No, that was not a typo. In fact, I was asked the above question by one of my professors 🙁
In spoken English, both native and non-native speakers make mistakes.
Speakers from every country struggle with specific aspects of English:
🔹 Accents
🔹 Pronunciation
🔹 Language structure
I work with many professionals from India, and I’ve noticed common mistakes they often repeat.
Here’s an analysis of these errors—and actionable steps to correct them:
1. “I cannot not able to do it.”
🔹 Error:
➥”Cannot” already conveys the inability to do something.
➥ Adding “able to” is not necessary
🔹Correction:
➥ Use either “I cannot do it” or “I am not able to do it.”
2. “Suppose if incase”
🔹Error:
➥ Using “suppose,” “if,” and “in case” together is redundant.
➥ They all introduce conditions.
🔹Correction:
➥ Use one of the following:
“Suppose the weather changes…”
“If the weather changes…”
“In case the weather changes…”
3. “I did not had”
🔹Error:
➥ After “did,” the verb must be in its base form, not the past tense.
🔹Correction:
➥”I did not have.”
4. “Yesterday night”
🔹Error:
➥ In English, we use “last night” instead of “yesterday night.”
🔹Correction:
➥ “Last night.”
5. “When did you came?”
🔹Error:
➥ After “did,” the verb must be in its base form, not the past tense.
🔹Correction:
➥ “When did you come?”
6. “I doesn’t know”
🔹Error:
➥ The auxiliary verb “doesn’t” is incorrect for “I” (first person).
➥ Use “don’t” instead.
🔹Correction:
➥”I don’t know.”
7. “He don’t know”
🔹Error:
➥ The auxiliary verb “don’t” is incorrect for third-person singular.
➥ Use “doesn’t” instead.
🔹Correction:
➥”He doesn’t know.”
8. “Teached, fighted, catched”
🔹Error:
➥ These are irregular verbs.
➥ They do not follow the standard rule of adding “-ed” for the past tense.
🔹Correction:
➥ Use the correct past forms:
“Taught” (instead of “teached”)
“Fought” (instead of “fighted”)
“Caught” (instead of “catched”)
9. ” I only know this “
🔹Error:
Misplacing words due to direct translation from native languages.
🔹Correction
➥ If you mean you have limited knowledge: “This is all I know.”
➥ If you mean to emphasize exclusivity: “I know only this.”
10. “Listen me”
🔹Error:
➥ The verb “listen” is not followed by a direct object (like “me”).
➥ It requires the preposition “to” before the object.
🔹Correction:
➥ “Listen to me.”
Why does correcting these mistakes matter?
➥ Professionalism: Proper grammar conveys credibility.
➥ Clarity: It ensures clear communication.
➥ Confidence: Speaking correctly enhances self-assurance.
What are some of the similar mistakes you have come across?
👉 Share your thoughts below in the comments ⬇️
Explore the common English mistakes Indian professionals make
