A list。。。 02/16/2011
 
Each update will have a list of common mistakes made by Chinese speakers of English. 
The first sentence is wrong, the second correct.

It's seven twenty o'clock.
It's seven twenty.

Susan didn't make a fault anyway.
Susan didn't make a mistake anyway.

Would you mind posting this letter for me ? Yes, certainly.
Would you mind mailing this letter for me ? Of course not. OR
( Not at all )

We'll have a hearing test tomorrow.
We'll have a listening test tomorow.

It was still bright outside.
It was still light outside. 
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Both … and

Subjects connected by 'both … and' take the a plural conjugation.

Examples:

Both Alice and Janice attended USC.
Both Jim and Peter are attending the conference in New York this weekend.

Either … or

'Either … or' is used in sentences in a positive sense meaning "one or the other, this or that, he or she, etc." Verb conjugation depends on the subject (singular or plural) closest to the conjugated verb.

Examples:

Either Peter or the girls need to attend the course. (second subject plural)
Either Jane or Matt is going to visit next weekend. (second subject singular)

Neither … nor

'Neither … nor' is used in sentences in a negative sense meaning "not this one nor the other, not this nor that, not he nor she, etc.". Verb conjugation depends on the subject (singular or plural) closest to the conjugated verb.

Examples:

Neither Frank nor Lilly lives in Eugene. (second subject singular)
Neither Axel nor my other friends care about their future. (second subject plural)

Do you understand the rules? Test your knowledge with this both ... and, neither ... nor, either ... or quiz.

  
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Everyone
Use everyone as a pronoun to mean all the people in a group.

Examples:
Do you think everyone will want to come to the party?
She wants everyone to leave comments on her blog.

Every one
Use every one as a noun to indicate each person.

Examples:
Every one of the students has a question about the grammar.
My boss told every one of the employees himself.


Do you understand the rules? Test your knowledge with this  Everyone vs Every one quiz.
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A Lot, Lots Of, A Lot Of

These three expressions are used in informal English. They can mean either a great quantity of or a large number of and can be rather confusing at times. Here are the general rules for their use.

A Lot Of / Lots Of
These two expressions both mean a great deal of or several. They are used before a count or non-count noun. These two expressions tend to be used in informal English.

Examples:     We need a lot of people for this game.
                         She likes lots of jam on her toast.

A Lot
Use a lot at the end of a sentence as an adverb. A lot is NOT followed by a noun. The meaning is the same as a great deal.

Examples:      I enjoy swimming a lot.  
                          Mary seems to travel a lot.


Do you understand the rules? Test your knowledge with this A Lot, Lots Of, A Lot Of quiz.
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The use of bring and take is confusing for many students. The choice between bring or take depends on the location of the speaker. If the speaker refers to something that is at her current location, she uses bring. 

Generally, use bring when something moves fromthere to here.

Examples:     I'm glad you brought me to this shop.It's great!                             
                        I'll bring the map with me on the trip.


If the speaker refers to something that has been moved to a different location, she uses take. Generally, use take when something moves from here to there.

Examples:     The coach took the boys to football field. 
                         Jack took his laptop with him on his trip. 

Fetch/Get
When speaking about going somewhere and getting something and then bringing it back, use get (American English) or fetch (British English).

Examples:       Could you get the newspaper?       
                           She fetched her diary and showed him the entry.
                
 Try the  bring, take, fetch, get quiz.

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Good vs Well 01/11/2011
 
Good or Well

Good is an adjective and well is an adverb. Many people, including many native speakers, incorrectly use the adjective form good, rather than the adverb well.

Examples:  I did good on the test.            INCORRECT! -                     Correct form: I did well on the test.
                   She played the game good.     INCORRECT! -      Correct form: She played the game well.


Use the adjective form good when describing something or someone. In other words, use goodwhen stating how something or someone is.

Examples:         She is a good tennis player.
                            Tom thinks he is a good listener.

Use the adverb form well when describing how something or someone does something.

Examples:         She did extremely well on the exam.
                            Our parents think we speak English well.

Do you understand the rules? Test your knowledge with this good vs. well quiz. 
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