Thursday 9 February 2023

Common Errors in English Grammar


How to Fix Common Errors People make


I. Related to Tense and Verb

1.       Do + V1

          Does + V1

          Did + V1

Examples :

Do you read books?

She doesn’t speak softly.

I did not go to school yesterday.

 

2. In Simple Present Tense singular verb is V1 + s / es (reads, goes, writes, smiles, plays)

Plural verb is V1 (read, go, write, smile, play)

Examples :

She writes very neatly. (Singular – V1 + es )

Meera dances gracefully. (Singular – V1+es )

He always fights with people.  (Singular – V1+s )

My friends do not trust me. (plural)

They play cricket. (plural)

These children make so much noise. (plural)

 

3. I (first person of pronoun) and you (second person of pronoun) are special cases and they take plural verb even though they are singular. (It is an exception to the rule no. 2)

Examples of the exceptiion :

I read before going to bed. (plural verb – special case of first person of pronoun)

You swim very fast. (plural verb – special case of second person of pronoun)

 

4. Has + V3 (present – singular)

Have + V3 (present – plural)

Had + V3 (past singular and plural)

Examples :

He has just reached. (singular)

She has tried her best. (singular)

I have already read this book. (plural)

They haven’t tried enough. (plural)

The children had left the school by that time. (past)

You had gone before I called. (past)

 

5. To + V1 (to go, to study, to know, to learn, to play, to do)

Examples :

We go to school to study.

I wanted to read this book.

I don’t like to be with him.

Why didn’t you try to win the competition?

 

6. 'Each' and 'every' are singular, hence take singular verb and singular possessive pronoun.

Examples :

Each child got his/her gift.

Every person has a unique personality.


II. Related to homophones

1.       There (place)                           Their (related to people)

Here (place)                             They (people)

Adverb of place                       personal pronoun

Examples:

I was reading the newspaper there.

I was reading their newspaper.

 

2.       Then (adverb)                          Than (conjunction)

Refers to time                          comparison between two

Examples:

          He wanted to say something to you, then.

          She is smarter than I.  (am – not written)

 

3.       Its (form of it)                          It’s (it is)

          Possessive pronoun                 short form of it is

          The ant found its food.            It’s too late to go there.

 

III. Use of apostrophe ( ’ )

1. To show possession/ownership of singular noun/subject

 with singular subject ( Noun + ’ + S )

e.g. This is my brother’s bat.

       The boy's parents are really worried.

       The book's title is very interesting.


2. To show possession/ownership of plural noun/subject or words/names ending with ‘s’ with plural subjects  (Noun + ’ )

e.g. These girls’ nails are always long.

More examples :

This is shiva’s bag. – singular

The students’ bags are lying on the floor. – plural

The children’s recess is not over. – plural

We should honour all our men’s freedom.

I don’t see where Charles’ coat is kept. – singular

Teacher’s day (general reference)  

Happy teachers’ day (wish to a group of teachers)

3. To show contraction ( I’m, I’ve, don’t, can’t, didn’t, you’re, I’ll, it’s )

For example :

You’re (you are) an exceptionally talented player.

It’s (it is) not a good day.

You ain’t (are not) a good singer.

I’ll (I will) myself go and see.

She didn’t (did not) know anything about this.

IV Related to Pronoun (subjective, objective and possessive case) –

1.  I and my friends vs. Me and my friends (misunderstood both the phrases                  as same)

I is used as (subjective case of pronoun)

Me is used as (objective case of pronoun)

Examples –

I and my friends are going to picnic.

They did not invite me and my friends to their birthday party.


2. Yours, ours, theirs, its are possessive pronouns and apostrophe (‘)                                                              
           should not be used before last ‘s’

Example - Yours sincerely (and not your’s sincerely) 

 


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