Common Mistakes In Using Verbs Lesson (4)

Common Mistakes in Using Verbs in English

What is A Verb in English? 

A verb is a word that is used in a sentence to show an action,(to  dance) an occurrence, (to happen) or a state (to become or to believe) 

There are many types of verbs in English. They are as follows: 

1. Action Verbs 

2. Stative Verbs 

3. Dynamic Verbs 

4. Linking Verbs 

5. Modal Verbs

6. Transitive Verbs 

7. Intransitive Verbs 

8. Regular Verbs 

9. Irregular Verbs 

10. Phrasal Verbs

To know more about these verbs, refer to the article on verbs. 

Common Mistakes in Using Verbs in English

Rule 1. ‘To’ is a part of the phrasal verb, “look forward to”. So using a bare infinitive (meet) in the following example is wrong. 

Examples: 

Wrong: I am looking forward to meet you. 

Right: I am looking forward to meeting you. 

Rule 2. Some certain verbs in English are followed by a gerund, and not by an infinitive. So “Avoid to make” is wrong in the following example. 

Examples: 

Wrong: I avoid to make mistakes in English. 

Right: I avoid making mistakes in English. 

Rule 3. Some certain verbs are followed by an infinitive, and not by a gerund. So “want eating” in the following example is wrong. 

Examples: 

Wrong: I want eating pizza. 

Right: I want to eat pizza.

Rule 4. Some verbs are followed by a bare infinitive (infinitive without ‘to’) 

So “make students to work hard” in the following example is wrong. 

Examples: 

Wrong: Some teachers make students to work hard for their examinations. 

Right: Some teachers make students work hard for their examinations.

Rule 5. Some certain verbs are not generally used in present progressive tense. So “believing in God” and  “thinking” in the following examples are wrong. 

Examples: 

Wrong: I'm believing in God. 

Right: I believe in God. 

Wrong: I am thinking he is right. 

Right: I think he is right. 

Exercise 1

Find out the error in the following examples. 

1. I'm thinking he is wrong. 

2. I am used to take milk in the morning. 

3. I try to avoid to make mistakes in grammar. 

4. I've decided going with you. 

5. Let him to work. 

Answer keys: 

1. I think he is wrong. 

2. I am used to taking milk in the morning. 

3. I try to avoid making mistakes in grammar.

4. I've decided to go with you. 

5. Let him work. 

Exercise 2

Fill in the blanks with appropriate verbs given in the brackets. 

1. I............ you. (am recognising you/recognise you) 

2. I...........with you. (am agreeing with you/ agree with you) 

3. I...........it (am understanding it/ understand it) 

4. I.............that he is a good guy. (am knowing that/ know that) 

5. I..........it (am not remembering/don't remember) 

Answer keys: 

1. I recognise you.

2. I agree with you. 

3. I understand it . 

4. I know that he is a good guy. 

5. I don't remember it.