My Common Grammar Mistakes & Glossary

Diego Morales                             Wednesday 21st, August, 2013                              8th ISE-1

mistake N°1: this is a important  tournament
Correction: this is an important tournament
Grammar Rule: Indefinitive Article


Explanation of the grammar rule:
 extracted from: http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/a-an.htm

A + consonant sound

If the following word starts with a consonant sound, then we say a.

a cat

a game of golf

a human emotion

a Peruvian

a very fat woman

AN + vowel sound

If the following word starts with a vowel sound, then we say an.

an apple

an extremely easy job

an interesting film

an old man

an umbrella

Examples:

Carlo is watching an interesting film

I was wearing a shirt.

To practice this structure:

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=1203

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/nouns_articles/article_a.htm

Mistake N°2: Last saturday, I go to the Crossfit Games.

Correction: Last Saturday, I went to the Crossfit Games.

Grammar Rule: Simple past

Explanation of the grammar rule:
 extracted from: http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/sim_past.htm

Form

- with regular verbs: infinitive + -ed
- with irregular verbs: 2nd column of the table of the irregular verbs

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Examples

Affirmative sentences:

regular verbs	irregular verbs
I played football.	I went to the cinema.
We visited Alaska last year.	We were in Rome yesterday.

Negative sentences:

You must not negate a full verb in English. Always use the auxiliary did (Simple Past of to do) for negations.

I		played	football.
I	didn't	play	football.
He	didn't	play	football.

Questions:

Use the auxiliary did (Simple Past of to do).
Did you play football?
Did he play football?

Examples:

He ate an apple.

I didn't bring the homework.

To practice this structure:

http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-simple-past.php

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-past/exercises

Mistake N°3: With many German influence.

Correction: With much German influence.

Grammar Rule: Adverbs of quantity

Explanation of the grammar rule:
 extracted from: http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/vocabulary/much-many

The words much and many mean a lot of.

• If a noun is in singular, we use much

  Example:

  much money

• If a noun is in plural, we use many

  Example:

  many friends

Use of much / many

In everyday English, we normally use much / many only in questions and negative clauses.

Example:

How much money have you got?

Carla does not have many friends.

In positive clauses with so, as or too, we also use much / many.

Example:

Carla has so many friends.

She has as many friends as Sue.

Kevin has too much money.

In all other positive clauses, however, we prefer expressions like a lot of / lots of.

Example:

Carla has a lot of / lots of friends.

Kevin has a lot of / lots of money.

In formal texts, however, much / many are also common in positive clauses. This you will notice for example when you read English news.

Examples:

I like that dress very much.

Thank you very much.

I have many things to do.

To practice this structure:

http://www.better-english.com/easier/much.htm

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=5410

Mistake N°4: I were there.

Correction: I was there.

Grammar rule: Simple past tense + verb to be

Explanation of the grammar rule:

extracted from: http://www.inglestotal.com/simple-past-verb-to-be-el-pasado-de-serestar/

I/He / she / it — was (Positive) Wasn’t (Negative)
we / you / They— were (Positive) Weren’t (Negative)

Examples:

I was playing football

You were making noise, while I was explaining.

To practice this structure:

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=562

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/was_were.htm

Mistake Nº5: In two weeks, I will writing.
Correction: In two weeks, I will be writing.
Grammar Rule: Future progressive


Explanation of the grammar rule:
Extracted from: http://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/future_progressive_tense.htm

Verbs describing actions that will take place in the future are said to be in the future tense.  The future progressive tense is used for an on-going action that will occur in the future. WILL BE+ PRESENT PARTICIPLE

Examples:
He will do his homework
She will stay at home.

To practice this structure:
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/will_future_statements.htm
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/future_progressive_statements.htm