Which verb needs an object to complete its meaning?

• Incorrect: Both did not come.
• Correct: Neither came.
• Incorrect: Both of them did not pass the test.
• Correct: Neither of them passed the test.
• In negative clauses, we use ‘neither’ not both.
• Incorrect: Each of these girls sing very well.
• Correct: Each of these girls sings very well.
• After each and every, we use a singular verb.
• Incorrect: We all did not go.
• Correct: None of us went.
• Incorrect: We all had not been invited.
• Correct: None of us had been invited.
• Incorrect: One should love his country.
• Correct: One should love one’s country.
• Incorrect: ‘Have you got a pencil?’ ‘No, I haven’t got.’
• Correct: ‘Have you got a pencil?’ ‘No, I haven’t got one.’ / ‘No, I don’t have one’.
• Have is a transitive verb. It needs an object to complete its meaning.
• Incorrect: ‘Is he at home?’ ‘Yes, I think.’
• Correct: ‘Is he at home?’ ‘Yes, I think so.’
• Incorrect: We enjoyed during the holidays.
• Correct: We enjoyed ourselves during the holidays.
• Enjoy is a transitive verb. It requires an object.
• Incorrect: The boy who works hard he will get the prize.
• Correct: The boy who works hard will get the prize.
• Correct: Whoever works hard will get the prize.
• The relative pronoun serves as the subject of the verb in the relative clause. It is therefore wrong to write another subject.
• In this lesson we will take a closer look at some common mistakes in the use of verbs.
• Incorrect: He is waiting for you from 10 o’clock.
• Correct: He has been waiting for you since 10 o’clock.
• Incorrect: This man is sitting here for the last two hours.
• Correct: This man has been sitting here for the last two hours.
• Incorrect: We are staying here since 1980.
• Correct: We have been staying here since 1980.

Explanation

To talk about actions and situations that started in the past and have continued up to the present, we use the present perfect continuous tense.

• Incorrect: I am going to school by bus.
• Correct: I go to school by us.
• Incorrect: We are playing tennis every day.
• Correct: We play tennis every day.

Explanation

We use the simple present tense to talk about routines and habits. Note that the present continuous tense is used to talk about actions and situations that are going on at the moment of speaking.

• Incorrect: I said him to go.
• Correct: I told him to go.
• Incorrect: She told that she would be coming.
• Correct: She said that she would be coming.
• Explanation
• We use tell with a personal object. We use said when there is no personal object.
• Incorrect: They discussed about the whole matter.
• Correct: They discussed the whole matter.

Explanation

• Discuss is one of those verbs that are not followed by a preposition.
• Each sentence given below contains a mistake. The mistake is in the use of the conjunction. Find the mistake and rewrite the sentence correctly.
• An example is given below.
• Incorrect: As soon as he got the telegram, at once he started.
• Correct: As soon as he got the telegram, he started.
• Correct: He got the telegram and started at once.

Exercise

1. Neither Jack is intelligent nor hardworking.
2. Though he is fat but he runs fast.
3. As he is fat so he runs slowly.
4. Unless you do not apologize, you will not be admitted to class.
5. Hardly the sun had risen when we set out.
6. Not only she speaks English but also Chinese.
7. This is my house, I live here.

Answers

1. Jack is neither intelligent nor hardworking.
2. Though he is fat, he runs fast. OR He is fat, but he runs fast.
3. As he is fat he runs slowly. OR He is fast so he runs slowly.
4. Unless you apologize, you will not be admitted to class. OR If you do not apologize you will not be admitted to class.
5. Hardly had the sun risen when we set out. OR The sun had hardly risen when we set out.
6. She speaks not only English but also Chinese.
7. This is my house where I live. OR This is my house. I live here.

• Some common errors in English are listed below.
• Incorrect: Have you received any informations?
• Correct: Have you received any information?
• The word information is uncountable in English. It does not have a plural form.
• Incorrect: We have bought new furnitures.
• Correct: We have bought new furniture.
• The word furniture does not have a plural form in English. To denote the singular aspect of the noun, you can use ‘an article of furniture’ or a ‘piece of furniture’.
• Incorrect: The machineries were expensive.
• Correct: The machinery was expensive.
• The word machinery does not have a plural form. It is uncountable and takes a singular verb.
• Incorrect: The sceneries here are beautiful.
• Correct: The scenery here is beautiful.
• Incorrect: Do not carry heavy luggages during travel.
• Correct: Do not carry heavy luggage during travel.
• Incorrect: He conveyed these news to his relatives.
• Correct: He conveyed this news to his relatives.
• The words scenery, luggage and news are uncountable in English. They do not have a plural form.
• Incorrect: There is no place in this compartment.
• Correct: There is no room in this compartment.
• Incorrect: Have you read this poetry?
• Correct: Have you read this poem?
• Incorrect: I went to watch a drama.
• Correct: I went to watch a play.
• Incorrect: He has gone to foreign.
• Correct: He has gone abroad.
• Correct: He has gone to foreign countries.
• Incorrect: She is my cousin sister.
• Correct: She is my cousin.
• The pronoun she itself indicates the gender, and hence there is no need to mention the noun sister.
• Incorrect: All he said is true.
• Incorrect: What all he said is true.
• Correct: All that he said is true.
• Correct: What he said is true.
• All can mean ‘everything’ in the structure ‘all that’.
• Incorrect: Suppose, if you arrive late, you will miss the show.
• Correct: Suppose you arrive late, you will miss the show.
• Correct: If you arrive late, you will miss the show.
  I. Read the sentences below and make the necessary changes.
  1. Rahul went to school despite of having a fever.
  2. I haven’t met Susan since six years.
  3. Lisa is busy at the work, so she can’t make it on time.
  4. Our mathematics teacher is giving us too much tasks.
  5. Do not advice her, she won’t listen.
  6. My mother cooks rice yesterday.
  7. He or Raju are guilty of the accident.
  8. Sheldon is brave than his friends.
  9. The mans purse was lost in the bus.
  10. The boy studied when his father came home from work.
  11. Do he have any idea where he is going?
  12. Have you ever being to Kerala?
  13. They has a party planned for Amy.
  14. The shepherd took his sheeps to the field.
  15. I prefer chocolate milkshake than vanilla ice cream.

Answers

1. Rahul went to school despite having a fever.
2. I haven’t met Susan for/in six years.
3. Lisa is busy at work, so she can’t make it on time.
4. Our mathematics teacher is giving us too many tasks.
5. Do not advise her, she won’t listen.
6. My mother cooked rice yesterday./ My mother cooks rice everyday.
7. He or Raju is guilty of the accident.
8. Sheldon is braver than his friends.
9. The man’s purse was lost in the bus.
10. The boy was studying when his father came home from work.
11. Does he have any idea where he is going?
12. Have you ever been to Kerala?
13. They have a party planned for Amy.
14. The shepherd took his sheep to the field.
15. I prefer chocolate milkshake to/over vanilla ice cream.
II. Read the sentences and capita- lize where necessary, and use correct punctuation.
1. alas my cat died yesterday
2. did you know penny topped her exam
3. the bus driver saved the passen gers from an accident
4. ouch that is very hot
5. the baby fell from the cot
6. do you know the way to the market
7. raj took his friends out for dinner
8. have you read a tale of two cities
9. what a beautiful performance
10. leonardo da vinci painted the monalisa
11. have you ever been to kashmir
12. stuart loves harry potter
13. do you know my sister

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