No Coming Back From These English Mistakes

You have a newly minted degree from IIT Delhi and an endearing smile. Your manager has high hopes for you. That is, until you utter “kindly do the needful” on your first day.  This is the sort of phrase that tends to bring conversations screeching to a halt.

Falling on western ears, “Hinglish” (that peculiarly Indian brand of not-Hindi-not-English) raises serious doubts about your ability to cross the language divide. 

To be sure, you may think American style English seems wrong, or even improper, at times.  But if you find the Americanisms hard to stomach, imagine your reader’s finger hovering over the delete button about to send your email to the bin.  Maybe that’s not exactly appealing either. There are plenty of online education sources that’ll help you get rid of national colloquialisms and make sure your English is as smooth and clear as possible, but it never hurts to take a look at lists of common mistakes. 

We’ve started at the top, with the worst mistakes to avoid.  Rest assured no one expects you to know flawless American-style English overnight.   Here’s what the language trainers should have taught you, before they all evidently stepped out to lunch. 

Top 10 Worst (Most Common) Mistakes

1. Hinglish: I haven’t received a contract till date
Correct English: “I haven’t received a contract yet” (for resumes, use Present in place of Till Date, for example “July, 2007 - Present”)

2. Hinglish: I’d like to prepone our meeting
Correct English: “I’d like to request we meet earlier than planned”

3. Hinglish: Today morning
Correct English: “This morning” (Similarly, “this evening”, “last night” or “yesterday evening”)

4. Hinglish: Kindly do the needful
Correct English: “Please take care of this matter”

5. Hinglish: I am knowing
Correct English: “I know” (Similarly, “I think”, or “I like”)

6. Hinglish: I am very much thankful
Correct English: “Thanks very much” or simply “thanks”

7. Hinglish: Myself and Jim discussed …
Correct English: “Jim and I discussed …”

8. Hinglish: Feedbacks, advices, timings
Correct English: “I would like to request your feedback…”, or, “confirm your timing…” (Rule: If you can’t count it, it shouldn’t be plural. Same goes for “software” and “equipment”, which are also both singular)

9. Hinglish: Feel unfortunate
Correct English: “Feel bad”

10. Hinglish: Revert the document
Correct English: “Send the document” or “Return the document”

Honorable Mention

11. Hinglish: Incase Sally has delays
Correct English: “In case there is a delay”

12. Hinglish: Put you across with other customers
Correct English: “Put you in touch with other customers