Common Errors in English Usage

MBA CAT 2024
241
@shadkhan said:
Which of the following is the correct form? 1) I felt it will be premature for me to say anything about the academy right now. 2) I feel it should be premature for me to say anything about the academy right now. 3) I felt it is premature for me to say anything about the academy right now. 4) I feel it will be premature for me to say anything about the academy right now
should is past of shall
feel felt felt
4-option
242
@shadkhan said:
In the following sentence, some part is marked in bold. Below the sentence are given four ways of phrasing the part marked in bold. Select the answer from among the choices which produces the most effective sentence, one that is clear and exact. The government cannot be successful in containing the fiscal deficit until it does not slash the subsidy. OptionA until it does not slashes the subsidy. B until it didn't slash the subsidy. C till it does not slash the subsidy. D until it slashed the subsidy.
C
243
@shadkhan said:
Find out which part of the below sentence has a grammatical error and mark it in the options. This widely publicized detergent is not much different than the one-which I have been using. Option A widely publicized B much C than D I have been using
different than is error
244
@shadkhan said:
In the following sentence, some part is marked in bold. Below the sentence are given four ways of phrasing the part marked in bold. Select the answer from among the choices which produces the most effective sentence, one that is clear and exact.The trade fair provides many opportunities of meeting young entrepreneurs, displaying latest technological developments and allure foreign investments. A displaying last technological developments and allure foreign investments. B displays latest technological developments and allures foreign investments. C display latest technological developments and allure foreign investments. D displaying latest technological developments and alluring foreign investments.
B
245

I need to know to the singular and plural use of ''none'' and ''each'' with proper explanation. It's confusing. Esp none. Plz help asap.

246
@dhanishtha said:
I need to know to the singular and plural use of ''none'' and ''each'' with proper explanation. It's confusing. Esp none. Plz help asap.
None of plural uses plural
None of them are

None of singular uses singular
None of it is

There are some cases where None can be used as plural and singular both.
None has sense of not any or not one

Each is subject of sentence we use singular
Each of him is fine
Each of dog and cat is running
Each of his shoes is dirty

Each is not subject but subject is plural we use plural
they each are good friends
247
@dhanishtha said:
I need to know to the singular and plural use of ''none'' and ''each'' with proper explanation. It's confusing. Esp none. Plz help asap.
EACH, EVERY – Rules to be followed.
It is often correct to use either each or every, but they have slightly different meanings.
Use each when you are thinking about the people or things in a group separately, one by one• Each student came forward to receive a medal(emphasizes that they came forward one after another)• Each time you exercise, you get a little stronger.

Use every when you are thinking about the whole group of people or things together, with no exceptions• Every student was given a prize (emphasizes that everyone in the group got a prize)• Warm up every time you exercise

.!! Do not use each with words such as 'almost', 'nearly', or 'not'. Use every• Almost every window was broken.• Not every child enjoyed the party.
!! Do not use each in negative clauses. Use none• None of the answers were correct (NOT Each of the answers were not correct).

GRAMMAR: each and every are followed by a singular verb• Each item was checked.• Every member wears a uniform.

'each and every' are usually followed by a singular pronoun or determiner (he, she, it, his, himself etc)• Each component can be replaced separately if it breaks.• Every woman must decide for herself .
But you can use 'they', 'them', 'their' etc when you do not want to say whether people are male or female• Every child has their own room.

NONE
Use none to talk about a group of three or more things or people• None of my friends came.
To talk about two things or people, use neither• Neither of my parents wanted me to marry him.
GRAMMAR : none of can be followed by a plural noun or an uncountable noun• None of these diets worked.• None of the money was missing.

248
@sathishnsk1 Thanks for replying but I need a more descriptive distinction of its usage in plural and singular esp for none. It isn't clear. Plz explain with examples from both the cases with explanation. Thanks in advance
249
@gnehagarg I found certain examples such as.
None of the girls is married.
None of the criminals have been arrested.
So I got confused about it's usage. Can u reason out the above? Thanks in advance
250
@dhanishtha said:
@gnehagarg I found certain examples such as.None of the girls is married.None of the criminals have been arrested.So I got confused about it's usage. Can u reason out the above? Thanks in advance
NONE is a 'quantity' determiner' and is sometimes used with a singular verb and sometimes used with a plural verb.
Look at the noun in your 'of' phrase (object of the preposition) to determine whether to use a singular or plural verb. If the object of the preposition is singular/uncountable, use a singular verb. If the object of the preposition is plural, use a plural verb.

None of the garbage WAS picked up.(uncountable)
None of the sentences WERE punctuated correctly.(plural)

Compare the following pairs and see which you prefer:
I invited four policemen to my wedding but none was present.
I invited four policemen to my wedding but none were present.
I have two sisters but neither of them is married.
I have two sisters but neither of them are married.
All of the above examples are grammatically correct. But try using a singular verb in formal writing.
• None of us care what happens to him.(informal)
• None of us cares what happens to him (formal)
251

You can have a look at this link of Yale Uni, it gives u a clear idea of SVA rules http://www.yale.edu/graduateschool/writing/forms/Subject%20and%20Verb%20Agreement.pdf

252
@sathishnsk1 thanks. it has become clearer. according to ur explanation depending upon the noun, the verb should be used. i asked a question to u i.e '' none of the girls is married''. in this 'are' should be used instead of 'is'. moreover it is countable noun. but the right answer is ''is''.
253
@dhanishtha said:
@sathishnsk1 thanks. it has become clearer. according to ur explanation depending upon the noun, the verb should be used. i asked a question to u i.e '' none of the girls is married''. in this 'are' should be used instead of 'is'. moreover it is countable noun. but the right answer is ''is''.
'IS' is the more appropriate answer (not right answer). Ur example is not much different from mine " € None of us care what happens to him.(informal) and € None of us cares what happens to him (formal) . There are no hard and fast rules to justify why "ARE" cannot be accepted as an answer. I suggest u go with 'IS'.

254
@sathishnsk1 thanks. can u recommend some good books for english grmmar for cat? i'm getting confused in it. i didnt find wren n martin upto the mark.
255
It's really difficult to predict what will happen in the future; most of the big, historic events of the past would have been impossible to foresee

Can anyone explain usage of punctuation of (; and ,) in the above sentence?
256

Common Mistake---- Then and Than

THEN
Then is used either as a time marker or with a sequence of events.
EXAMPLES:
~I took all of the exams in the morning, and then I spent the rest of the day catching up on sleep.
~Back then we knew what was expected of us.
~I bought apples from this orchard last summer, but I seem to remember paying more for them then.
~Look over the study guide first, and then if you still have questions bring them up in class.

THAN
Unlike then, than is not related to time. Than is used in comparative statements.
EXAMPLES:
~Another pair of words that I see misused far more often thannot is than and then.
~He is taller than I am.
~Other than the interest on a small inheritance, he had no income.
~Today's students certainly do seem to read less than students in previous generations did.
~We learned more on the playground than we did in the classroom.
~Despite their lack of flavor, the hothouse tomatoes cost far more than those from the farmers' market.

Credit- to the original poster @ grammertips.homestead.com

257

@gnehagarg said:
It's really difficult to predict what will happen in the future; most of the big, historic events of the past would have been impossible to foresee. Can anyone explain usage of punctuation of (; and ,) in the above sentence?
The semi-colon in general is a painful punctuation. Its usage is very vaguely defined. In this context it is used to join the two clauses. It is used to show the relationship between the first clause (It's really difficult to predict what will happen in the future) and the second (most of the big, historic events of the past would have been impossible to foresee.). Actually, you'd be better off using a full stop.

And the comma is used to show that the 'event' is both 'big' and 'historic'. If for example you used 'and' in place of the comma it would imply that the 'events' may either be 'big' or be 'historic' to be impossible to foresee. In this usage, however, it implies that the 'event' must be both 'big' and 'historic' to be 'impossible to foresee'.

Footnote: The sentence also has one tiny issue. 'most of the big, historic events of the past would have been impossible to foresee' The word 'historic' already implies that the 'event' belongs to the 'past' so there is no need to use 'past' again! A better way imply the same would be, '...most of the big, historic events would have been impossible to foresee'!

Hope this helps!
258

hello,


Welcome to this forum site.
259

most of the big,historic events would have been impossible to foresee.
260

Hello,
Welcome to this forum site.It's a basically error "grammar" in which english article.

......
http://www/ezdia.com/epad/ati-radeon-hd-5670-series-graphics-card-amd/6972/