Use of a after kind of, themselves or theirselves, when to use percent and percentage, may have or may of, as if vs like, free vs for free.
Wrong- These are the most unique sunflowers I have ever seen. ✘
Right- These are the most unusual sunflowers I have ever seen. ✔
Explanation:
Use unusual or rare in place of unique.
Unique means the only one of its kind: "Everyone's fingerprints are unique". Unique is not correct here. You should use rare or unusual.
2.
Wrong- I am understanding what she says. ✘
Right- I understand what she says. ✔
Explanation:
Don't use understand in continuous tense. There are many verbs that can't be used in continuous tenses. Understand is one of them. Other verbs are to see, to hear, to believe, to know, to think, to hope, to trust, to mean, to wish, to want, to love, to prefer, to hate, to comprehend, to suppose, etc.
3.
Wrong- I give this book to you for free. ✘
Right- I give this book to you free. ✔
Explanation:
for free is incorrect. Use only free.
Free is an adjective not noun or pronoun; hence, free can't be the object of a preposition. Only noun or pronoun can be the object of a preposition.
4.
Wrong- My favourite gift are flowers. ✘
Right- My favourite gift is flowers. ✔
Explanation:
Here, "is" is the correct verb for singular subject my favourite.
A verb must agree with its subject, not its subject complement.
5.
Wrong- He ordered me like he was the boss. ✘
Right- He ordered me as if he was the boss. ✔
Explanation:
Use as if in place of like. Like is a preposition, not a subordinating conjunction. It is followed only by a noun or a noun phrase: "He ordered me like the boss".
6.
Wrong- Martha may of many bags. ✘
Right- Martha may have many bags. ✔
Explanation:
Use may have in place of may of. May of is incorrect. May of is used colloquially but not in writing. Avoid more such errors: must of, should of, might of, etc.
7.
Wrong- Modi won 60 percentage of the primary vote. ✘
Right- Modi won 60 percent of the primary vote. ✔
Explanation:
Use percent in place of percentage. Percent is always used with a specific number. Percentage is used with descriptive term, like large or small. You can write Large percentage of the voters gave vote to Modi.
8.
Wrong- Soldiers pushed the tank theirselves. ✘
Right- Soldiers pushed the tank themselves. ✔
Explanation:
Use themselves in place of theirselves. Theirselves is incorrect and nonstandard, so avoid using it.
9.
Wrong- They are determined in their mind to start business. ✘
Right- They are determined to start business. ✔
Explanation:
Use only determined in place of determined in their mind. Determined is an adjective; the word itself contains the idea firm decision in your mind to do it. To write in mind after determined is a redundancy.
10.
Wrong- What kind of a house do you want to live in? ✘
Right- What kind of house do you want to live in? ✔
Explanation:
Use kind of house in place of kind of a house. Don't place "a" after the phrase kind of or sort of.
Common Errors In English.
1.Wrong- These are the most unique sunflowers I have ever seen. ✘
Right- These are the most unusual sunflowers I have ever seen. ✔
Explanation:
Use unusual or rare in place of unique.
Unique means the only one of its kind: "Everyone's fingerprints are unique". Unique is not correct here. You should use rare or unusual.
2.
Wrong- I am understanding what she says. ✘
Right- I understand what she says. ✔
Explanation:
Don't use understand in continuous tense. There are many verbs that can't be used in continuous tenses. Understand is one of them. Other verbs are to see, to hear, to believe, to know, to think, to hope, to trust, to mean, to wish, to want, to love, to prefer, to hate, to comprehend, to suppose, etc.
3.
Wrong- I give this book to you for free. ✘
Right- I give this book to you free. ✔
Explanation:
for free is incorrect. Use only free.
Free is an adjective not noun or pronoun; hence, free can't be the object of a preposition. Only noun or pronoun can be the object of a preposition.
4.
Wrong- My favourite gift are flowers. ✘
Right- My favourite gift is flowers. ✔
Explanation:
Here, "is" is the correct verb for singular subject my favourite.
A verb must agree with its subject, not its subject complement.
5.
Wrong- He ordered me like he was the boss. ✘
Right- He ordered me as if he was the boss. ✔
Explanation:
Use as if in place of like. Like is a preposition, not a subordinating conjunction. It is followed only by a noun or a noun phrase: "He ordered me like the boss".
6.
Wrong- Martha may of many bags. ✘
Right- Martha may have many bags. ✔
Explanation:
Use may have in place of may of. May of is incorrect. May of is used colloquially but not in writing. Avoid more such errors: must of, should of, might of, etc.
7.
Wrong- Modi won 60 percentage of the primary vote. ✘
Right- Modi won 60 percent of the primary vote. ✔
Explanation:
Use percent in place of percentage. Percent is always used with a specific number. Percentage is used with descriptive term, like large or small. You can write Large percentage of the voters gave vote to Modi.
8.
Wrong- Soldiers pushed the tank theirselves. ✘
Right- Soldiers pushed the tank themselves. ✔
Explanation:
Use themselves in place of theirselves. Theirselves is incorrect and nonstandard, so avoid using it.
9.
Wrong- They are determined in their mind to start business. ✘
Right- They are determined to start business. ✔
Explanation:
Use only determined in place of determined in their mind. Determined is an adjective; the word itself contains the idea firm decision in your mind to do it. To write in mind after determined is a redundancy.
10.
Wrong- What kind of a house do you want to live in? ✘
Right- What kind of house do you want to live in? ✔
Explanation:
Use kind of house in place of kind of a house. Don't place "a" after the phrase kind of or sort of.
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