Golden Rules For Error Detection (Pronouns)

USES OF PRONOUNS

1. When a Pronoun is used as the complement of the Verb 'to be', it should be in the nominative case.

Incorrect- If I were him, I would not do it.

Correct- If I were he, I would not do it.

2. When the Pronoun is used as the object of a Verb or of a Preposition, it should be in the objective case.

1. Incorrect- Let you and I do it.

Correct- Let you and me do it.

2. Incorrect- These presents are for you and I.

Correct- These presents are for you and me.

3. Emphatic Pronouns can not stand alone as Subjects

 Incorrect- Himself did it.

Correct- He himself did it.

4. The Indefinite Pronoun 'one' should be used throughout if used at all.

Incorrect- One must not boast of his own success.

Correct- One must not boast of one's own success.

5. 'Either' or 'neither' is used only in speaking of two persons or things; 'any', 'no one' and 'none' is used in speaking of more than two.

1. Incorrect- Anyone of these two roads leads to the railway station.

Correct- Either of these two roads leads to the railway station.

2. Incorrect- Neither of these three boys did his homework.

Correct- No one of these three boys did his homework.

6. 'Each other' is used in speaking of two persons or things; 'one another' is used in speaking of more than two.

Incorrect- The two brothers loved one another.

Correct- The two brothers loved each other.

7. A Noun or Pronoun governing a Gerund should be put in the possessive case.

Incorrect- Please excuse me being late.

Correct- Please excuse my being late.

8. A Pronoun must agree with its antecedent in person, number and gender.

Incorrect- Each of these boys has done their homework.

Correct- Each of these boys has done his homework.

9. When two or more Singular Nouns are joined by 'and', the Pronoun used for them must be in Plural.

Incorrect- Both Raju and Ravi have done his homework.

Correct- Both Raju and Ravi have done their homework.

10. When two or more Singular Nouns joined by 'and' refer to the same person or thing, a Pronoun used for them must be in the singular.

Incorrect- The collector and District Magistrate is not negligent in their duty.

Correct- The collector and District Magistrate is not negligent in his duty.

11. When two or more singular nouns joined by 'or' or 'nor', 'either ... or', 'neither .. nor', the Pronoun used for them should be in the singular.

Incorrect- Neither Ravi nor Raju has done their homework.

Correct- Neither Ravi nor Raju has done his homework.

12. When two or more singular Pronouns of different persons come together, the Pronoun of second person singular (you) comes first, the pronoun of the first person singular (I) comes last and the pronoun of the third person singular (he) comes in between.

Incorrect- I, You and he must work together ..

Correct- You, he and I must work together.

13. When two or more plural Pro-nouns of different persons come together first person plural (we) comes first, then second person plural (you) and last of all third person plural (they).

Incorrect- You, they and we must work together ..

Correct- We, you and they must work together.

14. The Relative Pronoun who is in subjective case, whereas whom is in objective case. Therefore, for who there must be a Finite Verb in the sentence. Or otherwise, when whom (Object) is used in the sentence and there is more Finite Verb's than the number of Subjects in the sentence, then whom should be changed into who (Subject).

For example,

Incorrect- The doctor whom came here was Ram's brother.

Correct- The doctor who came here was Ram's brother.

15. With Superlative Degree Adjective, only, none, all etc., as Relative Pronoun we use that and not which or who.

For example,

Incorrect- All which glitters is not gold.

Correct- All that glitters is not gold.

16. After let, if a Pronoun is used, that Pronoun must be in the Objective Case.

For example,

Incorrect- Let he go there.

Correct- Let him go there.

Golden Rules For Error Detection (Preposition)

USES OF PREPOSITION

1. Objective case (of Noun or Pronoun) is used after Preposition.

For example,

Incorrect- I do not depend on he.

Correct- I do not depend on him.

2. The Prepositions used after two words must be made clear if these two words are connected by and or or.

For example,

Incorrect- She is conscious and engaged in her work.

Correct- She is conscious of and engaged in her work.

3. If a Principal Verb is used after about, after, at, before. for, from, in, on. to, that Verb must be in ing (V4) form.

For example,

Incorrect- You prevented me from do it.

Correct- You prevented me from doing it. .

4. On, in, at, are not used before today, tomorrow, yesterday, the following day, the next day etc.

For example,

Incorrect- He will go there on to-morrow.

Correct- He will go there tomorrow.

5. No Preposition is used before the word home. At home is a phrase which bears a different meaning.

For example,

Incorrect- Bring a T.V. set at home.

6. Say/suggest/propose/speak/reply/explain/talk/listen/write is followed by to-Preposition if there is a person in the form of object.

For example,

1. Incorrect- He did not reply me.

Correct- He did not reply to me.

 2. Incorrect- He did not write to a letter.

Correct- He did not write a letter.

7. After Transitive Verbs, like discuss, describe, reach, order, tell, demand, attack, resemble, ridicule, etc. we directly use the object and no Preposition is used after the Verb.

For example:

Incorrect- The poet describes about the beauty of nature in this poem.

Correct- The poet describes the beauty of nature in this poem.

Correct- Bring a T.V. set home.

Golden Rules For Error Detection (Conjunctions)

USES OF CONJUNCTIONS 

1. Two Conjunctions should not be used in the same sentence.

Incorrect- Although she was tired, but she still went on working.

Correct- Although she was tired, she still went on working.

2. 'Both' should be followed by 'and'. It should be used in the positive sense. In the negative sense, 'neither' ..... .'nor' should be used in place of 'both'.

incorrect- Both Ravi as well as Raja were present there.

Correct- Both Ravi and Raja were present there.

3. 'Either ... or', 'neither .... nor:

'both and', 'not only but also'

should be followed by the same parts of speech.

Incorrect- He not only lost his ticket, but also his luggage.

Correct- He lost not only his ticket but also his luggage.

4. 'Neither' should be followed , by 'nor', 'either' should be followed by 'or'. Both these should not be confused.

Incorrect- He washed neither his hands or his face.

Correct- He washed neither his hands nor his face.

5. 'No sooner' should be fol¬lowed by 'than', not by 'but' or 'then'.

Incorrect- No sooner do I finish this book then I shall begin another.

Correct- No sooner do I finish the book, than I shall begin another.

6. 'Hardly' and 'scarcely' should be followed by 'when' or 'before', but not by 'than' or 'that'.

Incorrect- Hardly did I reach the station, than the train left it.

Correct- Hardly did I reach the station when the train left it.

7. 'That' should not be used before a sentence in Direct Speech and before Interrogative Adverbs and Pronouns in the Indirect Speech.

1. Incorrect- He said that, "I shall go there."

Correct- He said, "I shall go there".

2. Incorrect- He asked me that who I was.

Correct- He asked me who was.

Golden Rules For Error Detection (Adjectives)

USES OF ADJECTIVES

1. Adjectives of quantity show how much of a thing is meant. Adjectives of quantity (some; much, little, enough, all, no, any, great, half, sufficient, whole) are used for Uncountable Nuns only.

For example,

Incorrect-I ate a few rice.

Correct- I ate some rice.

2. Numeral Adjectives are used for Countable Noun only and they show how many persons or things are meant or in what order a person or thing stands,

For example,

Incorrect- I have taught you little things.

Correct- I have taught you a few things.

3. When cardinal and ordinal are used together ordinal preceds the cardinal.

For example,

Incorrect- The four first boys will be given the chance.

Correct- The first four boys will be given the chance.

4. Later, latest refer to time, latter and last refer to position.

For example,

Incorrect- I reached at 10 am.

But he was latter than I expected.

Correct- I reached at 10 am. But he was later than I expected,

5. Farther means more distant or advanced; further means additional.

For example,

Incorrect- He insisted on farther improvement.

Correct- He insisted on further improvement.

6. Each is used in speaking of two or more things, every is used only in speaking of more than two.

For example,

Incorrect- Every of the two boys will get a prize.

Correct- Each of the two boys will get a prize.

7. To express quantity or degree some is used in affirmative sentences, any in negative or interrogative sentences.

For example,.

Incorrect- Have you bought some mangoes?

Correct- Have you bought any mangoes?

8. In comparing two things, the Comparative should be used, The Superlativ should not be used.

Incorrect- Which is the best of the two?

Correct- Which is the better of the two?

9. When two qualities of the same person or thing are compared,the Comparative in-er is not used. 'More' is used for this purpose.

Incorrect- He is wiser than brave.

Correct- He is more wise than brave.

10. When comparison is made by means of a comparative, the thing compared should be excluded from the class of things with which it is compared by using 'other' or some such word.

Incorrect- He is cleverer than any boy in the class.

Correct- He is cleverer than any other boy in the class.

11. When comparison is made by means of a superlative, the thing com-pared should include the class of things with which it is compared.

Incorrect- He is the strongest of all other men.

Correct- He is the strongest of all men ..

12. When two persons or things are compared, it is important that the same parts of things should be compared.

Incorrect- The population of Bombay is greater than Delhi.

Correct- The population of Bombay is greater than that of Delhi. 

13. Double comparatives and superlatives should not be used.

1. Incorrect- He is the most cleverest boy in the class.

Correct- He is the cleverest boy in the class.

2. Incorrect- He is more wiser than his brother.

Correct- He 'is wiser than his brother.

14. The comparative Adjectives superior inferior, senior, junior, prior, anterior, posterior prefer, etc., should be followed by 'to' instead of 'than'.

Incorrect- He is senior than me. 

Correct- He is senior to me.

15. Adjectives like 'unique', ideal,

perfect, complete, universal, entire, extreme, chief, full square and round, which do not admit different degrees of comparison should not be compared.

Incorrect- It is the most unique thing.

Correct- It is a unique thing.

16. All the Adjectives which refer to the same Noun should be in the same degree of comparison.

Incorrect- He is the wisest and honest worker in the office.

Correct- He is the wisest and most honest worker in the office.

17. 'Elder' and 'eldest' should be used for persons only, strictly speaking, they are used for the members of the same family only. 'Older' and 'oldest' are used for both persons and things.

Incorrect- He is my older brother.

Correct- He is my elder brother.

Golden Rules For Error Detection (AdVerbs)

                USES OF ADVERBS

1. To modify a Verb, an Adjective or another Adverb, we use an Adverb.

Incorrect- She writes very careful.

Correct- She writes very carefully.

Carefully is an Adjective which cannot modify the Adverb very, therefore carefully (Adverb) must be used in place of Adjective careful.

2. Too means more than required and it is used with Unpleasant Adjective. So, we cannot use too glad, too happy, too pleasant, too healthy.

For example,

Incorrect- I am too glad to meet you.

Correct- I am very glad to meet you.

3. A sentence which is based on ''Too .... To" format, we cannot replace to with so that. If we replace to with so that, too also must be replaced with cannot.

For example,

Incorrect- He is too weak so that he cannot walk.

Correct- He is too weak to walk. Correct- He is so weak that he cannot walk.

4. Much too is followed by Unpleasant Adjective, whereas too much is followed by Noun.

Much too + Unpleasant Adjective.

Too much + Noun.

For example,

Incorrect- His failure is too much painful for me.

Correct- His failure is much too painful for me.

Incorrect- His wife's rude behavior gives him much too pain.

Correct- His wife's rude behavior gives him too much pain.

5. Quite and all are not used together.

For example,

Incorrect- He is quite all right.

 Correct- He is quite right. or He is all right-

6. A/An + Fairly + Adjective + Noun or Rather + A + Adjective For example,

(i) a fairly good book

(ii) rather a difficult problem.

But we cannot use Pleasant Adjective with rather and Unpleasant Adjective with fairly.

For example,

Incorrect- It was a rather good book.

Correct- It was a fairly good book.

7. Enough, when used as an Adverb, is preceded by a positive degree Adjective or Adverb.

For example,

Incorrect- He is greater enough to pardon you.

Correct- He is great enough to

pardon you. '

8. Two negatives cancel each other. Hence two negatives should not be used in the same sentence unless we make an affirmation.

Incorrect-I have not got none.

Correct- I.have not got any.

9. 'At present' means 'at the present time', 'presently' means 'shortly'. These should not be confused.

1. Incorrect- Nothing more can be done presently.

Correct- Nothing more can be done at present.

2. Incorrect- He will come back at present.

Correct- He will come back presently.

10. 'Hard' means 'diligently', strenuously', 'Hardly' means 'scarcely at all'. These two Adverbial forms of 'hard' must not be confused.

1. Incorrect- He tried hardly to win the race.

Correct- He tried hard to win the race.

2. Incorrect- She has eaten hard anything today.

Correct- She has eaten hardly anything today.

11. 'Much' is used before past participles and Adjectives or Adverbs of comparative degree. 'Very' is used before the present participles and Adjectives and Adverbs of positive degree.

1. Incorrect- The news is much surprising.

Correct- The news is very surprising.

2. Incorrect-I was very surprised at hearing the news.

Correct- I was much surprised at hearing the news.

12. Hardly is an Adverb which means rarely. Whereas hard is an Adjective which means tough, rigid.

For example,

Incorrect- It is a hardly job.

Correct- It is a hard job.

13. Ago is always used with Past Indefinite Tense. So, if ago is used in a sentence, that sentence must be in the Past Indefinite Tense.

For example,

Incorrect- He has come a month ago.

Correct- He came a month ago.

14. Early means "just after the beginning of anything" and soon means just after a point of time.

For example,

Roses blossomed early this spring.

15. The sentence which starts with seldom, never. hardly. rarely or scarcely takes an inverse structure, Le., Verb + Subject - Structure. For example,

Incorrect- Seldom I had seen such a beautiful sight.

Correct- Seldom had I seen such a beautiful sight.

16. Inversion is also used in a sentence which starts with here/there/ away/out/up/indoor or outdoor and Main Verb, or Aux + Main Verb is used before the Subject.

For example,

Incorrect- Away Sita went.

 Correct- Away went Sita.

17. At present means at this moment and it is used with •Present Tense, whereas presently and shortly are used for future' action and generally' used with Future Indefinite Tense.

For example,

Incorrect- Presently he is in the room.

Correct- At present he is in the room.