____ are not used in expressions of time?
Common errors–miscellaneous
Incorrect: My hairs are grey.
Correct: My hair is grey.
Hair is an uncountable noun in English and as such it does not have a plural form.
Incorrect: I availed of this
opportunity.
Correct: I availed myself of this
opportunity.
Incorrect: I enjoyed during the holidays.
Correct: I enjoyed myself during the holidays.
To talk about having a good time, we use enjoy yourself, enjoy myself etc.
Incorrect: He is guilty, isn’t it?
Correct: He is guilty, isn’t he?
Incorrect: The gold is a precious metal.
Correct: Gold is a precious metal.
Material nouns are used without articles.
Incorrect: It is raining for four hours.
Correct: It has been raining for four hours.
To talk about an event that started in the past and has been continuing up to the present, we use a present perfect continuous tense.
Incorrect: Work hard lest you
may fail.
Correct: Work hard lest you
should fail.
The only auxiliary verb that can be used after lest is should.
Incorrect: Please describe us
your wife.
Correct: Please describe your wife to us.
Incorrect: Could you suggest me a good dentist?
Correct: Could you suggest a good dentist to me?
The verbs explain, suggest and describe cannot be used with the structure indirect object +
direct object.
Incorrect: He is cleverest of the four brothers.
Correct: He is the cleverest of the four brothers.
We use the article the with superl- ative adjectives.
Incorrect: Choose the best of the two options.
Correct: Choose the better of the two options.
When a group has just two members, we use the comparative instead of the superlative.
Errors in the use of nouns
Here are some mistakes students often make in the use of nouns.
Incorrect: She likes to feed the poors.
Correct: She likes to feed the poor.
Incorrect: He is working for the blinds.
Correct: He is working for the blind.
Expressions like the poor, the blind, the deaf etc., are always plural. We don’t have to make their plu- ral forms by adding –s to them.
Incorrect: I told these news to my father.
Correct: I told this news to my father.
News is a singular uncountable noun. Therefore it has to be used with a singular determiner.
Incorrect: The teacher gave us many advices.
Correct: The teacher gave us some advice.
Advice is an uncountable noun. It does not have a plural form. The determiner many is only used with plural countable nouns.
Incorrect: I have a five dollars note.
Correct: I have a five dollar note.
Incorrect: She has bought two dozens apples.
Correct: She has bought two dozen apples.
Incorrect: I saw many deers in the jungle.
Correct: I saw many deer in the jungle.
The nouns sheep and deer have ide- ntical singular and plural forms.
Incorrect: Bring me some bloating.
Correct: Bring me some bloating paper.
Incorrect: The boy is in the boarding.
Correct: The boy is in the boarding house.
Incorrect: Please put your sign here.
Correct: Please put your signature here.
Incorrect: She is my cousin sister.
Correct: She is my cousin.
Expressions like cousin sister and cousin brother are wrong.
Errors in the use of prepositions
Some verbs are directly followed by direct objects without prepos- itions. Examples are: discuss, enter, marry, lack, resemble and approach.
Incorrect: My father loves with me.
Correct: My father loves me.
Incorrect: We reached at the airport.
Correct: We reached the airport.
Incorrect: He ordered for my dismissal.
Correct: He ordered my dismissal.
Incorrect: John married with his cousin.
Correct: John married his cousin.
Incorrect: Jane entered into the room.
Correct: Jane entered the room.
Prepositions are not used in expressions of time beginning next, last, this, one, each, every, some, any and all.
Incorrect: See you on next Monday.
Correct: See you next Monday.
Incorrect: I will be rich on someday.
Correct: I will be rich someday.
Incorrect: We met on one Friday in February.
Correct: We met one Friday in February.
Prepositions are not used directly before the conjunction that.
Incorrect: I knew about that she had decided to quit.
Correct: I knew that she had decided to quit. OR I knew about her decision to quit.
Incorrect: I had no idea of that she had problems.
Correct: I had no idea that she had problems. OR I had no idea of her problems.
Prepositions are not normally used before infinitives in English.
Incorrect: I am thinking of to write
a novel.
Correct: I am thinking of writing
a novel.
Incorrect: I don’t like the idea of to get old.
Correct: I don’t like the idea of getting old.
Incorrect: She is very good at to cook.
Correct: She is very good at cooking.
Adjectives or adverbs – what to use?
Adjectives
Adjectives are used to modify nouns. They are placed directly before the noun they modify.
Examples are:
She is a nice girl.
That was a lovely song.
He is an intelligent boy.
Alice is an excellent actor.
I bought an expensive watch.
I want to buy a new car.
Adjectives can also go after the verb ‘be’. In this case, the adjective describes the subject of the sentence.
Examples are:
Alice is beautiful. (Here the adje- ctive beautiful describes the subject she.)
Susie was upset. (Here the adjective upset describes the subject Susie.)
John was very tired. (Here the adjective tired describes the subject John.)
Jane was excited. (Here the adjective excited describes the noun Jane.)
Adjectives can also be used with verbs like feel, taste, smell, sound, appear and seem.
The fish tasted delicious.
Alice seemed upset.
Adverbs
Adverbs are used to modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. Most adverbs end in –ly. Of course, there are a few exceptions.
Most adverbs are formed from adjectives.
Adjective – nice / adverb – nicely
Adjective – quick / adverb – quickly
Most words that indicate time and place are also adverbs. Examples are: now, then, soon, yesterday, today, last week, upstairs, outside etc.
Adverbs can go in different positions in a sentence.
At the beginning of a clause
Tomorrow I have got a meeting.
Yesterday I had a strange experience.
At the end of a clause
I have got a meeting tomorrow.
I met John yesterday.
Adverbs can also go in mid position – after the auxiliary verbs and before other verbs.
I often get headaches.
He is always late for work.
Use of Indefinite / Definite Articles (the, a, an)
The correct use of the articles is one of the most difficult points in English grammar. Fortunately, most article mistakes aren’t serious. Nonetheless, learning the correct usage of articles is essential because they show your mastery over the language.
Here are the most important rules.
A singular countable noun always takes an article or another deter miner with it. For example, we can say a dog, the dog, that dog or my dog, but not dog.
Use the indefinite article (a,an) when introducing a person or thing.
I saw a girl in the toy store.
Use the definite article (the) in subse- quent references to that person or thing.
The girl was crying. (NOT A girl was crying.)
Use the indefinite article (a, an) to refer to a person or thing not known to the reader or the writer.
She is going out with a French guy.
Use the definite article to refer to a person or thing known to the reader and the writer.
I have been to the doctor. (In this case, both the listener and the speaker know the doctor in question.)
You must consult a doctor. (Any doctor)
Use no articles with uncountable or plural nouns to talk about things in general.
Computers are useful. (NOT The computers are useful.)
Life is beautiful. (NOT The life is beautiful.) (NOT (A life is beautiful.)
Exceptions
Sometimes we talk about things in general by using ‘the’ with a singular countable noun. This is common with the names of scien- tific and musical instruments.
Who is playing the piano?
Exercise
Complete the following sentences.
1. ……….. teacher must have patience. (a / the)
2. Who invented …………….. telephone? (a / the)
3. She is ……… engineer. (an / the)
4. We hired ………………………. car to go to Scotland. (a / the)
Answers
1. A teacher must have patience.
2. Who invented the telephone?
3. She is an engineer.
4. We hired a car to go to Scotland.
– B.Vivekananda
Sr. Faculty
Hyderabad
9912343401
