Common Errors - Wrong

wrong

adjective

BAD: The belief that Spanish is easy to learn is wrong. 

GOOD: The belief that Spanish is easy to learn is mistaken. 

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To describe a belief or idea that is wrong although people do not know it is wrong, use mistaken : 'Some people have the mistaken idea that cats need to drink milk.' 'I'm afraid you must be mistaken.'

Common Errors - Year

year

noun

1

BAD: I've been playing the piano since I was seven years.

GOOD: I've been playing the piano since I was seven.

GOOD: I've been playing the piano since I was seven years old.

GOOD: I've been playing the piano since I was seven years of age.

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When stating someone's age, use just a number on its own OR a number + years old/years of age (NOT years ): 'I'm almost eighteen.' 'My sister is fifteen years old.' 

2

BAD: Robert was a little boy of ten years.

GOOD: Robert was a little boy of ten.

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a boy/girl/son etc  + of  + number (WITHOUT years ): 'a child of six', 'a man of fifty'

3

See AGE 2 (↑age), 6, 7

4

See OLD 1 (↑old), 2 

5

See RECENT (↑recent)

Common Errors - Yearly

yearly

adjective

BAD: More houses are built yearly.

GOOD: More houses are built every year.

BAD: Thousands of people die from cancer yearly.

GOOD: Thousands of people die from cancer every year.

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Yearly usually means that something is done or takes place once a year: 'The interest is paid yearly or, if you prefer, every six months.' 'The front of the house was getting its yearly coat of white paint.'

Yearly is also used to connect a total number or amount with a period of one year: 'We were manufacturing and selling about 20,000 tonnes yearly.' 'The yearly catch rose to a peak of 52,000 tonnes.'

When you simply want to say that something happens 'all the time', use every year or each year (NOT yearly ): 'The country's tourist industry is growing every year.'

Common Errrs - Yet

yet

adverb

1

BAD: He left the house at five in the morning, when the family was yet asleep.

GOOD: He left the house at five in the morning, when the family was still asleep.

BAD: I've only been here two weeks and everything is strange yet.

GOOD: I've only been here two weeks and everything is still strange.

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Yet means 'up to the moment of speaking' and is used mainly in questions and negative sentences: 'Do you feel any better yet?' 'The post office isn't open yet.'

When you want to say that an earlier state or situation has not changed, use still : 'I've taken the medicine but I still feel terrible.' 'Does Hilary still go to the same school?'

2

BAD: I didn't finish my thesis yet.

GOOD: I haven't finished my thesis yet.

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Yet  (= up to the moment of speaking) is usually used with the present or present perfect tense (NOT the past tense): 'Has the taxi arrived yet?' 'Is the taxi here yet?' 

3

See note at BUT (↑but)

Common Errors - Yours

yours

pronoun

1

BAD: Dear Mary ... Yours faithfully ...

GOOD: Dear Mary ... Yours/With love/With best wishes ...

BAD: Dear John, ... Yours sincerely ...

GOOD: Dear John, ... Yours/With love/With best wishes ...

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Yours faithfully  and Yours sincerely are used only in formal letters.

At the end of a letter to a friend or relative, use Yours, With love, With best wishes, etc. 

2

BAD: Dear Sir, ... Yours,

GOOD: Dear Sir, ... Yours faithfully,

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When a formal letter begins with Dear Sir or Dear Madam , it usually ends with Yours faithfully .

Common Errors - Youth

youth

noun

BAD: There'll be a lot of youths at the party and so you should be able to enjoy yourself.

GOOD: There'll be a lot of young people at the party and so you should be able to enjoy yourself.

BAD: Life in a city is more interesting for the youth because there are more things to do.

GOOD: Life in a city is more interesting for young people because there are more things to do.

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Youth  (countable) is used, often in a disapproving way, to refer to a boy/young man between the ages of about fifteen and twenty: 'He was attacked and robbed by a gang of youths.' 

Youth  (uncountable) is used mainly in formal styles to refer to all young people considered as a group in society: 'The youth of industrialized nations need to be made aware of global problems.'

The usual phrase for 'people between the ages of about fifteen and twenty' is young people : 'These holidays are designed for young people like yourselves.'

Proverbs - U & V

Union is strength

☆ Meaning:
A group has more force than an individual.