Look at these real mistakes from people learning to speak English. Try to understand what they accidentally ACTUALLY said, and also what they were TRYING to say.

1. My sister exploded in the microwave with a potato!
   
   ~This sentence actually means:

   1.   ?    My sister put a potato in the microwave and the microwave exploded into many pieces.
   2.   ?    My sister put a potato in the microwave and the potato exploded into many pieces.
   3.   ?    My sister exploded into many pieces while she was in the microwave with a potato.
   4.   ?    My sister put a microwave into a potato which then exploded.

2. My sister exploded in the microwave with a potato!
   
   ~What do you think they were TRYING to say?

   1.   ?    My sister put a potato in the microwave and the microwave exploded into many pieces.
   2.   ?    My sister put a potato in the microwave and the potato exploded into many pieces.
   3.   ?    My sister exploded into many pieces while she was in the microwave with a potato.
   4.   ?    My sister put a microwave into a potato which then exploded.

3. Should I have reservations about that restaurant?
   
   ~This sentence ACTUALLY means:

   1.   ?    Should I reserve a place to build my restaurant?
   2.   ?    Do I need to call and make reservations to eat at that restaurant?
   3.   ?    Should I have serious concerns about eating at that restaurant?
   4.   ?    Do I need a restaurant in order to eat?

4. Should I have reservations about that restaurant?
   
   ~What do you think they were TRYING to say?

   1.   ?    Should I reserve a place to build my restaurant?
   2.   ?    Do I need to call and make reservations to eat at that restaurant?
   3.   ?    Should I have serious concerns about eating at that restaurant?
   4.   ?    Do I need a restaurant in order to eat?

5. My leg has been breaking for three weeks.
   
   ~This sentence ACTUALLY means:

   1.   ?    My leg has been broken for three weeks.
   2.   ?    My leg broke me for three weeks.
   3.   ?    My leg started breaking three weeks ago, and it is still in the process of breaking.
   4.   ?    My leg breaks every three weeks.

6. My leg has been breaking for three weeks.
   
   ~What do you think they were TRYING to say?

   1.   ?    My leg has been broken for three weeks.
   2.   ?    My leg broke me for three weeks.
   3.   ?    My leg started breaking three weeks ago, and it is still in the process of breaking.
   4.   ?    My leg breaks every three weeks.

7. Next, put the cabbages in salt water. Then sit in the sink until the morning.
   
   ~This sentence ACTUALLY means:

   1.   ?    You should put your sink into salt water and then keep adding cabbages until the morning.
   2.   ?    You should put the cabbages in the ocean and then let them sink until the morning.
   3.   ?    You should put the cabbages in salt water and then you should leave them there in the sink until the morning.
   4.   ?    You should put the cabbages in salt water and then you should sit in the sink and stay there until the morning.

8. 
   Next, put the cabbages in salt water. Then sit in the sink until the morning.
   
   What do you think they were TRYING to say?

   1.   ?    You should put your sink into salt water and then keep adding cabbages until the morning.
   2.   ?    You should put the cabbages in the ocean and then let them sink until the morning.
   3.   ?    You should put the cabbages in salt water and let them soak in the sink until the morning.
   4.   ?    You should put the cabbages in salt water and then you should sit in the sink and stay there until the morning.

9. My father is a highly rank government official.
   
   ~This sentence ACTUALLY means:

   1.   ?    My father ranks government officials highly.
   2.   ?    My father is a government official who smells really bad.
   3.   ?    My father is high ranking government official.
   4.   ?    My father is ranking high government officials.

10. My father is a highly rank government official.
    
    ~What do you think they were TRYING to say?

    1.   ?    My father ranks government officials highly.
    2.   ?    My father is a government official who smells really bad.
    3.   ?    My father is a high ranking government official.
    4.   ?    My father is ranking high government officials.

11. My heart is pounding me so hard!
    
    ~This sentence ACTUALLY means:
    

    1.   ?    My heart is beating very fast and hard!
    2.   ?    It is hard for my heart to lose weight!
    3.   ?    My heart is hitting me very hard!
    4.   ?    My heart is hardly beating!

12. My heart is pounding me so hard!
    
    ~What do you think they were TRYING to say?

    1.   ?    My heart is beating very fast and hard!
    2.   ?    It is hard for my heart to lose weight!
    3.   ?    My heart is hitting me very hard!
    4.   ?    My heart is hardly beating!

13. It is important to me to prevent my children from not smoking.
    
    ~This sentence ACTUALLY means:

    1.   ?    It is important to me to make sure my child does not become a cigarette.
    2.   ?    It is important to me to make sure my child never starts a fire.
    3.   ?    It is important to me to make sure my child smokes cigarettes.
    4.   ?    It is important to me to make sure my child doesn't ever smoke cigarettes.

14. It is important to me to prevent my children from not smoking.
    
    ~What do you think they were TRYING to say?

    1.   ?    It is important to me to make sure my child does not become a cigarette.
    2.   ?    It is important to me to make sure my child never starts a fire.
    3.   ?    It is important to me to make sure my child smokes.
    4.   ?    It is important to me to make sure my child doesn't ever smoke.

15. Last night friends visited and we served a nice pig dinner.
    
    ~This sentence ACTUALLY means:

    1.   ?    Last night my friends came to our house and we gave dinner to a nice pig.
    2.   ?    Last night my friends came to our house and they brought a nice pork dinner.
    3.   ?    Last night my friends came to our house and we gave them a nice pork dinner.
    4.   ?    Last night my friends came to our house and they gave dinner to a nice pig.

16. Last night friends visited and we served a nice pig dinner.
    
    ~What do you think they were TRYING to say?

    1.   ?    Last night my friends came to our house and we gave dinner to a nice pig.
    2.   ?    Last night my friends came to our house and they brought a nice pork dinner.
    3.   ?    Last night my friends came to our house and we made a nice pork dinner for them.
    4.   ?    Last night my friends came to our house and they gave dinner to a nice pig.

17. Many people in England wore beavers and other big rodents like the French.
    
    ~This sentence ACTUALLY means:

    1.   ?    Many people in England, like people in France, wore clothes made of fur from beavers and other big rodents.
    2.   ?    Many people in England, like people in France, wore beavers and other big rodents.
    3.   ?    Many people in England wore beavers and they also wore other big rodents such as the French.
    4.   ?    Many English beavers like to wear French rodents.

18. Many people in England wore beavers and other big rodents like the French.
    
    ~What do you think they were TRYING to say?

    1.   ?    Many people in England, like people in France, wore clothes made of fur from beavers and other big rodents.
    2.   ?    Many people in England, like people in France, wore beavers and other big rodents.
    3.   ?    Many people in England wore beavers and they also wore other big rodents such as the French.
    4.   ?    Many English beavers like to wear French rodents.

19. I saw some friends at the mall Saturday. I said "Hello. hey guys, how's it going?" Then I passed away.
    
    
    ~This sentence ACTUALLY means:

    1.   ?    I saw some friends at the mall Saturday. I said "Hello. hey guys, how's it going?" Then I died.
    2.   ?    I saw some friends at the mall Saturday. I said "Hello. hey guys, how's it going?" Then I passed by them.
    3.   ?    I saw some friends at the mall Saturday. I said "Hello. hey guys, how's it going?" Then I threw a football to them.
    4.   ?    I saw some friends at the mall Saturday. I said "Hello. hey guys, how's it going?" Then I went to to the restroom.

20. I saw some friends at the mall Saturday. I said "Hello. hey guys, how's it going?" Then I passed away.
    
    ~What do you think they were TRYING to say?

    1.   ?    I saw some friends at the mall Saturday. I said "Hello. hey guys, how's it going?" Then I died.
    2.   ?    I saw some friends at the mall Saturday. I said "Hello. hey guys, how's it going?" Then I walked by them.
    3.   ?    I saw some friends at the mall Saturday. I said "Hello. hey guys, how's it going?" Then I threw a football to them.
    4.   ?    I saw some friends at the mall Saturday. I said "Hello. hey guys, how's it going?" Then I went to to the restroom.

21. In our culture, we don't usually make eye contacts with strangers.
    
    ~This sentence ACTUALLY means:

    1.   ?    In our culture, we don't usually look into the eyes of people we don't know.
    2.   ?    In our culture, we don't usually make corrective lenses for improved vision with people we don't know.
    3.   ?    In our culture, we don't usually touch people we don't know in the eye.
    4.   ?    In our cutlure, we don't usually look at strange people.

22. In our culture, we don't usually make eye contacts with strangers.
    
    ~What do you think they were TRYING to say?

    1.   ?    In our culture, we don't usually look into the eyes of people we don't know.
    2.   ?    In our culture, we don't usually make corrective lenses for improved vision with people we don't know.
    3.   ?    In our culture, we don't usually touch people we don't know in the eye.
    4.   ?    In our cutlure, we don't usually look at strange people.

23. Julia Roberts' mouth is bigger than most Hollywood actresses.
    
    ~This sentence ACTUALLY means:

    1.   ?    Julia Roberts' mouth is larger than the mouth of most Hollywood acresses.
    2.   ?    Most Hollywood actresses are smaller than Julia Roberts mouth.
    3.   ?    Most Hollywood mouths are smaller than Julia Roberts.
    4.   ?    Julia Roberts' mouth is an actress larger than most of Hollywood.

24. Julia Roberts' mouth is bigger than most Hollywood actresses.
    
    ~What do you think they were TRYING to say?

    1.   ?    Julia Roberts' mouth is larger than the mouth of most Hollywood acresses.
    2.   ?    Most Hollywood actresses are smaller than Julia Roberts mouth.
    3.   ?    Most Hollywood mouths are smaller than Julia Roberts.
    4.   ?    Julia Roberts' mouth is an actress larger than most of Hollywood.

25. My mother is an inferior decorator.
    
    ~This sentence ACTUALLY means:

    1.   ?    My mother is a terrible decorator.
    2.   ?    My mother's job is decorating people's houses.
    3.   ?    My mother is a terrible government leader.
    4.   ?    My mother's job is to be a government leader.

26. My mother is an inferior decorator.
    
    ~What do you think they were TRYING to say?

    1.   ?    My mother is a terrible decorator.
    2.   ?    My mother's job is decorating people's houses.
    3.   ?    My mother is a terrible government leader.
    4.   ?    My mother's job is to be a government leader.

27. This morning I was walking outside when suddenly a big shower fell on me!
    
    ~This sentence ACTUALLY means:

    1.   ?    This morning I was walking outside when suddenly a big bathroom shower fell on me!.
    2.   ?    This morning I was walking outside when suddenly it started raining on me!
    3.   ?    This morning I was walking outside when suddenly I fell down in the shower.
    4.   ?    This morning I was walking outside with my shower and suddenly it fell down.

28. This morning I was walking outside when suddenly a big shower fell on me!
    
    ~What do you think they were TRYING to say?

    1.   ?    This morning I was walking outside when suddenly a big bathroom shower fell on me!.
    2.   ?    This morning I was walking outside when suddenly it started raining on me!
    3.   ?    This morning I was walking outside when suddenly I fell down in the shower.
    4.   ?    This morning I was walking outside with my shower and suddenly it fell down.

29. When I am alone, I like to sing songs really loud in a piano. But if someone is in the room I'm usually embraced.
    
    ~This sentence ACTUALLY means:

    1.   ?    When I am alone, I like to get inside a piano and sing songs really loudly. But if someone is in the room, I am usually hugged.
    2.   ?    When I am alone, I like to play piano and sing songs really loudly. But if someone is in the room, I am usually really shy.
    3.   ?    When I am alone, I like to get inside the piano and sing songs really loudly. But if someone is in the room, I am usually shy.
    4.   ?    When I am alone, I like to play piano and sing songs really loudly. But if someone is in the room, I am usually hugged.

30. When I am alone, I like to sing songs really loud in a piano. But if someone is in the room I'm usually embraced.
    
    ~What do you think they were TRYING to say?

    1.   ?    When I am alone, I like to get inside a piano and sing songs really loudly. But if someone is in the room, I am usually hugged.
    2.   ?    When I am alone, I like to play piano and sing songs really loudly. But if someone is in the room, I am usually really shy.
    3.   ?    When I am alone, I like to get inside the piano and sing songs really loudly. But if someone is in the room, I am usually shy.
    4.   ?    When I am alone, I like to play piano and sing songs really loudly. But if someone is in the room, I am usually hugged.