Incorrect: We live in village.

Correct: We live in a village. OR We live in the village.

Incorrect: She works in pub.

Correct: She works in a pub. OR She works in the pub.

A singular common noun (e.g. boy, girl, tree, country, teacher, village etc.) must have an article. A plural
common noun can be used with or without an article.

Incorrect: He is best player in the team.

Correct: He is the best player in the team.

Incorrect: She is fastest runner.

Correct: She is the fastest runner.

The definite article the must be used with superlative adjectives.

Incorrect: The Paris is big city.

Correct: Paris is a big city.

Incorrect: I live in the Mumbai.

Correct: I live in Mumbai.

If the noun is proper it will take no article. Note that a proper noun is the name of a particular person,
place or thing. Examples are: Sam, Mary, India, Paris, London etc.

Incorrect: The iron is a useful metal.

Correct: Iron is a useful metal.

Incorrect: The gold is yellow.

Correct: Gold is yellow.

Articles are not used with material nouns. Examples are: gold, silver, iron, wheat, rice etc.

Incorrect: We should not make noise.

Correct: We should not make a noise.

Incorrect: I have an urgent business.

Correct: I have urgent business. OR I have some urgent business.

Note these fixed expressions.

Incorrect: Do you sell eggs by kilo or by dozen?

Correct: Do you sell eggs by the kilo or by the dozen?

The is used in measuring expressions beginning with by.

Incorrect: Both did not come.

Correct: Neither came.

Incorrect: Both of them did not pass the test.

Correct: Neither of them passed the test.

In negative clauses, we use ‘neither’ not both.

Incorrect: Each of these girls sing very well.

Correct: Each of these girls sings very well.

After each and every, we use a singular verb.

Incorrect: We all did not go.

Correct: None of us went.

Incorrect: We all had not been invited.

Correct: None of us had been invited.

Incorrect: One should love his country.

Correct: One should love one’s country.

Incorrect: ‘Have you got a pencil?’ ‘No, I haven’t got.’

Correct: ‘Have you got a pencil?’ ‘No, I haven’t got one.’ / ‘No, I don’t have one’.

Have is a transitive verb. It needs an object to complete its meaning.

Incorrect: ‘Is he at home?’ ‘Yes, I think.’

Correct: ‘Is he at home?’ ‘Yes, I think so.’

Incorrect: We enjoyed during the holidays.

Correct: We enjoyed ourselves during the holidays.

Enjoy is a transitive verb. It requires an object.

Incorrect: The boy who works hard he will get the prize.
Correct: The boy who works hard will get the prize.
Correct: Whoever works hard will get the prize.

The relative pronoun serves as the subject of the verb in the relative clause. It is therefore wrong to write
another subject.

Correct the following sentences.

1. The Beijing is the capital of China.

2. I first met your Dad at the Walmart.

3. He has failed in the English.

4. She died of the malaria.

5. She is best singer I have heard.

6. Rose is sweetest of all flowers.

7. A man is mortal.

8. You are in a trouble.

9. You are making a rapid progress.

10. There is a vast scope for improvement.

11. Your words are not worth penny.

12. Don’t make noise.

Answers

1. Beijing is the capital of China.

2. I first met your Dad at Walmart.

3. He has failed in English.

4. She died of malaria.

5. She is the best singer I have heard.

6. The rose is the sweetest of all flowers.

7. Man is mortal.

8. You are in trouble.

9. You are making rapid progress.

10. There is vast scope for improvement.

11. Your words are not worth a penny.

12. Don’t make a noise.

Explanation

Questions 1 – 4

Proper nouns are the names of particular persons, countries, rivers etc. We do not use articles with proper
nouns.

Question 5

We use the with superlative adjectives.

Question 6, 7
In generalizations we usually use singular countable nouns with the article the. The nouns man and
woman are exceptions to this rule. They can be used in a general sense without articles.

Questions 8 – 12

Some uncountable nouns cannot be used with articles. Examples are: progress, trouble and scope. Some
can be used with articles in some cases.

Incorrect: He loves with me.

Correct: He loves me.

Incorrect: We discussed about the matter.

Correct: We discussed the matter.

Incorrect: We reached at the airport at 9 pm.

Correct: We reached the airport at 9 pm.

Incorrect: I have ordered for his dismissal.

Correct: I have ordered his dismissal.

Incorrect: He married with his friend’s sister.

Correct: He married his friend’s sister.

Incorrect: She entered into the room.

Correct: She entered the room.

Incorrect: The child resembles to its mother.

Correct: The child resembles its mother.

Incorrect: He is intelligence, but he lacks of experience.

Correct: He is intelligence but he lacks experience

Explanation

Verbs such as enter, resemble, lack, discuss, marry, reach, order and approach are normally followed by
direct objects without prepositions.

Incorrect: What is the time in your watch?

Correct: What is the time by your watch?

Incorrect: We traveled in train.

Correct: We traveled by train.

Explanation

We write by train/car/bike/boat/plane/land/sea/air etc. But note that by is not used if there is an article.
For example, we write in the car, on a bus, and not by the car or by a bus.

Incorrect: He is angry upon me.

Correct: He is angry with me.

Incorrect: I am pleased at you.

Correct: I am pleased with you.

Incorrect: He was trembling in rage.

Correct: He was trembling with rage.

Explanation

We use with in a number of expressions which say how people express their feelings and sensations.
Common examples are: white with fear/rage, red with anger/embarrassment, green with envy, blue with
cold etc.

Incorrect: Who is in the phone? It is John.

Correct: Who is on the phone? It is John.

Incorrect: There was an interesting show at TV.

Correct: There was an interesting show on TV.

Explanation

The correct expressions are on the radio, on TV, on the phone etc.

Incorrect: She washed her face in water.

Correct: She washed her face with water.

Incorrect: The snake was killed by a stone.

Correct: The snake was killed with a stone.

Explanation

We use with to talk about instruments with which something is done.

Incorrect: I go to school by foot.

Correct: I go to school on foot.

Incorrect: I congratulated her for her success.

Correct: I congratulated her on her success.

Incorrect: He is ill since last week.

Correct: He has been ill since last week.
Incorrect: He has been working since two hours.
Correct: He has been working for two hours.
Incorrect: I have not played cricket since a long time.
Correct: I have not played cricket for a long time.

Explanation
When reckoning from a particular date we use ‘since’. Examples are since last Friday, since May, since
morning, since July 8th. But note that we always use ‘for’ for a period. Examples are: for a week, for a
long time, for two hours etc.

Incorrect: This paper is inferior than that.

Correct: This paper is inferior to that.
Incorrect: He is junior than me.
Correct: He is junior to me.
Incorrect: He is superior than you in strength.
Correct: He is superior to you in strength.

Explanations

The comparatives senior, junior, superior, inferior etc., are followed by to, and not than.

Incorrect: He rides in a cycle.

Correct: He rides on a cycle.
Incorrect: He rides on a car.
Correct: He rides in a car.
Incorrect: He sat in a table.
Correct: He sat on a table.
Incorrect: The cat is in the roof.
Correct: The cat is on the roof.

Explanation

Use ‘on’ when the meaning is clearly ‘on top of’. For example, on a horse, on a bicycle, on a table, on the
roof etc. Use in when ‘on top of’ is not appropriate. For example, in a car, in an airplane etc.

Incorrect: There was a match between team A against team B.

Correct: There was a match between team A and team B.
Incorrect: The meeting will be held between 4 pm to 6 pm.
Correct: The meeting will be held between 4 pm and 6 pm.

Explanation

Between is followed by and, not to or against.

Incorrect: The First World War was fought during 1914 – 18.
Correct: The First World War was fought between 1914 and 1918.
Incorrect: There was a fight with John and Peter.
Correct: There was a fight between John and Peter.
Incorrect: England grew prosperous between Queen Victoria’s reign.
Correct: England grew prosperous during Queen Victoria’s reign.

Explanation

Two events or people should be mentioned if you want to use between.

Common Errors with Adjectives

Incorrect: Every one knows this.
Correct: Everyone knows this.

Explanation

Everyone should be written as one word.

Incorrect: He held the bag in the both hands.

Correct: He held the bag in both hands.
Correct: He held the bag in both his hands.

Explanation

We do not use the before both.

Incorrect: Everybody should do some or other work.

Correct: Everybody should do some work or other.
Incorrect: Iron is more useful than any other metals.
Correct: Iron is more useful than any other metal.
Incorrect: Winston Churchill is greater than any other British politicians.
Correct: Winston Churchill is greater than any other British politician.

Explanation

In these comparative sentences we should use a singular noun after any other.

Incorrect: He came a 3rd time.

Correct: He came a third time.
Incorrect: He is in class eighth.
Correct: He is in class eight.
Correct: He is in the eighth class.
Incorrect: He opened the book at six page.
Correct: He opened the book at page six.
Incorrect: This is a portrait of King George the sixth.
Correct: This is a portrait of King George VI.

Explanation

The numbers of kings and queens should be written in Roman characters. Examples are: Elizabeth II,
Louis XIV
Ordinal numbers (e.g. first, second, tenth etc.) up to twelfth should be written in words except in dates.
Examples
18th October 2003 (NOT Eighteenth October 2003)
This is the fifth time you have asked the same question. (NOT This is the 5th time …)
Dates should be written as follows: July 7th or 7th July. (NOT 7th of July or seventh of July)
Cardinal numbers up to twelve should be written in words except when telling the time.
Examples
He came at 10 am. (NOT He came at ten am.)
She has seven siblings. (NOT She has 7 siblings.)
Cardinal and ordinal numbers above twelve and twelfth may be written in either words or figures.
Incorrect: He is worst than you.
Correct: He is worse than you.
Incorrect: Mumbai is hot than Delhi.
Correct: Mumbai is hotter than Delhi.

Explanation

Only an adjective or adverb in the comparative degree can be used before than.

Incorrect: A horse is usefuller than a car.

Correct: A horse is more useful than a car.

Adjectives and adverbs having more than one syllable form their comparative and superlative forms by
the addition of more and most.