Minor but significant mistakes you may have made in speaking English

billzhao

Some friends, especially those who are just learning English, often make the following mistakes.
+ t- U; x% b' a- C, U4 B
1. My husband has a good job. She makes over 100,000 dollars a year.
    My girlfriend did not live with me, because he is still in China.

# Z  S, \6 N# V9 w  }4 f# yThe reason to make this mistake is not due to grammar knowledge. One reason might be she and he have the same pronunciation in Chinese.
& i: m3 |) J+ A( B2 p
% b& k! \+ R6 o& d: b+ D7 U% q+ y2. I do not like big rain, I like small rain.
. Y6 I. B& T- S& f) B1 B; p3. Please close your phone.
These mistakes are made because of direct translation. Another similar mistake is: I very like Canada. You really like Canada, or you like Canada very much.


4. How to say: heavy rain, light rain, and turn off your phone in English?
The correct way to ask the question is like this: how do you say... in English?
+ B( P# b2 Y$ r' @8 ~! a
5. I am a Chinese.
I am a Chinese person, or I am Chinese.
4 D3 V8 c3 O. j( ^6. He is a gay.
" u+ Q2 ^0 V& E% }( L) {$ Q% xHe is gay.

7. Why? No why.
Not no why, no reason.
8. Thanks! No thanks!
! Y- w- J1 e- P# D- h' Q5 \
5 Q# [' ]4 s4 C) s7 K) v. j7 i! B) C6 W