Common Errors in English Usage with Explanations - Part 57

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• Unless you do not work hard, you will not succeed. (wrong)
• Unless you work hard, you will not succeed. (correct)
• Explanation : Note that 'unless' means 'if not', therefore you cannot use double negative. 
• Until you remain restless you cannot concentrate.  (wrong)
• So long as you remain restless you cannot concentrate.  (correct)
• Explanation : You cannot use a double negative. 
  
• The book contains five hundred fifty pages. (wrong)
• The book contains five hundred and fifty pages. (correct)
• Explanation : It is a convention n English to add and between hundred and the last digit(s).
• An old teacher is as if the father of his pupils.  (wrong)
• An old teacher is, as it were, the father of his pupils. (correct)
• Explanation : As if means 'as would be the case if' whereas as it were means 'in a way'.
• I am going to Delhi because I may see my aunt. (wrong)
• I am going to Delhi in order that I may see my aunt. Or, I am gong to Delhi to see my aunt. (correct)
• Explanation : 'Because' implies some reason or cause; it should not, therefore, be used to express purpose. 
• He asked that where I lived. (wrong)
• He asked where I lived. (correct)
• Explanation : 'That' is not needed if a clause that begins with a wh-word is added to the main clause as its complement. 
• We shall see him after the dinner. (wrong)
• We shall see him after dinner. (correct)
• Explanation : There is often a tendency to use the definite article 'the' where it is not required. Remember that the definite article is not used before the names of the meals 'supper, 'dinner', 'lunch', 'breakfast'. 
• Does your sister go to the school ? (wrong)
• Does your sister go to school ? (correct)
• Explanation : 'Goes to the school' means to visit a particular school, whereas 'to go to school' means to go to school customarily as a teacher or a pupil. Similarly, it would be wrong to say 'I go to the church every Friday', when the correct expression is 'I go to church every Friday'. The latter sentence means 'to go and pray', while the former sentence means 'to go and visit the church'. 
• What kind of a friend are you ? (wrong)
• What kind of a friend are you ? (correct)
• Explanation : Don't use 'a' or 'an' (the indefinite article) after the phrase 'sort of' or 'kind of'. 
• Cholera has broken out in the whole Nagpur. (wrong)
• Cholera has broken out in the whole of Nagpur. (correct)
• Explanation : Don't use 'the whole' with proper nouns; say 'the whole of India', not 'the whole India'. 
• I have headache. (wrong)
• I have a headache. (correct)
• Explanation : Note the following phrases which involve the use of the indefinite article, 'a sore throat, 'a bad cold', 'a severe pain', 'on a large scale', 'on an average', 'at a loss', 'as a rue', etc. 

You can check the Old Posts of this Series from here

Shared by Bhargav Gupta Yechuri

 

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