Увидеть и не повторить никогда: top of english mistakes in writing

Русские и английский: 20 ошибок, которые выдадут вас за границей

Как сказать «Я чувствую себя хорошо»?

• Неправильно: I feel myself well.
• Правильно: I feel well.

I feel myself звучит так, будто говорящий касается себя, и носителями языка может восприниматься как что-то неприличное. Myself (himself, herself) нужно опустить.

2. Brilliant

Как перевести на английский словосочетание «бриллиантовое кольцо»?

• Неправильно: brilliant ring.
• Правильно: diamond ring.

Brilliant — пример «ложного друга» (false friend), слова в английском языке, которое похоже на слово из русского языка, но на самом деле имеет другое значение. Brilliant ring — это вовсе не «бриллиантовое», как может подумать русский человек, а «замечательное кольцо».

3. Normal

Как ответить на вопрос «Как дела?»

• Неправильно: I’m normal, thank you.
• Правильно: I’m fine, thank you.

Действительно, русские на такой вопрос часто отвечают: «Нормально», и для них «нормально» — это «хорошо». Однако normal по-английски — это «не странный».

А ответ I’m normal, thank you переводится «Спасибо, я нормальный».

4. Enough

Куда поставить в предложении слово enough?

• Неправильно: Is he enough smart to understand this book? She spoke French enough well to pass the exam.He’s enough earned today.
• Правильно: Is he smart enough to understand this book? («Он достаточно умён, чтобы понять эту книгу?») She spoke French well enough to pass the exam. («Она достаточно хорошо говорила по-французски, чтобы сдать экзамен».)He’s earned enough today. («Он сегодня достаточно заработал».)

В английском языке enough ставится перед существительным, но после других частей речи: прилагательного (smart), наречия (well), глагола (earned).

5. Please

Что ответить на Thank you?

• Неправильно: Please.
• Правильно: You’re welcome.

Типичный случай, когда в русском языке одно слово используется в разных контекстах, а в английском приходится использовать разные слова. «Пожалуйста» как просьба («Пожалуйста, перезвоните мне») будет please, «пожалуйста» как ответ на «спасибо» — you’re welcome.

6. Learn

Как по-английски будет «Она учит высшую математику в университете»?

• Неправильно: She learns Advanced Mathematics at university.
• Правильно: She studies Advanced Mathematics at university.

Разницу между двумя «учить» бывает трудно понять. Study скорее относится к академическому обучению, learn — к получению знаний/умений на практике. К этому добавляется путаница со словом teach, которое тоже переводится на русский как «учить». Нужно запомнить, что teach относится только к деятельности учителя.

7. Freely

Как перевести «Мы свободно говорим по-английски»?

• Неправильно: We speak English freely.
• Правильно: We speak English fluently.

«Свободно», когда речь идёт об уровне владения языком, переводится на английский не как freely, а как fluently.

8. Do

Как сказать «Сделай, пожалуйста, кофе»?

• Неправильно: Do some coffee, please.
• Правильно: Make some coffee, please.

Часто русские не знают, какой из двух вариантов выбрать, потому что и do, и make переводятся как «делать». Суть в оттенках смысла: если do — это «делать», то make скорее «создавать».

9. Say

Как перевести «Джон сказал родителям о предложении работы»?

• Неправильно: John said his parents about a job offer.
• Правильно: John told his parents about a job offer.

Употребляя глагол say, говорящий фокусируется на информации, глагол tell — на человеке, которому информация передаётся, то есть после tell должно следовать прямое дополнение (tell me/him/us). Исключения: tell a story, tell the truth.

10. Possibility

Как перевести «Не упусти возможность поучиться за границей»?

• Неправильно: Don’t miss the possibility to study abroad.
• Правильно: Don’t miss the opportunity to study abroad.

«Возможность» в значении «это может случиться» или «это может быть правдой» — possibility. «Возможность» как шанс — opportunity.

11. Comfortable

Как сказать «удобное время для встречи»?

• Неправильно: comfortable time to meet.
• Правильно: convenient time to meet.

На русский оба слова переводятся как «комфортный» или «удобный». Но по-английски comfortable — дающий физическое или эмоциональное ощущение комфорта, в то время как convenient — подходящий (инструмент или время, например). Не может быть comfortable time to meet, время всегда будет convenient.

12. Useful

Как будет «полезная еда» по-английски?

• Неправильно: useful food.
• Правильно: healthy food.

По-русски «полезным» может быть и какой-то инструмент, и еда. По-английски еда только healthy.

13. Very

Как сказать «Ты мне очень нравишься»?

• Неправильно:

Источник: https://Lifehacker.ru/20-mistakes-in-english/

Top 40 most common mistakes. Хит-парад ошибок в английском языке

Pronunciation mistakes

Colleague – вместо [ˈkɔliːg] произносят [kɔˈliːg] – вероятно, по аналогии с русским словом «коллега» с ударением на втором слоге.

Hotel – вместо [həuˈtɛl] произносят [ˈhəutɛl]. Причина неясна. В русском языке слово «отель» также произносится с ударением на втором слоге. Есть гипотеза, что произношение [ˈhəutɛl] связано с песней Eagles “Hotel California”.

Also – вместо [ˈɔːlsəu] произносят [ˈaːlsəu] – в который раз забываем, что правила чтения русского языка неприменимы к английскому!

Has – ученики начального уровня вместо [hæz] произносят [haz].

Put – ученики начального уровня вместо [put] произносят [pʌt] – см. since.

To live (жить) – вместо [lɪv] говорят [laɪv], а прилагательное live (живой) [laɪv] произносят [lɪv]. С точностью до наоборот!

Policeman – вместо [pəˈliːsmən] произносят [ˈpɔliːsmən]. Причина этой ошибки до сих пор остается для меня complete mystery!

Additional – вместо [əˈdɪʃənl] говорят [aˈdɪʃənl] – чем-то напоминает also.

Stopped, worked и т. д. – произносят [stopɪd], [wəːkɪd]. При этом все прекрасно знают правило: [ɪd] произносим только после звуков [t], [d] (hated, decided), а в остальных случаях [t] (после [k], [p], [f], [s], [ʃ], [tʃ]) или [d] (после звонких).

Born – вместо [bɔːn] (родиться) говорят [bəːn] → burn (гореть, жечь). И вместо того, чтобы сказать, когда вы родились, получается, вы сообщаете, что с вами делали что-то непонятное, скорее всего… жгли?!

Society – вместо [səˈsaɪətɪ] говорят [ˈsɔsɪətɪ] – как вижу, так и читаю!

Stomach – вместо [ˈstʌmək] говорят [ˈstomʌtʃ] – та же история, что и с society.

Итак, запоминаем основное правило чтения английских слов: не уверен – проверь по словарю.

Правила употребления предлогов: (неправильно → правильно)

I went to somewhere – to здесь лишний → I went somewhere (я куда-то пошел). I phoned to him → I phoned him (я ему позвонил). I came to home → I came home (я пришел домой).

Легко запомнить – нам не нужен предлог (повод), чтобы прийти домой, поэтому не надо его использовать! We discussed about it → We discussed it (мы это обсуждали). НО We talked about it (мы говорили об этом). I went to holiday → I went on holiday (я поехал в отпуск).

To influence on smth → To influence smth (влиять на что-то). НО To have influence on smth (иметь влияние на что-то). In the weekend → At the weekend (на выходных). In 5 o’clock → At 5 o’clock (в 5 часов).

In Monday → On Monday (в понедельник).

Формы множественного числа существительных

children people man woman

advice

Глагол to be

Многим ученикам так нравится говорить «Я есть» (I am) там, где им «быть» совершенно не нужно. В результате получается: «я есть работаю», «я есть согласен», «я есть пошел» и т. д.:

I am agree – классика жанра! → I agree / I don’t agree (я согласен / не согласен).
I am work и т. п. → I work (я работаю).

I_afraid (I don’t afraid / scared) of → I am afraid (I am not afraid / scared) of (мне страшно / я боюсь).

Не то слово не в том значении

Распространенными являются также ошибки, когда употребляется «не то» слово, «не в том» значении, меняется порядок слов в предложении. Вот самые излюбленные из них:

To make photos вместо

Источник: http://begin-english.ru/article/top-40-most-common-mistakes-it-parad-oshibok-v-angliyskom-yazyke1/

Фразы на уроке английского (Classroom English)

Список выражений школьного обихода на английском языке с переводом на русский.

А именно, те фразы, которые использует учитель на уроке английского языка, чтобы начать занятие, проверить и назначить домашнее задание, поддержать дисциплину, исправить ошибки учеников в ходе урока и пр. Эта страничка вполне может пригодиться начинающим учителям английского или практикантам.

[ Начало урока ]

1. Who is on duty in your class (group) today? – Кто дежурит сегодня в вашем классе (группе)?
2. What day is it today? – Какой сегодня день?
3. What is the day today? – Какое сегодня число?
4. Who is absent today? – Кто сегодня отсутствует?
5. Why you are late? – Почему вы опоздали?
6. That’s no excuse (That’s a poor excuse). – Это неуважительная причина.
7. It is your duty to keep the blackboard clean. – Ваша обязанность следить за тем, чтобы доска была чистой.
8. Take the duster and clean the blackboard, please. – Возьмите тряпку и сотрите с доски.
9. Will you go and fetch some chalk? – Принесите мел, пожалуйста.

*** 

[ Проверка домашнего задания ]

1. What was your homework for today? What did I give for homework? – Что вам было задано на дом на сегодня?
2. What have you prepared for today? – Что вы приготовили на сегодня?
3. Have you all done your homework? Has everybody done the homework? – Все сделали домашнее задание?
4. Open your exercise books, please. I want to check that you have all done your homework. – Откройте тетради. Я хочу проверить, все ли сделали домашнее задание.
5. Why didn’t you do the homework? – Почему вы не выполнили домашнее задание?
6. Put up your hands those who haven’t done their homework. – Кто не сделал домашнее задание, поднимите руки.
7. For homework you were to… — Дома вы должны были…
8. You should have asked your classmates about the homework. – Надо было спросить домашнее задание у одноклассников.
9. I am not satisfied with the way you did your homework today. – Я недоволен тем, как вы выполнили домашнее задание.
10. I am glad to see that everyone has done the homework well today. – Рад отметить, что сегодня все хорошо выполнили домашнее задание.
11. Hand in your exercise books, please. – Сдайте ваши тетради.

***

[ Замечания по работе ]

1. You make many mistakes when writing, be more careful. – Вы делаете много ошибок при письме, будьте более внимательны.
2. You have some (bad, serious, spelling, grammar) mistakes in your last test. – В вашей последней контрольной работе есть несколько (грубых, серьёзных, орфографических, грамматических) ошибок.
3. Don’t write so close together. – Делайте промежутки между словами.
4. Don’t join your words together. – Не «лепите» слова друг к другу.
5. You join your letters wrongly. – Вы неправильно соединяете буквы.
6. Keep to the lines. – Не съезжайте со строчек.
7. Don’t write in the margin. – Не заезжайте на поля.
8. This is a good (very good, bad, very bad) pieced of work. – Это – хорошая (очень хорошая, плохая, очень плохая) работа.
9. You have missed out the letter “t” in the word “listen”. – Вы пропустили букву “t” в слове “listen”.
10. Cross out the extra letter. – Вычеркните лишнюю букву.
11. Rub off that word and write the correct one instead. – Сотрите то слово и напишите его правильно.
12. Underline that word. – Подчеркните то слово.
13. You must improve your handwriting. – Вы должны исправить свой почерк.
14. Leave margins on the left-hand side. – Проведите поля слева.

***

[ Проведение урока ]

1. Who can name the letters in alphabetical order? – Кто может назвать буквы в алфавитном порядке?
2. Don’t all speak at once. – Не говорите все сразу.
3. Don’t answer all together. One at a time. – Не отвечайте все хором. По одному.
4. The rest keep quiet. – Остальные сидите спокойно.
5. Quiet! – Тише!
6. Stop making a noise! – Не шумите!
7. Stop talking! – Не разговаривайте!
8. Put up your hand if you know the answer. – Если знаете, как ответить на вопрос, поднимите руку.
9. Say it again. (Repeat it.) – Повторите.
10. Go on. (Go on with your story.) – Продолжайте рассказывать.
11. Don’t hurry. (There’s no need to hurry.) – Не спешите.
12. Start from the very beginning. – Начните с самого начала.
13. Tell the story. – Перескажите текст.

Источник: http://langadvice.blogspot.com/2012/08/classroom-english.html

Six Common Mistakes in ESL Writing

…and how to avoid them

Mistake #1:  Switching tenses unnecessarily

One of the more common problems seen in ESL writing is unnecessary switching between past, present and future tenses. Changing between verb tenses within a sentence can make it difficult for the reader to follow a piece of writing and should be avoided. An exception to this is when a time change must be shown.

To ensure that you avoid this problem, keep the following in mind:

• In general, establish a primary tense and remain consistent with it at the sentence, paragraph and overall work level
• Only change tenses when it is appropriate, e.g. when there is a time shift that must be shown
• Reread your writing and consider what overall timeframe it is in — past, present or future
• Pay close attention to your verbs and notice the tense they are in

Practical tip: Review EnglishClub’s verb tenses to brush up on your knowledge.

Mistake #2: Excessively long paragraphs

While there is no set rule for the number of sentences a paragraph should contain, it is possible to have paragraphs that are too long. Excessively long paragraphs are one of the more common problems seen in ESL writing. The problem can easily be avoided if you adopt a conscious attitude towards it.

Practical tip: As a rule of thumb, two to five paragraphs per A4 page works well (assuming single line spacing). Also, try to keep each paragraph to a single main idea or topic.

Mistake #3: Inconsistency in spelling style (UK/US English)

The subtle spelling differences between British English (BrE) and American English (AmE) spelling can be difficult for ESL writers to spot. It is important, however, that you write in the appropriate spelling style for your audience and that you remain consistent.

A common issue found in ESL writing is for the author to interchange between UK and US English spelling, i.e. they spell some words in the British form and others in the American. The most frequent instances are: 

• -our (BrE) and -or (AmE)as in «colour» and «color»

• -ise (BrE) and -ize (AmE)as in «organise» and «organize»

Practical tip: this issue can easily be solved by ensuring that you have MS Word's spellcheck on the appropriate spelling setting.

Mistake #4: Writing in the first-person in academic contexts

Writing in the first-person in an academic context can make a piece of writing read as informal, subjective and biased; it is a major no-no in the context of academic writing. It is an established convention that academic writing should be done in the third-person, and breaking this rule will cost you precious marks.

First-person (the incorrect way):

I would argue that Smith’s (1992) research was biased as he was personally invested in the positive outcome of the results.Third-person (correct way):It can be argued that Smith’s (1992) research was biased as he was personally invested in the positive outcome of the results.

Practical tip: to ensure that you are writing in the third-person, avoid making personal statements and using personal pronouns such as «I/me/my» etc.

Mistake #5: Incorrect capitalization

The rules of capitalization in English may seem confusing, especially to non-native speakers. Issues with incorrect or missing capitals in ESL writing are regularly seen. Stick to these basic rules:

• Always capitalize «I»
• Capitalize proper nouns, which include names of people, places and organizations
• Do not capitalize common nouns (for example: car, pen, school)
• Always capitalize the first letter of a new sentence
• Capitalize weekdays, holidays and months of the year

Here is an example of these bad capitalization issues (in order 1-5):

«This year i will be going to london to study at University. my visa application still has to be accepted but i have been told to expect it to arrive in january.»

The correct capitalization would be:

«This year I will be going to London to study at university. My visa application still has to be accepted but I have been told to expect it to arrive in January.»

Practical tip: be conscious of the differences between proper nouns and common nouns as these represent the most common capitalization issues amongst ESL writers. For example, «car/truck/lorry/van» are common nouns, while «BMW/Mercedes/Ford/Toyota» are proper nouns.

Mistake #6: Incorrect use of articles

The improper use of definite (the) and indefinite (a/an) articles is a common problem for ESL writers. The best method for avoiding this issue in a sentence is to first consider whether it contains a countable or uncountable noun.

Countable nouns have both a singular and plural form and may be preceded by an article, e.g. «a banana». Uncountable nouns have only a singular form and should not have an indefinite article, e.g. «a/an rice».

Generally, «a» precedes words starting with a consonant, while «an» should appear before words that begin with a vowel. There are exceptions to this, however. Words that begin with a silent «h» should be preceded by «an», e.g. «it would be an honour».

Practical tip: there are no short-cuts to proper article usage. Keep practising using articles in your writing and look for feedback from friends, teachers or through the EnglishClub forums.

Источник: https://www.englishclub.com/writing/common-errors.htm

How to Avoid Common Mistakes in Essay Writing

In the United States and the United Kingdom, essays are an essential part of a formal education.

One of the greatest skills that students gain during their college years is an assignment writing. It is not easy to write concise and impressive essays and research papers, especially if you are an ESL student. Most of you will make so many mistakes before you learn the art of essay writing, and you may feel disappointed. Well…

There is good news for you:

I know how to solve your problem.

It’s simple!

Learn about common college essay mistakes and do your best not to make them.

To help you, here’s a complete list of the most common college essay mistakes to avoid: common mistakes in content, style, structure, spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

Common Content Mistakes in Essays

A perfect essay usually has an impressive introduction, well-organized content, and a powerful conclusion. Bad college essays often lack structure or content and do not impress the reader.

What should you do?

Follow these six tips when writing any type of essay:

1. Always write an essay that includes relevant facts, concrete details, and specific examples

If you just write down a few paragraphs that have something to do with your topic, you will not succeed in writing a good essay. Read the question carefully before you start writing. Single out the key words and then elaborate on your ideas with facts, details, and examples.

1. Write a good introduction

An interesting introduction gives the background for the whole essay. In the introduction, you should make your presentation of the essay topic. To write a good introduction paragraph, tell your reader what you are going to write.

1. Write a strong thesis statement

Remember:

The thesis is the hook on which any essay hangs.

The thesis statement expresses the writer’s thoughts on the topic and tells the reader how the topic is going to be developed. A good thesis statement explains two key things to the reader: what you plan to argue in your essay and how you plan to argue it. Always support your thesis with your own ideas in the main part of the essay.

1. Never write a thesis statement if you do not have enough ideas to support it

While planning your essay, you should think carefully and ask yourself whether you have enough ideas to support your thesis. And if you are not sure, formulate another one that you will be able to support.

1. Use ideas that you can prove with examples

Keep in mind:

Any idea should be clarified and proved. So always give appropriate examples.

1. Write a powerful conclusion

In the conclusion, take advantage of your last chance to say something important to your readers. You should emphasize the purpose and importance of what you wrote in your essay.

Stylistic Mistakes in Writing

Even if it’s written in an interesting way, your essay may make a poor impression if you do not use the correct style.

These are five essay mistakes that most students make:

Here is the truth:

Your essay will look boring and childish if you use the same lexical sets. So, use synonyms and word substitutes to avoid repeating the same nouns or verbs.

1. Overly formal or informal words and phrases

Источник: https://custom-writing.org/blog/writing-tips/free-essay-writing-tips/26841.html

3 Common Mistakes In Writing & How You Can Avoid Making Them

Finding one’s voice in freelance content writing often involves sacrificing perfect sentence structure. It’s sad but true. Yet, this does not mean that every sentence in an article or blog post needs to be be incorrect.

Creative license and style dictate that we write in a sometimes less-than-perfect but completely understandable format to reach the targeted audience, an audience that may not have a perfect grasp on the English language (but frankly, who does?).

It is the abuse of this privilege that cannot go unnoticed or unrealized. It is the reason editors often have their hands full. Let’s take a look at tthe top 3 mistakes committed in writing, and how you can avoid making them.

Recommended Reading: Popular (But Bad) Writing Advice You Should Ignore

Freedom In Writing Comes With A Cost

As professional content writers, it is our job to recognize our audience and adjust our writing accordingly to gain their confidence and trust… and not make a complete mess of our submissions.

There are various reasons on why these mistakes occur: the writer may be writing in the same way that he or she thinks (which is almost always a mistake). It could also be that they are tired, distracted, or plainly in the wrong profession. Sometimes, it’s because the writer is trying to purposely stretch the word count.

These leads to three of the worst offenses many writers make against a language that already has enough problems of its own: (1) using too many words, (2) being unclear with dangling or squinting modifiers, and (3) redundancy (repeating what has been said).

Having Problems Writing?

The human brain is naturally wired to think in words. With the exception of a small (but, according to studies, growing) percentage of the population, people see or hear the words they speak and write milliseconds before they speak or write them. In autism, this ability is often magnified and focused on a specific, such as numbers.

The problem with this is most of us think in less-than-accurate English or whatever language your speak. We think the way we heard others speak, when the language part of our brain was still in the developmental stage. The professional freelance writer keeps this in check by altering the way he or she thinks during the writing, and then again during the editing process.

Read Also: The Myth-Busting Truth About Self-Editing In Freelance Writing

Tired Brain, Distracted Brain

It is pretty common knowledge that when we are tired, we care far less about whatever we are doing… including writing. A tired brain cannot completely focus on the task at hand and mistakes slip through the weary cracks in our thought process. It’s also impossible to write under certain distracting circumstances although we often have no choice.

Источник: https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/freelance-writing-mistakes/

Misused Words: Common Writing Mistakes in English

List of Common Writing Mistakes in English.

Many words in the English language are commonly misused because they sound similar, yet they have different spelling and meaning (homonyms).

Other words may not sound alike, yet might still be confusing.

• Common Writing Mistakes in English
  • Affect, Effect
  • Accept, Except
  • Ensure, Insure and Assure
  • There, Their, They’re
  • Council, Counsel
  • Compliment, Complement
  • Allusion, Illusion
  • Principle, Principal
  • Elicit, Illicit
  • It’s, Its
  • Emigrant, Immigrant
  • That, Which
  • Comprise, Compose
  • Lie, Lay
• Common Writing Mistakes in English | Images

Common Writing Mistakes in English

Affect is a verb meaning “influence, shape” and effect is a noun meaning “result, outcome.” Effect can be used as a verb only when it means to bring about or cause something to happen.

Example:

•   Will the study affect the school’s budget? (verb)
•   We are studying the effects of the environment on behavior. (noun)
•   We are hoping that the results will effect a change in his behavior. (verb)

Accept, Except

Accept is a verb that means to receive; except is a preposition that means excluding.

 Example:

•   John will accept his award during the ceremony.
•   Everyone will be in attendance except his father.

Ensure, Insure and Assure

Ensure means to make something certain; insure means to guarantee something against monetary loss, or protect against risk; assure means to state in a convincing manner.

Example:

•   I cannot ensure that the contract is legally binding.
•    The stolen ring was insured for $5,000.
•    I can assure you of her sincerity.

There, Their, They’re

There refers to a place that indicates where something is located and can be used as a pronoun that introduces a sentence. Their is a plural possessive pronoun. They’re is a contraction of they are.

 Example:

•   Please leave your dripping umbrella over there. (location)
•   There is no room for argument here. (introduces a sentence)
•   The students had to turn in their proposals on Wednesday. (possessive)
•   They’re meeting in the boardroom.

Council, Counsel

A council is group of people that assembles for discussion; counsel means advice or guidance.

Example:

•   The council met twice every month.
•   He obviously did not want any legal counsel.

Compliment, Complement

Compliment means a statement of praise; complement means to go well with or perfect something else.

Example:

•   The customer sent his compliments to the chef.
•   The picture complements the design perfectly.

Allusion, Illusion

Allusion is an indirectly made reference. Illusion is a misconception or false impression.

Example:

•   He made several allusions to the poem in his paper.
•   John was under no illusion about his new job; he knew exactly what to expect.

Principle, Principal

Principle means rule or standard. Principal refers to a person who holds a high position or plays an important role; it also an adjective that means chief or leading.

Example:

•   The school principal will be resigning next year.
•   He has a principal reason for resigning.
•   He has always refused to compromise his principles.

Elicit, Illicit

Elicit means to bring out, draw out, or evoke. Illicit means illegal.

Example:

•   Nothing the teacher said could elicit a response from the child.
•   He is in jail for illicit drugs.

It’s, Its

Its is a possessive pronoun that indicates ownership or possession; it’s is a contraction of it is or it has. Note: The use of contractions needs to be avoided in formal writing.

Example:

•   Place each item in its designated box. (possessive)
•    It’s a shame that Jerry cannot make it to the concert tonight. (it is)
•    It’s been a long time since he attended any musical event. (it has)

Emigrant, Immigrant

An emigrant is one who leaves one’s native country to settle in another; an immigrant is one who enters and settles in a new country.

Example:

•   The emigrant spent four weeks aboard the ship before it landed in LA.
•   It is very hard for immigrants to find jobs.

That, Which

That usually introduces as essential phrase that is not set off by commas; which introduces a non-essential phrase that is set off by commas.

Example:

•   This is the room that we were looking for. (essential)
•   The old car, which I’ve had for years, has finally broken down. (not essential)

Comprise, Compose

The whole comprises (or includes) the parts; and the parts compose (or make up) the whole.

Example:

•   The United States comprises fifty states.
•   Organic compounds compose the fertilizer used by the farmer.

Lie, Lay

Lie means to recline or rest on a surface; its principal parts are lie, lay, lain. Lay means to put or place; its principal parts are lay and laid.

Example:

•   I was so tired after work I had to lie down for a short time.
•   I laid the files on the desk.

…

Источник: https://www.eslbuzz.com/misused-words-common-writing-mistakes-in-english/

Common Writing Mistakes in English

The most common writing mistakes in English can be split into three categories:

• Grammar
• Vocabulary (including spelling)
• Register (the level and style of writing, i.e. formal, informal, or neutral)

These can all be minimized with a simple checklist and a bit of care and attention. Of course some students make grammar mistakes because they don't know every grammar rule and its exceptions.

But more students make grammar mistakes with things they do know. So here is a simple checklist of things to do when you are writing:

• Say it simply. If you aren't sure if your grammar is correct, try to find another way to write something.
• Check your tenses. English has a lot of tenses. Are you using the most suitable one?
• Check the word order.
• Check any verb agreements. For example: «he has» not «he have.»This is a basic, but common mistake even for high level students.

Think about these while you are writing, and when you have finished, go back and reread your work, checking all of these items. ALWAYS check your work after you finish writing, and if you are taking an exam, make sure you leave enough time to do this at the end. This is harder to check, as it is common to misuse words, especially if you don't have a very wide vocabulary.

If you find spelling difficult, develop some strategies to help you. Check the words you often get wrong. (For more details read How to Improve Your Spelling – a Guide for Students.)

It is a good idea to find lists of easily confused words and review them. For example, many students confuse «affect» and «effect,» but there are many other pairs of words it would be useful to learn. Ask yourself if you have used the best word for what you want to say, or is another one more suitable? For example, do you want to say «He came in quietly» or «He came in silently»? Check collocations.

A collocation is a combination of words that is used together frequently. It's actually a common phrase.

For example:

«Commit a crime» is a typical combination of words in English. You could say «make a crime,» and it wouldn't be incorrect, but many people tend to use these words together. So «commit a crime» is a collocation.

Here is another example: we say «heavy traffic» not «strong traffic,» and so forth.

So do the words you have used go together? 

Have you used the correct prepositions? This is another common mistake, and if you are writing quickly then it is easy to make mistakes here.

Register means the level and style of writing, i.e. formal, informal, or neutral. Some kinds of writing are always written in formal English. These can include (but are not limited to):

• Business letters
• Letters of complaint
• Some letters of enquiry
• Some kinds of essay
• Reports

Some writing is usually informal. This can include:

• Personal e-mails
• Notes
• Letters to friends and family

Kinds of writing usually written in a neutral register include:

• Some essays
• Reviews
• Articles
• Some letters

The register of the piece you are writing will determine your vocabulary, the structure, and some grammar. For example formal writing often doesn't use contractions (don't, doesn't, hasn't, weren't, etc.), and uses the passive voice much more than informal writing. This is quite a difficult aspect of writing to get right, but there are many books available, as well as online guides which can help you. The most important thing to do when you are writing is to check your work. Most common writing mistakes in English are simple mistakes that you can find and correct with little attention. Many of you may know that Microsoft Word can check your spelling, and even grammar. But did you know it can also check your style?

• Words or phrases identified as clichés in the dictionary
• Sentences that contain colloquial words and phrases, including «real,» «awfully,» and «plenty» used as adverbs
• Use of contractions (for example, «We won't leave 'til tomorrow» instead of «We will not leave until tomorrow.»)
• Misused words
• Unclear phrasing
• And much more!

You can read all about how to use it here:

Select grammar and writing style options

Источник: https://www.really-learn-english.com/common-writing-mistakes.html

Common Mistakes in Writing

See also: Formal or Informal Writing Style

Some writing mistakes are very common and frequently seen in both printed material and online. This page details some of the most common and easily avoidable writing mistakes. By learning to recognise such errors you can improve your writing skills and avoid common writing mistakes in the future.

You should also read our Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar pages to aid your understanding of the writing process and help you avoid other mistakes.

Take some time to familiarise yourself with the mistakes listed on this page and remember to always get somebody else to check your writing before it is published — even the most confident writers make mistakes sumtimes!

Affect / Effect

• Affect is a verb, for example “Sometimes, the weather affects my mood.

  ”

• Effect is a noun, for example “The effect of weather on ice cream sales is well documented.

  ”

By thinking in terms of “the effect” you can usually determine whether to use affect or effect since “the” will not work in front of a verb.   

To add to the confusion, bear in mind that some people may use “effect” as a verb (for example “Contractors seek to effect a settlement with strikers”) but this usage is slightly archaic and most often used in legal writing.

Apostrophes

Apostrophes strike fear into the heart of many.  However by learning a few simple rules, and the inevitable exceptions, you should be able to use apostrophes with ease.

The apostrophe is used for a purpose, either to indicate a possession (implying ownership) or a contraction (in place of other letters).  Since its use to indicate a contraction is easiest, we will deal with this first.

Using Apostrophes to Indicate Contraction

Where one or more letters have been dropped, an apostrophe is used as a replacement:

• It is = it’s
• We are = we’re
• Does not = Doesn’t
• Of the clock = o’clock

Using Apostrophes to Indicate Possession

Apostrophes are also used to indicate possession:

• Matthew’s car
• The farmer’s field (one field owned by one farmer)

If the subject (the farmer or Matthew above) has a name ending with an s, then there is a choice to either follow the formal rule (“The Jones’s house”) or to drop the final 's' (hence “The Jones’ house”).  The choice is a matter of style but the important thing is to be consistent.

If the subject is plural, the apostrophe is placed after the s:

• The teachers’ staff room
• The farmers’ fields (multiple fields owned by multiple farmers)

Note that if the word is already plural, for example children or people, then you would write children’s or people's.

When Not to Use Apostrophes

If the word is a plural then do not use an apostrophe (for example kittens or apostrophes).   Placing an apostrophe before the final  s is universally considered incorrect and commonly referred to as the “greengrocer’s apostrophe” (or “greengrocers’ apostrophe” if referring to more than one greengrocer).

There are possible exceptions to these rule is if the word comprises a single letter, a number or abbreviation where the simple addition of an s could cause confusion.  Hence:

There are two t’s in Matthew.

To write “There are two ts in Matthew” may confuse the reader even though it is grammatically correct.  Alternatively, you could rephrase this as “There are two “t”s in Matthew”. 

However, the modern convention is to avoid using apostrophes in plurals wherever possible even in the plural of numbers and abbreviations. 

For example, “I keep buying DVDs” and “He loves 80s music” is preferable to adding an apostrophe.

Could have / Should have / Would have

Even though we might pronounce “could’ve” (a contraction of “could have”) as “could of” this is incorrect.  Always use could have / should have / would have.

• It’s is a contraction of two words: it is or it has.
• Its

Источник: https://www.skillsyouneed.com/write/common-mistakes1.html