Part-2

Common errors in English : Errors of

Article, Errors of Noun, Errors of
pronoun, Errors of pronoun, Errors of
Adjective, Errors of Adverb, Errors of
Verb
1.Uncountable nouns do not take a / an.
My car is in a bad condition. (wrong)
My car is in bad condition. (correct)
2. Countable nouns generally take an article.
There was speedboat in the lake. (wrong)
There was a speedboat in the lake. ( correct)
3. A superlative adjective generally takes the.
Pete was tallest lad in the class of 1980. (wrong)
Pete was the tallest lad in the class of 1980. (correct)
4. Abstract nouns generally do not take the.
The humanity is in danger. (wrong)
Humanity is in danger. (correct)
5. No article is used before the noun followed by post
/rank/job/position of.
Sunil held the rank of a brigadier. (wrong)
Sunil held the rank of brigadier. (correct)
1. One should use an appropriate noun
They have no rupees. (wrong)
They have no money. (correct)
2. The expression ‘room’ is often used in term of space.
There is no place in the compartment. (wrong)
There is no room in the compartment.( correct)
3. Sceneries, machineries, poetries, luggages, baggages, etc. are
wrong. They are always used in the singular form.
The poet admired the sceneries from the watch tower. (wrong)
The poet admired the scenery from the watch tower. (correct)
4. When a noun operates as an adjective, it is used in the singular
form.
I have a torn fifty rupees note. (wrong)
I have a torn fifty rupee note. (correct)
5. Caution should be observed in making plurals of compound nouns.
The Afghani fellow has three brother-in-laws. (wrong)
The Afghani fellow has three brothers-in-law. (correct)
6. The gender of the noun should be taken into account.
A lady teacher left his purse in the staff room. (wrong)
A lady teacher left her purse in the staff room. (correct)
1. Reflexive pronouns should not be used as subjects.
Myself went to the office. (wrong)
I went to the office. (correct)
2. When different personal pronouns are used
together, their order is usually 231 i.e. second
person followed by third person followed by first
person.
He, I and you want to purchase a yacht. (wrong)
You, he and I want to purchase a yacht. (correct)
3. One another is usually used for a relationship
between more than two persons: each other , for
two persons.
Jack and Peter dislike one another. (wrong)
Jack and Peter dislike each other. (correct)
1. Some is used in an affirmative sentence; any is generally used in a negative
or interrogative sentence.
He did not do something at the fete. (wrong)
He did not do anything at the fete. (correct)
2. Much is used with the comparative degree, not very.
The girl is very older than the boy. (wrong)
The girl is much older than the boy. (correct)
3. Absolute adjectives like perfect, ideal, triangular, dumb, blind, etc. do not
take more or must.
It was the most perfect idea. (wrong)
It was a perfect idea. (correct)
4. Similarly, inferior, superior, junior, senior, anterior, posterior, etc. do not
take more or most.
He is the most superior person.
He is the superior to all.
5. if verbs feel, seem, look, appear, taste, smell follow a subject, the word
following them is an adjective, not an adverb.
The flower smells sweetly. (wrong)
The flower smells sweet. (correct)
1.Hardly, scarcely do not take not.
we don’t hardly recognise the fellow. (wrong)
we hardly recognise the fellow. (correct)
2. Quite implies completely, and therefore, it should not be used in the sense
of very.
I am quite sorry. (wrong)
I am very sorry. (correct)
3. An adverb should follow the word it qualifies.
He spoke at the competition excellently. (wrong)
He spoke excellently at the competition. (correct)
4. However, if an adverb qualifies the whole sentence, it should be positioned
at the beginning.
They failed the test unfortunately. (wrong)
Unfortunately, they failed the test. (correct)
5. Very modifies the present participle; much modifies the past participle.
The story is much interesting. (wrong)
The story is very interesting. (correct)
6. The usual order of the adverbs is-adverb of manner + adverb of place +
adverb of time.
The band beautifully presented a choir yesterday in the town hall. (wrong)
The band presented a choir beautifully in the town hall yesterday. (correct)
1. Transitive verbs usually take an object, not a preposition.
Jane was describing about the last night’s incident. (wrong)
Jane was describing the last night’s incident.(correct)
2. Intransitive verbs usually take a preposition after them.
Surekha was listening the broadcast. (wrong)
Surekha was listening to the broadcast. (correct)
3. Invent implies crafting something new; discover means to find out
something that already exists.
Columbus invented India. (wrong)
Columbus discovered India. (correct)
4. The river has overflown its banks. (wrong)
The river has overflowed its banks. (correct)
5. If to is used as a preposition, it takes the present participle form of
verb.
He looks forward to meet you. (wrong)
He looks forward to meeting you. (correct)
6. There must be concord between subject and verb.
They and I am scared of the storm.
They and I are scared of the storm