Common mistakes by us non-native English speakers.

Language Corner
1
Would someone feel like doing a weekly info post/topic about common mistakes in English writing which happen on this forum? Or could we use this topic to quote postings with common mistakes and explain how it should be done? (usernames can be left out for my sake)

I know of myself that I make mistakes when writing in English (I have trouble with to/too and then/than for example) and I see others making the same mistakes, however of some of my mistakes I am not even aware and when never corrected I'll never find out.

I've had a few pm's in the past and sometimes mods also correct something silently, but I would not mind to be pointed at mistakes here and learn from your advice. And this would be a hopefully decent way for grammar/spelling "nazi's" to get rid of their frustration.

2
that's pathetic. who is sending such messages?

3
People who with the best intend explained to me my error in a friendly and constructive manner for which I thanked them.

Who they are is of no concern.

4
A common error, with English, German and French floating around, is the cluster of words around interest, rent, earnings and pension.

If you borrow money from a bank, you have to make repayments that are more than the sum you borrowed. This is called "interest". In German, this is "Zins".

This borrowed money is called a "loan". In German this is "Darlehen".

If you earn money for working each month, this is called a "salary". In German this is "Lohn".

If you pay an amount to be allowed to use someone else's property, that is called "rent". In German, this is "Miete".

If you have become disabled before regular retirement age, or if you reach regular retirement age, and receive a monthly income from having worked, this is called a "pension". In German, this is "Rente".

5
Then is about time. See, no "a" in time. (Similiar in German seid/seit is often mixed up. It is easy to spot the the one which is about "Zeit")

too has many o which are also company too.

6
The country we live in is called Switzerland, not Swiss.

7
Hmmmm .....

"I got a fine at coop-parking yesterday, I can't afford that" - "then why didn't you just pay the frank for parking?".

What's about time in this then? (didn't want to write "in this then then" )

8
I will not change my profile given the amount of people it seems to upset

9
Best intent, best intention(s)... I'm no Nazi, happy to help.

10
Guess you won't change your spelling then either, so why ask native English speakers here to correct/point out mistakes?

11
Sigh...

12
however, some of my mistakes I am not even aware of

You're welcome! :-)

13
Most of what I see (if I recognise it at all being a non-native speaker) is the structure of the sentences. I am surely guilty of it myself. Speaking German/French/younameit using English words so to speak. "With a hammer the nail I hit" is likely grammatically ~soso(?), but no English speaker would say it this way round. It's Yoda-speak = Japanese grammar

14
An apostrophe ' is used to show a contraction (missing letter(s)) or a possession.

Can't = cannot

Tom's cat = the cat belonging to Tom

He's = he is

The biggest pitfalls are its / it's.

Its = belonging to something, e.g. The cat has lost its toy.

It's = it is, e.g. It's good to see you.

What an apostrophe is NEVER used for is to be placed before the 's' in plural words, or in plurals of acronyms / items known by their initials.

So (from your original post) it's Nazis, not nazi's (also a capital for a proper noun).

And, above all, it is PMs, not pm's. Just like it is DVDs, not DVD's, and CDs, not CD's.

Many English speakers struggle with this last point...

15
https://afterdeadline.blogs.nytimes....faqs-on-style/

16
"being" "learning"

17
I’ve heard he’s got a new car. What does it look like? (correct)

I’ve heard he’s got a new car. How does it look? (correct)

I’ve heard he’s got a new car. How does it look like? (wrong)

18
“I wouldn’t mind being pointed at mistakes” isn’t really right either in my opinion.

“I wouldn’t mind mistakes being pointed out” would be a better option.

19
If you're cheating and

you're French, it's an affair.

If you're German, its a side jump.

If you're American, you're screwing around.

20
"I heard that.... " is how I would say it but I would use "have heard" in other contexts.

Then of course there is "did" which few non-natives get right. "...I did hear that he's got a new car".

Then/than, this/that/those, how/what, people/person are the common ones. Otherwise there's just not enough time. Better for the OP to study language websites and forums and/oe read books.