common mistakes in English
Argot Capital WritingUnderstanding and learning from common mistakes. Archives
September 2020
Categories
All
|
Back to Blog
I | me7/9/2020 When used separately, many people have no problem using the correct word:
The problem arises when both are used in the same sentence:
The above sentence is incorrect, as I is a subject pronoun. Ivan and me are object pronouns and these should be used:
If you are not sure, remove the proper noun (Ivan) and we can see the sentence is not correct (When you’ve finished that lab report, can you email it to I); therefore, we know me is the correct pronoun. Our online courses and modules are designed with you in mind:
Our online module How to avoid common mistakes takes you through the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:
0 Comments
Read More
Back to Blog
who | that6/9/2020 Who and that is frequently used interchangeably:
However, when we are referring to a person, we use who:
When we are referring to an object, we use that:
When people say I have a friend that can help us it is informal and should not be used when writing. Our online courses and modules are designed with you in mind:
Our online module How to avoid common mistakes takes you through the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:
Back to Blog
how | what5/9/2020 We use how and what to request information. We use how to ask about the way or manner, or by what means:
We use what to ask for information when specifying something:
Our online courses and modules are designed with you in mind:
Our online module How to avoid common mistakes takes you through the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:
Back to Blog
the4/9/2020 We do not need to use the definite article when referring to something in general or non-specific:
We do not need to use the when referring to non-specific mass nouns:
Our online courses and modules are designed with you in mind:
Our online module How to avoid common mistakes takes you through the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:
Back to Blog
new | news3/9/2020 News is a mass or uncountable noun, so we do not use the indefinite article (or determiner) a. If we want to refer to one news item, we can use item or piece:
However, we usually say:
Our online courses and modules are designed with you in mind:
Our online module How to avoid common mistakes takes you through the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:
Back to Blog
into | in to2/9/2020 Into and in to are frequently confused. Into is a preposition which expresses movement e.g. Let’s move into the dining room. We normally use into after verbs suggesting change:
Our online courses and modules are designed with you in mind:
Our online module How to avoid common mistakes takes you through the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:
Back to Blog
compliment | complement1/9/2020 Although they are pronounced the same, they have very different meanings. As a verb, complement means add to something in a way that enhances or improves:
Compliment means to admire and praise someone for something:
Our online courses and modules are designed with you in mind:
Our online module How to avoid common mistakes takes you through the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:
Back to Blog
between | among30/8/2020 Between is used to refer to two or more things which are clearly separated:
Among/ amongst is used to refer to things situated more or less centrally in relation to several other things:
[Amongst is UK English] Our online courses and modules are designed with you in mind:
Our online module How to avoid common mistakes takes you through the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:
Back to Blog
fewer | less28/8/2020 We use fewer with countable nouns and less with uncountable or mass nouns:
Less is normally used with numerals:
and with expressions of measurement or time:
but fewer is used if the things denoted by the number are seen as individual items or units:
Our online courses and modules are designed with you in mind:
Our online module How to avoid common mistakes takes you through the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:
Back to Blog
e.g. | i.e.26/8/2020 We use:
Our online courses and modules are designed with you in mind:
Our online module How to avoid common mistakes takes you through the most common mistakes and how to avoid them: |