English Grammar | This had been going on for a long time

March 20, 2023 / 04:13 PM IST

Common mistakes with pronouns

మార్చి 13 తరువాయి

Correct Use of Some Adverbs

Explanation

These are fixed expressions and should be used like that.
Incorrect: He puts his money in a silver box.
Correct: He keeps his money in a silver box.
Explanation
‘Keep’ refers to a more or less permanent resting place. ‘Put’ refers to a temporary resting place.
Compare:
He put the money in his pocket. (Temporary)
He kept the money in a wooden case. (More or less permanent)
He put the book on the table. (The book won’t remain there for long.)
Incorrect: He asked had we taken our food.
Correct: He asked if we had taken our food. OR He asked whether we had taken our food.
Incorrect: I am not sure will I have time.
Correct: I am not sure if I will have time.
Incorrect: I asked whether had she any letters for me.
Correct: I asked whether she had any letters for me.
Explanation
Indirect yes/no questions are usually introduced by ‘If’ (or) ‘whether’. Note that in an indirect question we put the subject before the verb.
Incorrect: He said that he saw her last year.
Correct: He said that he had seen her last year.
Incorrect: I could not meet him because he went out before I arrived.
Correct: I could not meet him because he had gone out before I arrived.
Incorrect: He got angry even before I said a word.
Correct: He got angry even before I had said a word.
Incorrect: There I met a man who was my classmate ten years ago.
Correct: There I met a man who had been my classmate ten years ago.
Incorrect: This was going on for a long time.
Correct: This had been going on for a long time.
Explanation
These are examples of the failure to use past perfect tense when the time of one past action is more past than that of another.
Incorrect: I will call you when dinner will be ready.
Correct: I will call you when dinner is ready.
Incorrect: I will write after I returned.
Correct: I will write after I return.
Incorrect: When I will go to New York I will meet him.
Correct: When I go to New York, I will meet him.
Explanation
When the principal clause is in the simple future tense, the subordinate clause should be in the simple present tense. Note that when a subordinate adverb clause begins the sentence, we separate it from the rest of the sentence by a comma.
Incorrect: If I would have done this I would have been wrong.
Correct: If I had done this I would have been wrong.
Explanation
In a Type 3 Conditional sentence we use had + past participle in the if clause and would have + past participle in the result clause.
Incorrect: She knows to knit.
Correct: She knows how to knit.
Incorrect: He told her that he will come.
Correct: He told her that he would come.
Reason
When the principal verb is in the past tense the verb in the subordinate clause should also be in the past tense. When the principal verb is in the present tense, the verb in the subordinate clause can be in any tense.
Incorrect: He told me that honesty was the best policy.
Correct: He told me that honesty is the best policy.
Incorrect: Teacher said that the earth revolved around the sun.
Correct: Teacher said that the earth revolves around the sun.
Reason
To talk about general truths, we always use the present tense.
Incorrect: The cashier-cum-accoun tant have come.
Correct: The cashier-cum- accountant has come.
Reason
Here the nouns cashier and accountant refer to the same person, so we use a singular verb.
Incorrect: The manager and the accountant has come.
Correct: The manager and the accountant have come.
Reason
Two nouns connected by AND are followed by a plural verb.
Incorrect: I am so weak that I may not walk.
Correct: I am so weak that I cannot walk.
Reason
To talk about ability we use can, not may.
Incorrect: Tell me why are you abusing him.
Correct: Tell me why you are abusing him.
Incorrect: I wonder why don’t you listen to me.
Correct: I wonder why you don’t listen to me.
Reason
In indirect questions we put the auxiliary verb after the noun. Note that we do not use question mark in indirect questions.
Incorrect: Alice as well as her sisters are beautiful.
Correct: Alice as well as her sisters is beautiful.
Reason
When the noun that precedes as well as is in the singular, the verb should also be in the singular.
Incorrect: I am ill for two weeks.
Correct: I have been ill for two weeks.
Incorrect: I am waiting since morning.
Correct: I have been waiting since morning.
Reason
We use perfect continuous tenses with the prepositions since and for. Here the error lies in using the present continuous instead of the present perfect continuous.
Incorrect: The ship drowned.
Correct: The ship sank.
Incorrect: The passengers aboard the ship sank.
Correct: The passengers aboard the ship were drowned.
Reason
We use drown with people and other animate objects. We use sink with inanimate objects like ship and boat.
Incorrect: He has stole my pen.
Correct: He has stolen my pen.
Incorrect: John has often beat me at tennis.
Correct: John has often beaten me at tennis.
Reason
After the auxiliaries has, have and had, we use the past participle form of the verb.
Incorrect: They didn’t invited us.
Correct: They didn’t invite us.
Incorrect: He did came.
Correct: He did come.
Reason
After did, we use the present tense form (bare infinitive) of the verb.
Incorrect: Neither he came nor he wrote.
Correct: Neither did he come nor did he write.
Incorrect: Seldom I go to the hills.
Correct: Seldom do I go to the hills.
The adverbs neither and seldom have negative meanings. When sentences begin with a negative word we use the inverted word order with do/did.
Incorrect: Never I have seen such a mess.
Correct: Never have I seen such a mess.
Reason
When sentences begin with a negative word, we use the inverted word order. When there is an auxiliary verb in the sentence, we put that auxiliary verb before the noun (subject). When there is no auxiliary verb, we put do/did before the subject.
Incorrect: He said that he saw him last year.
Correct: He said that he had seen him last year.
Reason
Here the error lies in the failure to use the past perfect tense when the time of one past tense verb is more past than that of another.
Incorrect: If I shall do this, I shall be wrong.
Correct: If I do this, I shall be wrong.
Incorrect: If I did this, I shall be wrong.
Correct: If I do this, I shall be wrong.
Reason
When the main clause is in the future tense, the subordinate clause should be in the present tense.
Incorrect: He had to leave his rights.
Correct: He had to abandon (or relinquish) his rights.
Reason
We ‘leave a place’ or ‘leave something at some place’ or ‘leave someone to do something’. We do not ‘leave our rights’ or something like that.
Incorrect: I take my food.
Correct: I have my food.
Reason
‘Take my food’ is not wrong, but English people do not normally use this expression.
Incorrect: I take your leave.
Correct: I must leave now. OR I must say goodbye.
Reason
I take your leave is not wrong, but is extremely formal.
Incorrect: They cut Charles I’s head.
Correct: They cut off Charles I’s head.
Reason
When the cutting divides what is cut into pieces, use cut off, cut up or cut into.
Common Errors with Adjectives
Incorrect: We live in city.
Correct: We live in a city.
Explanation
A singular common noun (e.g. city, state, country, boy, girl, teacher etc.) takes the article a/an before it. But if the common noun refers to a particular person or thing it requires the definite article the whether the noun is singular or plural.