English Common Error Rules

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He has given me advices.
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The Indian team defeated the English by innings.
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I have to tell you two news.
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The scenery of Kashmir are enchanting.
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Rule:
Some nouns always take a singular verb Scenery,
advice, machinery, stationery, furniture, abuse,
fuel, rice, gram, issue, bedding, repair, news,
mischief, poetry, business, economics, physics,
mathematics, classics, ethics, athletics, innings,
gallows.
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Some nouns always take a singular verb;

Scenery, advice, machinery, stationery, furniture,
abuse, fuel, rice, gram, issue, bedding, repair,
news, mischief, poetry, business, economics,
physics, mathematics, classics, ethics, athletics,
innings, gallows.
He has given me advice.
The Indian team defeated the English by an
innings.
I have to tell you two pieces of news.
The scenery of Kashmir is enchanting.
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The cattle is grazing in the ground.
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The clergy is in the church
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The cattle are grazing in the ground.
The clergy are in the church.
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Some nouns are singular in form but they are

used as plural forms and always take a plural
verb.
Cattle, gentry, vermin, peasantry, artillery,
people, clergy, police, poultry, electorate.
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Some nouns are singular in form but they are

used as plural forms and always take a plural
verb.
Cattle, gentry, vermin,
people, clergy, police.
peasantry,

The cattle are grazing in the ground.
The clergy are in the church
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artillery,
Where is my trousers?
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Spectacles is now a costly item.
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Where are my trousers?
Spectacles are now a costly item.
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Some nouns are always used in the plural form

and always take a plural verb.
Trousers, scissors, spectacles, stockings, shorts,
measles, goods, alms, premises, thanks, annals,
tidings, chattels, etc.
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Some nouns are always used in the plural form

and always take a plural verb.
Trousers, scissors, spectacles, stockings, shorts,
measles, goods, alms, premises, thanks, annals,
tidings, chattels, etc.
Where are my trousers?
Spectacles are now a costly item.
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Its a four years degree course.
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I have ten dozens of shoes.
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Its a four year degree course.
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I have ten dozen of shoes.
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There are some nouns that indicate length,

measure, money, weight, or number. When they
are preceded by a numerical, they remain
unchanged in form.
Foot, meter, pair, score, dozen, year, hundred,
thousand, million, etc.
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There are some nouns that indicate length,

measure, money, weight, or number. When they
are preceded by a numerical, they remain
unchanged in form.
Foot, meter, pair, score, dozen, year, hundred,
thousand, million, etc.
Its a four year degree course.
I have ten dozen of shoes.
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The jury was divided in this case.
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The team have not come as yet.
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The jury were divided in this case.
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The team has not come as yet.
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Collective nouns such as jury, public, team,

committee, government, audience, company, etc.
are used both as singular and plural depending
on the meaning. When these words indicate a
unit, the verb is singular, otherwise the verb will
be plural.
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Collective nouns such as jury, public, team,

committee, government, audience, company, etc.
are used both as singular and plural depending
on the meaning. When these words indicate a
unit, the verb is singular, otherwise the verb will
be plural.
The jury were divided in this case.
The team has not come as yet.
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Some nouns have one meaning in the singular

and another in the plural.
Advice
counsel
advices
information
Air
atmosphere
airs
proud
Authority
command
authorities =
persons in power
Iron
metal
irons
chains
Content
satisfaction
contents
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things contained
Air is necessary for human life.

It is bad to put on airs.
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One must finish his task in time.
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One must finish ones task in time.
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The pronoun one must be followed by ones.
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The pronoun one must be followed by ones.

One must finish ones task in time.
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Each student must bring their books.
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Each student must bring his books.
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A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in

person, number, and gender.
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Every man must bring his luggage. (Correct)
Each of the girls must carry her own bag.
(Correct)
All students must do their home work. (Correct)
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Every man must bring his luggage. (Correct)
Each of the girls must carry her own bag.
(Correct)
All students must do their home work. (Correct)
Each student must bring his books.
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Whom do you think won the award?
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Who do you think won the award?
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Who are you talking to?
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Whom are you talking to?
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Who denotes the subject and whom is used for

the object.
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Who denotes the subject and whom is used for

the object.
Who do you think won the award?
Whom are you talking to?
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Either Ram or Raj will give their book.
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Either Ram or Raj will give his book.
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Neither Ramesh nor Suresh has done their work.
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Neither Ramesh nor Suresh has done his work.
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When two are more singular nouns joined

together by either or ; neither nor and or the
pronoun is singular.
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When two are more singular nouns joined

together by either or ; neither nor and or the
pronoun is singular.
Either Ram or Raj will give his book.
Neither Ramesh nor Suresh has done his work.
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Either the engineer or his mechanics failed in his

duty.
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duty.
Either the engineer or his mechanics failed in
their duty.
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When a singular and a plural noun are joined by

or , nor the pronoun must be according to
closer noun.
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When a singular and a plural noun are joined by

or , nor the pronoun must be plural.
duty.
Either the engineer or his mechanics failed in
their duty.
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What book do you read?
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Which book do you read?
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Whose is used for living persons and which is

used for lifeless objects.
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Which book did you select? (correct)
Whose photograph is lying there? (correct)
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Which book did you select? (correct)
Whose photograph is lying there? (correct)
Which book do you read?
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Romeo and Juliet loved one another.
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Romeo and Juliet loved each another.
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Those five friends who are sitting there, love each

another.
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another.
Those five friends who are sitting there, love one
another.
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All the students of the class are friendly; they love

each another.
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each another.
one another.
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Each other is used when there are two subjects

or objects and one another when there are more
than two.
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Each other is used when there are two subjects

or objects and one another when there are more
than two.
Romeo and Juliet loved each another.
another.
Those five friends who are sitting there, love one another.
All the students of the class are friendly; they love each
another.
All the students of the class are friendly; they love one
another.
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Some is used in affirmative sentences to express

quantity or degree.
Any is used
sentences.
in
negative
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or
interrogative

quantity or degree.
Any is used
sentences.
in
negative
or
interrogative
I shall buy some apples. (Correct)

I shall not buy any apples. (Correct)
Have you bought any apples? (Correct)
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But some may be correctly used in interrogative

sentences which are, in fact, requests.
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But some may be correctly used in interrogative

sentences which are, in fact, requests.
Will you please give me some milk. (Correct)
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quantity or degree.
Any is used
sentences.
in
negative
I shall read any book.
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or
interrogative

quantity or degree.
Any is used
sentences.
in
negative

I shall read some book.
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or
interrogative

quantity or degree.
Any is used
sentences.
in
negative
Have you bought some apples?
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or
interrogative

quantity or degree.
Any is used
sentences.
in
negative

Have you bought any apples?
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or
interrogative

quantity or degree.
Any is used
sentences.
in
negative

I shall read some book.
Have you bought any apples?
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or
interrogative
No less than fifty persons were killed.
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No fewer than fifty persons were killed.
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There are no fewer than five liters of water in the

jug.
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jug.
There are no less than five liters of water in the
jug.
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Use of less and fewer

Less denotes quantity and fewer denotes number.
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Use of less and fewer

Less denotes quantity and fewer denotes number.
No fewer than fifty persons were killed.
jug.
There are no less than five liters of water in the
jug.
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Shelly is junior than Wordsworth.
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Shelly is junior to Wordsworth.
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I prefer reading than sleeping.
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I prefer reading to sleeping.
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Normally than is used in the comparative

degree, but with words like superior, inferior,
senior, junior, anterior, posterior and prefer to is
used.
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Normally than is used in the comparative

degree, but with words like superior, inferior,
senior, junior, anterior, posterior and prefer to is
used.
Shelly is junior to Wordsworth.
I prefer reading to sleeping.
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He is stronger than any man.
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He is stronger than any other man.
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Any man includes the man himself and thus the
sentence will be absurd.
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When a comparison is made by using a

comparative followed by than the word other
must be used to exclude the thing compared form
the class of thing with which it is compared.
Any man includes the man himself and thus the
sentence will be absurd.
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The climate of Ranchi is better than Gaya.
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Here the comparison should be between the
climate of Ranchi and the climate of Gaya.
The climate of Ranchi is better than the climate of
Gaya.
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In some cases comparison is subtle and must be

given proper attention.
Here the comparison should be between the
climate of Ranchi and the climate of Gaya.
The climate of Ranchi is better than the climate of
Gaya.
The climate of Ranchi is better than that of Gaya.
That of means the climate of
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Many a man were drowned in the sea.
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Many a man was drowned in the sea.
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Many a is always followed by a singular verb.

Many a man was drowned in the sea.
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Bread and butter make a good breakfast.
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Bread and butter makes a good breakfast.
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When two singular nouns are joined by and

point out the same thing or the person, the verb
will be singular.
Bread and butter makes a good breakfast.
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It is one of the important day in my life.
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It is one of the important days in my life.
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One of always plural noun after it.

It is one of the important days in my life.
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He not only comes for swimming but also for

coaching the learners.
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He comes not only for swimming but also for
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Use of not only and but also:

He comes not only for swimming but also for
The expression not only must be placed before
the right word, otherwise the meaning changes.
Here this expression is meant for swimming and
not for coming.
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I had scarcely entered the room than the phone

rang.
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rang.
I had scarcely entered the room when the phone
rang.
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Scarcely and hardly are followed by when and

not by than.
rang.
I had scarcely entered the room when the phone
rang.
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Though is poor but he is honest.
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Though is poor yet he is honest.
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Though is followed by yet and not by but.

Though is poor yet he is honest.
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No sooner had I entered the class when the

students stood up.
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students stood up.
No sooner had I entered the class than the
students stood up.
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No sooner is followed by than.

students stood up.
No sooner had I entered the class than the
students stood up.
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Read regularly lest you will fail.
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Read regularly lest you should fail.
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Lest must be followed by should.

Read regularly lest you should fail.
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Unless you do not work hard, you will not pass.
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Unless you work hard, you will not pass.
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Unless expresses a condition. It is always used in

the negative sense. Thus not is never used with
unless.
Unless you work hard, you will not pass.
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Wait here until I do not return.
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Wait here until I return.
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Until expresses time. It has a negative sense.

Thus not should never be used with it.
Wait here until I return.
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He behaves as if he was a king.
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He behaves as if he were a king.
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As if is used to express a sense of pretension.

When as if is used in this sense, were is used in
all cases, even with the third person singular.
He behaves as if he were a king.
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He saw that the clock has stopped.
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He saw that the clock had stopped.
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The sense of time and sense

A past tense in the principal clause is followed by
a past tense in the subordinate clause.
He saw that the clock had stopped.
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Two exceptions:
1)A past tense in the principal clause may
followed by a present tense in the subordinate
clause when it expresses a universal truth.
The teacher observed that the Earth moved round
the
Sun.
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Two exceptions:
1)A past tense in the principal clause may
followed by a present tense in the subordinate
clause when it expresses a universal truth.
The teacher observed that the Earth moved round
the
Sun.
The teacher observed that the Earth moves round
the
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Two exceptions:
2) When the subordinate clause is introduced by
than, even there is past tense in the main
clause, it may be followed by any tense
required by the sense in the subordinate clause.
He helped him more than he helped his own
children.
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Two exceptions:
2) When the subordinate clause is introduced by
than, even there is past tense in the main
clause, it may be followed by any tense
required by the sense in the subordinate clause.
He helped him more than he helped his own
children.
He helped him more than he helps his own
children.
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English Common Error Rules

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English Common Error Rules

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SSCTUBE.

He has given me advices.

The Indian team defeated the English by innings.

I have to tell you two news.

The scenery of Kashmir are enchanting.

Some nouns always take a singular verb;

The cattle is grazing in the ground.

The clergy is in the church

The cattle is grazing in the ground.

Some nouns are singular in form but they are

Some nouns are singular in form but they are

The cattle is grazing in the ground.

Spectacles is now a costly item.

Some nouns are always used in the plural form

Some nouns are always used in the plural form

Its a four years degree course.

I have ten dozens of shoes.

Its a four years degree course.

I have ten dozens of shoes.

There are some nouns that indicate length,

There are some nouns that indicate length,

The jury was divided in this case.

The team have not come as yet.

The jury was divided in this case.

The team have not come as yet.

Collective nouns such as jury, public, team,

Collective nouns such as jury, public, team,

Some nouns have one meaning in the singular

Air is necessary for human life.

One must finish his task in time.

One must finish his task in time.

The pronoun one must be followed by ones.

The pronoun one must be followed by ones.

Each student must bring their books.

Each student must bring their books.

A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in

A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in

A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in

Whom do you think won the award?

Whom do you think won the award?

Who are you talking to?

Who are you talking to?

Who denotes the subject and whom is used for

Who denotes the subject and whom is used for

Either Ram or Raj will give their book.

Either Ram or Raj will give their book.

Neither Ramesh nor Suresh has done their work.

Neither Ramesh nor Suresh has done their work.

When two are more singular nouns joined

When two are more singular nouns joined

Either the engineer or his mechanics failed in his

Either the engineer or his mechanics failed in his

When a singular and a plural noun are joined by

When a singular and a plural noun are joined by

What book do you read?

What book do you read?

Whose is used for living persons and which is

Whose is used for living persons and which is

Whose is used for living persons and which is

Romeo and Juliet loved one another.

Romeo and Juliet loved one another.

Those five friends who are sitting there, love each

Those five friends who are sitting there, love each