#119 Our favourite mistakes: Vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Men ro’zaman. Ro’za tutdingizmi? Og’izni nechada ochamiz?
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
I’m roza. Did you fast? What time do we open our mouth?
✅ Well, it should be:
I’m fasting. Are you fasting? What time do we break the fast?
❓Why?
❗️ There is no such word as roza in English. Some people insist on talking about Islamic concepts like masjid or reading namoz in the original words or sense. There is no arguing about that, just adapt to the person listening to you. If you talk to foreign Muslims, use them, if not then find more established words like mosque or praying.
❗️ There’s no reason why fast should be in the past tense when you’re still doing it. The right tense is present continuous, i.e. Are you fasting?
❗️ Open one’s mouth sounds rather strange in English. Use break the fast instead.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Men ro’zaman. Ro’za tutdingizmi? Og’izni nechada ochamiz?
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
I’m roza. Did you fast? What time do we open our mouth?
✅ Well, it should be:
❗️ There is no such word as roza in English. Some people insist on talking about Islamic concepts like masjid or reading namoz in the original words or sense. There is no arguing about that, just adapt to the person listening to you. If you talk to foreign Muslims, use them, if not then find more established words like mosque or praying.
❗️ There’s no reason why fast should be in the past tense when you’re still doing it. The right tense is present continuous, i.e. Are you fasting?
❗️ Open one’s mouth sounds rather strange in English. Use break the fast instead.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
#121 Our favourite mistakes: Vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Avval registratsiya qilishingiz kerak. Shu yo’l bilan kursga qatnashingiz mumkin.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
First you should registrate. By this way you can attend to / join to the course.
✅ Well, it should be:
First you should register. In this way you can attend / join the course.
❓Why?
❗️ There is no such word as registrate. The noun is registration and the verb is register. Both are pronounced with [дж], not [г].
❗️ By this way is a non-existing mixture of by the way and in this way. The two phrases mean different things. By the way means darvoqe.
❗️ Both attend and join do not need any preposition.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Avval registratsiya qilishingiz kerak. Shu yo’l bilan kursga qatnashingiz mumkin.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
First you should registrate. By this way you can attend to / join to the course.
✅ Well, it should be:
❓Why?
❗️ There is no such word as registrate. The noun is registration and the verb is register. Both are pronounced with [дж], not [г].
❗️ By this way is a non-existing mixture of by the way and in this way. The two phrases mean different things. By the way means darvoqe.
❗️ Both attend and join do not need any preposition.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
#126 Our favourite mistakes: Vocabulary & Grammar
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Imtihon paytida shovqin o’quvchilarga xalaqit berishi mumkin.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
While exams noise can effect on students.
✅ Well, it should be:
During exams noise can affect students.
❓Why?
❗️ Students often confuse the synonyms while and during. Generally while is followed by a verb, e.g.: While students take exams … or While taking exams …. During is followed by a noun.
❗️ The two words effect and affect are synonyms, too, but not completely. While effect can be positive or negative, affect is always negative.
❗️ Effect is a noun, not a verb. The usage is have an effect on sb/sth.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary #grammar
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Imtihon paytida shovqin o’quvchilarga xalaqit berishi mumkin.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
While exams noise can effect on students.
✅ Well, it should be:
❗️ Students often confuse the synonyms while and during. Generally while is followed by a verb, e.g.: While students take exams … or While taking exams …. During is followed by a noun.
❗️ The two words effect and affect are synonyms, too, but not completely. While effect can be positive or negative, affect is always negative.
❗️ Effect is a noun, not a verb. The usage is have an effect on sb/sth.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary #grammar
#128 Our favourite mistakes: Grammar & Vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
O’qituvchi o’quvchilarni gapirishiga yo’l qo’yib berishi kerak.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
Teacher should let the students to speak.
✅ Well, it should be:
The teacher should let the students speak.
❓Why?
❗️ A definite article is needed before teacher. Although we don’t know which teacher exactly the teacher is, he/she is representative of any one teacher in the same situation, i.e. the teacher of any class.
❗️ The verb phrase let somebody do something does not need to. Same is true for make somebody do something.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #grammar #vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
O’qituvchi o’quvchilarni gapirishiga yo’l qo’yib berishi kerak.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
Teacher should let the students to speak.
✅ Well, it should be:
❗️ A definite article is needed before teacher. Although we don’t know which teacher exactly the teacher is, he/she is representative of any one teacher in the same situation, i.e. the teacher of any class.
❗️ The verb phrase let somebody do something does not need to. Same is true for make somebody do something.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #grammar #vocabulary
#129 Our favourite mistakes: Vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Ko'z oynak taqishning bazi afzal tomonlari bor.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
There are some advantage sides of wearing eye glasses.
✅ Well, it should be:
There are some advantages of wearing glasses.
❓Why?
❗️ Glasses and advantages are perfectly clear as one word in English. Do not translate word for word from Uzbek!
❗️ Another example is Islom dini in Uzbek, the translation of which is just Islam, not Islam religion as it is clear enough that Islam is a religion.
❗️ Language is another example, see this post.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Ko'z oynak taqishning bazi afzal tomonlari bor.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
There are some advantage sides of wearing eye glasses.
✅ Well, it should be:
❗️ Glasses and advantages are perfectly clear as one word in English. Do not translate word for word from Uzbek!
❗️ Another example is Islom dini in Uzbek, the translation of which is just Islam, not Islam religion as it is clear enough that Islam is a religion.
❗️ Language is another example, see this post.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
#132 Our favourite mistakes: Vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Adashmasam London Angliyaning poytaxti.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
If I’m not mistaken London is the capital of England.
✅ Well, it should be:
London is the capital of England.
❓Why?
❗️ The phrase “If I’m not mistaken” is totally overused by Uzbek speakers of English. Such a basic and well-known fact like London being the capital of England does not need “If I’m not mistaken”. Saying that sounds like you’re so dumb that you’re not 100% sure. Don’t use this phrase as decoration, it actually means that you’re not sure.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Adashmasam London Angliyaning poytaxti.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
If I’m not mistaken London is the capital of England.
✅ Well, it should be:
❗️ The phrase “If I’m not mistaken” is totally overused by Uzbek speakers of English. Such a basic and well-known fact like London being the capital of England does not need “If I’m not mistaken”. Saying that sounds like you’re so dumb that you’re not 100% sure. Don’t use this phrase as decoration, it actually means that you’re not sure.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
#134 Our favourite mistakes: Vocabulary
▶️ Here’s a collection of popular vocabulary mishaps (=small mistake or accident) in education, many of which are mistranslations from Russian. Be sure to speak English and not Uzlish!
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
▶️ Here’s a collection of popular vocabulary mishaps (=small mistake or accident) in education, many of which are mistranslations from Russian. Be sure to speak English and not Uzlish!
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
#136 Our favourite mistakes: Vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Prosto seni sevaman demoqchi edim.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
Just I wanted to say I love you.
✅ Well, it should be:
I just wanted to say I love you.
❓Why?
❗️ Just I means only I – not somebody else. This is not the intended meaning here.
❗️ Just is a synonym of only and always describes the word behind it. Unlike the Russian просто it cannot be used for a whole phrase.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Prosto seni sevaman demoqchi edim.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
❗️ Just I means only I – not somebody else. This is not the intended meaning here.
❗️ Just is a synonym of only and always describes the word behind it. Unlike the Russian просто it cannot be used for a whole phrase.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
#138 Our favourite mistakes: Vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Xayrli kech! Ishlariz qaley bo’lyapti?
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
Good night! How is it going on?
✅ Well, it should be:
Good evening! How is it going?
❓Why?
❗️ Good night is a way of saying goodbye, not hello.
❗️ Go on is a phrasal verb and means continue. Asking how something is going on is strange in this greeting situation.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Xayrli kech! Ishlariz qaley bo’lyapti?
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
❗️ Good night is a way of saying goodbye, not hello.
❗️ Go on is a phrasal verb and means continue. Asking how something is going on is strange in this greeting situation.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
#139 Our favourite mistakes: Vocabulary & Grammar
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
U 25 yoshli programist, har oyda ikki ming topadi.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
He’s a 25 years old programmist and earns two thousands per month.
✅ Well, it should be:
He’s a 25-year-old programmer and earns two thousand per month.
❓Why?
❗️ To turn 25 years old into an adjective it gets hyphenated (=with hyphens, short strokes to connect words) and the plural -s in years is dropped.
❗️ Programist is Russian, this job is called programmer in English.
❗️ As numbers, thousand and also million cannot be in the plural. You can say thousands and millions (meaning many thousand/million) but not with a number before it.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary #grammar
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
U 25 yoshli programist, har oyda ikki ming topadi.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
He’s a 25 years old programmist and earns two thousands per month.
✅ Well, it should be:
❗️ To turn 25 years old into an adjective it gets hyphenated (=with hyphens, short strokes to connect words) and the plural -s in years is dropped.
❗️ Programist is Russian, this job is called programmer in English.
❗️ As numbers, thousand and also million cannot be in the plural. You can say thousands and millions (meaning many thousand/million) but not with a number before it.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary #grammar
#140 Our favourite mistakes: Vocabulary & Grammar
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Agar men ko’proq yangi so’zlar yodlasam IELTSdan balandroq ball olaman.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
If I will learn by heart more new words I take a higher ball from IELTS.
✅ Well, it should be:
If I learn more new words by heart I will get a higher score in IELTS.
❓Why?
❗️ Do not use will in if-clauses.
❗️ Learn by heart is a complex verb. The three words may not stay together but get filled with other words.
❗️ We don’t take scores but get scores. The same applies to salary, visas and certificates.
❗️ Ball means something different in English.
⚠️ Learning new words by heart is stupid and outdated and it certainly won’t help you to get a high score in IELTS! Learn words in context, i.e. sentences and situations!
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary #grammar
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Agar men ko’proq yangi so’zlar yodlasam IELTSdan balandroq ball olaman.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
If I will learn by heart more new words I take a higher ball from IELTS.
✅ Well, it should be:
❗️ Do not use will in if-clauses.
❗️ Learn by heart is a complex verb. The three words may not stay together but get filled with other words.
❗️ We don’t take scores but get scores. The same applies to salary, visas and certificates.
❗️ Ball means something different in English.
⚠️ Learning new words by heart is stupid and outdated and it certainly won’t help you to get a high score in IELTS! Learn words in context, i.e. sentences and situations!
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary #grammar
#142 Our favourite mistakes: Vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Men yaqinda chet elga chiqaman.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
I will recently go to abroad.
I will soon go abroad.
❓Why?
❗️ Recently refers only to the past, not the future. The Uzbek word yaqinda can be translated as either recently (in the past) or soon (in the future).
❗️ The word abroad is an adverb and doesn’t need a preposition, just like home.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Men yaqinda chet elga chiqaman.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
I will recently go to abroad.
❗️ Recently refers only to the past, not the future. The Uzbek word yaqinda can be translated as either recently (in the past) or soon (in the future).
❗️ The word abroad is an adverb and doesn’t need a preposition, just like home.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
#143 Our favourite mistakes: Grammar & Vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Qimmat bo’lsa ham sotib olmoqchiman.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
Even it’s expensive I want to buy it.
✅ Well, it should be:
Even if/though it’s expensive I want to buy it.
❓Why?
❗️ Even cannot stand on it’s own here. There is no difference in meaning between if and though that follows it but you have to use one of them.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #grammar #vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following sentence:
Qimmat bo’lsa ham sotib olmoqchiman.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
Even it’s expensive I want to buy it.
✅ Well, it should be:
❗️ Even cannot stand on it’s own here. There is no difference in meaning between if and though that follows it but you have to use one of them.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #grammar #vocabulary
▶️ Afandi English is over 4 years old now and there’s a ton of stuff you’ve missed. Here are some hashtags for posts about language learning:
#correct
Check if you can spot some common mistakes.
#grammar
Brush up your grammar.
#ielts
Get the DOs and DON’Ts of preparing for IELTS.
#learn2learn
Take advice on how to learn a foreign language.
#mistakes
The biggest collection of Uzbek learners’ typical mistakes in English – at your fingertips.
#oddmanout
See if you can find the mistake.
#pronunciation
Fix your pronunciation problems, one at a time.
#self_study
Sit down and help yourself. Interesting videos plus script plus activities.
#tongue_twisters
Work on your pronunciation and fluency in one go.
#uni_vocab
Understand university-related vocabulary.
#vocabulary
Learn about lexical problems and pick the right words next time.
#world_englishes
Realise that English is a world language and prepare for the worst. Or the best?
#writing
Say goodbye to your most common and unnecessary writing mistakes.
#correct
Check if you can spot some common mistakes.
#grammar
Brush up your grammar.
#ielts
Get the DOs and DON’Ts of preparing for IELTS.
#learn2learn
Take advice on how to learn a foreign language.
#mistakes
The biggest collection of Uzbek learners’ typical mistakes in English – at your fingertips.
#oddmanout
See if you can find the mistake.
#pronunciation
Fix your pronunciation problems, one at a time.
#self_study
Sit down and help yourself. Interesting videos plus script plus activities.
#tongue_twisters
Work on your pronunciation and fluency in one go.
#uni_vocab
Understand university-related vocabulary.
#vocabulary
Learn about lexical problems and pick the right words next time.
#world_englishes
Realise that English is a world language and prepare for the worst. Or the best?
#writing
Say goodbye to your most common and unnecessary writing mistakes.
Our favourite mistakes #153: Vocabulary & Grammar
▶️ Please translate the following:
Hamma odamlar ham tabiat haqida qayg’urishmaydi. Shuning uchun, ifloslanish bor.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
All of people don’t care about the environment. In this case, there is pollution.
✅ Well, it should be:
Nobody cares about the environment. That’s why there is pollution.
❓Why❓
❗️All is affirmative and doesn’t go with negation (don’t).
❗️After all of there must be a determiner, like all of the cake or all of these students or all of my money.
❗️In this case means if that is so (agar shunday bo’lsa).
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary #grammar
▶️ Please translate the following:
Hamma odamlar ham tabiat haqida qayg’urishmaydi. Shuning uchun, ifloslanish bor.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
All of people don’t care about the environment. In this case, there is pollution.
✅ Well, it should be:
❓Why❓
❗️All is affirmative and doesn’t go with negation (don’t).
❗️After all of there must be a determiner, like all of the cake or all of these students or all of my money.
❗️In this case means if that is so (agar shunday bo’lsa).
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary #grammar
Odd Man Out #7
▶️ Uzbekistan’s education system is haunted (=visited by ghosts) by some “false friends” – foreign words that look easy to translate but actually mean different things. Find the true friend among the words below!
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #oddmanout #vocabulary
▶️ Uzbekistan’s education system is haunted (=visited by ghosts) by some “false friends” – foreign words that look easy to translate but actually mean different things. Find the true friend among the words below!
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #oddmanout #vocabulary
Our favourite mistakes #154: Vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following:
O’qishimni tugata olmadim, ba’zi sabablarga ko’ra.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
I couldn’t finish my study because of some reasons.
✅ Well, it should be:
I couldn’t finish my studies.
❓Why?
❗️Studies is a plural noun. The singular noun study is a) a research project or b) a room in your house where you work or study.
❗️Because of / For some reasons is Uzlish and has no good translation. It sounds like you want to keep your reasons secret.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following:
O’qishimni tugata olmadim, ba’zi sabablarga ko’ra.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
I couldn’t finish my study because of some reasons.
✅ Well, it should be:
❓Why?
❗️Studies is a plural noun. The singular noun study is a) a research project or b) a room in your house where you work or study.
❗️Because of / For some reasons is Uzlish and has no good translation. It sounds like you want to keep your reasons secret.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
Our favourite mistakes #156: Vocabulary & Grammar
▶️ Please translate:
Ko’p odamlarga pul yetishmaydi. Ularning boshqa yo’li yo’q.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
Many people lack of money. They have no another way.
✅ Well, it should be:
Many people lack money. They have no other way.
❓Why?
❗️When lack is a verb it is NOT followed by of. We add of only to the noun, i.e. “There’s a lack of water.”
❗️No is a determiner here and there’s no need for the article an in another.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary #grammar
▶️ Please translate:
Ko’p odamlarga pul yetishmaydi. Ularning boshqa yo’li yo’q.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
Many people lack of money. They have no another way.
✅ Well, it should be:
❓Why?
❗️When lack is a verb it is NOT followed by of. We add of only to the noun, i.e. “There’s a lack of water.”
❗️No is a determiner here and there’s no need for the article an in another.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary #grammar
Our favourite mistakes #157: Vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following:
Universitetda o’qish plus va minus taraflari bor.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
Studying at University has pluses and minuses.
✅ Well, it should be:
Studying at university has advantages and disadvantages.
❓Why?
❗️University is only capitalized when it’s part of a proper name, like "Cambridge University", not otherwise.
❗️Pluses and minuses is a translation from Russian. In English plus and minus can be nouns but aren’t used together and rarely in the plural: Speaking English is a big plus on today’s job market.
You may use synonyms of advantages and disadvantages:
• pros and cons
• upsides and downsides
• benefits and drawbacks
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following:
Universitetda o’qish plus va minus taraflari bor.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
Studying at University has pluses and minuses.
✅ Well, it should be:
❓Why?
❗️University is only capitalized when it’s part of a proper name, like "Cambridge University", not otherwise.
❗️Pluses and minuses is a translation from Russian. In English plus and minus can be nouns but aren’t used together and rarely in the plural: Speaking English is a big plus on today’s job market.
You may use synonyms of advantages and disadvantages:
• pros and cons
• upsides and downsides
• benefits and drawbacks
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
Our favourite mistakes #158: Vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following:
Uyim Andijon viloyatida, hozir Toshkent shahrida yashayman.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
My house is in Andijan region, now I live in Tashkent city.
✅ Well, it should be:
My home is in the Andijan Region, now I live in Tashkent.
❓Why?
❗️Your house is the place where you actually live, not where you come from. That's your home.
❗️Tashkent has a region as well but that's not important in English. Internationally, Tashkent is only known to be a city. Tashkent city sounds like you live in that rich new neighbourhood named “Tashkent City”.
❗️Most regions of Uzbekistan are named after their cities. Foreigners don’t know that. My home is in Andijan would be understood as in the city of Andijan. If you don’t come from the city you should say My home is near Andijan.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary
▶️ Please translate the following:
Uyim Andijon viloyatida, hozir Toshkent shahrida yashayman.
❌ Perhaps you think it is:
My house is in Andijan region, now I live in Tashkent city.
✅ Well, it should be:
❓Why?
❗️Your house is the place where you actually live, not where you come from. That's your home.
❗️Tashkent has a region as well but that's not important in English. Internationally, Tashkent is only known to be a city. Tashkent city sounds like you live in that rich new neighbourhood named “Tashkent City”.
❗️Most regions of Uzbekistan are named after their cities. Foreigners don’t know that. My home is in Andijan would be understood as in the city of Andijan. If you don’t come from the city you should say My home is near Andijan.
👉@afandi_english👈 #mistakes #vocabulary