congratulations – you passed your exams!
- Explanation: "Passed" is the past tense of the verb "pass."
---
19. If you practice every day you’ll get better and better.
- Mistake: No mistake here. This sentence is correct.
- Explanation: The structure and grammar are correct as written.
---
20. She’s really shy isn’t she – she’s so quite!
- Mistake: "Quite" is incorrect. The correct word is "quiet."
- Correction: She’s really shy, isn’t she – she’s so quiet!
- Explanation: "Quiet" means silent or reserved, which fits the context of shyness.
---
21. The car was stationery at the traffic lights.
- Mistake: "Stationery" is incorrect. The correct word is "stationary."
- Correction: The car was stationary at the traffic lights.
- Explanation: "Stationary" means fixed or unmoving, while "stationery" refers to writing materials.
---
22. She fell threw the hole in the ice.
- Mistake: "Threw" is incorrect. The correct word is "through."
- Correction: She fell through the hole in the ice.
- Explanation: "Through" indicates movement from one side to the other.
---
23. Her hair is so long – it’s down to her waste.
- Mistake: "Waste" is incorrect. The correct word is "waist."
- Correction: Her hair is so long – it’s down to her waist.
- Explanation: "Waist" refers to the part of the body where the dress hangs.
---
24. Who’s coat is this?
- Mistake: "Who’s" is incorrect. The correct form is "whose."
- Correction: Whose coat is this?
- Explanation: "Whose" is the possessive form of "who," used to ask about ownership.
---
Final Answer:
Each sentence has been corrected with detailed explanations. The corrected sentences are as follows:
1. He gave me good advice.
2. She divided the sweets among the two children.
3. She shared the cake among the five adults.
4. Are we already ready to go out, children?
5. I can’t believe you told everyone except me.
6. I was so bored at college yesterday.
7. I watched the new documentary series on TV last night.
8. She serviced her car last week.
9. It’s not fair – she’s got more than me!
10. There were fewer people here today than yesterday.
11. I should’ve gone to the park with my friends.
12. That CD was given to my sister and me last Christmas.
13. The dog wagged its tail when it saw him.
14. Come on. Lie down next to me.
15. Wahoo! I’ve got my driving licence.
16. Careful – don’t lose your keys.
17. What you said may be true!
18. Congratulations – you passed your exams!
19. If you practice every day you’ll get better and better.
20. She’s really shy, isn’t she – she’s so quiet!
21. The car was stationary at the traffic lights.
22. She fell through the hole in the ice.
23. Her hair is so long – it’s down to her waist.
24. Whose coat is this?
Boxed Final Answer:
\boxed{
\text{See corrections above.}
}
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of find the errors worksheet.
