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.
# _, ]( I9 e: U0 r: m' ]
1. My husband has a good job. She makes over 100,000 dollars a year.
2 [) {2 _. s3 Z+ _& M' U    My girlfriend did not live with me, because he is still in China.
4 ]( a; N9 U3 B" Z& F% P
The reason to make this mistake is not due to grammar knowledge. One reason might be she and he have the same pronunciation in Chinese.
! e0 \+ L6 [& ~! e
2. I do not like big rain, I like small rain.
9 {' _, J" s5 [3 ]2 c# {3. Please close your phone.
7 T1 [! e1 }6 `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.
4 S; v5 o  W, Z1 b
& g  g( m" y+ Y+ J; V: F/ Y$ A
6 T* w. f3 o( }4. 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?
7 Z% j2 w1 L9 m9 e6 `$ W% M& w
5 p' X+ G. [; Q1 B5. I am a Chinese.
- j3 Z+ V5 s6 |* Y, lI am a Chinese person, or I am Chinese.
( Z) Y8 @! E' n$ q) X6. He is a gay.
He is gay.
6 i$ W" D! E/ ?3 l' u+ L4 z
7. Why? No why.
8 O/ |! B% I: m: FNot no why, no reason.
8. Thanks! No thanks!