Best Common Errors Rules

Hello friends today I am going to teach you the most important section of the English language that is how we can reduce the time while solving the english section in competitive exams like SBI PO+Clerk, IBPS PO+Clerk, SSC, NDA LIC ADO and other competitive exams in Hindi and English.

RULES AND THEIRS EXAMPLE

1. There are some nouns which always remain in singular numbers and always take singular verb.

(i) Greenery, dust, dirt, bread, butter, chalk, courage, weather, money, music, wealth, abuse, fuel, rice, gram, issue, bedding, repair, news, mischief, poetry, business, economics, physics, mathematics, classic, ethics, athletics, innings, gallows, advice, information, machinery, stationery, furniture, equipment, poverty, progress, safety, happiness, electricity.

(ii) Baggage, breakage, damage, drainage, garbage, luggage, wastage, percentage.

(iii) Confectionery, crockery, imagery, jewellery, poetry, scenery, stationery.

(A) He has given advices. (✘)

(B) He has given advice. (✔)

(A) The Indian team defeated the English by innings. (✘)

(B) The Indian team defeated the English by an innings. (✔)

(A) The scenery of Kashmir are enchanting. (✘)
(B) The scenery of Kashmir is enchanting. (✔)

(A) Mathematics are a difficult subject. (✘)
(B) Mathematics is a good / difficult subject. (✔)

(A) I like music more than poetries.(✘)
(B) I like music more than poetry.(✔)

Note- If you have to indicate the number(singular & plural) of above nouns you can use some phrases to do so.

Singular Uncountable	Singular Countable	Plural Countable
Information	A piece/bit of information	Pieces/bits of information
Advice	A piece/bit of advice	Pieces/bits of advice
Furniture	A piece of	Pieces of
Music	A piece of	Pieces of
Research	A piece of	Pieces of
Baggage	A piece of	Pieces of
Land	A piece of	Pieces of
Luggage	A piece of	Pieces of
Crockery	A piece of	Pieces of
Poetry	A piece of	Pieces of
Scenery	A piece of	Pieces of
Imagery	A piece of	Pieces of
Chalk	A piece of	Pieces of
Dust	A piece of	Pieces of
Rubbish	A piece/pile of	Pieces/piles of

2. Some nouns which are always singular in form but plural in function and always take plural verb.

Cattle, cavalry, clergy, gentry, insignia, poultry, folk, people, police, company.

(A) The clergy is in the church. (✘)
(B) The clergy are in the church. (✔)

(A) The cattle is grazing in the ground. (✘)
(B) The cattle are grazing in the ground. (✔)

Note: 

• Since these are plural nouns so no article is used before them.
• Again since these are already plural verb no s/es is added to them to make plural.

3. Some nouns always remain in plural form and take plural verb.

(i) Article of dresses- Breeches, briefs, clothes, pants, pajamas, trousers, panties, shorts, tights, underpants.

(ii) Tools or instruments which have two parts-Bellows, binoculars, forceps, clippers, dividers, pincers, scissors, tongs, glasses, sunglasses, goggles.

Note-Above nouns can be made singular by adding 'A pair of' and plural by adding 'Pairs of' before them.

.....

(iii) Alms, amends, annals, archives, arrears, belongings, bowels, congratulations, breakables, curds, dues, bygones, doings, earnings, edibles, entrails, eatables, handcuffs, greens, immovables, vegetables, sweets, the movies, odds, valuables, the pictures, surroundings, riches,sundries.

(A) I am going to the picture.(✘)

(B) I am going to the pictures.(✔)

(A) Do not misuse your earning.(✘)

(B) Do not misuse your earnings.(✔)

(A) Where is my trousers?(✘)
(B) Where are my trousers?(✔)

(A) Spectacles is now a costly item.(✘)
(B) Spectacles are now a costly item.(✔)

4. There are some nouns which are used to denote length, measure, money, weight or number. When they are preceded by a numeral adjective, they remain unchanged in form.

Foot, meter, pair, score, dozen, head, year, hundred, thousand, million.

(A) It is a three – years degree course.(✘)

(B) It is a three – year degree course.(✔)

(A) I have ten dozens of shoes.(✘)

(B) I have ten dozen of shoes.(✔) 

5. Collective nouns which are singular in form but singular or plural in function. When singular takes a singular verb but when used as noun of multitude takes plural verb.

Army, assembly, audience, choir, club, committee, community, company, council, crowd, jury, family, nobility, public, Parliament, team, orchestra, group.

The jury was divided in this case.(✘)

The jury were divided in this case.(✔)

The team are very strong.(✘)

The team is very strong.(✔)

The team is quarreling like children.(✘)

The team are quarreling like children.(✔)

6. Nouns which have one meaning in singular and another meaning in plural.

Singular	Meaning		Plural	Meaning
Advice	Counsel		Advices	information
Airs	Atmosphere		Airs	proud
Authority	Command		Authorities	Person in power
Good	Wise		Goods	Property
Iron	Metal		Irons	Fetters, Chain
Force	Strength		Forces	Army
Content	Satisfaction		Contents	Things contained
Physic	Medicine		Physics	Physical sciences
Respect	Regards		Respects	Compliments
Work	Job		Works	Factories, Composition
Earning	Income		Earnings	sowings
Quarter	One-fourth		Quarters	Houses
Order	Sequence		Orders	Official commands

(A) Air is necessary for human life.

(B) It is bad to put on airs.

(A) I have eaten one quarter of the cake.

(B) I live in the government quarters.

7. Students are often confused or they commit mistake while using some of nouns below is the list given.

(A) Lecturership is wrong: lectureship is correct.

(a) There are twenty candidates for lecturership.(✘)

(b) There are twenty candidates for lectureship.(✔)

(B) Freeship is wrong; free – studentship is correct.

(a) Ramesh has applied for freeship.(✘)

(b) Ramesh has applied for free-studentship.(✔)

(C) Boarding is wrong; boarding house is correct.

(a) Mohan lives in a boarding.(✘)

(b) Mohan lives in a boarding house.(✔)

(D) Family members is wrong; members of the family is correct.

(a) Vivek and Ramesh are my family members.(✘)

(b) Vivek and Ramesh are the members of my family.(✔)

(E) English teacher is wrong; the teacher of English is correct.

(a) Dr. Raina is our English teacher.(✘)

(b) Dr. Raina is our teacher of English.(✔)

(F) Cousin – brother or sister is wrong; only cousin is correct.

(a) Geeta is my cousin sister.(✘)

(b) Geeta is my cousin.(✔)

(G) Room in a compartment or a bench means unoccupied set.

(a) There is no room on this bench.(✔)

(H) Our, yours, hers, theirs are correct.

(a) This house is our’s.(✘)

(b) This house is ours.(✔)

Note: The same principle applies to 'yours, hers, and theirs'.

(I) Wages means punishments when used in singular.

(a) The wages of sin is death.(✔)

(J) It also means charges for the labour when used in plural sense.

(b) The wages of daily workers have been raised.(✔)  

8. Students should remember the subtle difference in the uses of these pair of nouns.

(A) The noun ‘habit’ applies only to an individual whereas ‘custom’ applies to a society or country.

(a) Poor children often become a victim of bad habits.

(b) Tribal in India have many interesting customs.

(B) ‘Cause’ product a result, while ‘reason’ explains or justifies a cause.

(a) Scientists try to find out the cause of a phenomenon.

(b) You have a good reason to be pleased with your students.

(C) ‘Man’ is used in ordinary sense while ‘gentleman’ is a man of character.

(a) Man is mortal.

(b) He is a gentleman at large.

(D) ‘Men’ – plural of man: ‘people’ is used for persons.

(a) There are five men in the room.

(b) The people of Bihar are simple.

(E) ‘Shade’ – a place sheltered from the sun; ‘shadow’ – the shade of a distinct form or object.

(a) The villagers sat under the shade of trees.

(b) He is even afraid of his own shadow.

(F) ‘Cost’ – amount paid by the shopkeeper; ‘price’ – amount paid by the customer.

(a) The cost of production of automobile items has gone up.

(b) Sometimes the buyers have to pay higher price for necessary items.

(G) ‘House’ – a building to live in: ‘Home’ – one’s native place.

(a) Quarters area houses allotted to us for a definite period.

(b) My home town is Belaganj Gaya.

9. A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in person, number and gender.

Every man must bring his luggage.

All students must do their home work.

Each of the girls must carry her own bag.

Each students must bring their books.

Each student must bring his books.

10. While using Everybody, somebody, Nobody, everyone, someone, No one, something, anything, everything as the subject of a sentence the verb and pronoun will be in the singular number. When sex is not defined we use pronoun of masculine gender and when defined use according to sex.

I shall be happy to help each of the boys in this practice.

Anyone can do this job if he tries.
Each of the six boys in the class has finished their tasks.(✘)
Each of the six boys in the class has finished his task.(✔)

11. The pronoun must be followed by its possessive one's.

One must finish his task in time.(✘)
One must finish one’s task in time.(✔)

12. Enjoy, apply, resign, acquit, drive, exert, avail, pride, absent, present, introduce, busy etc., when used as transitive verbs, always take a reflexive pronoun after them. 

Note- When ‘self’ is added to ‘my’, ‘your’, ‘him’, ‘her’, and ‘it’, and ‘selves’ to our and them – they are known as reflexive pronouns.

He absented from the class.(✘)

He absented himself form the class.(✔)

I enjoyed in the party.(✘)

I enjoyed myself in the party.(✔)

13. ‘Who’ denotes the subject and ‘whom’ is used for the object?

Whom do you think won the award?(✘)

Who do you think won the award?(✔)

Who area you talking to?(✘)

Whom are your talking to?(✔)

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

Either Ram or Shyam will give their book.(✘)

Either Ram or shyam will give his book.(✔)

15. When two subjects are joined by Either....or, Neither......nor, Not only.......but also, Nor, or, the verb will be according to nearest subject.

Neither Raju nor his friends has won the gold medal.(✘)

Neither Raju nor his friends have won the gold medal.(✔)

Either you or he have mistaken.(✘)

Either you or he has mistaken.(✔)

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

All the students of the class are friendly; they love each other.(✘)

All the students of the class are friendly.(✔)

17. When a pronoun stands for a collective noun, it must be in the singular number and in the neuter gender if the collective noun is viewed as a whole.

The jury gave ‘its’ verdict.(✔)

Here the ‘jury’ gives the idea of one whole.

Note- If the collective noun conveys the idea of separate individuals comprising the whole, the pronoun standing for it must be plural.

The jury were divided in their opinions.

Here, the ‘jury’ gives the idea of several individuals.

The team are divided in his opinion about playing on Sunday.(✘)

The team are divided in their opinion about playing on Sunday.(✔)

18. If pronouns of different persons are to be used together in a sentence, the serial order of persons should be as follows; second person + third + first person(2+3+1) in a good normal sentences. But in fault is to be confessed, the order will be; first person + second person + third person(1+2+3).

[Memory tool-Put yourself first in bad sense/works :]

You, he and I have finished the work.(✔) Normal

I, you and he are to be blamed.(✔) Confession 

Ram, I and you have finished our studies.(✘)

You, Ram and I have finished our studies.(✔)

19. ‘Some’ is used in affirmative sentences to express quantity or degree. ‘Any’ is uses in negative or interrogative sentences.

I shall buy some apples.

I shall not buy any apples.

Have you bought any apples?

I shall read any book.(✘)

I shall read some book.(✔)

Have you bought some apples?(✘)

Have you bought any apples?(✔)

Note- But ‘some’ may be correctly used in interrogative sentences which are, in fact, requests.

Will you please give me some milk?

20. The use of ‘few’, ‘a few’’ and ‘the few’ should be used with care. They denote ‘number’. ‘Few’ means ‘not many’. It is the opposite of many. A ‘few’ is positive and means ‘some at least’. It is the opposite of none. ‘The few’ means ‘whatever there is’.

A few men are free from fault.(✘)

Few men are free from fault.(✔)

Here the sense is negative and thus ‘a few’ is wrong.

Few boys will pass in the examination.(✘)

A few boys will pass in the examination.(✔)

Here the sense is positive and thus ‘few’ is incorrect.

I have already read a few books that are on the bookshelf.(✘)

I have already read the few books that are on the bookshelf.(✔)

Here the sense is ‘whatever there is’.

21. Less & Fewer- ‘Less’ denote quantity and ‘fewer’ denote number.

No less than fifty persons were killed.(✘)

No fewer than fifty persons were killed.(✔)

There are no fewer than five liters of water in the jug.(✘)

There are no less than five liters of water in the jug.(✔)

22. Use of little, a little, the little. ‘Little’ means ‘hardly any’, ‘A little’ means ‘some’, though not much, ‘The little means ‘not much but all there is’.

There is little hope of his recovery.(✘)

There is a little hope of his recovery.(✔)

Little knowledge is a dangerous thing.(✘)

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.(✔)

The little milk that is in the pot may be used for the patient.(✘)

The little milk that is in the pot may be used for the patient.(✔)

24. Use of elder, older. ‘Older’ refers to persons as well as things and is followed by ‘than’, ‘Elder’ is used for members of the family.

Ram is elder than all other boys of this area.(✘)

Ram is older than all other boys of this area.(✔)

Suresh is my older brother.(✘)

Suresh is my elder brother.(✔)

25. Normally ‘than’ is used in the comparative degree, but with words like superior, inferior, senior, junior, prior, anterior, posterior and prefer ‘to’ is used instead of 'Than'.

Shelley is junior than Wordsworth.(✘)

Shelley is junior to Wordsworth.(✔)

I prefer reading than sleeping.(✘)

I prefer reading to sleeping.(✔)

26. In some cases, the comparison is subtle and must be given proper attention. If the traits are in singular 'that of' and if the traits are in plural, it will be ‘those of’.

The climate of Ranchi is better then Gaya.(✘)

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.(✔)

Or

The climate of Ranchi is better than that of Gaya.(✔)

‘That of’ means ‘the climate of’

The clothes of DCM are better than those of Mafatalal.(✔)

The scenery of Kashmir is better than Shimla.(✘)

The scenery of Kashmir is better than that of shimla.(✔)

27. After "Many and both" plural noun and plural verb will be used.

Many boy is coming here to participate in this competition.(✘)

Many boys are coming here to participate in this competition.(✔)

28. After "Many a" singular noun and singular verb will be used.

Many a man were followed by the singular verb.(✘)

Many a man was drowned in the area.(✔)

29. Plural noun and plural verb will be used after "A number of, A large number of, A great number of".

A number of cattle is grazing in the field.(✘)

A number of cattle are grazing in the field.(✔)

30. If the subject is ‘The number of’ the noun will be in plural number but the verb will be in singular number.

The number of students are very small.(✘)

The number of students is very small.(✔)

31. When ‘as well as’, ‘along with’, together with’, ‘no less than’, ‘in addition to’ and ‘not’ and ‘with’ join two subjects, the verb will be according to the first subject.

Ram, as well as his ten friends, are going.(✘)

Ram, as well as his ten friends, is going.(✔)

The teacher, along with the students, were going.(✘)

The teacher, along with the students, was going.(✔)

32. ‘A great many’ is always followed by a plural noun and a plural verb.

A great many student has been declared successful.(✘)

A great many students have been declared successful.(✔)

33. When two singular nouns joined by ‘and’ point out the same thing or person, the verb will be singular.

Bread and butter make a good breakfast.(✘)

Bread and butter makes a good breakfast.(✔)

The collector and the District Magistrate are on leave.(✘)

The collector and District Magistrate is on leave.(✔)

34. After ‘One of’ noun will be in the plural number but the verb will be in the singular number.

It is one of the important day in my life.(✘)

It is one of the important days in my life.(✔)

One of boy have been selected for this examination.(✘)

One of boys has been selected for this examination.(✔)

35. Not only....but also must be used for the same kind of content like noun and noun, pronoun and pronoun or adjective and adjective.

He not only comes for swimming but also for coaching the learners.(✘)

He comes not only for swimming but also for coaching the learners.(✔)

36. ‘Scarcely’ and ‘hardly’ are followed by ‘when’ and not by ‘than’.

I had scarcely entered the room than the phone rang.(✘)

I had scarcely entered the room when the phone rang.(✔)

37. ‘Though’ is followed by ‘Yet’ and not by ‘But’.

Though he is poor but he is honest.(✘)

Thought he is poor, yet he is honest.(✔)

38. ‘No sooner’ is followed by ‘than’.

No sooner had I entered the class when the student stood up.(✘)

No sooner had I entered the class than the students stood up.(✔)

39. ‘Lest’ must be followed by ‘should’.

Read regularly lest you will fail.(✘)

Read regularly least you should fail.(✔)

40. ‘Such’ is followed by ‘As’.

He is such a writer that everybody should read his books.(✘)

He is such a writer as everybody should read his books.(✔)

41. ‘So’ is followed by ‘That’.

Sima was popular with her classmate that she always had some people coming to her for advice.(✘)

Sima was so popular with her classmate that she always had some people coming to her for advice.(✔)

42. ‘Unless’ express a condition. It is always used in the negative sense. Thus ‘not’ is never used with the sentence having "Unless".

Unless you do not labour hard, you will not pass.(✘)

Unless you labour hard, you will not pass.(✔)

43. "Until" expresses time. It also has negative sense and thus ‘not’ is never used with it.

Wait here until I do not return.(✘)

Wait here until I return.(✔)

44. ‘Since’ indicates a point of time and ‘for’ stands for the length of time.

He has been reading the book since two hours.(✘)

He has been reading the book for two hours.(✔)

It has been raining for Monday last.(✘)

It has been raining since Monday last.(✔)

45. ‘As if’ used to convey the sense of imagination or pretension. When ‘as if’ is used in this sense, ‘were’ is used in all cases, even with third person singular.

He behaves as if he was a king.(✘)

He behaves as if he were a king.(✔)

46. A past tense in the principal clause is followed by a past tense in the subordinate clause.

He saw that the clock has stopped.(✘)

He saw that the clock had stopped.(✔)

There are, however, two exceptions to this rule:

(a) A past tense in the principal clause may be 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 sun.(✔)

(b) When the subordinate clause is introduced by ‘than’, even if there is past tense in the principal 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.(✔)

47. If two actions in a sentence are showing happening in the past, one after the other; the tense of the action happening first should be past perfect and that of the second should be past indefinite.

The patient died before the doctor arrived.(✘)

The patient had died before the doctor arrived.(✔)

48. Two actions in the past, one depending on the other, should have the sequence as follows:

If+sub+had+past Participle+sub+would+have+past particple

Had + sub+past participle + sub+would + have + past participle

If you had worked hard, you would have succeeded in the examination.

Or

Had you worked hard, you would have succeeded in the examination.

If you would had practiced regularly, you would won the match.(✘)

If you had practiced regularly, you would have won the match.(✔)

49. If, in a sentence, two actions are indicated and both are to take place in future, the sequence of tense will be as follows:

The principal clause in present indefinite; and the subordinate clause in future indefinite.

If I go the Delhi, I shall attend the seminar.

‘If I go to Delhi’ is the principal clause and ‘I shall attend the seminar’ is the subordinate clause.

If it will rain, I shall not attend the meeting.(✘)

If it rains, I shall not attend the meeting.(✔)

50. If two verbs are to be used in the same sentence but of different clause both verbs should be written completely.

He has and still doing hard work to get a job.(✘)

He has done and is still doing hard work to get a job.(✔)

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