Use of the wrong tense
1.Using the past tense after did instead of the infinitive without to.
(a) To ask questions:
Don't say: Did you went to school yesterday?
Say. Did you go to school yesterday?
(b) To make negatives:
Don't say: I did not went to school yesterday.
Say: I did not go to school yesterday.
Use the present infinitive without to, not the past tense after the auxiliary did.
Note : the answer to a question beginning with he did is always in the past tense.
Did you see the picture? -Yes I saw the picture; or Yes, I did.
2. Using the third person singular after does instead of the infinitive without to.
(a) To ask questions:
Don't say: Does the gardener waters the flowers?
Say: Does the gardener water the flowers?
(b) To make negatives:
Don't say: The man doesn't waters the flowers.
Say: The man doesn't water the flowers.
After the auxiliary does use the infinitive without to, and not the third person of the present.
Note: The answer to a question beginning with Does is always in the present tense, third person: Does he like the cinema? - Yes, he likes the cinema, or Yes, he does.
3. Using the third person singular after can, must, etc.instead of the infinitive without to.
Don't say: I can speaks English very well.
Say: I can speak English very well.
After the verbs can, must, may, shall, and will, use the infinitive without to,and not the third person of the present.
4. Wrong sequence of tenses.
Don't say: Rachel asked me what I am doing.
Say: Rachel asked me what I was doing.
When the verb in the main clause is in the past tense, use a past tense in subordinate clauses.
5. Using will/ll instead of would/'d in a subordinate clause.
Don't say: He said (that) he will/'ll come tomorrow.
Say: He said (that) he would/'d come tomorrow.
Will l changes s to would/' d in subordinate causes , when the verb in the main clause is in a past.
6. Using may instead of might in a subordinate clause.
Don't say: Last Sunday Ailsa told me that she may come.
Say: Last Sunday Ailsa told me that she might come.
May changes to migh t in subordinate clauses when the verb in the main clause is in the past simple tense
Note: The conjunction that is never preceded by a comma.
7. Using can instead of could in a subordinate clause.
Don't say: Ben thought he can win the prize.
Say: Ben thought he could win the prize.
Can changes to could subordinate clause , when the verb in the main clause is in the past simple tense.
8. Using the past simple tense after to + the infinitive.
Don't say: He tried to kicked the ball away.
Say: He tried to kick the ball away.
9. Using the past simple tense after an auxiliary verb,instead of the past participle.
Don't say: I've forgot to bring my book.
Say: I've forgotten to bring my book.
Use the past participle (and not the past tense) with the auxiliary verb have a its parts.
10. Using must or ought to to express a past obligation.
Don't say: You ought to come yesterday.
Say: You ought to have come yesterday.
Or: You should have come yesterday.
Don't use must an d ought to as past tenses To express a past duty (which wasn't done) use the perfect infinitive without to after aught to or should,or expressions such as had to , was obliged to.
Note: In indirect speech use must and ought to as past tenses: He said he must do it.
11. Using the present perfect instead of the simple past tense.
Don't say: I have seen a good film yesterday.
Say: I saw a good film yesterday.
Use the simple past tense (and not the present perfect! for an action complete the past at a stated time.
Note When a sentence has a word or a phrase denoting past time, like yesterday, last night, last week, last year, then, ago, etc. always use a simple past tense.
12. Using the simple past tense instead of the present perfect.
Don't say: I saw the Parthenon of Athens.
Say: I have seen the Parthenon of Athens.
If we are speaking of the result of a past action rather than of the action it we must use the present perfect tense When somebody says I have seen.Parthenon, he or she is not thinking so much of the past act of seeing it, a the present result of that past action.
13. Using the simple past tense with a recent, action,instead of the present perfect.
Don't say: The clock struck.
Say: The clock has struck.
If we are speaking of an action just finished, we must use the present perfect instead of the simple past tense, For example, immediately after the clocks trikes, we shouldn't say The clock struck, but The dock has struck.
14. Using the simple present instead of the present perfect.
Don't say: I'm at this school two years.
Say: I've been at this school two years.
Use the present perfect (and not the simple present) for an action begun in the past and continuing into the present. I've been at this school two years means I'm standing here.
15. Using the simple present instead of the present perfect after a since clause of time.
Don't say: Since he came, we're happy.
Say: Since he came, we've been happy.
The verb after a since clause of time is generally in the present perfect tense.
16. Using the simple present instead of the present continuous.
Don't say: Look! Two boys fight.
Say: Look! Two boys are fighting.
Note. We also use the present continuous for the future'when something is pre-arranged or expected wit h som e certain y Lorna is arriving tomorrow at six. Tom and I are eating out tonight.
17. The continuous form of the tense misused.
Don't say: I'm understanding the lesson now.
Say: I understand the lesson now.
18. Using the present continuous for a habitual action,instead of the simple present.
Don't say: Every morning I'm going for a walk.
Say: Every morning I go for a walk.
Use the simple present (and not the present continuous) to express a present habitual action.
Note. Use the present continuous to express a habitual action with the word always or with a verb denoting a continuous state: He is always talking in class; He is living in London.
19. Using the verb to use for the present habitual action.
Don't say: I use to get up at six every morning.
Say: I get up at six every morning.Or: I'm accustomed to getting up at six, etc.
The verb to use doesn't express a habit in the present. / use means / employ.I use a pen to write with.
Note: Used to expresses a past state or habit and it usually refers to some old situation which no longer exists used to see him every day; My father used to play football very well.
20. Using the past continuous for a habitual action,instead of the simple past tense.
Don't say: Last year I was walking to school every day.
Say: Last year I walked to school every day.
Use the simple past tense to express a habit in the past, and not the past continuous.
Note: Use the past continuous tense to describe events in the past happening at the time another action took place:I was walking to school when I met him.
21. Using the past tense instead of the past perfect.
Don't say: The train already left before I arrived.
Say: The train had already left before I arrived.
22. Using the past perfect instead of the simple past tense.
Don't say: I'd finished the book yesterday
Say: I finished the book yesterday.
Don't use the past perfect unless there is another verb in the past tense in the same sentence.
23. Using the future in a clause of time, instead of the present tense.
Don't say: I'll see you when I shall come back.
Say: I'll see you when I come back.
If the verb in the main clause is in the future, the verb in the time clause must be in the present tense.
24.Using the future in the if clause instead of the present tense.
Don't say: If he'll ask me, I will stay.
Say: If he asks me, I will stay.
Use the present tense in a future conditional in the if clause and the future tense in the main clause.
Note : But the future tense may be used in an if clause expressing a request:If you will'll give me some money I will'll buy you a drink.
25. Using the present tense after as if or as though instead of the past.
Don't say: Janine talks as if she knows everything.
Say: Janine talks as if she knew everything.
Use the past tense after the phrase as if or as though. He talks as if he knew everything, means He talks as he would talk if he knew everything.
Note : Use the subjective were wit h the verb to be after as if: We acts as if he were a rich man.
