· Incorrect: I recommend
you to take a long vacation.
· Correct: I recommend that you
take a long vacation.
· Incorrect:
Come to here.
· Correct:
Come here.
· Incorrect: The sun rises from the
East.
· Correct: The sun rises in the
East.
· Incorrect: The thief got
in from the window.
· Correct: The thief got
in through the window.
· Incorrect: Let's begin from page
10.
Correct: Let's begin at
( on ) page 10.
·
Incorrect: Are you home tomorrow.
·
Correct: Are you at
home tomorrow.
·
Incorrect: There is a
limit in my patience.
·
Correct: There is a
limit to my patience.
·
Incorrect: Is your house
insured for fire ?
·
Correct: Is your house
insured against fire ?
·
Incorrect: Keep the
right.
·
Correct: Keep to the
right.
·
Incorrect: What a dirty face !
Look at the mirror.
·
Correct: What a dirty face ! Look in the mirror.
·
Incorrect: This is the
key of my room.
·
Correct: This is the key to my
room.
·
Incorrect: It's a novel of three
volumes.
·
Correct: It's a novel in three
volumes.
·
Incorrect: He is a
student of Harvard University.
·
Correct: He is a student at Harvard
University.
·
Incorrect: He had a
child of his former wife.
·
Correct: He had a child by his
former wife.
·
Incorrect: I saw it on the
newspapers.
·
Correct: I read ( saw )
it in the newspapers.
·
Incorrect: Shall we sit in that
sofa ?
·
Correct: Shall we sit on that
sofa ?
·
Incorrect: I bought this
book with 50 dollars.
·
Correct: I bought this
book for 50 dollars.
·
Incorrect: My father is
busy in his business.
·
Correct: My father is
busy with his business.
·
Incorrect: You shouldn't
worry of getting married.
·
Correct: You shouldn't
worry about getting married.
Incorrect: It's seven twenty o'clock.
Correct: It's
seven twenty.
Incorrect: Your coat is broken.
Correct: Your
coat is torn.
Incorrect: Susan didn't make a fault anyway.
Correct:
Susan didn't make a mistake anyway.
Incorrect: Would you mind posting this letter for me ? Yes, certainly.
Correct:
Would you mind mailing this letter for me ? Of course not.or ( Not at all )
Incorrect: He becomes better.
Correct: He got better.
Incorrect: We'll have a hearing test tomorrow.
Correct:
We'll have a listening test
tomorow.
Incorrect: I recommend you to take a long vacation.
Correct: I
recommend that you take
a long vacation.
Incorrect: The last bus leaves at eleven o'clock. It's about eleven
now, Hurry up!
Correct: The
last bus leaves at eleven o'clock. It's nearly ( almost ) eleven now, Hurry up!
Incorrect: It was still bright outside.
Correct: It
was still light outside.
Incorrect: Come to here.
Correct: Come here.
Incorrect: Common students
in US don't wear a uniform.
Correct: The average students
in US don't wear a uniform.
Incorrect: Who cooked this
salad ?
Correct: Who made this
salad ?
Incorrect: Different from me,
she is proficient in English.
Correct: Unlike me, she
is proficient in English.
Incorrect: Little children are difficult to
understand that.
Correct: It is difficult for children to
understand that.
Incorrect: Don't step on the
grass.
Correct: Keep off the
grass.
Incorrect: I get my salary twice a
month.
Correct: I get paid twice
a month..
Incorrect: Would you like a drink ?
Correct:
Would you like something to drink ?
Incorrect: Let me examine your
pulse.
Correct:
Let me feel your
pulse.
Incorrect: I have no exercise talent.
Correct: I am
not athletic.
Incorrect: I forget my hat
in the house.
Correct: I left my hat in the house.
Incorrect: Lend me some money, for instance 500
dollars, Lin
Correct: Lend me some money, say 500
dollars, Lin
Incorrect: I have a free time.
Correct: I am free.
Incorrect: The sun rises from the East.
Correct: The sun rises in the East.
Incorrect: The thief got in from the
window.
Correct: The thief got in through the window.
Incorrect: Let's begin from page 10.
Correct: Let's begin at ( on ) page 10.
Incorrect: Did you attend college
?
Correct: Did you go to college ?
Incorrect: I wanted to go to Europe
last summer, but it was too expensive so I gave up to go.
Correct: I wanted to go to Europe last summer, but it
was too expensive so I gave up the idea.
Incorrect: I am going back my home.
Correct: I am going home.
Incorrect: His temperature went down.
Correct: His temperature came down.
Incorrect: I like green color.
Correct: I like green.
Incorrect: Today's newspapers has his
articles on Taiwan.
Correct: Today's newspapers carries his articles on Taiwan.
Incorrect: Give me money, if you
have.
Correct: Give me money, if you have any.
Incorrect: You'll have a cold if
you sleep with your window open.
Correct: You'll catch a cold if you sleep with your window open.
Incorrect: Somebody's knocking on
the door. Go and see who he is.
Correct: Somebody's knocking on the door. Go and see
who it is.
Incorrect: The head office is
in Taipei.
Correct: The main office is in Taipei.
Incorrect: He cannot read and write.
Correct: He cannot read or write.
Incorrect: Where is here.
Correct: Where are we.
Incorrect: How heavy are
you ?
Correct: How much do you weigh ?
Incorrect: Most Westerners have high noses.
Correct: Most Westerners have long noses.
Incorrect: Are you home tomorrow.
Correct: Are you at home tomorrow.
Incorrect: How does she look like ?
Correct: What does she
look like ?
Incorrect: This is the way how I did it.
Correct: This is how I did it.
or This is the way I did
it.
Incorrect: How do you think about Taiwan.
Correct: What do you
think about Taiwan.
Incorrect: How can I do ?
Correct: What can I do
?
Incorrect: " How long have you been in
Taiwan ?"" Six months "" How about Chinese food ?"
Correct: " How long have you been in Taiwan ? "" Six
months "" Do you like Chinese
food ?"
Incorrect: I visited her ill mother in the hospital.
Correct: I visited her sick mother in the hospital.
Incorrect: There is a limit in my patience.
Correct: There is a limit to my patience.
Incorrect: Please wait inside the white line.
Correct: Please wait behind the
white line.
Incorrect: Is your house insured for fire ?
Correct: Is your house insured against fire ?
Incorrect: I introduce Mr.
Smith to you !
Correct: May I introduce Mr.
Smith to you !
Incorrect: She was first
prize.
Correct: She took first
prize.
Incorrect: Do you have any automatic camera ? Yes
I have it .
Correct: Do you have any automatic camera ? Yes, I have one.
Incorrect: That was a traffic accident on my way
here. It is why I
was late.
Correct: That was a traffic accident on my way here. That is why I
was late.
Incorrect: She is wearing blue jeans pants.
Correct: She is wearing blue jeans.
Incorrect: Keep the right.
Correct: Keep to the
right.
Incorrect: Last night I didn't keep my diary.
Correct: Last night I didn't write anything in my diary.
Incorrect: The train was late about an hour.
Correct: The train was about an hour late.
Incorrect: I was ten minutes late for the English lesson.
Correct: I was ten minutes late for the English class.
Incorrect: How many Chinese letters do you
know ?
Correct: How many Chinese characters do you know ?
Incorrect: He is fighting for his life.
Correct: He is fighting for his bread.
Incorrect: Why do you say like that.
Correct: Why do you say that.
Incorrect: I have no house to live.
Correct: I have no house to live in.
Incorrect: What a dirty face ! Look at the mirror.
Correct: What a dirty face ! Look in the mirror.
Incorrect: He lost consciousness for a long time.
Correct: He was unconscious for
a long time.
Incorrect: He made a world record.
Correct: He set a world
record.
Incorrect: Her marriage was happy.
Correct: Her married life was
happy.
Incorrect: Maybe I think so.
Correct: I think so.
Incorrect: The club's members are 55.
Correct: There are 55 members in the club.
Incorrect: They didn't understand my mind.
Correct: They didn't understand what I was thinking.
Incorrect: This is where you mistake.
Correct: This is where you are mistaken.
Incorrect: I felt good mood.
Correct: I am in a good mood.
Incorrect: Please allow me more two hours.
Correct: Please allow me two more hours.
Incorrect: My watch doesn't move at all. I must get it checked up.
Correct: My watch isn't running, I must get it checked up.
Incorrect: We moved house to Johor last month.
Correct: We moved to Johor
last month.
Incorrect: He is our common friend.
Correct: He is our mutual friend.
Incorrect: It was my first time to go abroad.
Correct: It was the first time I
had gone abroad.
Incorrect: My this book cost me nearly 300 dollars.
Correct: This book of mine cost
me nearly 300 dollars.
Incorrect: My room is narrow.
Correct: My room is small.
Incorrect: I'll visit my native place
for the first time in ten years this summer.
Correct: I'll visit my birth place for the first time in ten years this
summer.
Incorrect: Is this seat empty.
Correct: Is this seat taken.
Incorrect: Don't be noisy.
Correct: Be quiet.
Incorrect: It is not of only your business.
Correct: It is none of your
business.
Incorrect: I will do anything I can do for
you.
Correct: I will do anything I can for you.
Incorrect: This is the key of my room.
Correct: This is the key to my room.
Incorrect: I am going to take a two-year course of English.
Correct: I am going to take a two-year course in English.
Incorrect: He treated me very friendly.
Correct: He treated me in a friendly way.
Incorrect: This is the largest department store of the world.
Correct: This is the largest department store in the world.
Incorrect: It's a novel of three
volumes.
Correct: It's a novel in three
volumes.
Incorrect: He is a student of Harvard
University.
Correct: He is a student at Harvard University.
Incorrect: Do you know the meaning of the word of bumpy ?
Correct: Do you know the meaning of the word bumpy ?
Incorrect: He had a child of his former
wife.
Correct: He had a child by his former wife.
Incorrect: She married old.
Correct: She married late in life.
Incorrect: I saw it on the newspapers.
Correct: I read ( saw ) it in the newspapers.
Incorrect: He is a liar, and you are one too.
Correct: He is a liar, and you are too.
Incorrect: Open page 20 of your books.
Correct: Open your books to page 20.
Incorrect: Don't make the office out of order.
Correct: Don't leave the
office in a mess.
Incorrect: I like to paint this door to black.
Correct: I'd like to paint this door black.
Incorrect: I have a Chinese pen friend.
Correct: I have a Chinese pen pal.
Incorrect: Give me a phone.
Correct: Give me a phone call.
Incorrect: Is there any place for me
in the car.
Correct: Is there any room for me in
the car.
Incorrect: Let's play together.
Correct: Why don't you come over ?
Incorrect: I was very pleasant today.
Correct: I had a very good time today.
Incorrect: He got 87 points in chemistry.
Correct: He got an 87 in
chemistry.
Incorrect: Chang is a popular name
in Taiwan.
Correct: Chang is a common name in
Taiwan.
Incorrect: I'm a public servant.
Correct: I work for the government.
Incorrect: She is pure.
Correct: She is naive.
Incorrect: I have a question to you.
Correct: I have a question to ask you.
Incorrect: This book deserves to read several
times.
Correct: This book deserves to be read several times.
Incorrect: I like red tea.
Correct: I like black tea.
Incorrect: History repeats.
Correct: History repeats itself.
Incorrect: I make a rule of going to bed early and
get up early.
Correct: I make a rule to keep early hours.
Incorrect: I went to the sea.
Correct: I went to the beach.
Incorrect: The door was shut when I
returned home.
Correct: The door was closed when I
returned home.
Incorrect: Shall we sit in that sofa ?
