Correct the Mistakes

1. We are only five on our team.

2. I would rather to work from home than come to the office.

3. We’re used to have a lot of work to do, so meeting the deadline won’t be a problem.

4. My client sent me an email but I haven’t replied her yet.

5. Maybe I’m going to finish this today.

6. Please borrow me your badge so I can get into the storage closet.

7. I can’t finish this by the end of the day. Even though I spend all day on it, I won’t finish on time.

8. Probably, I’ll go to the beach on Saturday.

9. The Old Man and the Sea was written for Ernest Hemingway.

10. Our office is near to the airport, so it will be easy for you to get here.

11. We have many stuffs to do this week, so I don’t know if I can go to English class.

12. Despite I was tired, I came to work today.

13. If we had a gym here, I can work out after work.

14. I always try to do things very careful and make sure I do them correct. (two mistakes)

15. We have people from all over the world here: India, United States, Venezuela, Canada, United
Kingdom, Germany, and France. (two mistakes)

16. Are we going to have to work overtime again this week? I hope no.

17. Yesterday, he told me that he will send the email after lunch, but he didn’t do it.

18. My schedule often changes, but I normally work since 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

19. I thought you were still with Microsoft. When did you stop to work there?

20. I’m not pretty sure about what we should do.

21. How long time did you work in the public sector?
22. Do you know where is the restaurant?

23. He is well-experienced, so we know that he can do the job.

24. Who is in charge to decide which printer to buy?

25. I had a hard time getting in touch with my supervisor. After calling for hours, I finally could get
in touch with her.
Correct the Mistakes
1. I never traveled internationally. I might next year, though.

2. I really enjoyed to be there yesterday.

3. If you want to be successful, you need to believe in you.

4. She’s really selfish. She only cares about her.

5. They’ve been married during ten years.

6. Is important to be polite and respectful.

7. I wish I have more time to finish the proposal.

8. I work here since 2010.

9. I’ve been studied a lot lately.

10. The TV is too loud? Okay, I turn it down.

11. When I was a kid I used to playing sports with my friends.

12. Waking up early was hard at first, but now I’m used to do it.

13. This office isn’t as big than the other office.

14. They didn’t think that the house was enough big.

15. I had to think about the problem for a while, but I finally figured out it.

16. I got here late because the traffic.

17. They’re looking forward to go on vacation next year.

18. We need to analyze more deeply this problem.

19. If we hire more people, we wouldn’t be so busy.

20. Today we discussed about potential strategies.

21. This will allow us to concentrate on our business and don’t worry about our IT infrastructure.

22. They gave him more responsibilities due to he is handling his current responsibilities very well.
23. They wouldn’t let me to leave early today even though I had something really important to take
care of.

24. In the meantime John prepared breakfast, I worked on putting the finishing touches on my
presentation.

25. I wish to have a relaxing vacation this December.

Answers and Explanations
1. We are only five There are five of us on our team.

We say there are five of us, there are seven of them, there are three of you, etc. We don’t normally
say We are five, they are seven, etc.

Examples:
There are five of us working on this project.
We are five working on this project.
There are six of you in your department, correct?
You are six in your department, correct?

2. I would rather to work from home than come to the office.

After rather, we use the base form of the verb (I’d rather go/work/eat/see, etc.).

3. We’re used to have having a lot of work to do, so meeting the deadline won’t be a problem.

To talk about something that someone is accustomed to doing, we use the following formula:

Subject + verb to be + used to + gerund

Examples:
I’m used to getting up early, so I don’t mind coming in at 7 a.m.
I’m used to get up early, so I don’t mind coming in at 7 a.m.
She’s not used to speaking English on the phone, so it sometimes makes her nervous.
She’s not used to speak English on the phone, so it sometimes makes her nervous.

Note that we often use this grammatical structure to talk about why something is (or isn’t) a
problem.

4. My client sent me an email but I haven’t replied her yet.

We use reply without an object or followed by “to” + what/who we are replying to.

Examples:
I received an invitation from John, but I haven’t replied yet.
I received an invitation from John, but I haven’t replied him yet.
I haven’t replied to his email yet.
I haven’t replied his email yet.

Note that the same rule applies to the verb respond.

5. Maybe I’m going to I might finish this today.

We don’t use Maybe + subject + I’m going to to communicate a future possibility. Instead, we
use might and the base form of the verb.

Examples:
She might go to the meeting.
Maybe she’s going to go to the meeting.
They might not finish the project on time.
Maybe they’re not going to finish the project on time.

Note that we can also use Maybe +subject + will + base form to communicate a future possibility
that the speaker is thinking about at the moment of speaking. Maybe I’ll watch the game tonight,
for example.

6. Please borrow lend me your badge so I can get into the storage closet.

The person who owns the item lends it, and the person who uses the item for a short period of
time borrows it.

7. I can’t finish this by the end of the day. Even though Even if I spend all day on it, I won’t finish
on time.

We use even though or although for something that is true. We use even if to talk about
a hypothetical condition.

Examples:
We’re going to the beach tomorrow even if it rains. (hypothetical condition)
We’re going to the beach tomorrow even though it rains.
Even though it rained, we had a great time at the beach. (something that is true)
Even if it rained, we had a great time at the beach.
8. Probably, I’ll probably go to the beach on Saturday.

Probably typically goes before the main verb or after the verb to be.
Note that the negative would be I probably won’t go to the beach on Saturday.

9. The Old Man and the Sea was written for by Ernest Hemingway.

In the passive voice, we use by to talk about who created something (a painting, a book, a story,
etc.).

10. Our office is near to the airport, so it will be easy for you to get here.

We say close to or near, but not near to.

11. We have many stuffs a lot of stuff to do this week, so I don’t know if I can go to English class.

Stuff has no plural form. It is a non-count noun.

12. Despite Even though/Although I was tired, I came to work today.

We use despite/in spite of before a noun or gerund. We use even though/although before a
subject and a verb.

Examples:
Despite being sick, I came to work.
In spite of being sick, I came to work.
Despite I was sick, I came to work.
In spite of I was sick, I came to work.
Although I was sick, I came to work.
Even though I was sick, I came to work.
Although being sick, I came to work.
Even though my sickness, I came to work.

13. If we had a gym here, I can could work out after work.

This is an unreal conditional (also called the second conditional). We use the unreal conditional to
talk about hypothetical or unreal situations in the present or future. For more information, see this
guide to conditionals.
14. I always try to do things very careful carefully and make sure I do them correct correctly. (two
mistakes)

In this sentence, we need to use adverbs instead of adjectives because we are modifying a verb.

15. We have people from all over the world here: India, the United States, Venezuela,
Canada, theUnited Kingdom, Germany, and France. (two mistakes)

We use the in the names of certain countries:

the United States

the United Kingdom
the Czech Republic
the Dominican Republic
the Netherlands
the Philippines
the Bahamas
the Maldives
the United Arab Emirates
the Sudan

General rules for when we use the in the name of a country:

a. if the country or area is a collection of islands (the Maldives, the Canary Islands).
b. If we are using the complete name of the country with the word “of.” The People’s Republic of
China, for example.

16. Are we going to have to work overtime again this week? I hope no not.

The expression is I hope not, not I hope no.

17. Yesterday, he told me that he will would send the email after lunch, but he didn’t do it.

In reported speech, will becomes would or was/were going to.

Examples:
On my first day, they told me that we would have orientation at the end of my first week.
On my first day, they told me that we were going to have orientation at the end of my first week.
On my first day, they told me that we will have orientation at the end of my first week.
On my first day, they told me that we are going to have orientation at the end of my first week.
18. My schedule often changes, but I normally work since from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For schedules, we use from….to….

19. I thought you were still with Microsoft. When did you stop to work working there?

We use stop + gerund to communicate that an action has finished.

Examples:
I stopped working at 6 p.m. last night.
I stopped to work at 6 p.m. last night.

We use stop + infinitive to communicate that we stopped one action in order to start another
action.

Examples:
I was working this morning, but I stopped to run some errands.
I was working this morning, but I stopped running some errands.

20. I’m not pretty sure about what we should do.

We don’t use pretty sure in the negative. We can say I’m pretty sure, but I’m not pretty sure is
incorrect.

21. How long time did you work in the public sector?

We say How long… for questions about duration of time, not How long time…

22. Do you know where is the restaurant the restaurant is?

After expressions like Do you know…, Could you tell me,.. and I was wondering if… we use
statement order, not question order. These are called indirect questions.

Examples:
Could you tell me what time it is?
Could you tell me what time is it?
Do you know who she is?
Do you know who is she?
23. He is well-experienced He has a lot of experience, so we know that he can do the job.

We can’t use well before all adjectives. Sometimes it works (well-paid, well-educated), but
sometimes it does not (well-knowledgeable, well-interpreted).

24. Who is in charge to decide of deciding which printer to buy?

We say in charge of + gerund.

25. I had a hard time getting in touch with my supervisor. After calling for hours, I finally could was
able get in touch with her.

We use was/were able to to talk about one successful event in the past. We
use could or was/were able to to talk about what was generally possible in the past.

Examples:
We were able to outbid out competitors. (we outbid them and won the contract)
We could outbid our competitors. (incorrect if we are talking about one successful event in the
past)
When I was younger I could work out every day. (generally possible in the past = was/were able
toor could)
When I was younger, I was able to work out every day. (generally possible in the past = was/were
able to or could)

Note that in the negative form we can use both forms.

Examples:
We weren’t able to outbid our competitors.
We couldn’t outbid our competitors.
Answers and Explanations
1. I never I’ve never traveled internationally. I might next year, though.

If we’re talking about not having experienced something that we might experience in the future, we
normally use the present perfect.

Examples:
I’ve never seen a movie in Spanish.
I never saw a movie in Spanish.
I’ve never eaten broccoli.
I never ate broccoli.

Note that we use the simple past if we are talking about not having experienced something that we
will never have the chance to experience.

Examples:
I didn’t go to my high school graduation.
I haven’t gone to my high school graduation.

2. I really enjoyed to be being there yesterday.

After certain verbs, we use the gerund instead of the infinitive. Enjoy is one of these verbs. Some
other verbs that are followed by the gerund are consider, delay, dislike, finish, imagine, mind,
miss, practice, risk, and tolerate.

Examples:
I miss being a college student.
I miss to be a college student.
We finished working on the project around 2:00.
We finished to work on the project around 2:00.
They don’t mind staying late if they have a lot of work.
They don’t mind to stay late if they have a lot of work.

For more information, see this guide to using use two verbs together.

3. If you want to be successful, you need to believe in you yourself.

When the subject and the verb of a sentence are the same, we use reflexive pronouns (myself,
yourself, yourselves, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, themselves).

Examples:
You need to believe in yourself.
You need to believe in you.
He emailed the document to himself.
He emailed the document to him.
They have to cook for themselves.
They have to cook for them.

4. She’s really selfish. She only cares about her herself.

See the explanation to number 3.

5. They’ve been married during for ten years.

We use during to say over what period of time something happened in the past. To
communicate how long an unfinished action has been happening, we use for or since. We
use for for a duration of time (four months, five years, 26 minutes, nine days, etc.) and we
use since for specific moments in time (9 AM, Thursday, 1963, etc.).

6. It is important to be polite and respectful.

Unless we are using the imperative, sentences in English need a subject.

We use it as the subject for statements about the weather, times and dates, and opinions about
places.

Examples:
It is raining really hard right now.
Is raining really hard right now.
It’s 3:35 in the afternoon.
Is 3:35 in the afternoon.
It’s too crowded here. Let’s leave.
Is too crowded here. Let’s leave.

For more information see this link from the British Council.

7. I wish I have had more time to finish the proposal.

With wish statements in the present tense, we use the simple past tense.

Examples:
I wish I were taller. (For wish statements in the present, we prefer were for all subjects.)
I wish I am taller.
She wishes she still worked at her old job.
She wishes she works at her old job.
8. I work I’ve worked here since 2010.

To talk about something that happened in the past and continues in the present, we use the
present perfect or present perfect continuous.

Examples:
I’ve been here since 10 a.m.
I’m here since 10 a.m.
I’ve been working on this project for three weeks.
I’m working on this project for three weeks.

9. I’ve been studied studying a lot lately.

We need the present perfect continuous here. We can use this form to talk about something that
has happened a lot recently. The form is subject + have/has + been + ing.

Examples:
I’ve been working out a lot lately.
I’ve been worked out a lot lately.
She’s been bringing her lunch every day.
She’s been brought her lunch every day.

10. The TV is too loud? Okay, I I’ll turn it down.

We use will to respond to a request.

Examples:
Oh, do you need the report? I’ll send it right away.
Oh, do you need the report? I send it right away.
Oh, do you need the report? I’m going to send it right away.

11. When I was a kid I used to playing play sports with my friends.

We use used to + base form to talk about something that was true in the past but no longer true.
For more information, see this lesson on using used to correctly.

12. Waking up early was hard at first, but now I’m used to do doing it.
We use to be + used to + gerund to talk about something we are accustomed to doing. For more
information, see this lesson on using used to correctly.

13. This office isn’t as big than as the other office.

We use as + adjective + as for these comparisons, not as + adjective + than

Examples:
The United States isn’t as big as Russia.
The United States isn’t as big than Russia.
Our company is just as strong as it was a year ago.
Our company is just as strong than it was a year ago.

14. They didn’t think that the house was enough big big enough.

Enough goes after an adjective or before a noun.

Examples:
We were worried that our bid wasn’t competitive enough.
We were worried that our bid wasn’t enough competitive.
I don’t know if we have enough people working on this.
I don’t know if we have people enough working on this.

15. I had to think about the problem for a while, but I finally figured out it it out.

Most phrasal verbs are separable (the phrasal verb can be separated by its object).
With separable phrasal verbs, the object pronoun must go between the verb and the preposition.

Examples:
We will send someone to pick you up.
We will send someone to pick up you.
Thank you for backing me up during the meeting today.
Thank you for backing up me during the meeting today.

16. I got here late because of the traffic (or because there was a lot of traffic).

Because is followed by a subject and a verb. Because of is followed by a noun or gerund.

Examples:
They lost some clients because of the scandal.
They lost some clients because the scandal.
They lost some clients because they handled the scandal poorly.
They lost some clients because of they handled the scandal poorly.

17. They’re looking forward to go going on vacation next year.

To is a preposition here, not part of the infinitive. We need the gerund form of the verb after a
preposition.

18. We need to analyze more deeply this problem more deeply.

In general, we don’t place adverbs between a verb and its object.

Examples:
We need to pursue this opportunity aggressively.
We need to pursue aggressively this opportunity.
They treat their employees poorly.
They treat poorly their employees.

19. If we hire hired more people, we wouldn’t be so busy.

or If we hire more people, we wouldn’t won’t be so busy.

If we are speaking hypothetically, we need the second conditional.

If we hire hired more people, we wouldn’t be so busy.
If we are talking about something that is likely to happen, we need the first conditional.
If we hire more people, we wouldn’t won’t be so busy.
For more information, see this guide to conditionals.

20. Today we discussed about potential strategies.

We do not use about after the word discuss.

21. This will allow us to concentrate on our business and don’t (to) not worry about our IT
infrastructure.

We need the negative infinitive of the verb to worry. The word to is optional because we have
already used the infinitive to concentrate after the verb allow. Don’t is incorrect because this is not
an imperative.
22. They gave him more responsibilities due to since/because he is handling his current
responsibilities very well.

Due to is followed by a noun, not a subject + verb. Since and because are followed by a subject +
verb.

Examples:
She was chosen for the position due to her experience.
She was chosen for the position due to she has a lot of experience.

23. They wouldn’t let me to leave early today even though I had something really important to take
care of.

After let, help, make, and have (when have is used to communicate that someone is being told to
do something), we use the base infinitive, not the infinitive form of the second verb.

Examples:
He had his secretary reserve a table for two.
He had his secretary to reserve a table for two.
They made us feel welcome.
They made us to feel welcome.
My niece helped me set up my computer.
My niece helped me to set up my computer.

24. In the meantime While John prepared breakfast, I worked on putting the finishing touches on
my presentation.

To talk about two actions happening simultaneously, we use while. We use in the meantime to
communicate that we are doing something while we are waiting for something else to happen.

Examples:
I reviewed my notes one last time while I waited for my name to be called.
I reviewed my notes one last time in the meantime I waited for my name to be called.
John can help us with this, but he’s on vacation until Monday. In the meantime, we’ll have to do
the best we can.
John can help us with this, but he’s on vacation until Monday. While we’ll have to do the best we
can.

25. I wish hope to have a relaxing vacation this December.

We normally use wish to talk about something hypothetical. For something we want to happen in
the future, we can use hope and want.
Examples:
I wish I had more time. (hypothetical)
I hope I had more time.
I hope to retire at age 65. (something the speaker wants in the future)
I wish to retire at age 65.

Note that I wish to retire at age 65 isn’t technically wrong, but it sounds old fashioned and
formal. Hope is the better choice.