Find the mistakes worksheet with 40 sentences for grammar correction practice.
A worksheet titled "Find the mistakes" with 40 sentences containing grammatical errors, accompanied by a cartoon of a yellow character reading a book labeled "Mistakes I've Made."
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Find the mistakes 1 - ESL worksheet by Christineallom
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Find the mistakes 1 - ESL worksheet by Christineallom
Let's go through each sentence and identify the grammatical mistakes, then correct them with explanations.
---
✘ Incorrect: "enjoy to read"
✔ Correct: I enjoy reading about economics.
📌 *Explanation:* After "enjoy," we use a gerund (verb + -ing), not an infinitive.
---
✘ Incorrect: "think so it will..."
✔ Correct: I think it will rain tomorrow.
📌 *Explanation:* "So" is redundant here. The sentence should be direct: "I think it will rain."
---
✘ Incorrect: "the next Friday"
✔ Correct: I will see you next Friday.
📌 *Explanation:* We don’t use "the" before "next Friday." Just say "next Friday."
---
✘ Incorrect: "wasn't nobody" (double negative)
✔ Correct: I went to class but there was nobody there.
📌 *Explanation:* "Wasn't nobody" means "there was someone," which is illogical. Use "was nobody" or "wasn't anyone."
---
✘ Incorrect: word order ("everyday" at start)
✔ Correct: I get up early and spend time with my wife every day.
📌 *Explanation:* Adverbial phrases like "every day" usually come at the end of the sentence.
---
✘ Incorrect: "hear" → present simple for habitual action? But context is fine. Actually, this is correct.
✔ No mistake.
📌 *Note:* This sentence is grammatically correct.
---
✘ Incorrect: "make exercise"
✔ Correct: I try to do exercise but I'm too lazy.
📌 *Explanation:* We say "do exercise" or "exercise," not "make exercise."
---
✘ Incorrect: "people was" → subject-verb agreement
✔ Correct: The people were afraid during this time.
📌 *Explanation:* "People" is plural, so verb must be "were."
---
✘ Incorrect: "for ride"
✔ Correct: I bought a bike to ride to work.
📌 *Explanation:* Use infinitive "to ride" after "bought a bike" to show purpose.
---
✘ Incorrect: "until" implies continuing beyond Friday
✔ Correct: This report needs to be finished by Friday.
📌 *Explanation:* "By Friday" means "no later than Friday." "Until Friday" would mean "up to Friday," implying it could continue after.
---
✘ Incorrect: "informations" — uncountable noun
✔ Correct: You need to find as much information as possible.
📌 *Explanation:* "Information" is uncountable; no plural form.
---
✘ Incorrect: word order
✔ Correct: I always try to be a kind person.
📌 *Explanation:* Adverbs like "always" go after the subject and before the main verb.
---
✘ Incorrect: "swummed" — wrong past tense
✔ Correct: I swam all the way across the river.
📌 *Explanation:* Past tense of "swim" is "swam," not "swummed."
---
✘ Incorrect: "to home" — unnecessary preposition
✔ Correct: After school I go home.
📌 *Explanation:* "Home" is an adverb, so no "to" needed.
---
✘ Incorrect: "door red" — awkward word order
✔ Correct: The caravan had a red door.
📌 *Explanation:* Adjective comes before noun: "red door."
---
✘ Incorrect: "what" instead of "that/who"
✔ Correct: This is the woman that I was talking about. or This is the woman whom I was talking about.
📌 *Explanation:* In defining relative clauses, use "that" or "who," not "what."
---
✘ Incorrect: Present perfect + past time
✔ Correct: I was in Mexico last year.
📌 *Explanation:* "Last year" refers to a specific past time → use simple past.
---
✘ Incorrect: "hope getting"
✔ Correct: I hope to get a promotion.
📌 *Explanation:* "Hope" is followed by an infinitive, not a gerund.
---
✘ Incorrect: mixed conditional
✔ Correct: If she were younger, she would try again.
📌 *Explanation:* This is a second conditional (hypothetical). Use "were" for hypotheticals.
---
✘ Incorrect: punctuation and structure
✔ Correct: (Phone) I am at the party now. What time will you go?
📌 *Explanation:* Two separate sentences. Also, better to say: "What time are you going?"
---
✘ Incorrect: "for I was" — incorrect conjunction
✔ Correct: I have been practicing piano since I was twelve.
📌 *Explanation:* Use "since" to refer to a point in the past when something started.
---
✔ No mistake.
📌 *Explanation:* Grammatically correct. Parallel structure: "sitting... and seeing..."
---
✘ Incorrect: "in the mornings" — unusual phrasing
✔ Better: Do you usually listen to the radio in the morning?
📌 *Explanation:* "In the morning" (singular) is more natural. Also, "listen to the radio" is better than "hear the radio."
---
✘ Incorrect: "cheer out" — not idiomatic
✔ Correct: You look so sad, you really should try to cheer up.
📌 *Explanation:* "Cheer up" is the correct phrase.
---
✔ No mistake.
📌 *Explanation:* Correct use of future tense and time expression.
---
✘ Incorrect: "identical from"
✔ Correct: You are identical to your sister.
📌 *Explanation:* "Identical to" is the correct preposition.
---
✘ Incorrect: "hang on" → wrong idiom
✔ Correct: I'd rather hang out with my friends than go shopping with my mum.
📌 *Explanation:* "Hang out" = spend time casually. "Hang on" means "wait."
---
✘ Incorrect: "good" (adjective used as adverb)
✔ Correct: She plays the piano well, doesn't she?
📌 *Explanation:* "Well" is the adverb form; "good" is adjective.
---
✘ Incorrect: mismatched conditionals
✔ Correct: If I won the lottery, I would buy a new house.
📌 *Explanation:* Second conditional: use past tense in if-clause, "would" in main clause.
---
✔ No mistake.
📌 *Explanation:* Grammatically correct. Note: "on the phone" = speaking over the phone.
---
✘ Incorrect: "quiet" (adjective used as adverb)
✔ Correct: She spoke so quietly I couldn't hear her.
📌 *Explanation:* "Quietly" is the adverb form.
---
✘ Incorrect: "jealous on"
✔ Correct: I think those girls are jealous of me.
📌 *Explanation:* "Jealous of" is the correct preposition.
---
✘ Incorrect: "had listen" — missing past participle
✔ Correct: I wish I had listened to the teacher when she explained the rules.
📌 *Explanation:* Past perfect requires "had + past participle."
---
✘ Incorrect: "childrens" — wrong plural
✔ Correct: The children always play in the garden.
📌 *Explanation:* "Children" is already plural; no "s" added.
---
✘ Incorrect: "if I go" — tense mismatch
✔ Correct: She asked if I had gone to the party last night and I said no.
📌 *Explanation:* Reported speech — past tense required: "had gone."
---
✘ Incorrect: "since 10years" — missing space and article
✔ Correct: I have studied French since 10 years ago. or I have studied French for 10 years.
📌 *Explanation:* "Since" needs a point in time (e.g., "since 2010"), while "for" is used with duration.
---
✘ Incorrect: "allergic from"
✔ Correct: My sister is allergic to seafood.
📌 *Explanation:* "Allergic to" is the correct preposition.
---
✘ Incorrect: "to hospital" — missing "the"
✔ Correct: When my uncle was sick, I went to the hospital.
📌 *Explanation:* "Hospital" is countable; use "the" unless it's general (e.g., "go to hospital" in British English is acceptable, but American English prefers "the").
> 📌 Note: In British English, "go to hospital" is common. In American English, "go to the hospital" is standard.
---
✔ No mistake.
📌 *Explanation:* Correct grammar and usage.
---
✘ Incorrect: "very good" — adjective vs. adverb
✔ Correct: You speak English very well.
📌 *Explanation:* "Well" is the adverb modifying "speak."
---
## ✔ Summary of Corrections:
| Sentence | Mistake | Correction |
|--------|--------|-----------|
| 1 | enjoy to read | enjoy reading |
| 2 | think so it will | think it will |
| 3 | the next Friday | next Friday |
| 4 | wasn't nobody | was nobody |
| 5 | everyday get up | get up every day |
| 6 | ✔ | No error |
| 7 | make exercise | do exercise |
| 8 | people was | people were |
| 9 | for ride | to ride |
| 10 | until Friday | by Friday |
| 11 | informations | information |
| 12 | Always I try | I always try |
| 13 | swummed | swam |
| 14 | to home | home |
| 15 | door red | red door |
| 16 | what I was talking about | that/who I was talking about |
| 17 | have been in last year | was in last year |
| 18 | hope getting | hope to get |
| 19 | is younger | were younger |
| 20 | run-on sentence | split into two sentences |
| 21 | for I was | since I was |
| 22 | ✔ | No error |
| 23 | hear the radio | listen to the radio |
| 24 | cheer out | cheer up |
| 25 | ✔ | No error |
| 26 | identical from | identical to |
| 27 | hang on | hang out |
| 28 | good | well |
| 29 | win → would | won → would |
| 30 | ✔ | No error |
| 31 | quiet | quietly |
| 32 | jealous on | jealous of |
| 33 | had listen | had listened |
| 34 | childrens | children |
| 35 | go | had gone |
| 36 | since 10years | have studied ... for 10 years / since 10 years ago |
| 37 | allergic from | allergic to |
| 38 | to hospital | to the hospital |
| 39 | ✔ | No error |
| 40 | very good | very well |
---
Let me know if you'd like this as a printable worksheet or with answers highlighted!
---
1. I enjoy to read about economics.
✘ Incorrect: "enjoy to read"
✔ Correct: I enjoy reading about economics.
📌 *Explanation:* After "enjoy," we use a gerund (verb + -ing), not an infinitive.
---
2. I think so it will rain tomorrow.
✘ Incorrect: "think so it will..."
✔ Correct: I think it will rain tomorrow.
📌 *Explanation:* "So" is redundant here. The sentence should be direct: "I think it will rain."
---
3. I will see you the next Friday.
✘ Incorrect: "the next Friday"
✔ Correct: I will see you next Friday.
📌 *Explanation:* We don’t use "the" before "next Friday." Just say "next Friday."
---
4. I went to class but there wasn't nobody there.
✘ Incorrect: "wasn't nobody" (double negative)
✔ Correct: I went to class but there was nobody there.
📌 *Explanation:* "Wasn't nobody" means "there was someone," which is illogical. Use "was nobody" or "wasn't anyone."
---
5. I everyday get up early and spend time with my wife.
✘ Incorrect: word order ("everyday" at start)
✔ Correct: I get up early and spend time with my wife every day.
📌 *Explanation:* Adverbial phrases like "every day" usually come at the end of the sentence.
---
6. I hear the news on the radio because I don't have a TV.
✘ Incorrect: "hear" → present simple for habitual action? But context is fine. Actually, this is correct.
✔ No mistake.
📌 *Note:* This sentence is grammatically correct.
---
7. I try to make exercise but I'm too lazy.
✘ Incorrect: "make exercise"
✔ Correct: I try to do exercise but I'm too lazy.
📌 *Explanation:* We say "do exercise" or "exercise," not "make exercise."
---
8. The people was afraid during this time.
✘ Incorrect: "people was" → subject-verb agreement
✔ Correct: The people were afraid during this time.
📌 *Explanation:* "People" is plural, so verb must be "were."
---
9. I bought a bike for ride to work.
✘ Incorrect: "for ride"
✔ Correct: I bought a bike to ride to work.
📌 *Explanation:* Use infinitive "to ride" after "bought a bike" to show purpose.
---
10. This report needs to be finished until Friday.
✘ Incorrect: "until" implies continuing beyond Friday
✔ Correct: This report needs to be finished by Friday.
📌 *Explanation:* "By Friday" means "no later than Friday." "Until Friday" would mean "up to Friday," implying it could continue after.
---
11. You need to find as much informations as possible.
✘ Incorrect: "informations" — uncountable noun
✔ Correct: You need to find as much information as possible.
📌 *Explanation:* "Information" is uncountable; no plural form.
---
12. Always I try to be a kind person.
✘ Incorrect: word order
✔ Correct: I always try to be a kind person.
📌 *Explanation:* Adverbs like "always" go after the subject and before the main verb.
---
13. I swummed all the way across the river.
✘ Incorrect: "swummed" — wrong past tense
✔ Correct: I swam all the way across the river.
📌 *Explanation:* Past tense of "swim" is "swam," not "swummed."
---
14. After school I go to home.
✘ Incorrect: "to home" — unnecessary preposition
✔ Correct: After school I go home.
📌 *Explanation:* "Home" is an adverb, so no "to" needed.
---
15. The caravan had a door red.
✘ Incorrect: "door red" — awkward word order
✔ Correct: The caravan had a red door.
📌 *Explanation:* Adjective comes before noun: "red door."
---
16. This is the woman what I was talking about.
✘ Incorrect: "what" instead of "that/who"
✔ Correct: This is the woman that I was talking about. or This is the woman whom I was talking about.
📌 *Explanation:* In defining relative clauses, use "that" or "who," not "what."
---
17. I have been in Mexico last year.
✘ Incorrect: Present perfect + past time
✔ Correct: I was in Mexico last year.
📌 *Explanation:* "Last year" refers to a specific past time → use simple past.
---
18. I hope getting a promotion.
✘ Incorrect: "hope getting"
✔ Correct: I hope to get a promotion.
📌 *Explanation:* "Hope" is followed by an infinitive, not a gerund.
---
19. If she is younger she would try again.
✘ Incorrect: mixed conditional
✔ Correct: If she were younger, she would try again.
📌 *Explanation:* This is a second conditional (hypothetical). Use "were" for hypotheticals.
---
20. (phone) I am at the party now, what time will you go?
✘ Incorrect: punctuation and structure
✔ Correct: (Phone) I am at the party now. What time will you go?
📌 *Explanation:* Two separate sentences. Also, better to say: "What time are you going?"
---
21. I have been practicing piano for I was twelve.
✘ Incorrect: "for I was" — incorrect conjunction
✔ Correct: I have been practicing piano since I was twelve.
📌 *Explanation:* Use "since" to refer to a point in the past when something started.
---
22. I love sitting in a café and seeing people walk by.
✔ No mistake.
📌 *Explanation:* Grammatically correct. Parallel structure: "sitting... and seeing..."
---
23. Do you usually hear the radio in the mornings?
✘ Incorrect: "in the mornings" — unusual phrasing
✔ Better: Do you usually listen to the radio in the morning?
📌 *Explanation:* "In the morning" (singular) is more natural. Also, "listen to the radio" is better than "hear the radio."
---
24. You look so sad, you really should try to cheer out.
✘ Incorrect: "cheer out" — not idiomatic
✔ Correct: You look so sad, you really should try to cheer up.
📌 *Explanation:* "Cheer up" is the correct phrase.
---
25. I will wait for you by 5pm.
✔ No mistake.
📌 *Explanation:* Correct use of future tense and time expression.
---
26. You are identical from your sister.
✘ Incorrect: "identical from"
✔ Correct: You are identical to your sister.
📌 *Explanation:* "Identical to" is the correct preposition.
---
27. I'd rather hang on with my friends than go shopping with my mum.
✘ Incorrect: "hang on" → wrong idiom
✔ Correct: I'd rather hang out with my friends than go shopping with my mum.
📌 *Explanation:* "Hang out" = spend time casually. "Hang on" means "wait."
---
28. She plays the piano good, doesn't she?
✘ Incorrect: "good" (adjective used as adverb)
✔ Correct: She plays the piano well, doesn't she?
📌 *Explanation:* "Well" is the adverb form; "good" is adjective.
---
29. If I win the lottery I would buy a new house.
✘ Incorrect: mismatched conditionals
✔ Correct: If I won the lottery, I would buy a new house.
📌 *Explanation:* Second conditional: use past tense in if-clause, "would" in main clause.
---
30. I spoke on the phone when I realised the stove was on fire.
✔ No mistake.
📌 *Explanation:* Grammatically correct. Note: "on the phone" = speaking over the phone.
---
31. She spoke so quiet I couldn't hear her.
✘ Incorrect: "quiet" (adjective used as adverb)
✔ Correct: She spoke so quietly I couldn't hear her.
📌 *Explanation:* "Quietly" is the adverb form.
---
32. I think those girls are jealous on me.
✘ Incorrect: "jealous on"
✔ Correct: I think those girls are jealous of me.
📌 *Explanation:* "Jealous of" is the correct preposition.
---
33. I wish I had listen to the teacher when she explained the rules.
✘ Incorrect: "had listen" — missing past participle
✔ Correct: I wish I had listened to the teacher when she explained the rules.
📌 *Explanation:* Past perfect requires "had + past participle."
---
34. The childrens always play in the garden.
✘ Incorrect: "childrens" — wrong plural
✔ Correct: The children always play in the garden.
📌 *Explanation:* "Children" is already plural; no "s" added.
---
35. She asked if I go to the party last night and I said no.
✘ Incorrect: "if I go" — tense mismatch
✔ Correct: She asked if I had gone to the party last night and I said no.
📌 *Explanation:* Reported speech — past tense required: "had gone."
---
36. I studied French since 10years.
✘ Incorrect: "since 10years" — missing space and article
✔ Correct: I have studied French since 10 years ago. or I have studied French for 10 years.
📌 *Explanation:* "Since" needs a point in time (e.g., "since 2010"), while "for" is used with duration.
---
37. My sister is allergic from seafood.
✘ Incorrect: "allergic from"
✔ Correct: My sister is allergic to seafood.
📌 *Explanation:* "Allergic to" is the correct preposition.
---
38. When my uncle was sick I went to hospital.
✘ Incorrect: "to hospital" — missing "the"
✔ Correct: When my uncle was sick, I went to the hospital.
📌 *Explanation:* "Hospital" is countable; use "the" unless it's general (e.g., "go to hospital" in British English is acceptable, but American English prefers "the").
> 📌 Note: In British English, "go to hospital" is common. In American English, "go to the hospital" is standard.
---
39. Son, don't forget to bring your books to school tomorrow.
✔ No mistake.
📌 *Explanation:* Correct grammar and usage.
---
40. You speak English very good.
✘ Incorrect: "very good" — adjective vs. adverb
✔ Correct: You speak English very well.
📌 *Explanation:* "Well" is the adverb modifying "speak."
---
## ✔ Summary of Corrections:
| Sentence | Mistake | Correction |
|--------|--------|-----------|
| 1 | enjoy to read | enjoy reading |
| 2 | think so it will | think it will |
| 3 | the next Friday | next Friday |
| 4 | wasn't nobody | was nobody |
| 5 | everyday get up | get up every day |
| 6 | ✔ | No error |
| 7 | make exercise | do exercise |
| 8 | people was | people were |
| 9 | for ride | to ride |
| 10 | until Friday | by Friday |
| 11 | informations | information |
| 12 | Always I try | I always try |
| 13 | swummed | swam |
| 14 | to home | home |
| 15 | door red | red door |
| 16 | what I was talking about | that/who I was talking about |
| 17 | have been in last year | was in last year |
| 18 | hope getting | hope to get |
| 19 | is younger | were younger |
| 20 | run-on sentence | split into two sentences |
| 21 | for I was | since I was |
| 22 | ✔ | No error |
| 23 | hear the radio | listen to the radio |
| 24 | cheer out | cheer up |
| 25 | ✔ | No error |
| 26 | identical from | identical to |
| 27 | hang on | hang out |
| 28 | good | well |
| 29 | win → would | won → would |
| 30 | ✔ | No error |
| 31 | quiet | quietly |
| 32 | jealous on | jealous of |
| 33 | had listen | had listened |
| 34 | childrens | children |
| 35 | go | had gone |
| 36 | since 10years | have studied ... for 10 years / since 10 years ago |
| 37 | allergic from | allergic to |
| 38 | to hospital | to the hospital |
| 39 | ✔ | No error |
| 40 | very good | very well |
---
Let me know if you'd like this as a printable worksheet or with answers highlighted!
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of find the errors worksheet.
