CORRECTION OF SENTENCES - Important Examples with explanation

  CORRECTION OF SENTENCES

Sl. No.	Wrong Sentence	Correct Sentence	Reason
1.	I am exercising everyday.	I exercise every day.	This is an error related to Tenses. Doing exercise is a habitual/ regular activity. Hence, simple present tense has to be used, not present continuous tense.
2.	The cat jumped on the fence.	The cat jumped over the fence.	Error due to usage of wrong preposition.
3.	The father along with his son were swimming in the pool	The father along with his son was swimming in the pool	This is an error related to Subject-Verb Agreement. Here, the main subject is ‘the father’, which is singular. Hence, the verb also has to be in singular form i.e., was.
4.	He ran fastly to board the bus.	He ran fast to board the bus.	This is an error related to Adverb. the appropriate adverb is ‘fast’ not ‘fastly’.
5.	This is the most useful of the two books.	This is more useful of the two books.	This is an error related to degrees of comparison. Since the comparison is between two things, comparative degree has to be used, not superlative degree. Hence, ‘more useful’, not ‘the most useful’.
6.	The man servants are paid well.	The male servants are paid well.	This is an error related to the usage of wrong nouns.
7.	One should take care of his things.	One should take care of one’s things.	This is an error related to the usage of possessive case. He-His, She-Her; It-Its; I-my, we-our; they-their; you-your… and one-one’s (Here we don’t know whether the one is male or female)
8.	She is living here since 1985.	She has been living here since 1985.	This is an error related to Tenses. Here, the action/ activity ‘living’ started in the past and is continued to the present also. Hence, Present perfect continuous tense has to be used, not present continuous tense.
9.	She likes to sing and dancing.	She likes to sing and dance.	There should be uniformity in the verb forms after.
10.	She had seen him yesterday.	She saw him yesterday.	This is an error related to Tenses. Here, there is one action which completed in the past. Hence, simple past tense has to be used, not past perfect tense.
11.	They laid off their lives for their country.	They laid down their lives for their country.	Error due to usage of wrong preposition.
12.	He runs down his letters at breakfast.	He runs through his letters at breakfast.	Error due to usage of wrong preposition
13.	She was admired him very much.	She admired him very much. (or) She was admired by him very much	The first sentence is in Active voice. The second one is in passive voice.
15.	Measles are a disease.	Measles is a disease.	This is an error related to Subject-Verb agreement. Here, the subject ‘Measles’ is one type of disease and it is singular. Hence, the verb also should be singular ‘is’.
16.	Good equipment is hard to come off.	Good equipment is hard to come by.	Error due to usage of wrong preposition
17.	Neither the teacher nor the students is aware of it.	Neither the teacher nor the students are aware of it.	This is an error related to Subject-Verb agreement. Here, the subject  closer to the verb is ‘students’. Since it is a plural word, the verb also should be in plural form. (Rule of proximity)
18.	If it rains the match would be cancelled.	If it rains, the match will be cancelled.	In the ‘If conditionals’, the subordinate clause should be in simple present tense and the main clause should be in simple future.
19.	Medicine has to be took after food.	Medicine has to be taken after food.	The sentence is in Passive voice. Hence, the verb ‘take’ should be in its third form (v3) i.e., taken.
20.	There is limits to our freedom.	There are limits to our freedom. (or) There is a limit to our freedom.	This is an error related to Subject-Verb agreement. Limit (singular) – is Limits (plural) – are
22.	Give me them books.	Give me those/their books.	Error is related to pronouns.
23.	He was so afraid that his knees knocked one another.	He was so afraid that his knees knocked each other.	One- another; Each – other;
24.	They are more kinder to animals than to children.	They are kinder to animals than to children.	This is an error related to use of adjectives. Here kinder is the comparative degree of kind. It does not require more.
25.	This photograph is the best of the two.	This photograph is better of the two.	This is an error related to degrees of comparison. Since the comparison is between two things, comparative degree has to be used, not superlative degree. Hence, ‘better’, not ‘the best’.
26.	I have visited England last August.	I visited England last August.	Simple past tense
27.	Will I give you the news paper?	Shall I give you the news paper?	To offer help, we use ‘Shall’, not ‘Will I’.
28.	I enjoy to learn English.	I enjoy learning English
29.	Your hair needs cutting badly.	Your hair badly needs cutting.	This is an error related to use of adverbs in the wrong place.
31.	The Committee are resolved upon this reform.	The Committee is resolved upon this reform	When resolution/ agreement is there, the noun Committee is treated as Singular. Hence, singular verb ‘is’ has to be used.
32.	Neither she nor he have got first class.	Neither she nor he has got first class.	This is an error related to Subject-Verb agreement. When two singular subjects are connected with ‘neither-nor’ the verb also should be in singular form.
33.	The story what I read was good.	The story which I read was good.	Error related to relative pronoun.
34.	Sarala and myself will come.	Sarala and I will come.	Error related to usage of personal pronouns.
35.	My mother is going to the temple everyday.	Mo mother goes to temple everyday.	Here are two errors. (i) Error in respect of Tense.  Since going to temple is a regular activity, simple present tense has to be used, not present continuous tense. (ii) Error in respect of Articles. Definite article ‘The’ should not be used before temple, church, mosque, school, college, etc., when the action is performed for its primary purpose. (Primary purpose for temple – prayer; primary purpose for school – study, etc.)
36.	Her hair is white, like her mother’s is.	Her hair is white, like her mother’s.	Subject-verb agreement
37.	He avoids to speak to me.	He avoids speaking to me.	Subject-verb agreement
38.	Try and come tomorrow.	Try to come tomorrow.	Error related to preposition
39.	I am used to play at soldiers as a child.	I am used to play with soldiers as a child.	Error due to usage of wrong preposition
40.	Summarize the two first chapters of the book.	Summarize the first two chapters of the book.	Error related to the order of adjectives.
41.	Many boy is spoiled by bad company	Many a boy is spoiled by bad company
42.	I look forward to see him soon.	I look forward to seeing him.	Error related to usage of preposition
43.	Laddu is tasting sweet.	Laddu tastes sweet.	This is an error related to Tenses. The experience of senses is expressed in simple present tense.
44.	The cashier and clerk are on leave.	The cashier and the clerk are on leave (or) The cashier and clerk is on leave.	This is an error related to Subject-verb agreement. The expression ‘the cashier and clerk’ denotes a single person holding both the positions. The expression ‘the cashier and the clerk’ denotes two different persons – one is cashier and the other one is clerk.
45.	She asked me what was my name.	She asked me what my name was.	Error related to sentence construction.
46.	I know him for the last ten years.	I know him for the past ten years. (or) I know him since last ten years.
47.	He is not sincere; not he is honest.	He is neither sincere nor honest.
48.	The gold is a much-loved metal.	Gold is a much loved metal.	Error related to usage of articles. No article should be used before Metals such as Gold, Silver, Iron, etc.
49.	He always travels by a car.	He always travels by car. (or) He always travels in a car.
50.	I am a fool. aren’t I?	I am a fool, amn’t I?
51.	Neither of the two books are good.	Neither of the two books is good.	Error related to Subject – verb agreement. (Here neither indicates singular. Hence, the verb ‘is’ has to be used.)
52.	It is raining since morning.	It has been raining since morning	Error related to tenses. The action (raining) started in the past and is going on at the time of speaking. Hence, present perfect continuous tense has to be used.
53.	She always walks slowly lest she will be tired.	She always walks slowly lest she should be tired.
54.	I have seen him yesterday.	I saw him yesterday.	Error related to tenses. Yesterday denotes the past action. Hence, simple past tense should be used.
55.	I am seeing the bus coming.	I see the bus coming	The experience of senses has to be expressed in Simple present tense.
56.	He hasn’t done this yet, isn’t it?	He hasn’t done this yet, has he?	Subject-verb agreement (Question tags)
57.	She did not agree with my proposal completely.	She did not agree to my proposal completely.	Error related to prepositions.
58.	He availed the opportunity.	He availed himself of the opportunity.	Error related to reflexive pronoun.
59.	He reached the station after the train left the platform.	He reached the station after the train had left the platform.	Error related to tenses. When two actions took place at different times in the past, the earlier past incident takes ‘past perfect tense’ and the latest past incident takes ‘simple past tense’.
60.	The Gold is a much loved metal.	Gold is a much loved metal.	Before metals like iron, gold, silver, etc., article the  is not required.

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NOOJILLA SRINIVAS

Lecturer in English

Govt. Degree College,

Alamuru,

Andhra pradesh - India

M: 7981862200