11 Common conversation mistakes about Exams!

Have you noticed your friend telling you that he is going to give the board exam? Or Have you noticed your brother asking you, when would your teacher take your written test? These are some very common conversation mistakes that we commit while talking about exams or studies in our academic life.

Read in to find out more such mistakes and the right sentence to speak in each situation:

Mistake 1: He gave a speech which received nationwide attention.  
Right thing to say: He made a speech which received nationwide attention.

Mistake 2: After getting married, she decided to give the exam.
Right thing to say: After getting married, she decided to take the exam.

Giving and Taking are both correct in context of exams but are used in different ways.

If you are giving an examination, it means that you most likely are a teacher or supervisor who is conducting an examination.

But, taking an exam is an activity that refers to the students or the ones who are appearing in the exam.

So, a teacher gives an exam, while students take the exam.

Mistake 3: There is no other alternative.
Right thing to say: There is no alternative.

Mistake 4: She has learnt the speech word by word.
Right thing to say: She has learnt the speech word for word.

The phrase "Word by word" means "one word at a time" while "Word for word" describes the relationship between two sets of words.

When you repeatedly say or recite something exactly as said or written by someone else, this means you memorize it word for word. But,  when you read or learn something "word by word", you read it one after the other  or sequentially.

Word for word shows accuracy while word by word is about the method you use to learn something.

Mistake 5: Sagar is good in English. He can easily communicate with our foreign clients.  
Right thing to say: Sagar is good at English. He can easily communicate with our foreign clients.  

'To be good at something' shows that you excel at doing certain things or activities. But, being good in something shows your speciality or ability in doing the things.

Mistake 6: Kiran secured only passing marks in English.
Right thing to say: Kiran secured only pass marks in English.

Mistake 7: Hardworking children have a thirst of knowledge.
Right thing to say: Hardworking children have a thirst for knowledge.

Mistake 8: My daughter pays more attention to music than study.  
Right thing to say: My daughter pays more attention to music than to study.

Mistake 9: It is impossible to score cent percent marks in English grammar.
Right thing to say: It is impossible to score hundred percent marks in English grammar.

When we actually intend to say, 100% or for sure, we often say "cent percent". This is actually not the correct thing to say.

So, if you mean he scored full marks, say he scored "hundred percent" marks.

Mistake 10: He is fail in all the subjects.
Right thing to say: He has failed in all the subjects.

Mistake 11: You can have a simple answer of this question.
Right thing to say: You can have a simple answer to this question.