Common
Mistakes in English (Part – 1)
1.Avoid +
gerund
There are certain verbs which are always fol. lowed by the
present participle form of a verb (or gerund) and not by an infinitive.
Incorrect :
You should avoid to make mistakes.
Correct :
You should avoid making mistakes.
Incorrect : I
could not help ( = could not avoid) to laugh.
Correct : I
could not help laughing.
Note: But
when 'help' means 'assist', it may be followed by a bare infinitive or
to-infinitive. For example: I helped him write the application.
Or
I helped him to write the application.
2.Enjoy +
gerund
Incorrect : I
enjoyed to read the book.
Correct : I
enjoyed reading the book.
Note:
But the verbs 'like' or 'dislike' may be followed by either the to-infinitive
or the gerund. For- example:
I like to read novels.
Or
I like reading novels
3.Excuse +
ing
Incorrect :
Please excuse me to be late.
Correct :
Please excuse my being late.
Or
Please excuse me for being late.
4.Finish +
gerund
Incorrect :
Have you finished to eat?
Correct :
Have you finished eating
Note:
But the verbs 'start' and 'begin' may be followed either by the gerund or the
infinitive. For example:
He began/stalted to walk.
He began/started walking.
5.Go on (=
to continue) + gerund
Incorrect :
He went on to read the play.
Correct :
He went on reading the play.
Note:
'Keep on' is also followed by a gerund. For example:
She kept on dancing.
6.Mind ( =
to object) + gerund
Incorrect :
Would you mind to close the door?
Correct :
Would you mind closing the door?
7.Practice
+ gerund
Incorrect :
You should practice to speak English.
Correct :
You should practice speaking English.
8.Remember
+ gerund
Incorrect : I
don't remember to post the letter.
Correct : I
don't remember posting the letter.
Or
I don't remember having posted the letter.
Note: These sentences mean that I don't remember that I
posted the letter. But when we mean, "I won't forget to post the
letter", we can say: I will remember to post the letter.
9.Risk +
gerund
Incorrect :
We can't risk to leave her alone in the house.
Correct :
We can't risk leaving her alone in the house.
10.Stop/Give up + gerund
Incorrect :
The wind stopped to blow.
Correct :
The wind stopped blowing.
Incorrect :
He gave up to smoke.
Correct :
He gave up smoking.
Note:
"He stopped smoking" means that he stopped the act of smoking. But
when we mean to say that he stopped doing another thing in order to smoke, it
is possible to say: He stopped to smoke.
Here the infinitive indicates a purpose. However, the verb
'cease' may be followed by either an infinitive or a gerund. For example: She ceased to play the piano.
She ceased playing the piano.
11.Busy/worth
+ gerund
Some adjectives are also followed by a gerund. For example:
Incorrect :
He was busy to read.
Correct :
He was busy reading.
Incorrect :
This food is not worth to eat.
Correct :
This food is not worth eating.
12.Difficulty + in + gerund
There are certain expressions which are never followed by;
the infinitive. They always take a gerund after them.
Incorrect : I
have no difficulty to do it.
Correct : I
have no difficulty in doing it.
13.Pleasure
+ of + gerund
Incorrect : I had
the pleasure to meet your parents.
Correct : I had
the pleasure of meeting your parents.
1 4. No use
+ gerund
Incorrect :
It's no use to cry.
Correct :
It's no use crying.
15.No good
+ gerund
Incorrect :
It's no good to get angry for nothing.
Correct It's no good getting angry for nothing.
16. Point +
of + gerund
Incorrect : What's the point to lock all the doors?
Correct : What's the point of locking all the doors?
17.Look
forward to + gerund
Incorrect : I
am looking forward to hear from you. Correct : I am looking forward to hearing
from you.
Note: 'To hear'
is an infinitive phrase but 'to hearing' is a prepositional phrase.
18. Harm in
+ gerund
Incorrect : There
is no harm to go there.
Correct : There
IS no harm in going there.
19.Does +
bare infinitive
Incorrect :
Does he takes a bath every day? Correct : Does he take a bath every day?
Incorrect :
It does not rains here regularly. Correct : It does not rain here regularly.
Note: The
auxiliary verb 'does' is not followed by the s/es form of the main verb. The
main verb here will be a bare infinitive.
20.Did +
bare infinitive
Incorrect : Did you finished the work yesterday?
Correct :
Did you finish the work yesterday?
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