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Review four common English patterns: actually versus at the moment, for and since, prepositions in relative clauses, and where enough belongs.
Vanessa reviews four English patterns that she has noticed French speakers may transfer from French: actually, expressions of duration with for and since, a relative clause ending in a preposition, and the position of enough. Although the lesson is tailored to French speakers, the examples can help any learner notice these distinctions. She first contrasts actually with French actuel, explaining that actually means “in reality” or “in fact,” while at the moment means now. She models actually as a polite way to correct a mistaken assumption: someone thinks a drink is wine, and the speaker says, “Actually, it’s lemonade.”
The second point is how to describe how long someone has lived somewhere. Vanessa corrects “I live in the US since two years” to “I’ve been living in the US for two years.” Use for with a length of time, such as for two years or for five years; use since with a starting point, such as since 2022. She illustrates the pattern with the United States and London. The third point concerns the preposition in a relative clause. Instead of the awkward “the guy with who I was talking,” natural conversation usually puts the preposition at the end: “the guy who I was talking with.” The more formal “with whom” is grammatically possible but can sound unnecessarily formal in casual speech.
The final point is enough. With a noun, place enough before it: “I ate enough food” or “I drank enough wine.” With a verb and no following noun, enough can follow the verb: “I slept enough last night.” This distinction clarifies Vanessa’s quick explanation that enough comes after the verb: its position also depends on whether it modifies a noun. Learners can practise by correcting one example from each section, paying attention to meaning and word order rather than translating word-for-word. The video closes by asking whether viewers recognize these mistakes and whether the lesson was helpful.
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Select an expression for its meaning · 0:03
Introducing the lesson for French speakers
Hi, I'm Vanessa from Speak English with Vanessa dot com. Are you a French speaker? If not, you can still . Today I'll share four English grammar mistakes that Vanessa often hears from French speakers. Let's get started.
Try it: Which of the four topics would you most like to practise?
Phrase cheat sheet
Review each expression, hear it, save it, or jump to where it appears in the video.
Showing 12 of 12 phrases
Introducing the lesson for French speakers · expression
Gain something useful by watching the video.
Tone and use: Positive and encouraging. Use benefit from + noun to say what provides a useful result.
Example“You can benefit from listening to the examples twice.”
Contrasting actually with at the moment and modelling a polite correction · expression
In fact; used to clarify or gently correct an assumption.
Tone and use: Neutral and often tactful. Use it to introduce information that differs from what someone believes.
Example“Actually, the store closes at six.”
Contrasting actually with at the moment and modelling a polite correction · expression
According to what is true, rather than what someone assumed.
Tone and use: Neutral and clarifying. Use it to contrast an assumption with the facts.
Example“It looked like snow, but in reality it was ash.”
Contrasting actually with at the moment and modelling a polite correction · expression
At the present time; now.
Tone and use: Neutral and common. Use it to describe a temporary or current situation.
Example“I'm working from home at the moment.”
Correcting a duration with for and the present perfect progressive · expression
Throughout a period lasting two years.
Tone and use: Neutral and factual. Use for + a length of time to say how long something has continued.
Example“We've known each other for two years.”
Correcting a duration with for and the present perfect progressive · expression
A nonstandard attempt to express a two-year duration; standard English uses for two years.
Tone and use: Learner-error example, not a recommended phrase. Recognize it as the error Vanessa corrects; say for two years for a duration.
May not fit: Do not use since with a length of time; since normally takes a starting point.
Example“Say “I've lived here for two years,” not “since two years.””
Using for a duration in examples about the United States and London · expression
A present-perfect progressive question pattern asking about an ongoing residence.
Tone and use: Neutral and conversational. Use How long have you been living in + place to ask about duration up to now.
Example“How long have you been living in Chicago?”
Using for a duration in examples about the United States and London · expression
For a period with a duration of five years.
Tone and use: Neutral and factual. Use for + number + years to state a length of time.
Example“She has studied English for five years.”
Moving a preposition to the end of a relative clause · expression
A conversational way to identify the man someone had a conversation with.
Tone and use: Casual and natural in speech. Use who I was talking with in everyday conversation; the preposition stays at the end.
Example“That's the colleague who I was talking with earlier.”
Moving a preposition to the end of a relative clause · expression
A formal relative-clause form equivalent to who … with.
Tone and use: Formal and relatively uncommon in casual speech. Use it in formal writing or a deliberately formal style.
Example“The researcher with whom I spoke sent the report.”
Placing enough before a noun or after a verb · collocation
A sufficient quantity of food.
Tone and use: Neutral and common. Place enough before a noun: enough food, enough time, enough space.
Example“We brought enough food for everyone.”
Placing enough before a noun or after a verb · expression
Slept for a sufficient amount of time last night.
Tone and use: Everyday and neutral. Enough can follow a verb when it describes whether the action was sufficient.
Example“I didn't sleep enough last night.”
Knowledge check
What it means · “actually”