Chapter-V COMMON MISTAKES IN ENGLISH

Discover the mistakes in the following sentences and correct them

Sl. Given sentence Corrected sentence Remarks

No
1 I was absented yesterday. I was absented yesterday. tense in the past so ‘was’ not come along with V2
2 I was passed in the junior course. I was passed in the junior course. -do-
3 I am passed. I am passed. -do-
4 She is suffering with fever. She is suffering with from fever. suffering takes ‘from’
5 I didn’t took my lunch. I didn’t took take my lunch. tense in the negative past so use did+ V1= V2
6 I was went to my college. I was went to my college. tense in the past so ‘was’ removed, use only V2
7 I has seen the museum. I has have seen the museum. I, we takes ‘have’
8 He have written the test. He have has written the test. he, she, it takes ‘has’
9 I was been selected. I was have been selected. it is Present perfect so use have instead of was
10 I can’t able to write. I can’t write/I am unable to write/ Both can and able are not come at a time.
I am not able to write. Both can’t and able to are not come at a time.
11 I could not able to go. I could not go/ I was unable to go/ Both could and able are not come at a time.
I was not able to go. both couldn’t and able to are not come at a time
12 He was died yesterday. He was died yesterday. tense in the past so ‘was’ not come along with V 2
13 She was gone. She was has gone. tense in the Present perfect so use Have/has+ V3
14 I have come yesterday. I have come came yesterday. Time given in past so use V2 instead of present perfect
tense.
15 They will came tomorrow. They will came come tomorrow. will + V1 (MAV + V1 always)
16 I will abide with the rules. I will abide with by the rules. abide + by (preposition)
17 I will appoint for that post. I will appoint for to that post. appoint + to (preposition)
18 I am accused for leaking the secret. I am accused for of leaking the secret. accused + of (preposition)
19 Platinum is superior than gold. Platinum is superior than to gold. Superior, Inferior, Junior, senior, preferable adjectives take
‘to’ instead ‘than’ in comparative degree.
20 I am tried with working. I am tried with of working. tried + of (preposition)
21 He didn’t respond for our invitation. He didn’t respond for to our invitation. respond + to (preposition)
22 I wish I am passed. I wish I am passed. I wish followed sentence is imaginary so we use past/past
23 I wish I have seen it. I wish I have had seen it. perfect tense.
24 I wish he understands me. I wish he understands understood me.
25 It’s time you study seriously. It’s time you study studied seriously. It’s time followed sentence take past/past perfect tense.
26 He said that he will come. He said that he will would come. said is past verb so it takes past verb would instead of will
27 He told to me that he passed. He told to me that he had passed. told=said to, -do-
28 Did she told you where she went? Did she told tell you where she went? did + tell = told
29 I know where has he gone. I know where has he has gone. it is a statement so ‘has’ come after ‘he’
30 Do you know why did he come late? Do you know why did he come came late? It’s already started with helping verb as interrogative.
31 He is asking to me my name. He is asking to me my name. remove ‘to’ (saying to =asking)
32 She is not telling to me anything. She is not telling to me anything. remove ‘to’ (saying to =telling)
33 There is no books in the room. There is are no books in the room. books plural so use ‘are’ instead of ‘is’
34 If you knew your date of death, what If you knew your date of death, what will If+ simple past, would + V1 (unreal condition)
will you do? would you do?
35 If we through anything up, it will fall If we through anything up, it will fall falls If+ present simple, present simple. (Zero condition)
down. down.
36 If you had passed, I could host the If you had passed, I could host could have If+ past perfect, MAV+Have+V3. (unfulfilled condition)
party. hosted the party.
37 If you had been carefully, you would If you had been carefully, you would not If+ past perfect, MAV+Have+V3. (unfulfilled condition)
not loose money. loose would not have lost money.
38 If you work hard, you would become If you work hard, you would will become If+ present simple, simple future (possible condition)
successful. successful.
39 She is more taller than her friend. She is more taller than her friend. taller = more + tall
40 Shilpa is more cleverer than divya. Shilpa is more cleverer than divya. cleverer = more + clever
41 Lata’s songs are more melodious Lata’s songs are more melodious than those we use ‘those of’ (plural) and ‘that of’ (singular)in
than usha. of usha. comparative degree
42 The height of mount Everest is taller The height of mount Everest is taller more Height is mentioned so use ‘more’ only for comparative
than any other mountain. than any other mountain. degree.
43 The examples in this book are better The examples in this book are better than we use ‘those of’ (plural) and ‘that of’ (singular)in
than that book. those of that book. comparative degree
44 I ordered to him to leave the room. I ordered to him to leave the room. ‘to’ remove it is not followed by ordered.
45 Please remind me this. Please remind me this. ‘me’ remove if not also ok.
46 Have you given the test? Have you given taken the test? Teachers ‘give’ and students ‘take’
47 He never hears my advice He never hears takes my advice advice – takes; words – hears
48 She will spend her remaining life in She will spend her remaining rest of life in remaining = rest of
the village. the village.
49 Our teacher took our test Our teacher took gave our test Teachers ‘give’ and students ‘take’
50 He asked from me that I had gone He asked from me that if I had gone there or reported speech of confirmative question (interrogative)
there or not. not.
51 Who hanged this picture on the wall? Who hanged hung this picture on the wall? hang-hung-hung
hang-hanged-hanged
52 What is the use of Gopi going there? What Why is the use of Gopi going there? here wh-word for reason
53 Please meet the concerned clerk. Please meet the clerk concerned. Grammatically we use “concerned” before thing/person.
54 The climate of India is better than The climate of India is better than that of we use ‘those of’ (plural) and ‘that of’ (singular)in
Africa. Africa. comparative degree
55 There are six females among the There are six females women among the we use plural nouns like Women, Children after number.
winners. winners. not like ten females or ten womans say ten women.
56 I went to Delhi for meeting a friend. I went to Delhi for meeting to meet a friend. to meet-preposition
57 Why you are so late? Why are you are so late? It is a interrogative sentence so helping verb ‘are’ /’will’ is
58 When you will come to my house? When will you will come to my house? placed before noun.
59 This news was broadcasted last This news was broadcasted last night. ‘Broadcast’ is the same in the present tense and past tense.
night. (“Broadcasted” is not standard English)
60 I saw a dead horse walking across I saw a dead horse walking across in the preposition ‘in’ the filed not ‘across’ the field
the field. field.
61 He is a noted thief. He is a noted notorious thief. adjective for worst personalities
62 I lived there for five days. I lived stayed there for five days. for short periods use ‘stay’
63 What have you been doing all these What have you have been doing all these It is in statement form.
years, I fail to understand. years, I fail to understand.
64 The duties of a police man are more The duties of a police man are more we use ‘those of’ (plural) and ‘that of’ (singular)in
dangerous than a teacher. dangerous than those of a teacher. comparative degree
65 I made him to do this work. I made him to do this work. preposition is not required
66 He got passing marks. He got passing mark marks. (“mark” is standard English) (he has got pass marks)
pass marks/passing mark
67 According to my opinion he is right. According to my his opinion he is right. for self don’t use according
In my opinion he is right.
68 My leg is paining. My leg is pain paining. The verb ‘pain’ is stative verb so ‘paining’ not exists.
69 My father doesn’t care how does the My father doesn’t care how does much the ‘Does’ not required, it is a statement.
car cost because he is going to buy it car cost because he is going to buy it any
any way. way.
70 Because they have moved away, Because they have moved away, they hardly ‘Hardly’ and ‘never’ both are same negative so use only one
they hardly never go to the beach never/ hardly never go to the beach any at a time.
any more. more.
71 We had better to review this chapter We had better to review this chapter ‘Better’ and ‘carefully’ both are same possitive so use only
carefully because we will have some carefully because we will have some one at a time.
questions on it tomorrow. questions on it tomorrow.
72 Anybody who plans to attend the Anybody who plans to attend the meeting ‘ought’ always take ‘to’ = ought to
meeting ought send a short note. ought to send a short note.
73 He is bent to harm me. He is bent to on harm me. preposition ‘on’ instead of ‘to’
74 He is addicted to smoke. He is addicted to of smoke. preposition ‘of’ instead of ‘to’
75 She has a passion to read novels. She has a passion to for read novels. preposition ‘for’ instead of ‘to’
76 You should refrain to tell lies. You should refrain to from tell lies. preposition ‘from’ instead of ‘to’
77 I take pride to serve my country. I take pride to in serve my country. preposition ‘in’ instead of ‘to’
78 He having a car. He having has a car. ‘having’ not used only use have/has/had for possession
79 I am hearing a strange noise. I am hearing hear a strange noise. ‘hear’ is a stative verb so it hasn’t ‘ing’ form.
80 The soup is testing good. The soup is testing tastes well. ‘taste’ is a stative verb so it hasn’t ‘ing’ form.
81 Turn off the light before you will go Turn off the light before you will go to sleep ‘will’ is not exists is it simple present tense and “go to bed”
to sleep. bed. instead of “go to sleep”
82 I wish I am rich I wish I am were rich I wish followed sentence is imaginary so we use past/past
perfect tense.
83 The factory is belonging to my uncle. The factory is belonging belongs to my uncle. “belongs to” instead of “belonging to”
84 Pandma told to me the news. Pandma told to me the news. told = said + to
85 Telugu is called as the Italian of the Telugu is called as the Italian of the East. The words (verbs) called, appoint, select and elect don’t
East. take ‘as’ suffixes.
86 I don’t like to discuss about it now. I don’t like to discuss about it now. discuss= talk/speak + about
87 The doorbell is ringing for over five The doorbell is has been ringing for over five It is a present perfect continuous tense.
minutes. minutes.
88 I didn’t attend to the meeting. I didn’t attend to the meeting. ‘to’ remove it is not followed by attend.
89 Don’t enter into the garden! Don’t enter into the garden! enter = into so it double words.
90 I wouldn’t do that if I am you. I wouldn’t do that if I am were you. if +were/had/V2, would + V1
91 It is time we start. It is time we started started. It is time followed sentence take past/past perfect tense.
92 I will ring you up as soon as she will I will ring you up as soon as she will come
come. comes.
93 He asked that why I was late. He asked that why I was late. it is interrogative indirect speech so ‘that’ will not exists.
94 Where you bought the watch? Where have you bought the watch?/ it is past/past perfect tense so we write in both ways.
Where did you bought buy the watch?
95 I pray god every day. I pray to god every day. ‘to’- used to god (not ‘for’)
96 The population of Bombay is greater The population of Bombay is greater than we use ‘those of’ (plural) and ‘that of’ (singular)in
than Madras. that of Madras. comparative degree
97 He said he would be going to abroad He said that he would be going to abroad in ‘that’ is missed because it is indirect speech. And abroad
in march next. march next. don’t take prefix preposition ‘to’
98 Do you go to college by bus or by Do you go to college by bus or by walk on ‘by walk’ instead we use “on foot” by- used to thing
walk. foot.
99 George and I have been working on George and I have been working on this ‘since’- point of time/point on time.
this invention since five years. invention since for five years. ‘for’-period of time.
100 My brother is two years elder than I My brother is two years elder than I am to Superior, Inferior, Junior, senior, preferable and elder
am. me. adjectives take ‘to’ instead ‘than’ in comparative degree.