Words That Even Native Speakers Use Incorrectly

I often hear my students say they want to speak like a native, and I think to myself if only they knew that not all that glitters is gold. There are many words that even so called native speakers use incorrectly. My task is to help you speak even better than a native speaker🕺 Here are some examples of words used incorrectly.

"Poisonous" vs. "Venomous"

Something that's poisonous will harm you if you ingest/eat it, while something that is venomous will harm you if it bites you. For example, some plants are poisonous, while some snakes are venomous. However, you will hear many natives say "poisonous snake".

"Nauseous" vs. "Nauseated"

You might hear a native say, "I feel nauseous after a roller coaster-ride or a spin. However, they should say "nauseated". Something that causes nausea is "nauseous" and makes people feel "nauseated"🤷.

The mistake I highlighted is so common that some dictionaries even have a second definition for nauseous🤦🙄.

"Depraved" or "Deprived"

You are depraved when you do unthinkable bad things! For Example one could say Trump is depraved. But, if someone is deprived, it means they do not have something they need. For example, I am sleep deprived👀 .

"Infamous"

Some native speakers use the word "infamous" to mean very famous🤦 . However, if you are infamous, basically you are well known for bad things. For example Pablo Escobar is infamous😉.

....so maybe its better to speak better than a native, wouldn't you agree😉???






27 janvier 2020
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Kudzai Ramhewa

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Flag
Anglais
globe
Royaume-Uni
time
66
Parle:
Anglais
Langue maternelle
,
Français
A2
,
Allemand
PRICE SLASH🤸‍♂️🤸‍♂️🤸‍♂️ with a bubbly, certified and highly experienced QUALIFIED CAE/TOEFL/IELTS instructor🎁😎 You want to improve your English skills in a fun and relaxed way, then I am your person :). I graduated with a law degree and have lived in many countries. I enjoy reading about law, business, philosophy, current affairs and social trends. I am a hiker, traveller and cheerful soul. I have tutored many students from different countries with overwhelming positive results for over 4 years. I have tutored company CEO's to 6 year old darlings. I integrate humour with my tutoring material to create fun and engaging lessons. If you'd like to have stimulating conversations, GROUP LESSONS, share and debate ideas, prepare for a big job interview, improve your business English or study for IELTS /TOEFL/CAE then you've come to the right place. Hurry and book whilst my low price special lasts 🤸‍♂️
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