Incorrect omission of prepositions

Omission of the verb to be from the passive.

Don’t say: Charles Dickens born in 1812.

ü  Say: Charles Dickens was born in 1812.

Incorrect omission of prepositions

Omission of the before names of musical instruments.

Don’t say: I play violin, but not piano.

ü  Say: I play the violin, but not the piano.

Incorrect omission of prepositions

Omission of a or an from make a noise, etc.

Don’t say: I told them not to make noise.

ü  Say: I told them not to make a noise.

Incorrect omission of prepositions

Omission of a or an after the word half.

Don’t say: He drank half glass of milk.

ü  Say: He drank half a glass of milk.

Incorrect omission of prepositions

Omission of the article before a countable noun in the singular.

Don’t say: I have no money to buy car.

ü  Say: I have no money to buy a car.

As a rule, use either the or a or an before a countable noun in the singular.

Incorrect omission of prepositions

The possessive ending omitted.

              Don’t say: A hen’s egg is different from a pigeon. 

           Say: A hen’s egg is different from a pigeon’s.

If the first noun in a comparison is in the possessive case, the second must also be in the possessive.

Incorrect omission of prepositions

Using don’t instead of doesn’t.

Don’t say: He don’t care what he says

      Say: He doesn’t care what he says.

Incorrect omission of prepositions

Write to a person, not write a person.

Don’t say: I’ll write her tomorrow.

ü  Say: I’ll write to her tomorrow.

Incorrect omission of prepositions

Wait for a person or thing, not wait a person or thing.

Don’t say: I’ll wait you at the cinema.

ü  Say: I’ll wait for you at the cinema.

Note: Await takes no preposition: I am awaiting your reply.

Incorrect omission of prepositions

Supply a person with something, not supply a person something.

Don’t say: Can you supply me all I need?

ü  Say: Can you supply me with all I need?

Incorrect omission of prepositions

Share with a person, not share a person.

Don’t say: My friend shared me his book.

ü  Say: My friend shared his book with me.

Incorrect omission of prepositions

Say to a person, not say a person.

Don’t say: Kevin said me, ‘Come tomorrow’.

ü  Say: Kevin said to me, ‘Come tomorrow’.

Incorrect omission of prepositions

Remind a person of something, not remind a person something.

Don’t say: Please remind me that later.

ü  Say: Please remind me of that later.

Incorrect omission of prepositions

Pay for a thing, not pay a thing.

Don’t say: How much did you pay the book?

ü  Say: How much did you pay for the book?

Note: A person can pay another person. He/she can also pay a bill, an account, or a subscription. He/she pays for a thing that he/she buys.

Incorrect omission of prepositions

Knock at the door, not knock the door.

Don’t say: Who is knocking the door?

ü  Say: Who is knocking at the door?

Incorrect omission of prepositions

Dispose/get rid of a thing, not dispose/get rid a thing.

Don’t say: He’ll dispose/get rid all his property.

ü  Say: He’ll dispose/get rid of all his property.

Incorrect omission of prepositions

Ask for a thing, not ask a thing.

Don’t say: She came and asked my book.

ü  Say: She came and asked for my book.

Un-English Expressions

What’s the matter, not What have you?

Don’t say: What have you today?

ü  Say: What’s the matter with you today?

Un-English Expressions

This morning, etc., not today morning, etc.

Don’t say: I haven’t seen him today morning.

ü  Say: I haven’t seen him this morning.

Note: Avoid today morning, today afternoon, today evening, yesterday night, this night. Say: this morning, this evening, last night, tonight

Un-English Expressions

It works miracles, not it makes miracles.

Don’t say: That medicine makes miracles.

ü  Say: That medicine works miracles.

Un-English Expressions

Learn by heart, not learn from heart.

Don’t say: We have a poem to learn from heart.

      Say: We have a poem to learn by heart.

Un-English Expressions

Show a film, not play a film.

Don’t say: This film will be played shortly.

ü  Say: This film will be shown shortly.