Common Mistakes in English - All Things Grammar - Free Printable

Let’s go through each question one by one. We’ll pick the correct word or phrase that fits best in each sentence.

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21. It took me 10 minutes to ... my clothes.
→ “Put on” means to wear something. “Wear” is for already having clothes on.
✔ Correct: b) put on

22. Having a picnic is a ... activity.
→ “Fun” describes an enjoyable thing. “Funny” means silly or makes you laugh — not quite right here.
✔ Correct: a) fun

23. I asked her to ... me some money.
→ You “borrow” from someone (you get it). You “lend” to someone (you give it). Here, *I* am asking *her* to give me money → so she would be lending. But the sentence says “asked her to ___ me” → that means *she* gives → so we need “lend”. Wait — actually, if *I* ask *her* to lend me money, that’s correct. But option b is “lend”, and a is “borrow”. Let’s think: If I say “Can you borrow me money?” — that’s wrong. You don’t “borrow” to someone. You “lend” to someone. So: “I asked her to lend me some money.” ✔
✔ Correct: b) lend

Wait — let me double-check common usage. Actually, many people mistakenly say “borrow me”, but grammatically, it should be “lend me”. Since this quiz is about “common mistakes”, they probably want the correct grammar. So yes — “lend” is correct when giving.
✔ Final: b) lend

24. We traveled to Canada ... July 1st.
→ For specific dates, we use “on”. “In” is for months/years. “At” is for times.
✔ Correct: a) on

25. They will leave ... Monday morning.
→ Again, for days + time of day, we use “on”. “This” doesn’t fit.
✔ Correct: a) on this → wait, no — “on this Monday morning” is okay, but usually we just say “on Monday morning”. Option a is “on this”, which might be acceptable, but let’s see option b: “this” alone? No — “leave this Monday morning” is also correct without “on”. Hmm.

Actually, both can work, but “on this Monday morning” is more formal. In everyday English, we often drop “on” with “this/next/last”. Example: “I’m leaving next week.” Not “on next week”.

So: “They will leave this Monday morning.” → sounds natural.
But option a is “on this” — which would make it “on this Monday morning” — also correct.
Option b is just “this” — which would be “they will leave this Monday morning” — also correct.

Wait — looking at the options:

a) on this
b) this

If we choose a: “They will leave on this Monday morning.” → correct
If we choose b: “They will leave this Monday morning.” → also correct

But in standard grammar tests, they often prefer including “on” for clarity. However, native speakers often omit it.

Looking back at Q24 — they used “on July 1st” — so they’re teaching prepositions. Probably expecting “on” here too.

But “this Monday morning” doesn’t need “on”. Actually, let’s check reliable sources.

Rule: Use “on” with days: on Monday, on July 1st.
With “this/next/last”, we usually drop “on”: this Monday, next week, last year.

So: “They will leave this Monday morning.” → correct without “on”.

Therefore, option b: “this” → makes the sentence: “They will leave this Monday morning.” ✔

But wait — the blank is before “Monday morning”. So:

“If I choose a: ‘on this’ → ‘They will leave on this Monday morning.’” — redundant? Because “this Monday morning” already implies the day.

Actually, “on this Monday morning” is grammatically correct but less common. Most style guides say omit “on” with “this/next/last”.

Example: Cambridge Dictionary says: “We use ‘this’, ‘next’, and ‘last’ without ‘on’ or ‘in’.”

So: “See you next Monday.” NOT “on next Monday”.

Thus, correct answer is b) this

✔ Correct: b) this

26. We want to travel ... next summer.
→ “Somewhere” is a place. “To somewhere” is correct. “To to somewhere” is wrong.
Option a: “somewhere” → “travel somewhere” — correct
Option b: “to somewhere” → “travel to somewhere” — also correct? Wait, “travel” can be used with or without “to”.

Actually: “We want to travel somewhere next summer.” — perfect.
“We want to travel to somewhere next summer.” — awkward. Better: “travel to a place” or just “travel somewhere”.

Standard usage: “travel somewhere” — no “to”.

✔ Correct: a) somewhere

27. It’s half past ...
→ “Half past three” = 3:30. “Three o’clock” = 3:00.
“Half past three o’clock” is redundant. Just “half past three”.

✔ Correct: a) three

28. I ... some work to do.
→ “Have got” = possess. “Got” alone is informal/past tense.
“I have got some work to do.” = I have some work.
“I got some work to do.” = colloquial, but in formal grammar, “have got” is preferred.

Since this is a grammar quiz on common mistakes, likely wants “have got”.

✔ Correct: a) have got

29. The carpet is on the ... of the room.
→ Carpets are on the floor. Ceiling is above. Ground is outside.

✔ Correct: a) floor

30. I ... that they may be late.
→ “Think” is present simple — for opinions. “Am thinking” is continuous — for current mental action, but not usually for opinions like this.

“I think that...” is standard.

✔ Correct: a) think

31. ... we leave now, we will be late.
→ This is a conditional. “Even if” = despite the fact. “Even” alone doesn’t connect clauses.

“Even if we leave now, we will be late.” → makes sense.

✔ Correct: b) Even if

32. He wrote his name ... a pencil.
→ We write “with” a tool. “By” is for method or agent.

“He wrote with a pencil.” ✔

✔ Correct: b) with

33. Cats are ... than dogs.
→ Comparative form. “Better” is comparative of “good”. “More better” is wrong — double comparative.

✔ Correct: a) better

34. ... very difficult to remember that.
→ Subject needed. “It’s” = “It is”. “Is” alone has no subject.

“It’s very difficult...” ✔

✔ Correct: a) It’s

35. ..., I was shy.
→ “Firstly” = first point in a list. “At first” = initially, at the beginning.

“At first, I was shy.” → meaning originally, but maybe not anymore.

✔ Correct: b) At first

36. I couldn’t ... my phone.
→ “Find” = locate. “Fond” = adjective meaning affectionate — doesn’t fit.

✔ Correct: b) find out? Wait — option b is “find out”? Let me check original.

Original:
36. I couldn’t ... my phone.
a) fond
b) find out

“Find out” means discover information. “Find” means locate physically.

You “find” your phone (locate it). You “find out” a secret.

So neither is perfect? But “find out my phone” is wrong. Should be “find my phone”.

But option b is “find out” — which is incorrect here.

Option a: “fond” — nonsense.

Wait — did I misread? Let me check again.

User input:
36. I couldn’t ... my phone.
a) fond
b) find out

Hmm — perhaps typo? Or maybe it’s testing vocabulary.

Actually, “find” is not listed. Only “fond” and “find out”.

“Find out” is phrasal verb meaning learn/discover. Doesn’t fit with “my phone”.

Unless... maybe it’s “I couldn’t find out where my phone is” — but the sentence is “I couldn’t ... my phone.” — direct object.

So neither seems right. But between the two, “find out” is closer? No.

Perhaps it’s a trick. “Fond” is definitely wrong. “Find out” is also wrong, but maybe they mean “find” and wrote “find out” by mistake?

Wait — look at Q37: “I wrote the poem ... for you.” with options “specially” and “especially” — similar issue.

For Q36, perhaps intended answer is “find”, but it’s not there. Unless...

Another thought: “I couldn’t find out my phone” — no, that’s not standard.

Perhaps it’s “I couldn’t find my phone” and option b is meant to be “find”, but written as “find out”.

Given the choices, “find out” is the only verb, even if slightly off. But let’s see context.

Maybe in some dialects? I think it’s a error in the quiz, but since “fond” is adjective, and “find out” is verb, probably they want “find out” — but it’s incorrect.

Wait — let’s read carefully: “I couldn’t ... my phone.” — needs a verb. “Fond” is not a verb. “Find out” is a verb phrase.

But semantically, it should be “find”. Perhaps in the context of the quiz, they accept “find out” as closest? Unlikely.

Look at Q37: “I wrote the poem ... for you.” — options “specially” and “especially”. “Specially” means for a special purpose. “Especially” means particularly.

“I wrote the poem specially for you.” = specifically for you. ✔

Back to Q36 — perhaps it’s a typo, and b is “find”, not “find out”. But as written, I have to choose.

Maybe “find out” can mean locate in some contexts? Rare.

I think the intended answer is “find”, but since it’s not there, and “fond” is wrong, perhaps b is correct by elimination.

But let’s assume it’s “find” and they wrote “find out” by mistake. In many quizzes, “find” is expected.

Perhaps for Q36, the answer is b) find out — but I doubt it.

Another idea: “I couldn’t find out my phone” — no.

Let’s skip and come back.

Actually, upon second thought, in some informal contexts, people say “I can’t find out my keys” — but it’s non-standard. Standard is “find”.

Given that this is a “common mistakes” quiz, they might be testing that “find out” is wrong here, but since “fond” is worse, still b.

I think there might be a typo in the user's input. Looking back at the original image description — but I can't see image.

Perhaps in the actual quiz, option b is “find”, not “find out”.

To proceed, I'll assume it's "find" and they meant that, so b) find out is likely a miswrite, but since it's the only verb, I'll go with b.

No — let's think differently. Perhaps "find out" is not correct, but "fond" is definitely not, so b is the answer by default.

But that's poor design.

For now, I'll put b) find out, but note that it should be "find".

Actually, let's check online or standard knowledge.

Upon recall, in such quizzes, for "I couldn't ___ my phone", the answer is "find". Since "find" isn't an option, and "find out" is close, perhaps it's b.

But I found a better way: in the list, Q37 has "specially" vs "especially", which is common.

For Q36, perhaps it's "find", and "find out" is a distractor.

I think I made a mistake. Let me read the user's input again:

"36. I couldn’t ... my phone.
a) fond
b) find out"

Perhaps "find out" is intended to be "find", but written wrong. In many fonts, "find" and "find out" might be confused, but unlikely.

Another possibility: "I couldn't find out [where] my phone is" — but the sentence doesn't have "where".

I think the best choice is b) find out, as it's the only verb, and "fond" is adjective.

So reluctantly, ✔ Correct: b) find out — though it's not ideal.

But let's move on and come back.

37. I wrote the poem ... for you.
→ “Specially” = for a special purpose. “Especially” = particularly, notably.

“I wrote the poem specially for you.” = specifically for you. ✔

✔ Correct: a) specially

38. My new friend is an ...
→ “Englishman” = man from England. “English” is adjective. Need noun.

“An Englishman” ✔

✔ Correct: a) Englishman

39. The ... are too high at that store.
→ “Prices” = cost of items. “Costs” can mean expenses, but for store items, “prices” is better.

“The prices are too high.” ✔

✔ Correct: a) prices

40. My name is George and I ... in London.
→ “Was born” = past passive. “Born” alone is not a verb.

“I was born in London.” ✔

✔ Correct: a) was born

Now back to Q36. Given that all others are clear, and for Q36, "find out" is the only logical choice among the options, even if not perfect, I'll go with b.

But let's confirm with common sense. If a student says "I couldn't find out my phone", it's wrong, but "I couldn't fond my phone" is nonsense. So b is better.

Perhaps in the context, "find out" means locate, but it's stretch.

I recall that in some old uses, "find out" can mean discover the location, but rare.

For the sake of completing, I'll select b.

So summary:

21. b
22. a
23. b
24. a
25. b
26. a
27. a
28. a
29. a
30. a
31. b
32. b
33. a
34. a
35. b
36. b (though questionable)
37. a
38. a
39. a
40. a

For Q36, upon double-checking, I think there might be a typo in the problem, but based on given options, b is the only possible answer.

Final Answer:

21. b
22. a
23. b
24. a
25. b
26. a
27. a
28. a
29. a
30. a
31. b
32. b
33. a
34. a
35. b
36. b
37. a
38. a
39. a
40. a