mistake
Very High (A2)Neutral. Used across formal, informal, academic, and everyday contexts.
Definition
Meaning
An action, decision, or judgment that is wrong or not correct.
A misconception or misunderstanding; a wrong action attributable to bad judgment, ignorance, or inattention. Can also refer to a grammatical or orthographic error.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies that the error could have been avoided with more care or knowledge. Less formal than 'error' but more formal than 'screw-up' or 'blunder'. Can carry a sense of regret or responsibility.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. 'Mistake' is slightly more common in everyday US English than 'error'. The phrase 'by mistake' is standard in both, but 'in mistake for' is rare and formal.
Connotations
In both varieties, it implies corrigibility and often personal responsibility. In UK English, 'to make a mistake' is the overwhelmingly standard collocation; US English also uses this heavily.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties. 'Mistake' is one of the first nouns learned for the concept of error.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to mistake sb/sth for sb/sthto make a mistake in doing sthto do sth by mistakethere is no mistaking sthVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “We all make mistakes.”
- “And no mistake! (UK, emphatic)”
- “Make no mistake about it...”
- “by mistake”
- “a case of mistaken identity”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Referring to strategic errors, accounting mistakes, or miscommunications that lead to loss.
Academic
Used for errors in reasoning, calculation, citation, or experimental method.
Everyday
Used for everyday errors like taking a wrong turn, forgetting a key, or adding salt instead of sugar.
Technical
In computing, a 'logic error' or 'bug' is often described as a 'programming mistake' in non-technical language.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I mistook your silence for agreement.
- There's no mistaking the urgency in his voice.
- She is often mistaken for her famous sister.
American English
- Don't mistake my kindness for weakness.
- I mistook the exit and got lost.
- You can't mistake that accent; it's pure Boston.
adverb
British English
- I mistakenly deleted the important file.
- He mistakenly believed the deadline was next week.
- The letter was mistakenly delivered to our house.
American English
- I mistakenly thought the meeting was cancelled.
- She mistakenly pressed 'send all'.
- The package was mistakenly left at the wrong apartment.
adjective
British English
- It was a mistaken belief that the shop opened on Sundays.
- He acted with mistaken loyalty.
- A mistaken identity led to his arrest.
American English
- That's a mistaken assumption on your part.
- She was the victim of a mistaken identity case.
- I apologize for my mistaken impression.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I'm sorry, I made a mistake with your order.
- It's okay to make mistakes when you're learning.
- I took your umbrella by mistake.
- His biggest mistake was not asking for help sooner.
- There must be some mistake on the bill.
- She realised her mistake and apologised immediately.
- The government's economic policy was a costly mistake.
- I mistook her confidence for arrogance at first.
- It would be a mistake to underestimate the difficulty of the task.
- The report is riddled with factual mistakes and unsubstantiated claims.
- His career was nearly ended by a single tactical mistake.
- There is no mistaking the artist's unique style.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'I take the wrong path – I MIS-TAKE.'
Conceptual Metaphor
Mistakes are often conceptualised as OBJECTS (make a mistake), PATHS (go down the wrong path), or BURDENS (learn from your mistakes, carry the weight of your mistakes).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'fault' as a direct synonym. 'Fault' (вина) implies blame for a bad situation, while 'mistake' is a specific incorrect action. 'Error' is more formal/technical. Do not say 'do a mistake' – always 'make a mistake'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: I did a mistake. | Correct: I made a mistake.
- Incorrect: It was mistake. | Correct: It was a mistake.
- Incorrect: I mistaken him for his brother. | Correct: I mistook him for his brother. / I mistakenly thought he was his brother.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the standard collocation?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Mistake' is more general and often implies personal responsibility or misjudgment. 'Error' is more formal, technical, or systemic (e.g., computer error, statistical error). In everyday language, 'mistake' is more common.
Yes. As a verb, it means 'to misunderstand or misidentify'. Its past tense is 'mistook' and past participle is 'mistaken'. Pattern: to mistake someone/something FOR someone/something else.
'By mistake' is the only correct prepositional phrase. 'On mistake' is incorrect. Example: 'I called the wrong number by mistake.'
Memorise the strong collocation 'make a mistake'. Practice the verb pattern 'mistake A for B'. Focus on its use in the context of learning and personal growth, as in 'learn from your mistakes'.