Common Errors in English - PART ONE
Learn better grammar as we delve into correcting “common errors” in English – All on erudites.ng
Use of noun and pronoun in close succession
- Some people they don’t know how to greet
You should say: Some people don’t know how to greet
Explanation: Since they refers to people in this context, it is long as the antecedent (people) is there.
Unnecessary duplication of phrases
- According to him, he said Bello would come.
You should say: According to him, Bello would come.
Explanation: According to him, is the same as ‘he/she said…’
It is no putting the two side by side. It is either you say: He said Bello would come or According to him, Bello would come.
Misuse of majority
- Majority of our people are ignorant.
You should say: A majority or the majority of our people are ignorant.
Explanation: The word majority must be preceded by either the or a both of which are articles
Conventional error
- On one hand he is not educated and on the other (hand) he got married too easily
You should say: on the one hand he is not educated and on the other (hand) he got married too early
Explanation: Since this is an idiom, the words that form it must not be tampered with even though the entire structure may appear inelegant. The article the appears twice along with hand, although the mention of the other hand is optional which is why it is in brackets.
- Is it a trekabble distance?
You should say: Is it a long distance? OR, is it too long for me to walk
Explanation: To be point-blank, there is no such word as ‘trekabble’ in English. Trek is both a verb and a noun. To trek means to walk a long and difficult walk.
Excerpt from "mind your English" by Omoke George