Common Mistakes At FCE | B2 First Student Errors & Solutions

See if you can correct these common mistakes at FCE before looking at the solutions below!

Mistakes

I phoned to my Italian contact

I was discuss with them that they can do directly research with us

In this case I will speaking in French

They not have decided until now

Solutions

I phoned my Italian contact

To phone somebody

I was discussing with them if that they can do research directly with us

In this case I will speak in French

Future continuous = use when you’re talking about something in the future that will have started before a time and will be continuing.

This time next week, I will be flying to Bordeaux.

They have not decided until now

Mistakes

I just leave out my socks

I can hear just few

You colleagues who could be 3 or 4 metres apart of you

My colleagues is very polite

What a shame company

When this guy know that I leave the company

an heist

I was an eager reader about Stephen King

I was addicted about football

Solutions

I just took off/removed my socks

I can hear just a little bit or I can’t hear very well or I am a bit deaf

Your colleagues (who) could be 3 or 4 metres away from you

My colleagues are very polite

What a shameful company

Shame = noun. Shameful = adjective. Shamefully = adverb.

When this guy knew/found out that I was leaving the company

a heist

If you hear the ‘h’ then don’t use ‘an’ but if the ‘h’ silent, use ‘an’

I was an eager reader of Stephen King

I was addicted to football

Mistakes

Many exercise

Every activities that you take part that is not your usually works

A manager that follow the grow of his team

A person that entry in the company with no experience, for example he finish the school and start working

He has not experience

This person has few experience in the company, know the process, know the business

If I well remember

When I watched the result

Solutions

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Mistakes

We have been there 2 years ago

I search in internet

I have a friend which is very kind

A place into nowhere, in the deep France

It is by far much better

You can't do what you have done in your youngest

We drink coffee in the whole Italy

Perhaps people was convinced not to drink

Solutions

We were there 2 years ago

I search for information on the internet

I have a friend who is very kind

A place in the middle of nowhere

It is much better

You can't do what you have done in your youth

We drink coffee in the whole of Italy

Perhaps people were convinced not to drink

Mistakes

The English test not very well

How conjugated the verbs?

Not specificated the time

I have listened a new cd of a French artist

I had wrong

Solutions

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Mistakes

The views is not nice

It wasn’t a very city with building, square

There were 2 little city

There it’s possible eating meat

Not too much English people

I hasn’t time to go cycling

Solutions

The view is not nice or the views are not nice

It wasn’t a city with lots of buildings, squares

There were 2 little cities

There it’s possible to eat meat

(im)Possible + to do something

Not too many English people

Much + uncountable nouns. Many + countable plural nouns.

I didn’t have time to go cycling

Mistakes

A lot of people arrives in Paris

A lot of restaurants does also pizza

Then I will tell you why this week is too busy

Today I woke up 30 minutes first starting my work

Solutions

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Mistakes

I wait his phone

I was always hurry up

The job that do my colleague

He often is in hospital

I can go to holiday

He told to my boss

When you was younger you did everything

Solutions

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Mistakes - Piece of writing

You can make marmalade with many fruits, usually the choice depends on the sudden availability during the summer season. What is important is that you have to use only ripe fruit, so is someone gives you unripe fruits wait until they are ready for doing marmalade.

Wash the fruits with water, then let them dry on a towel. To the fruits add a lemon and a couple of apples per about 2 kilograms of fruit. Cut the fruits in pieces, remove the core and the seeds of the fruits, but leave the peel, which is very important because it contains the pectine, the compound that make thick the marmalade. With the lemon, you can cut the whole fruit in small pieces or use only the grated peel and the juice: it depends on if you like or not the pieces of peel in the finished marmalade.

Weigh the clean fruits and add sugar in the proportion you prefer, but not lower than 500 g per kilogram; I usually use from 600 to 700 g per kilograms.

Start cooking at low temperature with a covered pot. When the marmalade has became liquid, cut the pieces with a mixer: this helps you to reduce the cooking time.

Continue cooking and mix often with a spoon, with uncovered pot. Cooking takes about one hour. To control if the marmalade is cooked, put a little on a saucer and put it in the freezer for some minutes.

Solutions

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Mistakes

My hobby at the moment is gardening. When I was young, I liked reading and I was very happy every time I could read a new book. Then, when I started working at the university, reading and writing became my work and after some year I almost stopped reading for fun. For about 10 years I enjoyed gymnastics indoor but, when we bought the first house in the country, I started gardening and now is my main hobby.

I like studying to choose trees, shrubs and flowers, buy them and finally plant them in my garden. When we bought this house where I live now, there really wasn’t a garden, just a piece of bare soil without trees. Starting from 2011, we have raised a hedge composed of mixed shrubs, and planted 17 trees, together with a lot of flowers, mainly roses. We also have built two pergolas, one with 8 vine plants, half with red grapes and half with white grapes, and the other with two kiwi plants.

The soil of my garden is very rich of clay and alkaline, so I have a lot of problems in growing plants, because they don’t have enough air available at the roots. In return, they usually don’t suffer scarce water during the summer, because the soil of the garden retains a lot water.

Solutions

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Check out this page for loads of articles based around common mistakes students make during the FCE exam.

Mistakes

I hasn't able to talk with her

She's responsible of control

A few year ago

Solutions

I wasn't able to talk with her

She's responsible for controlling

Responsible for something

A few years ago

Mistakes

Techniques that you use for remember

There are a method called Lochi

Lochi was invented of Chichirone

He imaginated a road

When he must talk in the parliament of Rome

If you want remember a big number

The word hello can you convert in number

This method can you use for a big number

In this course I have learn

This method is used for remember...

Solutions

Techniques you use to remember

There is a method called Loci

Loci invented Cicerone

He imagined a road

When he had to talk in parliament in Rome

If you want to remember a big number

You can convert the word hello to a number

You can use this method for a big number

In this course I have learnt

This method is used to remember/for remembering...

Preposition + verbing

Mistakes

Today has come up just an opportunity

the last years

I tell the true

I can get a decision

I am the kind of person that strongly believe that you....

In a place such Malaga

A lot of year ago

The people is very good

Solutions

An opportunity has just come up today

last year / the last few years

I tell the truth

True = adjective. Truth = noun

I can make a decision

I am the kind of person that strongly believes that you....

In a place such as/like Malaga

Many years ago

(the) People are very good

Mistakes

All the people was friendly

The young man don't wanted to return home

The heart is increased

They are very complicate animal

They have problems withe their legs

Horses fur grow and they are protected

I had problems to find it even in...

Solutions

All the people were friendly

The young man didn't want to return home

The heart rate is increased

They are very complicated animal

They have problems with their legs

Horses fur grows and they are protected

I had problems finding it even in...

Mistakes

representated

On the right there are the moon

I visited Egypt a lot of time ago

Solutions

represented

On the right there is the moon

It is more common to use the word 'long' when referring to time: I visited Egypt a long time ago

Mistakes

Sunday we come back

He come back to her home

into the wood there is a good restaurant

I went not with professional bicycle

Both exams was

Solutions

We came back on Sunday

He went back to his home

In the wood there is a good restaurant

I didn’t go by professional bicycle

Both exams were

The carton raw materials have increased a lot

Mistakes

I tend to not to dream

a 2 hours call with colleagues

He lives there from 3 years

Solutions

I tend not to dream

a two-hour call with colleagues

A three-day holiday

He has lived there for 3 years

Mistakes

I prefer make another faculty at university

I am interested for this method

I want ask you

From begin to now

A lot of people tell that English is a simple language

Solutions

I would have preferred to join another faculty at university (hypothetical past)

I am interested in this subject

Interested + in

I want to ask you or I would like to ask you

Want + to, would like + to

From the start/beginning to now

A lot of people tell me that English is a simple language or a lot of people say that English is a simple language

People = plural

Tell + object

Mistakes

Other my colleague from my office and I go to lunch together

My daughter is going to make a lot of things for her travel to Japan

I can eat fruit all time

If I very want to eat

We go to many restaurants which near my office

Solutions

Other colleagues from my office and I go to lunch together

My daughter is going to prepare a lot of things for her trip to Japan

Travel = verb. Trip = noun.

I can eat fruit all the time

If I really want to eat

We go to many restaurants which are near my office

Mistakes

I'm not able to ride with the bicycle

To keep the equilibrium on my bicycle

I made my homework

I used to understand her and now I don’t = I didn't understand her more.

I didn't understand her clearly = I didn't understand her more.

I will ask her to say everything very slow

I have a lot of iron into the walls

Solutions

I'm not able to ride the bicycle

To keep my balance on my bicycle

I did my homework

I I didn't understand her clearly used to understand her and now I don’t = I don't understand her anymore

I didn't understand her clearly = I didn’t understand her much

I will ask her to say everything very slowly

I have a lot of iron in the walls

Mistakes

I had no reason to woke up

I'm realised that I need

Mainly for foreigners who is not native speakers

The last interview I got with a lady from...

I have saw

Sometimes no word come up

You tend to up your volume

I have 5 or 6 hour free

Solutions

I had no reason to wake up

Had to + present simple = past

I (have) realised that I need

Mainly for foreigners who are not native speakers

The last interview I had with a lady from...

I have seen

Sometimes no words come up

You tend to increase your volume

I have 5 or 6 hours free

Mistakes

I went to beach

The beach is full - in the past

It is an hotel with a restaurant

One person took spaghetti

They will married in ...

Maria have a sister

Solutions

I went to the beach

The beach was full - in the past

It is a hotel with a restaurant

One person ate/had spaghetti

They will get married in ...

Maria has a sister

Mistakes

She very few times spend at home

I'm not used to go to Milan

apart of that I jump into another meeting

If you can't executre nothing

It gives me an hope

We come across each other without to say hello

She said me that she left her job

Solutions

She spends very little time at home

I'm not used to going to Milan

‘Be’/’get’ used to + verbing

I don’t usually go to Milan

I didn’t use to go to Milan

apart from that I jumped into another meeting

If you can't execute anything

It gives me hope

We come across each other without saying hello

Preposition + verbing

She told me that she left her job or she said to me…

Mistakes

We went in mountain to visit my grandmother

It’s difficult to take part on all of this

And follow all the step these activities need

My responsible Silvia will…

We will done all the activities - future

Employee information which we have not

An hotel

Solutions

We went to the mountains to visit my grandmother

It’s difficult to take part in all of these activities or It’s difficult to take part in every activity

And follow all the steps these activities need

My manager Silvia will…

We will do all the activities - future

Employee information which we (still) don’t have in our system

A hotel

Mistakes

He been in London

It’s warm - past

It’s happened when I...

Sailing is not a relaxed sport

She very happy

One teacher’s name Paris

Evgenia feel very comfortable

In evening and in winter

Solutions

He was in London - past simple

It was warm - past

It happened when I...

Sailing is not a relaxing sport

Sailing doesn’t make me feel relaxed

Adjectives ending -ing describe the thing that creates a feeling

Adjectives ending -ed describe your feeling

This film is boring. This film makes me feel bored.

She is very happy

One teacher’s name is Paris

Evgenia feels very comfortable

In the evenings and in winter

Mistakes

in 2014 the company was buy by XXX

the companies fusion

I am scared about loss words

the words does not come to my mouth

in order to don't forget

nobody can believe about that

Solutions

in 2014 the company was bought by XXX

the companies merge

I am scared about forgetting words

the words do not come to my mouth

in order not to forget

nobody can believe in that

Mistakes

She live in a mini student town

My daughter goes by bus from Tokyo's aeroport

They are don't afraid of people

Only in forest

They are afraid people

They are no friendly

It is no good idea

He dreams to be famous football player

He don't understand us

He is not enough healthy

Solutions

She is living in a mini student town

My daughter goes by bus from Tokyo's airport

They aren't afraid of people

Only in forests

They are afraid of people

They are not friendly

It is not a good idea

He dreams of being a famous football player

Preposition + verbing

He doesn't understand us

He is not enough healthy

Mistakes

It's surprise for these people

We lived in a hotel

We ate more French Fries

She more likes swimming pool in the hotel (past)

The next day morning (in the past)

I'm really like this attraction because you down on water

Evgenia very scary this attraction

Last Monday we are dancing

Milk not healthy for stomach

When I stopped drink milk

Solutions

It's surprising for these people

We stayed in a hotel

We ate many/a lot of French Fries

She liked the swimming pool in the hotel a lot

The following morning (in the past) or the morning after

I really like this attraction because you go/are down underwater

Evgenia was very scared of this attraction

Last Monday we were dancing

Milk is not healthy for the stomach

When I stopped drinking milk

stop + verbing = something you stopped doing in the past

Mistakes

We have many people who want to come in Italy

I'm working with another colleagues

We have many deadline to attend

I do many lists of activities

You can't certificate the purity of the water

At the moment we are looking different cartoons

Every children can read some words

Solutions

We have many people who want to come to Italy

I'm working with another colleague

We have many deadlines to attend (meet)

I make many lists of activities

You can't certify the purity of the water

At the moment we are watching different cartoons

Every child can read some words

Mistakes

Every day there is sunny

It is more hot than usually for the season

I’m born in XXX

I went in XXX

I travel around XXX

The transport is well organised than in Genoa

The last time I trip around

I don't remember how to call name

I met more time ago

I saw from the coast

I stayed in the aquarium in Valencia

Solutions

Every day there is sun in XXX or Every day it is sunny in XXX

It is hotter than usual for the season

I was born in XXX

I went to Spain

I travelled around XXX

The last time I travelled around

The transport is better organised than in XXX

The last time I travelled around

I don't remember how to say...

I met her a long time ago - you need to say the object

I saw sharks from the coast - you need to say the object

I visited the aquarium in Valencia

Mistakes

Nobody doesn’t understand the problem

It’s enough good

I live 25 km near to Florence

He made me x-ray

From where the problem born

There are many peoples that go in his study

I live in a little country called xxx

I visit 6 years ago this stadium

There are many room of history of Real Madrid

Yesterday I went in Florence to see play Florence against Cagliari

I born in xxx

The important was to found work

We have more and more business meet with people that come from Spanish

I decided to don't accept

I'm not concentrate with the sound

It started like a very little company

Solutions

Nobody understands the problem

It’s good enough

I live 25 km from Florence

He took an x-ray of me/my mouth

From where the problem is born

There are many people that join his classes/practice

I live in a little city called XXX

I visited this stadium 6 years ago

There are many rooms about the history of Real Madrid

Yesterday I went to Florence to see/watch Florence (play) against Cagliari

Go + to a place

I was born in xxx

The important thing was to find work

We have more and more business meetings with people that come from Spain

I decided not to accept

I don’t concentrate on the sound

I’m concentrating on my work. ‘Concentrate’ collocates with ‘on’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz2zRHHsJG4

Collocations in English (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz2zRHHsJG4)

It started as a very little company

Like = similar to

Mistakes

The captain that guide the ship are me

He cook for the family

He love cook

It's a form of relax himself

My husband buy the products to the supermarket

Lots of video in which she see lots of children...

She can listen music...

He have to save the world

Solutions

The captain that guides the ship is me

He cooks for the family

He loves cooking

It's a way to relax himself

My husband buys the products at/from the supermarket

Lots of videos in which she sees a lot of children…

Lots of or a lot of

She can listen to music...

He has to save the world

Mistakes

Every part of the world have different days

The people was amazed that he wasn't dead

Rasputin don't dead and arrive in the exit and people shoot it twice

I went in the Egypt

I went in other part for example Thailand

Solutions

Every part of the world has different days

The people were amazed that he wasn't dead

Rasputin wasn't dead and he arrived at the exit and people shot him twice

I went to Egypt

I went to other parts for example Thailand

Mistakes

2 people want to wedding

I don’t know explain

When this 2 people want married meet

The person don't want they married

He died for ill

Solutions

2 people want to get married

I don’t know how i can explain

When these 2 people want to get married meet

Want is always followed by ‘to’

‘These’ is plural. ‘This’ is singular:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZfNVHsgXas

How To Use This - English Grammar - Vlog 11 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZfNVHsgXas)

The person doesn’t want them to get married

He died because he was ill

Mistakes

He search for find his friend

This person say at the main character

A lot of times ago

At finish the book the main character adopted the son of his friend died

This kite have a rope very thin

Solutions

He searched/searches to find his friend

This person said to the main character

A long time ago

At the end of the book the main character adopted the son of his friend who died

Adopt something from someone who did something

This kite has a very thin rope

Mistakes

He decided to sell him flat

In Germany I want to say food is very expensive

You want buy every month

We have problem because our economic not good

When I wanted to buy flat

My fly tomorrow will be at 3pm

In Friday evening

All our colleagues will be on the exhibition

Solutions

He decided to sell his flat

I want to say food is very expensive In Germany.

You want to buy every month

We have problems because our economic situation is not good.

When I wanted to buy a flat

My flight will be at 3pm tomorrow

Fly = verb. Flight = noun. My + noun.

On Friday evening

All our colleagues will be at the exhibition

See if you can correct these common mistakes at FCE before looking at the solutions below!

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Mistakes - Piece of writing

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Here are some of the most common mistakes that my Russian students have made in our lessons.

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