Confused Prepositions

Between and Among

Rule: between is used only for two; among is used for more than two.

Incorrect Usage: (a) A scuffle started among the two gangs.

  (b) The team members started quarrelling between themselves.

                                               

Correct Usage:    (a) A scuffle started between the two gangs.

                                (b) The team members started quarrelling among themselves.

Confused Prepositions

Using by for with

Rule: with is used when we want to indicate the means/mechanism with which an action is done; by implies the doer of the action.

Incorrect Usage: He stabbed his friend by a knife.

Correct Usage: He stabbed his friend with a knife.    

Confused Prepositions

Using for for about

Incorrect Usage: The Minister spoke for corruption.

Correct Usage: The Minister spoke about corruption.

Note: Here, for implies ‘being in favor of’. If we use for, it will denote that, the Minister spoke in favor of corruption.

Confused Prepositions

Using from for since

Rule: proposition since is placed before words denoting a point in time.

Incorrect Usage: Tom’s been absent from last Monday.

Correct Usage: Tom’s been absent since last Monday.

Confused Adverbs

Very and Too

Rule: Very places more emphasis on the adjective or adverb; Too means more than enough, which results in something.

Incorrect Usage: (a) It is too cold in New Delhi in the winter.

                                (b) It is very hot to play outdoors now.

Correct Usage: (a) It is very cold in New Delhi in the winter.

                              (b) It is too hot to play outdoors now.

Confused Adverbs

Very much and Too much

Rule: Very much is used for emphasizing; Too much implies excessive quantity or extent.

Incorrect Usage: (a) The audience liked the play too much.

                                (b) Tom eats very much.

Correct Usage: (a) The audience liked the play very much.

                              (b) Tom eats too much.

Confused Adverbs

Hardly and Hard

Rule: Hardly means scarcely; Hard implies vigorously.

Incorrect Usage: (a) They tried hardly to locate the missing file.

                                (b) He hard ate anything.

Correct Usage: (a) They tried hard to locate the missing file.

                              (b) He hardly ate anything.