ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Difficult words and Simple Meaning

1)      Nod -  (ஒப்புதல்)Agree

2)      Reprimands – (கண்டனம்) Condemnation, Criticism

3)      Chord (1) –  Combination of notes sounded together.

Chord(2)  –  Straight line joining ends of arc 

4)      Intimidation – (மிரட்டல்) Frighten

5)      Exotic –(விநோதமான) Strange, Unusual

 

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COMMON ERRORS IN WRITTEN ENGLISH

   We are giving pairs of sentences,

       ·        The first one is incorrect

       ·        Second one is correct 

1)    Either water or butter milk are enough         (X)

2)    Either water or butter milk is enough           (√ )

  (Here the subject is singular so, we have to use is enough)

           

1)    Neither Ramu nor Seetha have come yet.      (X)

2)    Neither Ramu nor Seetha has come yet.         (√ )

1)    One of my student is coming here                  (X)

2)    One of my students is coming here                 (√)

1)    Every one of them are very rich                     (X)

2)    Every one of them is very rich                        (√)

1)    Neither of them are my best friends                (X)

2)    Neither of them is my best friend                    (√)

(Neither of them refers to a single person, so we have to use singular be form verb)

1.     My mother and myself went to Chennai last week (X)

2.     My mother and I went to Chennai last week (√)

(Myself to be used only as a reflexive pronoun or as an emphatic pronoun)

1.     Suppose if he comes you can tell him the news. (X)

2.     If he comes you can tell him the news. (√)

(Either suppose or if is enough)

1.     She described about her home town. (X)

2.     She described her home town. (√)

1.     Her sister delivered a male child. (X)

2.     Her sister was delivered of a male child. (√)

(The meaning of first sentence is similar to that of delivered letters) 

1)       All the Athletes entered in to the running lane. (X) 
2)       All the Athletes entered the running lane. (√)

1)       I wish I am rich. (X) 
2)       I wish I were rich. (√)
(It is hypothetical sentence. i.e imaginary , only past tense is used in the context) 

1)       It is high time he has his meals.  (X) 
2)       It is high time he had his meals. (√)

 (Only past tense to be used after the expression it is high time)

1) Seetha was married by Rama. (X)
2) Seetha was married to Rama. (√)

1) The room is filled up by light.  (X)
2) The room is filled with light. (√)  

1) He was observed into regular practice. (X)
2) He was absorbed into regular practice. (√)  


1)    He saw an old woman to cross the road. (X)
2)    He saw an old woman cross the road. (√)
(verbs see, watch, hear, help, make, take only plain infinitive)

1)    I will make her to speak English.  (X)
2)    I will make her speak English. (√)
(The verb ‘make’ takes only plain infinitive note to infinitive)

1)    I asked him who was he. (X)
2)    I asked him who he was. (√)  

1)   My cousin brother is a bakery owner. (X) 
2)  My cousin is a bakery owner. (√)

1)    He has come here just for an obligation.  (X)

2)    He has come here just for a favour. (√)

 (Obligation does not mean a sympathetic help it means what one ought to do)

1)     He can buy these fruits as they are dead cheap. (X)

2)     He can buy these fruits as they are dirt cheap. (√)

1)     His brother –in-laws took away all his furnitures. (X)

2)     His brothers –in-law took away all his furniture. (√)

1)     What is your daughter doing? (X)

2)     What does your daughter do? (√)

1)  Due to the Pongal our school was closed for 2 days. (X)
2)  On account of Pongal our school was closed for 2 days. (√) 
     (Note:due to means caused by so is not correct phrase here) 

1)   He was waiting in the play ground between 8 am to 10 am.  (X)

2)    He was waiting in the play ground between 8am and 10am. (√)

(Note: Between is followed by and not to)

1)    The room is filled up by smoke. (X) 

2)    The room is filled up with smoke. (√) 

  (Note: The noun smoke is not real agent of the action it is only a    

             material used. So ‘with’ is the right preposition) 

1) My brother not only presented me a nice watch but also a 

    good pen. (X) 

2)  My brother presented me not only a nice watch but also a

    good pen. (√)
 

1)          His eldest son looks very beautiful. (X)

2)          His eldest son looks very handsome (√)

1)          Ram was observed into regular service.  (X)

2)          Ram was absorbed into regular service. (√)

1) There is no other go but go by this bus standing. (X)
2) There is no other way but to go by this bus standing. (√)

1) The horse had a wound on it's head. (X)2) The horse had a wound on its head.  (√)

1) Uma is the eldest of two sisters. (X)
2) Uma is elder of the two sisters.  (√) 

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            CONFUSED BY RHYMING WORDS?

Will it 'affect' or 'effect'? Do you have some ‘principle’ or ‘principal’?

English language has many confusing words, but we can give you some tips on using the right word at the right time! Here are (aw)some!!!!!

•  'borrow' or 'lend'

To borrow means to receive something as a loan, while to lend means to give something as a loan. E.g. Can I borrow your car? Sorry, I can't lend it to you today.

•  'despite' or 'although'

These have a similar meaning but are used differently. Despite is a preposition while although is a conjunction. E.g. He won the race despite his injury, He won the race although he had an injury.

•  'affect' or 'effect'

The former is a verb while the latter is a noun, e.g. The effect of the war is enormous; it has affected all sectors of the economy.

•  'personal' or 'personnel'

Your personal details include your name, age and nationality, while personnel means the employees of a company.

•  'assure' or 'ensure'

To assure someone means to remove doubt or reassure them, while ensure means to make certain that something happens. E.g. I assured him that you would be there, so please ensure that you get to the meeting on time.