Common Errors in English Usage with Explanations - Part 15

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1.  
   • Do you know the man I spoke with ?  (wrong)
   • Do you know the man I spoke to ? (correct)
   • • Explanation : Speak to is a phrasal verb which means 'to talk in order to give or obtain information'.
2.  
   • This is the house we used to play on.  (wrong)
   • This is the house we used to play in. (correct)
   • • Explanation : One usually plays inside a house, not on it.
3.  
   • Here is the girl you were enquiring of.  (wrong)
   • Here is the girl you were enquiring  about. (correct)
   • • Explanation : Enquire takes the preposition about when it means 'ask information about someone'.
4.  
   • What was that woman looking in ?  (wrong)
     
   • What was that woman looking at ? (correct)
   • • Explanation :  We look at something when we gaze in a specified direction. Look into means 'investigate'. There is no plural verb 'look in'.
5.  
   • It has been raining from two days.   (wrong)
   • It has been raining for two days.  (correct)
   • • Explanation : For a duration of time we use 'for'; 'from' is used with the starting point of the duration if the end point is also suggested. 
6.  
   • I have been living in India from 2001.  (wrong)
   • I have been living in India since 2001. (correct)
   • • Explanation : As we have a starting point of the duration of time, we use 'since'.
7.  
   • He has been sleeping since two hours.  (wrong)
   • He has been sleeping for two hours.  (correct)
   • • Explanation : Two hours indicates duration and needs 'for'.
8.  
   • They have been drinking since an hour.   (wrong)
   • They have been drinking for an hour.  (correct)
   • • Explanation : An hour suggests a duration without a starting point and needs 'for'.
9.  
   • I have been going to class from Wednesday.   (wrong)
   • I have been going to class since Wednesday.  (correct)
   • • Explanation : Wednesday suggests a fixed starting point of time and there is no end point, hence we need 'since'.
10.  
    • I shall be regular since March.   (wrong)
    • I shall be regular from March.  (correct)
    • • Explanation : There is a starting point of time and the end point is implied, hence we used 'from'
11.  
    • The seminar begins since 8 December.   (wrong)
    • The seminar begins from 8 December.  (correct)
    • • Explanation : As in (10)

Shared by Bhargav Gupta Yechuri

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