Grammar Pitfalls

• Engels
• MBO
• Studiejaar 1

English Skills: Grammar

Pitfalls (valkuilen)

Words that even native speakers find 

confusing

Mind your grammar!

Mind your punctuation!

Mind your spelling!

Woordvolgorde

De normale volgorde van woorden in het Engels is:

wie + doet + wat/wie + waar + wanneer

Sem works at Mc Donald's on Sundays.

My parents are going on holiday to Malta tomorrow.

I gave flowers to my girlfriend last week.

Word order: Time and Place

Je hebt geleerd dat een goede Engelse zin bestaat uit: 

WIE/DOET/WAT/WAAR/WANNEER

(onderwerp/werkwoorden/rest)

Dit is een vaste volgorde, dus leer het zinnetje hierboven uit je hoofd.

I/ am going / to visit my friend/ in Paris/ next week.
I=WIE/ am going=DOET/ to visit=WAT/my friend in Paris=WAAR/next week =WANNEER

Meervoud in het Engels

Bekijk de afbeelding nog een keer 

Basisregel - plural

In het Engels zet je een -s achter het woord 

om een meervoud (plural) te maken. 

one alligator  - two alligators 

one dog  - two dogs 

one spider  - two spiders 

one construction worker  - two construction workers 

 

 Let op !! 

Als een woord op een medeklinker + y eindigt wordt het -ies. 

one body - two bodies 

one baby - two babies 

maar eindigt een woord op -ay, -ey, -oy, -uy, 

dan blijft de -y en zet je er gewoon -s achter. 

one day - two days 

one guy - three guys 

 

Als het woord eindigt op -f/-ve verandert dat in -v/-ve. 

one knife - two knives 

one thief - two thieves

 Let op!

Als het woord eindigt op -f/-ve verandert dat in -v/-ve. 

one knife - two knives  / one thief - two thieves 

 Als het woord eindigt op een s-klank, dan zet je -es achter het woord. 

one kiss - two kisses  / one box - two boxes  / one church - four churches 

one bus - two buses 

  Als het woord eindigt op een medeklinker + o, wordt het -oes 

potato - potatoes  /hero - heroes.

English Skills: Grammar

To and Too

English Skills: Grammar

To and Too

To 

prepostion (voorzetsel)

Remember: 'Go to'

they both have one 'o'

Too 

adverb (bijwoord)

Remember: 

'I want dessert too'

two S's and two O's

to

too

We have __ much homework!

Let's go __London.

Do you like football __?

You don't have __ worry.

He gave it __ me.

He works __ earn money.

English Skills: Grammar

Then and Than

Then 

when you're talking about time

Than 

when you're making a comparison (vergelijking)

I ate three pies, then I was full.

I did that a lot back then.

An elephant is bigger than a mouse.

then

than

You are so much better at Science __ I am.

He earns more __ me.

If not now, __ when?

You don't have to worry __.

__ I will choose to go first.

I was living abroad __.

English Skills: Grammar

It's and Its

It's 

Contraction of 'it is' or 'it has'

Its 

possesive* form of 'it' (*bezittelijk)

It's great to see you.

It's been really good fun.

The tree dropped its leaves.

A robot recharged its battery.

it's

its

That's not __ box.

__ never enough for him.

That's not what __ like. 

__ nothing to worry about.

I chose this book, because I liked __ cover.

The dog is chasing __ tail.

English Skills: Grammar

You're and Your

You're 

Contraction of 'you are'

Your 

possesive* form of 'you' (*bezittelijk)

You're my best friend.

You're a great student.

Is this your bag?

I like your t-shirt.

you're

your

That's not __ job.

Where is __ house?

That's not what __ like. 

__ mum was very kind to me.

Do you know where __ going?

__ not going to believe this.

English Skills: Grammar

There, They're and Their

There 

place

Their

possesive* form of 'they' (*bezittelijk)

Is this their bag?

I like their t-shirts.

They're 

contraction of 'they are'

He is over there.

I live there.

They're over there.

They're on holiday.

English Skills: Grammar

Where, We're and Were

Where 

place

Were

past tense of 'are' 

We were on holiday.

We're 

contraction of 'we are'

Where do you live?

We're going home now.

___ was nothing they could do about it.

1. There
2. Their
3. They're

_1_ going to love going _2_,
I heard _3_ food is the best!

1. 1 =Their, 2=there, 3 =they're
2. 1=There, 2=their, 3=they're
3. 1=They're, 2=there, 3=their
4. 1=They're, 2=their, 3=there

You made it around the track in under a minute, ____ fast!

1. your
2. you're

___ really hard to tell the difference between a jaguar and a leopard.

1. It's
2. Its

The company sold less cars ___ they did last year.

1. then
2. than

I know _1_ the cinema is. _2_ just down there on the left.

1. 1=were,2=It's
2. 1=where, 2=It's
3. 1=where, 2=Its
4. 1=we're, 2=Its

I wouldn't do that if I ___ you.

1. where
2. we're
3. were

The museum needs to update ___ online schedule for summer.

1. it's
2. its

My friend drove me ___ my doctor's appointment.

1. to
2. too

First we went through customs and ___ we picked up our luggage.

1. then
2. than

We _1_ lost in the middle of Timbuktu. No one knew _2_ we _3_. Next time we travel, _4_ going to bring along a map.

1. 1=were, 2=where, 3=were, 4=we're
2. 1=were, 2=we're, 3=where, 4=were
3. 1=where, 2=were, 3=where, 4=we're
4. 1=where, 2=where, 3=were, 4=were

I don't know how ___ do these exercises. Can you help?

1. to
2. too