English can be a tricky language to master. There are a number of words that sound same but mean different things or those are spelled differently, and it's easy to get confused.
Another problem area is when people translate sentences from Hindi to English. Sentences in English are structured differently and a direct translation is often incorrect and can even be misleading.
Below are some examples.
1. Order of words
WRONG: My all relatives are coming.
CORRECT: All my relatives are coming.
WRONG: She is absent always.
CORRECT: She is always absent.
WRONG: What I can do for you?
CORRECT: What can I do for you?
WRONG: Where you are going?
CORRECT: Where are you going?
WRONG: There is anything left?
CORRECT: Is there anything left?
WRONG: These all are mine.
CORRECT: All these are mine.
2. Repeating certain words for emphasis
WRONG: Morning morning jogging is a good habit.
CORRECT: Jogging early in the morning is a good habit.
WRONG: The flowers are of different different colors
CORRECT: The flowers are of many different colors.
WRONG: Small small mistakes are forgivable, not big big blunders.
CORRECT: Small mistakes are forgivable, not big blunders.
3. Using prepositions where not required.
WRONG: Please don't make me to do it.
CORRECT: Please don't make me do it.
WRONG: Don't let him to go.
CORRECT: Don't let him go.
WRONG: There is so much of noise in this room.
CORRECT: There is so much noise in this room.
WRONG: Let's go for shopping.
CORRECT: Let's go shopping.
WRONG: I am hungry. Please order for some food.
CORRECT: I am hungry. Please order some food.
4. Omitting prepositions where they are required.
WRONG: Please convey her my condolences.
CORRECT: Please convey my condolences to her.
WRONG: Can you drop me at Pizza Hut?
CORRECT: Can you drop me off at Pizza Hut?
5. Other instances of prepositions being used incorrectly.
WRONG: I have been working in this company since three years.
CORRECT: I have been working in this company for three years.
CORRECT: I have been working in this company since 2004.
WRONG: Please pay attention on this topic.
CORRECT: Please pay attention to this topic.
WRONG: I travel on bus.
WRONG: I came in bus.
CORRECT: I travel by bus.
CORRECT: I came by bus.
6. Others
1. I have given the exams.
This is the commonest mistake young people commit. This is translated from Hindi: "Maine exams diye hain."
~ The correct usage is: "I have taken the exams."
2. He was both his father as well as his mentor.
This is another very common error. When you use "both", the "as well as" is unnecessary or redundant. Use either of the two.
~ He was both his father and his mentor
~ He was his father as well as his mentor.
3. She is very proudy.
The dictionary does not have a listing for the word "proudy". The correct usage is:
~ She is very proud. (This can be both negative and positive.)
~ She is arrogant. (If intended to be used in a negative sense.)
4. Often "advice" and "advise" are confused and misused by people. "Advice" is a noun, while "advise" is a verb.
WRONG: Please advice me on the issue
RIGHT: Please advise me on the issue
WRONG: What is your advise?
RIGHT: What is your advice?
