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Thursday, August 9, 2012

IS IT CORRECT? - 3 - I came in New York 2 months ago.

All language learners around the world make mistakes. Have you ever felt your teacher’s corrections do not have a long-lasting effect? Are you frustrated that even though your teacher corrects you, once you leave the class you keep making the same mistakes? We understand how you feel and will help you eliminate mistakes you might be making. The purpose of this section is to address common mistakes many students from different countries make in English and briefly explain why they are incorrect. Once you understand why they are incorrect, it might be easier for you to avoid them!
IS IT CORRECT?
EPISODE 3

 MISTAKE:
I came in New York 2 months ago.

CORRECTION:
I came to New York 2 months ago.

Both “come in” and “come to” can mean “arrive” or “enter”, which is why the mistake above is so common. However, “come in” is used when someone is entering a room or a building, rather than a city or a country. It also refers more to the aspect of entering the place rather than visiting.

That’s why it’s OK to say:
“Please, come in.”
You hear someone knock on the door and you are encouraging this person to go through the door and enter the office or apartment.
But it is not OK to say:
“I’m throwing a party this weekend. Can you come in?”
In this sentence you want someone to visit you, not simply go through the door. You should say:
“I’m throwing a party this weekend. Can you come?”
or
“I’m throwing a party this weekend. Can you come to my place?” (here: place = apartment/house)
If you have other questions, e-mail me at: ania@nylanguagecenter.com
Ania Necakov - Academic Coordinator NYLC Jackson Heights

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