INDIANISM AND INCORRECT EXPRESSION
We Indians are notoriously famous for making a mess of te !ueen"s Englis# Most of
te errors in s$oken and %ritten Englis are due to ignoran&e of grammar and te usage
of te $arts of s$ee&# We a'e a (ad a(it of translating literally te e)$ressions in our
moter tongue or oter Indian languages into Englis# Tus %e end u$ %riting or
s$eaking ty$i&al Indianised Englis tat sounds funny and ridi&ulous#
E)am$le* +e is gi'ing a test# In&orre&t
+e is taking a test# Corre&t
+e %as doing re,uest to me# In&orre&t
+e %as re,uesting me#
-o troug te follo%ing errors and teir &orre&tions# Try to $in$oint te %ords or te
$rases %rongly used and o% tey are &orre&ted#
In&orre&t
I am going to ome#
+e as made me fool#
I $refer &offee tan tea#
Al%ays tell te trut#
.ou are doing nonsense talk#
+e is more tall tan me#
My offi&e is far distan&e from
my ouse#
Se li'e at Deli#
Don"t s$eak a lie#
+o% are you $ulling on/
+is Englis is %eak#
+is Englis kno%ledge is $oor#
I (ougt a ne% $air of soes#
I &are a fig for im#
Se married %it an Englis offi&er#
Eart is round#
Se felt $ity on te (eggar#
+e told to me a(out you#
0oys of std#'i are 'ery smart#
+e is our immediate neig(our#
+e %orks ardly#
In&rease te 'olume of ta$e $lease#
I a'e an older (roter#
Te later $art of te (ook is interesting#
+e is taller tan me#
Sky is (lue#
I a'e not many relations#
It is a good ouse to li'e#
+e deals %it ri&e#
In&orre&t
Sorry to distur( you#
Tey sat on a tree#
+is ouse as %ell as is &ar
are on sale#
Eiter you or I are %rong#
+e &ame after one and alf ours#
We sould el$ te $oors#
Se a(sented from s&ool today#
I ad s&ar&ely finised my lun& ten
e &ame in#
We %ere ardly alf %ay on road
ten it rained#
Men and %omen sould res$e&t ea& oter#
+e is one year senior tan me#
Te 2ury is di'ided in its o$inion#
0ot you and I am res$onsi(le#
Te 2ury a'e gi'en its 'erdi&t#
Tere are t%o females in my offi&e#
I take your lea'e no%#
I get a little salary#
Do you kno% s%imming/
Tere is many milk in te $ot#
I se&ured 'ery good num(er in Matemati&s# I se&ured 'ery good marks in matemati&s#
Se &ame first in er &lass#
Se is too mu& a$$y#
-i'e me a &alk $lease#
Can I &ome in/
Please &lose te ligt#
Please e)tinguis your &igarette#
Please on te ligt#
I am on te 'erge of retiring#
+is Englis kno%ledge is $oor#
+e %as asking a(out your ealt#
Te man %as o'er run (y a (us#
Will you (orro% me some money/
I am fairing out te notes#
Te do&tor sa% my $ulse#
+e is good in ealt#
Te %ole India remem(ers -andi#
In&orre&t
1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
.our ouse is greater tan me#
Te details are as follo%#
Te drain %ater as o'erflo%n te street#
Moan and Rakes (ot are guilty#
Te &olour of my airs is (la&k#
Se is gaining %eigt#
O$en te (ook at si) $age#
Tis ouse is rater (ig#
My ouse is fairly small#
+e said e %ill not &ome#
Tis &ar is not %ort to (uy#
Don"t try to $ut dust in my eyes#
I a'e no idea as to %eter e is
&oming or not#
Se &annot (egin te so% (efore
%e %ill rea&#
Te reason of is su&&ess is sin&e
e %orked ard#
I %ould rater star'e to (eg#
Se &ame ere for $laying (adminton#
I don"t kno% singing#
Te tea&er sa% my ans%ers#
Tis is te tree in %ose sade %e ad lun&#
I a'e not seen er long sin&e#
I did not get er re$ly#
Tey said tat %e %ill not &ome#
My (roter does not look as me#
Se resem(les to er moter#
+e is going to a(road#
+e %as sitting (esides me#
I a'e got no family (eside my $arents#
Only you are ans%era(le for your %ork#
I got admission in your &ollege#
I %ill &all you ne)t Monday#
Te reason of is failure is due to la4iness#
Te matter %as informed to im (y a letter#
0ot did not go#
Se is kind u$on me#
+e %ill &ome after an our#
Se is a (est girl#
In&orre&t
I am (est girl#
Se is a mutual friend of Moan
and Rakes#
Can you gi'e me a little money#
0ot males and females sould (e
res$onsi(le &iti4ens#
Se is aiming to to$ te merit list#
.ou are going today5 isn"t it/
I mistake to sele&t you#
Mani$ur is in Nort1East#
My fater said to me if you may go#
If I %as ri&5 I &ould el$ te $oor#
Se as no issues#
.ou sould a'ail te o$$ortunity#
I asked my staff to su$er'ise o'er %ork#
I asked im to su$erintend o'er te %ork# I asked im to su$erintend te %ork#
E'ery(ody go tere#
Eiter you or I are going tere#
0ot you and I am going tere#
.ou sould &om$ensate te loss to me#
I a'e gi'en te e)amination#
As you so%5 so you %ill rea$#
0read and (utter are all I need#
Trut and non1'iolen&e are te (est $oli&y# Trut and non1'iolen&e is te (est $oli&y#
I %as disa$$ointed %it te $o'erty of my
$erforman&e#
Te &ommittee a'e su(mitted teir re$ort# Te &ommittee as su(mitted its re$ort#
Se %ent to riding#
Se got do%n from er (ike#
Se &lim(ed er (ike and %ent#
Se got do%n of te (us#
I take o(2e&tion to your remarks#
Tere is al%ays more tan one side
of a $ro(lem#
I a'e finised my money#
6uel of my &ar is e)austed#
+e &ame do%n from te aero$lane##
Se is gi'en to lofty talk#
I like to $lay guitar#
I asked im for &oming#
Do not 2um$ at a &on&lusion#
In&orre&t
I agree to your $ro$osal and in'itation#
Te &ar mo'ed in full s$eed#
+e is getting %ell day1(y1day#
Te tief fle% a%ay#
I %is you (rigt future#
+o% are you going on %it your
ne% 2o(#
Tere are many trees of (anyan in te
garden#
.ou a'e to see te di&tionary to see te
di&tionary for &orre&t meanings of %ords#
Se (ougt t%o do4ens (ananas#
Wit %om is e married/
Wat to do no%/
Se as already read fe% (ooks se ad#
+e is $resently in Deli#
I don"t %is any return for my %ork#
+e makes is $rayers e'ery morning#
+e is 'ery good in matemati&s#
My legs are $aining#
Wat to s$eak of running5 e does not
e'en go for a %alk#
We are not on talking terms#
Se is 'ery $roudy#
Sun rises in te east#
Tagore %as great $oet#
Wat kind of (ird is tat/
Wild animals are fero&ious#
Se is $rin&i$al of tat s&ool#
+e said tat e is &orre&t#
Te &airs legs are (roken#
Se ga'e me a fifty ru$ees note#
Tere %as no s$a&e in te (us#
Se is true to er %ords#
Only I5 you and e %ill go#
One sould do is %ork#
+e %orks in 7iran Enter$risers#
I %as me %o el$ed you#
Only tose students %ill $ass %o are
sin&ere in studies#
INCORRECT
Any of tese t%o (ooks are good#
8et im and I go tere#
Se as &ome yesterday#
One tousand ru$ees are not a small amount# One tousand ru$ees is not a small amount#
Te film %ill (e $layed after sort time#
We ad to go troug great many $ro(lems# We ad to go troug a great many
+e is (e&oming strong e'eryday#
I $lay guitar on&e in a %eek#
+as e &ome ere last year/
+e is in te engineering line#
I lost te mat& from im#
Te %ord is %rong5 &ut it#
Se is our Englis tea&er#
.ou %ill eiter tea& me or I %ill
tea& you#
I e)$e&t to %in te mat&#
I o$e I %ill (e late for te dinner#
+e is a %ell1kno%n &riminal#
I took my tea in te morning#
+e is ill for a %eek#
Wat for you are %aiting/
I (ougt if for ele'en and alf ru$ees#
Se li'es at a kilometer distan&e from
my ouse#
Are you doing e)er&ise/
I am going to Deli at Saturday"s nigt#
+e asked to me to stay (a&k#
Se &ongratulated me for my su&&ess#
I a'e eaten my lun&#
Se goes to &ollege for studying
literature#
Seldom I go to te li(rary#
Te si$ %as dro%ned#
All te $assengers sank#
I am trying to sol'e trou(le#
Te $o$ulation of Mum(ai is greater
tan any &ity in India#
Se is taller tan any student of er &lass# Se is taller tan any oter student of er &lass#
Te Pa&ifi& is te (iggest of all oter o&eans# Te Pa&ifi& is te (iggest of all te o&eans#
+e is 'ery %eak to %alk#
+e &ame dire&tly to me#
Tere is no su& $erson %i& you are
looking for#
;nless you do not %ork ard5 you %ill
not su&&eed#
I a'e a mind to go tere#
Se did many mis&iefs#
Te 2udge as $assed order for release#
Se is &onfident to %in#
+e is tra'eling (y first &lass#
I sa% a man dan&ing troug te %indo%# Troug te %indo% I sa% a man dan&ing#
Se is M#A# in Englis#
Would you mind me using your toilet/
Don"t s$eak nonsense#
Tell no to smoking#
I don"t gi'e damn to %at you say#
Tey %ere &on'erted into 0uddism#
Corre&t
I am going ome#
+e as fooled me#
I $refer &offee to tea#
Al%ays s$eak te trut#
.ou are talking nonsense#
+e is taller tan I#
My offi&e is far a%ay from
my ouse#
Se li'es in Deli#
Don"t tell a lie#
+o% are you getting along/
+e is %eak in Englis#
+is kno%ledge of Englis is $oor#
I (ougt a $air of ne% soes#
I don"t &are a fig for im#
Se married an Englis offi&er#
Te eart is round#
Se took $ity on te (eggar#
+e told me a(out you#
Te (oys of std#'i are 'ery smart#
+e is our ne)t1door neig(our#
+e %orks ard#
Turn u$ te 'olume of te stereo $lease#
I a'e an elder (roter#
Te latter $art of te (ook is interesting#
+e is taller tan I#
Te sky is (lue#
I a'e not many relati'es#
It is a good ouse to li'e in#
+e deals in ri&e#
Corre&t
Sorry to a'e distur(ed you#
Tey sat in a tree#
+is ouse as %ell as is &ar
is on sale#
Eiter you or I am %rong#
+e &ame after one our and a alf#
We sould el$ te $oor#
Se a(sented erself from s&ool today#
or
Se %as a(sent from s&ool today#
I ad s&ar&ely finised my lun&
%en e &ame in#
We %ere ardly alf %ay do%n te road
%en it (egan to rain#
Men and %omen sould res$e&t one
anoter#
+e is one year senior to me#
Te 2ury are di'ided in teir o$inions#
0ot you and I are res$onsi(le#
Te 2ury as gi'en its 'erdi&t#
Tere are t%o %omen in my offi&e#
I take lea'e of you no%#
I get a small salary#
Do you kno% o% to s%im/
Tere is mu& milk in te $ot#
Se stood first in er &lass#
Se is mu& a$$y#
Or
Se is 'ery mu& a$$y#
-i'e me a $ie&e of &alk $lease#
May I &ome in/
Please s%it&3turn off te ligt#
Please $ut out your &igarette#
Please s%it&3turn on te ligt#
I am a(out to retire#
+is kno%ledge of Englis is $oor#
+e %as asking after your ealt#
Te man %as run o'er (y a (us#
Will you lend me some money/
I am making a fair &o$y of te notes#
Te do&tor felt my $ulse#
+e is in good ealt#
Te %ole of India remem(ers -andi#
Corre&t
.our ouse is greater tan tat of mine#
Te details are as follo%s#
Te drain %ater as o'erflo%ed te street#
0ot Moan and Rakes are guilty#
Te &olour of my air is (la&k#
Se is $utting on %eigt#
O$en te (ook at $age si)#
Tis ouse is fairly (ig#
My ouse is rater small#
+e sad e %ould not &ome#
Tis &ar is not %ort (uying#
Don"t try to tro% dust in my eyes#
I a'e no idea %eter e is &oming
or not#
Se &annot (egin te so% (efore
%e rea&#
Te reason of is su&&ess is tat e
%orked ard#
I %ould rater star'e tan (eg#
Se &ame ere to $lay (adminton#
I don"t kno% o% to sing#
Te tea&er e)amined my ans%ers#
Tis is te tree in sade of %i& %e ad
lun&#
I a'e not seen er for a long time#
I did not get a re$ly from er#
Tey said tat tey %ould not &ome#
My (roter does not look like me#
Se resem(les er moter#
+e is going a(road#
+e %as sitting (eside me#
I a'e got no family (esides my $arents#
.ou alone are ans%era(le for your %ork#
I got admission to your &ollege#
I %ill &all you Monday ne)t#
+is failure is due to la4iness#
Or
Te reason of is failure is is la4iness#
+e %as informed of te matter (y a letter#
Neiter %ent#
Se is kind to me#
+e %ill &ome in an our#
Se is a 'ery good girl#
Corre&t
I am te (est girl#
Se is a &ommon friend of Moan
and Rakes#
Please gi'e me some money#
0ot men and %omen sould (e
res$onsi(le &iti4ens#
Se is aiming at to$$ing te merit list#
.ou are going today5 aren"t you/
I am mistaken in sele&ting you#
Mani$ur is in te Nort1East#
My fater told me tat if I liked I migt go#
If I %ere ri&5 I &ould el$ te $oor#
Se as no issue#
.ou sould a'ail yourself of te o$$ortunity#
I asked my staff to su$er'ise te %ork#
E'ery(ody goes tere#
Eiter you or I am going tere#
0ot you and I are going tere#
.ou sould &om$ensate for te loss to me#
I a'e a$$eared in te e)amination#
As you so5 so %ill you rea$#
0read and (utter is all I need#
I %as disa$$ointed %it my $oor
$erforman&e#
Se %ent for a ride#
Se got off er (ike#
Se got on er (ike and rode off#
Se aligted from te (us#
Or
Se got off te (us#
I take e)&e$tion to your remarks#
Tere is al%ays more tan one side
to a $ro(lem#
I a'e run out of money#
My &ar as run out of fuel#
+e aligted from te air&raft#
Se is gi'en to tall talk#
I like $laying guitar#
I asked im to &ome#
Do not 2um$ to a &on&lusion#
Corre&t
I agree to your $ro$osal and a&&e$t
your in'itation#
Te &ar mo'ed at full s$eed#
+e is getting (etter day1(y1day#
Te tief fled a%ay#
I %is you a (rigt future#
+o% are you getting on %it your
ne% 2o(#
Tere are many (anyan trees in te
garden#
.ou a'e to &onsult te di&tionary
for &orre&t meanings of %ords#
Se (ougt t%o do4en (ananas#
To %om is e married/
Wat am I to do no%/
Se as already read te fe% (ooks se ad#
+e is at $resent in Deli#
I don"t %is for any return for my %ork#
+e says is $rayers e'ery morning#
+e is 'ery good at matemati&s#
I feel $ain in my legs#
Not to s$eak of running5 e does not e'en
go for a %alk#
or
+e does not e'en go for a %alk5 let alone
running#
We are not on s$eaking terms#
Se is 'ery arrogant#
Te sun rises in te east#
Tagore %as a great $oet#
Wat kind of a (ird is tat/
Te %ild animals are fero&ious#
Se is te $rin&i$al of tat s&ool#
+e said tat e %as &orre&t#
Te legs of te &air are (roken#
Se ga'e me a fifty ru$ee note#
Tere %as no room in te (us#
Se is true to er %ord#
Only you5 e and I %ill go#
One sould do one"s %ork#
+e %orks in 7iran Enter$rises#
It %as I %o el$ed you#
Only tose students %o are sin&ere
in studies %ill $ass#
CORRECT
Eiter of tese t%o (ooks is good#
8et im and me go tere#
Se &ame yesterday#
Te film %ill (e so%n sortly#
$ro(lems#
+e is (e&oming stronger e'eryday#
I $lay guitar on&e a %eek#
Did e &ome ere last year/
+e is in te engineering $rofession#
I lost te mat& to im#
Te %ord is %rong5 &ross it out#
Se is our tea&er of Englis#
Eiter you %ill tea& me or I %ill
tea& you#
I o$e to %in te mat&#
I am afraid5 I"ll (e late for te dinner#
+e is a notorious &riminal#
I ad my tea in te morning#
+e as (een ill for a %eek#
Wat are you %aiting for/
I (ougt it for ele'en ru$ees and a alf#
Se li'es at a kilometer"s distan&e from my
ouse#
Are you taking e)er&ise/
I am going to Deli on Saturday nigt#
+e asked me to stay (a&k#
Se &ongratulated me on my su&&ess#
I a'e ad my lun&#
Se goes to &ollege to study literature#
Seldom do I go to te li(rary#
Te si$ sank#
All te $assengers dro%ned#
I am trying to fi) 9or o'er&ome: te trou(le#
Te $o$ulation of Mum(ai is greater tan
tat of any oter &ity in India#
+e is too %eak to %alk#
+e &ame dire&t to me#
Tere is no su& $erson as you are
looking for#
;nless you %ork ard5 you %ill
not su&&eed#
I intend going tere#
Se did mu& mis&ief#
Te 2udge as $assed orders for release#
Se is &onfident of %inning#
+e is tra'eling first &lass#
Se is an M#A# in Englis#
Would you mind my using your toilet/
Don"t talk nonsense#
Say no to smoking#
I don"t gi'e a damn to %at you say#
Tey %ere &on'erted to 0uddimsm#