Common Errors in English Grammar and Usage

(In 8 Parts)

List of Major Errors

Errors in usage of Verbs

Errors in usage of other Parts of Speech

Errors in usage of Articles

Errors made in Reported Speech

Errors made in usage of Voice

Errors in Tense and Tense Consistency

Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement

Errors in Parallelism and usage of Modifiers

Common Errors in English Grammar and Usage

(PART – 1)

“Indianisms” in verb usage and Rules for avoiding these

Goodbye Party for Miss Puspa T.S.

- Nissim Ezikiel

Friends,
our dear sister
is departing for foreign
in two three days,
and
we are meeting today
to wish her bon voyage.

You are all knowing, friends,

what sweetness is in Miss Pushpa.
I don’t mean only external sweetness
but internal sweetness.
Miss Pushpa is smiling and smiling
even for no reason
but simply because she is feeling.

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Goodbye Party for Miss Puspa T.S.

- Nissim Ezikiel

Miss Pushpa is coming

from very high family.
Her father was renowned advocate
in Bulsar or Surat,
I am not remembering now which place.

Surat? Ah, yes,

once only I stayed in Surat
with family members
of my uncle’s very old friend,
his wife was cooking nicely…
that was long time ago.

Goodbye Party for Miss Puspa T.S.

- Nissim Ezikiel

Coming back to Miss Pushpa

she is most popular lady
with men also and ladies also.
Whenever I asked her to do anything,
she was saying, ‘Just now only
I will do it.’ That is showing
good spirit. I am always
appreciating the good spirit.
Pushpa Miss is never saying no.
Whatever I or anybody is asking
she is always saying yes,
and today she is going
to improve her prospect
and we are wishing her bon voyage.

Now I ask other speakers to speak

and afterwards Miss Pushpa
will do summing up.

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Common Errors in English Grammar and Usage

(PART - 1)

“Indianisms” in verb usage and Rules for avoiding these

Identify the base verb in the following sentences:

He ran quickly down the road.

Please sit down.

This book costs a hundred rupees.

Can you close the door please?

I hate long hot summer days.

Joan resembles her sister.

We leave for college at 7A.M. every morning.

Run, Sit, Cost, Close, Hate, Resemble,Leave.

Can all these verbs take the progressive form?

Can we use an Adverb of Frequency with all of them?

Can all these verbs be used in Imperative sentences?

Verbs of State and Verbs of Event

Verbs of Event / Action

Show an action that occurs repeatedly or frequently.

Show a change in state.

Show an event or happening thought of as a single occurrence, with a definite beginning and end.

e.g. become, run, get, sit, leave, smash, jump, improve, increase,widen, worsen.

Usage Rules -Verbs of Event / Action

Can be used in the progressive as well as non-progressive or simple form.

e.g. (1) Reduce the speed. I can see a traffic jam ahead.

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 The car’s reducing speed. I wonder why!

e.g. (2) Grow up! You can’t remain a child forever.

The clouds have been gathering and it has been growing dark steadily.

The trees are growing fast.

Usage Rules -Verbs of Event / Action

Can show a change in state, i.e. they represent a process.

(1) We learn English

(2) We are learning English.

(3) We are learning English everyday.

Can take Adverbs of Frequency like, ‘often’, ‘seldom’, ‘never’, ‘sometimes’, ‘everyday’, ‘always’ etc.

Usage Rules -Verbs of Event / Action

Can take the imperative form.

e.g. “Sit down.”

“Close the door.”

Represent actions which can be begun and ended at will.

e.g. ‘turn’, ‘cool’, ‘darken’, ‘reduce’, ‘double’, ‘dry’, ‘fade’, ‘fall’, ‘freeze’, ‘loosen’, ‘melt’,
‘quicken’.

Verbs of State

Show a continuous or steady situation or state.

Show a state of affairs which continues over a period of time.

Show a state that doesn’t have a well-defined beginning or end.

e.g. ‘be’, ‘remain’, ‘think’, ‘contain’, ‘love’, ‘know’, ‘see’, ‘need’.

Usage Rules - Verbs of State

Do not take the progressive form.

Do not take Adverbs of Frequency.

Cannot be used in the Imperative form as the doer is not active.

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Include verbs showing sensation, perception, emotion, thoughts and other cognitive skills.

Verbs of State - Classification

(i) Verbs of Perception : denote what we perceive through our senses.

e.g. feel, hear, see, smell, taste, sound, look.

(ii) Verbs referring to a state of Mind or Feeling or Emotion : denote our personal feelings.

e.g. believe, like, dislike, love, hate, doubt, adore, desire, detest, forget, hope, imagine, know, mean,
prefer, want,wish, need, think, understand,remember, appear, seem.

Verbs of State

(iii) Verbs referring to a relationship or state of being : be, have, belong to, contain, cost, depend on,
weigh, resemble, concern, consist of, deserve, equal, fit, involve, matter,owe, own, possess,remain,
require.

These are always used without the progressive (-ing) form.

(iv) Verbs referring to Internal Sensation: hurt, feel, ache, itch.

These can take the progressive form under some circumstances.

Verbs of Event vs. Verbs of State

Verbs of Event

Denote repeated activity.

Take the progressive form.

Take Adverbs of Frequency.

Can take Imperative form.

Can be begun and ended at will.

Verbs of State

Denotes steady situation.

Do not take the progressive form.

Do not take Adverbs of Frequency.

Can not take Imperative form.

Are independent of our will or control.

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Common Errors in English Grammar and Usage

(PART - 2)

Rules for usage of different Parts of Speech

Are the Following Sentences Correct ???

John had five ten rupees notes in his pocket.

She is one of my closest friend.

He is the tallest of the two brothers.

The population of Kolkata is greater from any city in India.

Less knowledge is a dangerous thing.

You, she and I were dismissed from service.

Nouns : Plural Rule

Plurals in Nouns are indicated by adding:

-s to words

girls, boys, friends, feelings

-es to words ending with x,s,sh,ch,o

boxes, glasses, brushes, matches, mangoes

-ies to words ending with y

ponies, enemies, duties, stories

-ves to words ending with f or fe

leaves, thieves, wives, lives

 Some nouns have a separate word for a plural:

children, mice, teeth, feet

Noun : Plural Rule

Certain Nouns are always used in the plural:

scissors, trousers, spectacles, goods, socks

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Certain Nouns look plural but act singular:

Economics, Aerobics, news, premises, politics

Certain Nouns have singular and plural alike:

sheep, deer, police, cattle, hair

Certain Collective Nouns do not have plurals: crowd, audience, people, poultry

Nouns used after ‘one of’ is always plural:

one of the girls, one of the books

Noun : Possessive Rule

’s is added at the end of Nouns to indicate posessive

man’s life, cat’s whiskers, baby’s smile

The apostrophe is put after ‘s’ if the word ends with s

girls’ hostel, friends’ secret, Ross’ bike

’s or s’ is added to living things

Rahul’s book, dog’s tail, girl’s dress

Of used to indicate plurals for lifeless things

colour of the cell, door of the house, rays of the sun

’s also indicates plurals for personified lifeless things

Nature’s bounty, Sun’s rays, Night’s beauty

Noun : Possessive Rule

When two Nouns indicate common possession, ’s is added to the latter.

Masha and Anshu’s room number is 07.

‘s’ is added to your, our, her, theirs, his without the apostrophe

yours, ours, hers, theirs, his

Use of double possessives should be avoided

my uncle’s friend’s son – son of my uncle’s friend

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 my friend’s cousin’s house – house of my friend’s cousin

Rules for Usage of Pronouns

If the three personal pronouns are used in a sentence the sequence is 2 nd – 3rd – 1st

Only you, she and I have to go now.

If the three personal pronouns are used in a sentence to confess guilt or take blame, the sequence is

1st – 2nd – 3rd

The fault is mine, yours and his.

If a subject is preceded by each or every in a sentence or if a sentence has either-or, neither-nor, the
following pronoun matches with the nearest subject.

Each boy and girl has to bring her book to class.

Either he or they have to complete their work.

Rules for Usage of Pronouns

If a sentence starts with indefinite pronoun ‘one’, it is followed by ‘one’ in the other half of the
sentence; if with ‘everyone’ or ‘everybody’, then it is followed by ‘his’.

One must do one’s work diligently.

Everyone must do his work diligently.

If a pronoun is used after ‘than’ in a sentence for comparison, the second pronoun is in the same form
as the subject being compared.

She is better than me. – She is better than I am.

My notes are better than his notes/his.

“Some” - used positively “Any” – used negatively.

Eg. I want some help. I don’t want any help.

“Elder” – used for family member,

“Older” – used for persons as well as things.

Eg. Elder brother, elder sister. Older friend, older building.

“Less”, “Much” – used for uncountable,

“Few”, “Many” – used for countable.

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 Eg. Less sugar, much water. Few boys, many books

“Either”, “Each” – single of 2. “Any”, “Every”– single of many

Eg. Either/Each of the two girls…

Anyone/Every boy in the troupe…

“Little”, “Few” – not much/hardly any, “A little”, “A few” – some, “The little”/ “The few” – whatever is

There is little chance of rain. There is a little chance of rain.

The little chance of rain that was, is shattered by the sun.

Common Errors in English Grammar and Usage

(PART - 3)

Rules for usage of Articles

Articles

Of the three articles, “a” and “an” are known as “Indefinite Articles” and “the” is known as “Definite
Article”.

“A” or “an” come before singular, countable nouns.

e.g. Tom left a briefcase at the airport.

Tom ate an apple.

“The” can come before singular and plural nouns and uncountable nouns.

e.g. Tom left the briefcase at the airport.

Tom ate the apples.

Tom needs the luggage.

Articles

“A” or “an” is used when we do not specify which one and “the” is used when we specify which one.

e.g. A man booked into a hotel. (someone)

The man did not return to the hotel. (the man who had booked earlier into that hotel)

e.g. He left a case behind.

The case contained clothes.

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Articles

“The” is used to refer to something specific or well-known.

e.g. The apples are fresh.

e.g. The Earth revolves round the sun.

“An” is used before words that begin with a vowel sound. While choosing between “a” or “an”, the
sound of the next word matters, not the spelling.

e.g. an umbrella, a university, a union, a uniform, an hour, an heir, a one-way-street, an open door.

Articles

When there is only one of the things we are talking about, we use “the”.

e.g. The sun was going down.

The government is unpopular.

We normally say : “the countryside”, “the environment”, “the seaside”, “the sky”, “the sun”, “the
weather”, “the ozone layer”.

“The” is used with a superlative.

e.g. The Trident is the best hotel in town.

Mt. Everest is the highest peak in the world.

Articles

“A” or “an” come before a phrase which describes something.

e.g. It was a lovely day.

Rome is a beautiful old city.

“A” or “An” is used to classify something, to say what kind of thing it is.

e.g. The play was a comedy.

“A” or “an” is used to say what someone’s job is.

Mike is a car salesman.

Jane is a doctor.

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“The” should be used before…

Historical documents (“the Constitution”, “the Vedas”)

Countries with a collective noun and more than one word (“the United States of America”, “the United
Kingdom”)

Unique objects like “the Sun”, “the Earth”, “the Moon”, “the North Pole”, “the South Pole” etc.

Oceans, rivers, gulfs, seas, plural lakes (“the Indian Ocean”, “the Ganges”, “the Gulf of Mexico”, “the
great lakes”, “ The Arabian Sea”)

“The” should be used before…

Wars and battles (“the Trojan War”, “the Battle of Panipat”)

Universities, schools, colleges where the name begins with University, School, College or Institute (“the
University of Colorado”, “the Indian Institute of Management”)

Ordinal numbers that come before nouns (“the first chapter”, “the Second World War”)

Mountains (“the Himalayas”, “the Alps”)

“The” should not be used before…

Sports like “Cricket”, “Hockey”, “Football”.

General subjects like “Biology”, “History” etc.

Holidays and festivals like “Diwali”, “Christmas”.

Continents like “Asia”, “Africa”, “Europe”.

Countries with one word like “India”, “France”.

Abstract feelings like “Happiness”, “Sorrow”.

Singular lakes like “Lake Erie”, “Lake Chilka”.

“The” should not be used before…

Mounts like “Mount Everest”.

Planets like “Venus”, “Mars”.

Cardinal numbers (“one”, “two”) as in Chapter One, Section Two.

Universities, Colleges and Schools where the name begins with a proper noun as in “Bangalore
University”, “Stewart College”.

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What are common errors?

Deviations from standard English usage (grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc)

Teachers, professional writers, editors would recommend a standard usage for good intelligibility.

Communication becomes effective only if the message sent is comprehensible to the receiver.

Avoiding common errors reduces noise in communication and adds to its effectiveness.

Which of them is correct?

I am disagree with the statement.

I disagree with the statement.

My cousin always disagrees with me.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. The boy had been a blind since birth.

You should not use a/an before an adjective (deaf, dumb, poor, rich) unless the adjective is followed by
a noun.

Ans) The boy had been blind since birth.

2. He had been a rich since birth.

Ans) He had been a rich person since birth.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. I have a good news for you.

News is an uncountable noun. So the correct form is:

Ans) I have good news for you.

A piece of news ; a bit of news

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2. She is a M.A. student.

You should use only ‘an’ not ‘a’ before a word beginning with a vowel sound.

(an MLA, an MP, an sms.)

Check Errors and Corrections

1. Please send the letter to the address above –mentioned.

Ans)Please send the letter to the above mentioned address.

'Above' may be used before or after the noun

‘the above address’, ‘the address above’.

Check Errors and Corrections

Shilpa wants to continue her studies in abroad.

(Except from) “abroad” is not used with other prepositions as , in, at, to.

2. You should go abroad, if you want to make good money.

3. Those who live abroad often miss their homelands.

Check Errors and Corrections

She wants to improve her ability of English.

Ans) She wants to improve her ability in English.

Ability in language/subject.

2. She wants to improve her ability of acting.

Ans) She wants to improve her acting ability.

Reading/Writing/Dancing/Painting ability.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. Shreya does not able to pay her collage fees.

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'Able' is an adjective and cannot be used as a verb.

Ans) Shreya is not able to pay her collage fees.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. The doctor adviced her to avoid fasting.

Advice is a noun. Advise is a verb.

When you advice you give opinion or suggest a course of action.

When you advise you counsel, caution, or warn somebody.

Ans) The doctor advised her to avoid fasting.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. The Principal gave him advice.

Advice is an uncountable noun.

You can’t use it in singular unless you say “a piece of advice”.

Ans) The Principal gave him a piece of advice.

Check Errors and Corrections

After 2004 FB’s popularity has increased each year.

Since 2004 FB’s popularity has increased each year.

2. I don’t like drinking coffee in the night.

I don’t like drinking coffee at night.

(in the morning, in the evening, in the afternoon)

3. In the U.S. many wives and husbands stay at home alternatively to look after their children.

In the U.S. many wives and husbands stay at home alternately to look after their children.

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Alternatively means instead of usual one.

Alternately means in turns, first one and then the other.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. I almost have forgotten her birthday.

Ans. I have almost forgotten her birthday.

2. Shilpa comes always late to the bus-stop.

Ans. Shilpa always comes late to the bus-stop.

Except in ‘be’ form Shilpa is always late.

Adverbs: almost, always, scarcely, hardly, often, even are placed before the main verb or the word it
modifies.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. Harsh goes to see his senior twice a week for help with his arithmetics.

Ans) Harsh goes to see his senior twice a week for help with his arithmetic.

2. Mathematics are not easy to learn.

Ans) Mathematics is not easy to learn.

Check Errors and Corrections

1) The scissor is missing.

Ans) The scissors are missing.

Scissors, trousers, spectacles, shears, pliers – that is- all names of things consisting of two parts, take a
plural verb.

Check Errors and Corrections

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Let’s eat, grandma.

Let’s eat grandma!

Punctuation affects the clarity of communication: a misplaced comma or apostrophe can change the
meaning of a sentence , often in confusing ways.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. I’am awaiting for my appointment order.

Ans) I’am awaiting my appointment order.

2. I will be waiting your reply by e-mail.

Ans 2) I will be waiting for your reply by e-mail.

Await is a transitive verb –so it can have a direct object.

Wait is an intransitive verb and cannot have a direct object; so a preposition, usually For, must be
added.

Check Errors and Corrections

1) One of the girls in our class have won the prize.

Ans) One of the girls in our class has won the prize.

2) Much of the grain are in storage.

Ans) Much of the grain is in storage.

‘Many’ refers to number, and is plural.

‘Much’ refers to amount or quantity, and is singular.

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Check Errors and Corrections

When do you have the dinner?

When do you have dinner?

The dinner will be held at the Taj Hotel.

2. I play the hockey.

I play hockey.

3. Chinese live in the China.

Chinese live in China.

The United States, the Netherlands, the U.K.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. She has worked hardly today.

A) She has worked hard today.

2. Deepika is more taller than Kareena.

Deepika is taller than Kareena.

3. Amitabh is the tallest actor in Bollywood. (not the most tallest)

Check Errors and Corrections

Madhuri refused to answer to me.

Madhuri refused to answer me.

2. We approached to the house.

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We approached the house.

3. We entered into the room.

We entered the room.

Verbs like answer, approach, enter are transitive in English and do not follow a preposition.

Check Errors and Corrections

Many people died from cholera.

Many people died of cholera.

2. Balram died of over-eating.

Balram died from over-eating.

People die of a disease or illness but they die from doing something.

Check Errors and Corrections

He married with my sister.

A) He married my sister. (Also , not to my sister)

2. She is my cousin sister.

A) She is my cousin .

3. I’am afraid I speak English very bad.

I’am afraid I speak English very badly.

4. Let me congratulate you for your grand success in the Civil Service Exams.

You congratulate somebody on (doing) something (Not for).

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Check Errors and Corrections

She talks as if she was/were the Prime Minister of this country.

I wish I were an apple.

I wish I was an elephant.

For wishful thinking past tense form of verb (was/were) is used.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. I enjoyed during the vacation.

A) I enjoyed myself during the vacation.

Enjoyed is a reflexive of the subject (myself) follows the past form of the verb.

2. I enjoy speaking Swahili.

In the present form, you enjoy doing something.

3. Sujatha has bought this Kimoni dress in Tokyo.

A) Sujatha bought this Kimoni dress in Tokyo.

Check Errors and Corrections

1) He is very fond of hearing the radio.

A) He is very fond of listening to the radio.

Listen to= hear and pay attention to.

2) Harish is speaking a lie.

A) Harish is telling a lie.

You ‘tell the truth’, ‘speak the truth’ and ‘tell a lie’ but ‘speak a lie’ is incorrect.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. My niece is good at computers. [not in]

Also ‘bad at’, ‘clever at’, ‘quick at’, ‘slow at’ etc.

2. She is weak in grammar. [not at]

3. I did not went to office yesterday.

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I did not go to office yesterday.

After did (the auxiliary) use go (the present infinitive without to ); Not went (the past tense of the
indicative)

Check Errors and Corrections

1. Does she likes the gift?

A) Does she like the gift?

After does the present infinitive without ‘to’ must be used.

2. She asked me what I am doing.

A) She asked me what I was doing.

Use past tense in the subordinate clause, if the verb in the main clause is in past tense.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. Do not make noise!

A) Do not make a noise!

Do not omit ‘a/an from make a mistake, make a fortune, make an attempt, etc.

2. Its going to rain today.

A) It’s going to rain today.

Its is the possessive form of it.

It’s is the contraction of it is or it has.

3. Move the gate on its side. [not it’s]

Check Errors and Corrections

Nano cars are economic.

Nano cars are economical.

Economic is connected with the economy of a country. Bit if something saves you money, then it is
economical.

2. The front side of the building.

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The front of the building.

‘Front’ itself means the side of something that faces forward.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. The PM has constituted a five-men committee to look into that matter.

A) The PM has constituted a five-man committee to look into that matter.

In expressions like a five-man committee, a three-mile walk, a six-hour journey and a four-day
conference the noun occurring after the hyphen is always singular.

2. She is in class eighth.

A) She is in the eighth class/She is in class eight.

Use ordinal numbers (fifth,eighth) before class. Use simple number (five,ten) after class.

Check Errors and Corrections

Yours affectionate friend, Jaya.

Your affectionate friend, Jaya.

Yours affectionately, Jaya.

2. She has accepted to give a lecture.

She has agreed to give a lecture.

When you agree, you commit to do something.

When you accept, you receive something.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. Though she is fasting, yet she can deliver the lecture.

A) Though she is fasting, she can deliver the lecture.

2. I have decided to let my hair grow up.

A) I have decided to let my hair grow.

3. My tooth is paining.

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A) My tooth is aching.

'Ache' is used with tooth, ear, head, back, stomach.

But ‘After jogging, I had pains in my knees.’

4. This book comprises of six chapters.

A) This book comprises six chapters. (consists of )

Check Errors and Corrections

1. The baby had temperature yesterday.

The baby had a temperature yesterday.

‘He is in bed with a temperature of 90 degree.

2. He returned back home from his office .

A) He returned home from his office .

Check Errors and Corrections

1. She and myself went to the seashore.

A) She and I went to the seashore.

A) “I cut myself on the knife.”

2. You are more beautiful than her.

A) You are more beautiful than she.

'She' is used as the subject of a verb. 'Her' is used as the object of a verb.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. Her voice is as sweet as the nightingale.

A) Her voice is as sweet as that of the nightingale.

2. He thinks highly of you.

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A) He thinks high of you.

High is adjective, highly is adverb.

3. I am senior than you.

A) I am senior to you.

Older than but senior to somebody.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. Her continuous talking prevented me from concentrating.

2. The continual music next door made it the worst night of studying ever.

‘Continual’ means something that’s always occurring, with obvious lapses in time.

‘Continuous’ means something continues without any stops or gaps in between.

Check Errors and Corrections

1. He is an alumni of IIT Kanpur.

A) He is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur.

Alumni (plural) refers to the former male and female students of an institution; alumnus indicates the
singular and male form.

Compare: alumna (singular form of a former female student) and alumnae (plural form of former female
students).

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