Common Mistake: 'arrive' + proper noun ('arrive in' + proper noun)

One common mistake that many English language learners make is using the verb 'arrive' incorrectly when referring to a specific location. Oftentimes, people will say 'arrive' followed directly by a proper noun, such as a city or country name. However, the correct usage is to use either 'arrive in' or 'arrive at' before the proper noun, depending on the context.

Arrive in

We use 'arrive in' when we are talking about arriving in a larger area, such as a city, country, or region.

• Correct: I arrived in New York yesterday.
• Incorrect: I arrived New York yesterday.

In the above example, 'arrive in' is used because New York is a city, which is a larger area where we can 'arrive'.

Arrive at

We use 'arrive at' when we are talking about arriving at a specific location within a larger area, such as a building, airport, or train station.

• Correct: We arrived at the airport just in time for our flight.
• Incorrect: We arrived the airport just in time for our flight.

In this example, 'arrive at' is used because the airport is a specific location within the larger area of the city.

So, the next time you're talking about arriving somewhere, remember to use 'arrive in' for larger areas and 'arrive at' for specific locations within those areas. It's a small grammatical detail that can make a big difference in your English language skills!

On a side note, if you want to improve your English grammar and avoid such mistakes, you can try using the Linguix grammar checker. It's an excellent tool that can help you enhance your writing skills and catch any errors before they go unnoticed.