Common English Speaking Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Speaking English is not easy for everyone. Many people make mistakes when they talk. But that’s okay. Mistakes help us learn. The good news is that you can fix these mistakes with practice. In this blog, we will talk about common English speaking mistakes and how you can avoid them. If you speak English every day and focus on the small errors, you will improve fast.

1. Using the Wrong Verb Tense

Many people mix up past, present, and future. This can confuse the listener.

Wrong: “Yesterday, I go to school.”
Right: “Yesterday, I went to school.”

Wrong: “I have see that movie.”
Right: “I have seen that movie.”

How to Fix It

• Learn the three forms of verbs: go – went – gone, see – saw – seen
• When talking about yesterday, use past tense (went, saw, ate)
• When talking about today, use present tense (go, see, eat)
• When talking about an action completed in the past, use present perfect tense (have gone, have seen)

Practice by making sentences about your day. Try to use past, present, and future tense correctly.

2. Mixing Up “He,” “She,” and “It”

Some people get confused when talking about boys, girls, and things.

Wrong: “She is my brother.”
Right: “He is my brother.”

Wrong: “He is my sister.”
Right: “She is my sister.”

Wrong: “Dog is big. He is running.”
Right: “The dog is big. It is running.”

How to Fix It

• Use he for boys and men
• Use she for girls and women
• Use it for animals and things

If you are not sure, stop and think before you speak. With time, it will become easy.

3. Saying “I Am Agree” Instead of “I Agree”

Many people say “I am agree”, but this is wrong.

Wrong: “I am agree with you.”
Right: “I agree with you.”

How to Fix It

• “Agree” is a verb, so don’t use “am” before it.
• Just say “I agree.”

Remember, you do not say, “I am like pizza.” You say, “I like pizza.” In the same way, say, “I agree,” not “I am agree.”

4. Using “A” and “An” the Wrong Way

“A” and “An” are small words, but they are important.

Wrong: “I saw an cat.”
Right: “I saw a cat.”

Wrong: “She is a honest girl.”
Right: “She is an honest girl.”

How to Fix It

• Use “a” before words that start with a consonant sound (b, c, d, f, g…) → a book, a dog
• Use “an” before words that start with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u…) → an apple, an elephant

Say the words out loud. If the sound is smooth with “an,” then use “an.”

5. Saying Two Negatives in One Sentence

In English, two negatives make a positive, so your sentence will mean the opposite.

Wrong: “I don’t need no help.” (This means “I need help.”)
Right: “I don’t need any help.”

Wrong: “She didn’t do nothing.” (This means “She did something.”)
Right: “She didn’t do anything.”

How to Fix It

• Use “don’t” with “any” (not “no”)
• Use “didn’t” with “anything” (not “nothing”)

When in doubt, remove one of the negative words to make the sentence clear.

6. Confusing “Since” and “For”

“Since” and “For” both talk about time, but they are not the same.

Wrong: “I have lived here since 5 years.”
Right: “I have lived here for 5 years.”

Wrong: “I have worked here for 2010.”
Right: “I have worked here since 2010.”

How to Fix It

• Use “since” for a specific time → since 2020, since Monday
• Use “for” for a length of time → for 5 years, for 2 hours

Think about whether you are talking about a starting point or a period of time before choosing “since” or “for.”

7. Using “Much” Instead of “Many”

“Much” and “Many” both talk about quantity, but they are used differently.

Wrong: “I have much friends.”
Right: “I have many friends.”

Wrong: “There are many water in the glass.”
Right: “There is much water in the glass.”

How to Fix It

• Use “many” for things you can count → many books, many people
• Use “much” for things you cannot count → much water, much rice

If you can count it, use “many.” If you cannot count it, use “much.”

8. Not Practicing Enough

The biggest mistake? Not practicing! Many people want to speak English well but don’t practice every day.

How to Fix It

• Think in English when you do daily tasks
• Talk to yourself about what you are doing
• Speak with friends, teachers, or online partners
• Watch, listen, and read in English

The more you practice, the fewer mistakes you will make.

Final Thoughts

Everyone makes mistakes when learning a language. The important thing is to keep practicing and not be afraid.

Quick recap:

• Use correct verb tenses (go – went – gone)
• Use he, she, and it the right way
• Use “a” and “an” correctly
• Don’t use double negatives
• Learn the difference between “since” and “for”
• Use “many” for things you can count, “much” for things you cannot
• Practice speaking English every day

Now, it’s your turn. Which mistakes have you made before? Start practicing today and improve your English step by step.