Minor but significant mistakes you may have made in speaking English

billzhao

Some friends, especially those who are just learning English, often make the following mistakes.

) l' M1 w. F4 G, c1 q( N* c1. My husband has a good job. She makes over 100,000 dollars a year.
    My girlfriend did not live with me, because he is still in China.

) [. b. v0 o: K$ x* O! o  A1 a" tThe reason to make this mistake is not due to grammar knowledge. One reason might be she and he have the same pronunciation in Chinese.
% E& x1 j% v1 C, a
+ Q% r0 E5 ^6 l( U" I2. I do not like big rain, I like small rain.
3. Please close your phone.
These mistakes are made because of direct translation. Another similar mistake is: I very like Canada. You really like Canada, or you like Canada very much.
- F" ]4 a* K3 W$ L, ]0 Y# t
0 Y8 w5 q( Q+ u9 d6 m
: n# q9 j+ @+ o$ I' c& o6 b; f2 I4. How to say: heavy rain, light rain, and turn off your phone in English?
The correct way to ask the question is like this: how do you say... in English?

- z3 G$ e. x; z# q& @3 A$ I5. I am a Chinese.
I am a Chinese person, or I am Chinese.
6. He is a gay.
% |" S/ z8 l% ?+ o5 JHe is gay.

7. Why? No why.
Not no why, no reason.
: b. a) _( c3 K6 ]1 u# {; X* U1 q! x8. Thanks! No thanks!