Learning English

Session 1 - Advanced Learner Mistakes: Part One

Here are two common mistakes that advanced learners can make:

1. Word order in WH word clauses

a) Advanced learners often automatically invert the subject and auxiliary verb after a WH word clause, as if it were a question. However these WH clauses are the same as normal sentences so the word order is the same too!

• NOT: He realised what was he doing.
• Correction: "He realised what he was doing. (OR: "He realised what he wasn't doing.) 

• NOT: I can’t believe what have you done.
• Correction: I can’t believe what you have done. (OR: I can't believe what you haven't done.) 

b) Advanced learners can forget that an affirmative clause after a WH word which uses the present simple or past simple tense does NOT use an auxiliary (Negatives still have two verbs)

• Past Simple:
• NOT: I don’t know where did he go last night.
• Correction: I don’t know where he went last night. (OR: I don’t know where he didn't go last night.) 

• Present Simple
• NOT: They want to see what does he do.
• Correction: They want to see what he does. (OR: They want to see what he doesn't do.) 

For information on 'the' check out this grammar reference.