21 English mistakes Hindi-speaking children make, and the fix for each

Word order errors

Hindi places the verb last. English places it after the subject. Almost every long-sentence error in a Hindi-speaking child traces back to this.

The child writes	Correct	The fix
I school go.	I go to school.	Action comes straight after who does it.
Yesterday I my homework did.	I did my homework yesterday.	Time words move to the end in English.
Why you are late?	Why are you late?	In questions, the helper comes before the person.
He told that he will come.	He said that he would come.	Tell needs a person: he told me. Otherwise use said.

Article errors

Hindi has no a, an or the. These are pure habit and take the longest to fix. Expect them to persist after everything else is right.

The child writes	Correct	The fix
I am going to market.	I am going to the market.	A specific place both of you know takes the.
She is teacher.	She is a teacher.	A job title always takes a or an.
I have a homework.	I have homework.	Homework, work, advice and furniture never take a.
He is an university student.	He is a university student.	Follow the sound. University begins with a y sound.

Tense errors

The child writes	Correct	The fix
I am knowing the answer.	I know the answer.	Know, like, want and understand are never used with ing.
I am living here since 2019.	I have been living here since 2019.	Since or for needs the have been shape.
Yesterday I have gone to Delhi.	Yesterday I went to Delhi.	A finished time word means simple past.
He did not came.	He did not come.	After did, the verb goes back to its plain form.
When I will reach, I will call.	When I reach, I will call.	After when, use the present even about the future.

Preposition errors

Prepositions do not map between the two languages, so they must be learned as fixed pairs rather than worked out.

The child writes	Correct	The fix
I am angry on him.	I am angry with him.	Angry with a person, angry about a thing.
Discuss about the topic.	Discuss the topic.	Discuss never takes about.
I am waiting your reply.	I am waiting for your reply.	Wait always takes for.
Good in maths.	Good at maths.	Good at a skill or subject.
Married with him.	Married to him.	Married takes to.

Verb and helper errors

The child writes	Correct	The fix
Myself Rahul.	I am Rahul. / My name is Rahul.	Common in introductions and marked wrong every time.
I am having two brothers.	I have two brothers.	Have for possession is never used with ing.
Everyone are ready.	Everyone is ready.	Everyone, everybody and each are singular.
He do not like it.	He does not like it.	He, she and it take does.
Give me one pen.	Give me a pen.	Use one only when the number matters.

How to correct without discouraging

Twenty-one errors is a list for you, not for your child. Handing this list to a child produces paralysis, not accuracy.

• One error per session. Pick the one that appears most often in their writing this week. Work on only that until it stops.
• Name the cause, not the mistake. "In Hindi the verb goes last, in English it comes second" teaches a rule. "That is wrong" teaches nothing.
• Keep an error notebook. One page, their own errors, written correctly. Before any test, they read only that page.
• Let the small ones go for now. Missing articles in a sentence that is otherwise correct is a sign of progress, not failure.

For the underlying habit that prevents most of these in the first place, see our guide to building an English sentence from a Hindi thought.