Page 67 - DENG201_ENGLISH_II

Unit 4: Functional Grammar: Common Errors

21. Mr. Bhatia, our English teacher, takes 21. Mr. Bhatia, our teacher of English, takes great Notes
great pains in his work. pains in his work.
Explanation: English teacher is a slang use.
The English teacher means a teacher belonging
to England. The correct use is the teacher of
English which means a teacher who teaches the
language English.
22. The police has arrested the thief. 22. The police have arrested the thief.
23. The wages of sin are death. 23. The wages of sin is death.
24. The weather of Delhi does not suit me. 24. The climate of Delhi does not suit me.
25. Credit this sum in my name. 25. Credit this sum to my account.
Note: In my name is a slang expression. The
correct use is to my account.
26. We should always he true to our words. 26. We should always be true to our word.
Note: Word in the above sentence means
prmise. Words means words in a language. We
must be true to our word means we must honour
our promise.
27. I have learnt these poetries by memory. 27. I have learnt these poems by memory.
Note: There is no such word as poetries. There
is no plural of the word poetry.
In place of poetries, we should use poems.
28. Such phenomena has never been seen 28. Such phenomena have never been seen
before. before.
Note: Phenomena is always used in the plural
sense. Hence, we use plural verb with it.
29. Some of the guests were sitting on the 29. Some of the guests were sitting on the floor
ground of the room. of the room.
30. Twenty males and thirty females were 30. Twenty men and thirty women were selected
selected by the commission. by the Commission.
31. What is your date of birth? 31. What is the date of your birth?
Note: Your date of birth is a slang expression.
It hardly makes any sense. Birth is concerned
with man and not with the date. So, the correct
use will be the date of your birth.
32. I met him in the hospital and enquied 32. I met him in the hospital and enquired
about his state of health. about the state of his health.
33. The scientists have not been able to tell 33. The scientists have not been able to tell the
the reason of an earthquake. cause of an earthquake.
Explanation: There is a positive difference
in the meanings of reasons and cause. Cause
produces result. Reason explains or justifies the
cause.
34. He does not know even alphabets of 34. He does not know even alphabet of English.
English. Note: Alphabet means the number of letters of
a language.
35. No summon has yet been issued from the 35. No summons has yet been issued from the
Court. court.
Note: Summon is a wrong usage.

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