English mistakes that cost marks

Some children read the passage once, then answer the question from memory without looking back. This is easy to do, but it often leads to small mistakes — you might muddle a name, a number or a place.

Always look back at the passage to check. The answer is already there for you. Going back is not cheating — it is exactly what you are supposed to do in a comprehension test.

A very common mistake is to confuse adjectives and adverbs.

Children sometimes think that any describing word is an adjective. But remember: an adjective describes a noun, and an adverb describes a verb.

For example, in the sentence She sang beautifully, beautifully is an adverb because it describes the verb sang, not a noun.

Always ask: what is this word describing? If it describes a noun, it is an adjective. If it describes a verb, it is an adverb.

A common mistake is adding -ious instead of -ous — or the other way round.

Why does it happen? Some words really do end in -ious (serious, various, furious), so children add -ious everywhere.

How to avoid it: look at the root word. - If the root ends in a vowel sound, check carefully: vary → various (the y changes to i, so it becomes -ious). - If the root has no extra vowel, just add -ous: nerve → nervous, danger → dangerous.

When you are unsure, try both versions, say them aloud, and pick the one that sounds right. Then check in a dictionary to be sure.

A common mistake is picking any word that is a little bit similar, instead of the closest match.

For example, 'warm' and 'freezing' are both about temperature, but they are opposites — not synonyms!

Always check the meaning carefully. A synonym must point in the same direction as the original word, not just belong to the same topic. When you swap it into the sentence, the meaning should stay the same.

A very common mistake is joining two separate sentences with a comma instead of a full stop. This is sometimes called a 'comma splice'.

Wrong: It started to rain, we ran inside. Right: It started to rain. We ran inside.

Each of those is a complete thought on its own, so each one needs its own full stop. A comma is not strong enough to hold two full sentences together. When you finish one complete idea, stop — use a full stop!

Many children look at the answer options, spot a word they know well, and pick it straight away without checking. This is easy to do because it feels quick and safe.

But a familiar word is not always the right word. It has to match the meaning in that sentence.

Always go back to the sentence and use the swap test, even if you feel sure. One extra check can save you from losing a mark.

A very common mistake is adding un- to every word to make an antonym.

Children sometimes write "unsad" instead of happy, or "unfast" instead of slow. These are not real words!

How to avoid it: say the new word out loud. If it sounds strange or you have never heard it before, it is probably wrong. Try thinking of a completely different word instead.

A very common mistake is to write 'their' when you mean a place. Children sometimes write things like: 'Put the book their.' This is wrong because 'their' means belonging to them, not a place.

Why does it happen? All three words sound identical, so it is easy to write the first spelling that comes to mind.

How to avoid it: use the 'they are' test first. If that fails, ask yourself 'am I talking about a place?' If yes, write there — and remember that 'here' is hiding inside it: t-h-e-r-e.

Many children write 'their' when they mean 'there', or 'there' when they mean 'their'. It is easy to do because the words sound exactly the same.

Here is a quick way to remember: - there — contains the word 'here', so it is about a place ('over there'). - their — contains the word 'heir', and an heir belongs to a family, so 'their' is about belonging ('their bags'). - they're — is short for 'they are' (there is an apostrophe in place of the missing letter 'a').

Always ask yourself: which meaning do I need? Then pick the right spelling.

A very common mistake is writing only: 'Mia feels sad.' That is a start, but on its own it will not earn full marks in the exam.

The examiner wants to see that you have used the text. Always add a clue: 'I can tell this because the text says…'

Think of it like a court in a TV drama — you need evidence, not just a hunch. The evidence is always a word or phrase from the passage. Get into the habit of finding it every time, even in easy questions.

A very common mistake is to drop a letter when adding a prefix, especially with mis- and dis-.

For example, children sometimes write 'misspell' as 'mispell' — losing one s.

Remember: the root word never changes. If the root word starts with s and the prefix ends in s, you keep both letters.

mis + spell = misspell (two s's) dis + satisfy = dissatisfy (two s's)

Say the word slowly and count the letters carefully before you write it.

A very common mistake is writing 'I done it' instead of 'I did it' or 'I have done it'.

Why do children do this? 'Done' sounds like a strong past word, so it is tempting to use it on its own. But 'done' is a past participle — it always needs 'have' or 'has' beside it.

Wrong: I done my homework. Right: I did my homework. (simple past) Right: I have done my homework. (present perfect)

Always check: if you want to use 'done', make sure 'have' or 'has' is right before it.

A very common mistake is to look only at the gap and the words on either side of it. Children often pick a word that fits the gap loosely but does not match the rest of the sentence.

For example: 'Although it was sunny, Mia felt very _____.' If you only look at 'felt very _____', you might choose 'happy'. But the word 'although' tells you something surprising is coming — the answer is more likely to be 'cold' or 'tired'.

Always read the whole sentence before you decide. Every word in the sentence is a clue.

'It's' (with an apostrophe) is always short for 'it is' or 'it has'. 'Its' (no apostrophe) means belonging to it — for example, 'the cat licked its paw.'

Children often put an apostrophe in 'its' when they just mean belonging, because they have learnt that apostrophe + s shows belonging. The trick: swap in 'it is' and read the sentence. If it makes sense, use 'it's'. If it sounds wrong, use 'its' with no apostrophe.

Example: The dog wagged it's tail. → 'The dog wagged it is tail.' — that sounds wrong! So the correct word is 'its' with no apostrophe.

Many children circle the word 'like' in any sentence and call it a simile. This is an easy mistake to make — the word looks the same!

Remember: when 'like' means 'enjoy' or 'want', it is a verb, not a simile.

'I like swimming' — 'like' is a verb. No comparison. Not a simile. 'She swam like a dolphin' — 'like' compares her swimming to a dolphin. This is a simile.

Always check whether two different things are being compared before you decide.

Many children think they need to drop a letter when adding a prefix. For example, they write 'unahppy' or 'inable' instead of keeping the full root word.

The rule is simple: never change the spelling of the root word. Just stick the prefix straight onto the front.

'un' + 'happy' = 'unhappy' — keep both n's if the root starts with n: 'un' + 'natural' = 'unnatural'.

Say the word out loud slowly. If it sounds right with both letters, keep them both.