Saturday, June 30, 2012

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.

Friday, June 29, 2012

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.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

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.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

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.

Monday, June 25, 2012

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.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

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.

Friday, June 22, 2012

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.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

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.

Monday, June 18, 2012

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.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

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?

Friday, June 15, 2012

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.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

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’.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

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.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

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.

Monday, June 11, 2012

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?

Friday, June 8, 2012

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.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

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.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

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?

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

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

Monday, June 4, 2012

Un-English Expressions


It works miracles, not it makes miracles.
Don’t say: That medicine makes miracles.
ü  Say: That medicine works miracles.

Saturday, June 2, 2012

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.

Friday, June 1, 2012

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.