The Invisible Traps of English: A Journey to Help You Avoid Common Mistakes

June 21, 2025 Post a Comment

He didn’t think much of it at first.

Just another Monday morning. David, a young professional working in international marketing, had always believed his English was pretty good. After all, he had studied it for years and watched more Netflix shows in English than in his native language. So when his manager handed him a presentation for an important overseas client, David smiled confidently.

That confidence, however, would only last until the second slide.

“Please make less mistakes,” it read in bold.

Less mistakes?

Something felt off. But he wasn’t sure why.

You’ve been there too, haven’t you? Reading or writing something in English and wondering, “Is this right?” You know the rules—or at least, you think you do—but English has this sneaky way of making even the most confident speaker stumble. The mistakes aren’t always loud and obvious. Sometimes, they’re like shadows—silent, subtle, and slowly chipping away at your credibility.

Let’s face it: English is full of traps. Even native speakers fall into them. But the good news? Once you start noticing them, they become easier to avoid.

That’s what this story is about—helping you avoid common mistakes in English that seem harmless but can quietly sabotage your message.

Mistake #1: “Less mistakes”

David’s boss meant well, but what he should have written was: fewer mistakes.

Why? Because “mistakes” are countable. You can have one mistake, two mistakes, three hundred mistakes. And when we talk about things we can count, we use fewer, not less.

❌ Less mistakes
✅ Fewer mistakes

The rule is simple, but it hides in plain sight, especially at the supermarket where signs often read “10 items or less.” You’ve probably seen it. You may have even said it. But now, you know better.

Mistake #2: “He told to me…”

Maria, a bright college student, was sharing her story in English during a language club meeting.

“He told to me that I was good at drawing,” she said proudly.

Everyone clapped, but Tom, the group leader, gently smiled and corrected her.

“Maria, that was great! Just one tiny thing—you don’t need ‘to’ in that sentence. It’s ‘He told me…’”

Why is that? In English, “tell” takes a direct object:

✅ He told me the truth.
❌ He told to me the truth.

But “say” works differently:

✅ He said to me that I was right.

A small difference, yes, but clarity grows from precision. One little word can shift the tone from fluent to confusing.

Mistake #3: “I didn’t went…”

You’ve probably heard this one before. Or maybe, just maybe, said it yourself.

Look—this is where English gets playful and tricky. When we form the past tense in negative sentences, we use didn’t + base verb. The word “didn’t” already tells us it’s in the past.

❌ I didn’t went
✅ I didn’t go

It’s like trying to wear two watches to tell the same time. Redundant, and a little awkward.

Mistake #4: Articles — “a,” “an,” and “the”

Ravi moved from India to Canada and started working at a tech firm. His English was excellent, but there was one thing that always puzzled him: articles.

He would often say things like:

“She is engineer.”
“I need an information.”
“We visited the Niagara Falls last weekend.”

Sometimes he got them right. Sometimes not.

Here’s the secret: Articles are small, but powerful.

✅ “She is an engineer.” (because “engineer” starts with a vowel sound)
❌ “I need an information.” → ✅ “I need some information.” (because “information” is uncountable)
✅ “We visited Niagara Falls.” (“the” is not needed unless part of the official name, and it’s not here)

Once Ravi started reading more articles and mimicking native patterns, it clicked. His sentences began to flow more naturally.

Mistake #5: Overusing “very”

Let’s be honest. You use “very” a lot. We all do.

But there’s a world of colorful alternatives waiting to give your English some personality.

Very tired → exhausted
Very happy → delighted
Very big → enormous
Very small → tiny

Using stronger, more precise vocabulary not only makes you sound more fluent—it makes your language more alive.

Why It Matters

It’s not about perfection.

It’s about connection.

Whether you’re writing an email, having a conversation, or giving a presentation, these little mistakes can add up. They can distract your listener or reader, dilute your message, or—worst of all—make you doubt yourself.

But every time you spot and fix one, your confidence grows. Bit by bit, your English becomes sharper. Stronger. More you.

The Ending That’s Just the Beginning

So what happened to David?

Well, he went back, rewrote the presentation, and even added a note for his boss:
“Here’s the updated version—with fewer mistakes.”

His boss smiled.
And David?
He smiled too—knowing that every mistake was a lesson, and every lesson a step forward.

Now it’s your turn.

Watch for the traps.
Celebrate the progress.
And never stop learning.

Because good English isn’t just about avoiding mistakes.
It’s about expressing who you are—clearly, confidently, and with joy.

SIRHARI