Page 1 of 2 www.englishpractice.com – Learn and practice English online. Common Errors with Verbs - Part I Incorrect: He asked had we taken our food. Correct: He asked if we had taken our food. OR He asked whether we had taken our food. Incorrect: I am not sure will I have time. Correct: I am not sure if I will have time. Incorrect: I asked whether had she any letters for me. Correct: I asked whether she had any letters for me. Explanation Indirect yes/no questions are usually introduced by if or whether. Note that in an indirect question we put the subject before the verb. Incorrect: He said that he saw her last year. Correct: He said that he had seen her last year. Incorrect: I could not meet him because he went out before I arrived. Correct: I could not meet him because he had gone out before I arrived. Incorrect: He got angry even before I said a word. Correct: He got angry even before I had said a word. Incorrect: There I met a man who was my classmate ten years ago. Correct: There I met a man who had been my classmate ten years ago. Incorrect: This was going on for a long time. Correct: This had been going on for a long time. Explanation These are examples of the failure to use past perfect tense when the time of one past action is more past than that of another. Incorrect: I will call you when dinner will be ready. Correct: I will call you when dinner is ready. Incorrect: I will write after I returned. Correct: I will write after I return. Incorrect: When I will go to New York I will meet him. Correct: When I go to New York, I will meet him. Explanation www.englishpractice.com – Learn and practice English online. Page 2 of 2 When the principal clause is in the simple future tense, the subordinate clause should be in the simple present tense. Note that when a subordinate adverb clause begins the sentence, we separate it from the rest of the sentence by a comma. Incorrect: If I would have done this I would have been wrong. Correct: If I had done this I would have been wrong. Explanation In a Type 3 Conditional sentence we use had + past participle in the if clause and would have + past participle in the result clause. Incorrect: She knows to knit. Correct: She knows how to knit. . ready. Correct: I will call you when dinner is ready. Incorrect: I will write after I returned. Correct: I will write after I return. Incorrect: When I will go to New York I will meet him. Correct: When I. Page 1 of 2 www.englishpractice.com – Learn and practice English online. Common Errors with Verbs. Learn and practice English online. Page 2 of 2 When the principal clause is in the simple future tense, the subordinate clause should be in the simple present tense. Note that when a subordinate