Free Tips to imporove common English Grammar Errors both exams and Work

Here are some common English grammar errors we all should avoid (exams or work).

In this blog I will give you some common problem we all have with English writing.

Sometimes we all see similar words and we all misuse them. Please checkout out the first part of my blog.

1st Common Error-Affect vs. effect

Problem

Because affect and effect sound somewhat alike, many people confuse and misuse them.

Solution

When the meaning of either of these words is likely to be misinterpreted by your readers, consider choosing a less ambiguous synonym.

Here are the most common meanings for affect and effect.

USE AFFECT IF YOU MEAN USE EFFECT IF YOU MEAN

-to influence

-to feign; to simulate

-to move; to touch

-to pretend

-to hinder; to hurt

-to bring about

-to carry out

-an impact

-an impression

-an outcome; a result

 

Examples

 The sentences below show you how to use affect and effect.

AFFECT

 EFFECT

Winning the award greatly affected (influenced) Jessie.

 Jessie became involved in her community and effected (brought about) many changes.

Jonas affects (feigns; simulates) a British accent when recounting his travels abroad.

We need the support of all stakeholders before we can effect (carry out) health care reform.

The Smiths were deeply affected (moved; touched) by the loss of their pet cockatoo.

 The Supreme Court ruling will have a lasting effect (impact) on official languages services.

Jackie affected (pretended) to despise science fiction, yet she was avidly reading all of Isaac Asimov's Robot novels.

 The artist stood back to take in the overall effect (impression) of his painting.

How does low literacy affect (hinder; hurt) the health of Canadians?

 The committee members hoped the measures would produce a positive effect (outcome; result).

2nd common error-Amount vs. number

Problem

People often use amount instead of number to refer to things that can be counted exactly or approximately. This usage is incorrect.

Solution

The following table shows the correct usage for amount and number.

If referring to then use a total or mass

 Amount things that can be counted exactly or approximately number

Examples

 The following table shows examples of how to use amount and number.

Amount Number

The concert is expected to bring in a huge amount of money for the fundraiser.

Only a small number of people have travelled to Antarctica.

(Not a small amount of people)

This cookie recipe calls for a tiny amount of salt.

 I cannot remember the number of times I've been snowboarding.

(Not the amount of times)

3rd common error-Further vs. farther

Problem

Many writers are unsure of how and when to use the words further and farther. As well, some think these words are completely interchangeable, while others do not.

Solution

 Here are some guidelines to help you deal with further and farther.

Examples

Use further

-as an adjective meaning "more" or "additional"

Do you have any further questions?

-as a verb meaning "to continue, encourage, foster or promote"

The loans program allows Canadians to further (continue) their education.

We must further (encourage, foster, promote) co-operation between our two countries.

-as an introductory adverb meaning "furthermore" or "in addition"

Further, I wish to congratulate our volunteers for their outstanding service to our community.

-as an adverb when referring to progress or figurative distance (not measurable in steps, inches, kilometres, etc.)

 

Jack took the IT courses he needed to help him go further in his career.

Use farther

-as an adjective meaning "more distant"

They sailed to the farther shore before heading back.

-as the comparative form of "far" when referring to distance

Port Elgin is farther east than we were told.

-as an adverb when referring to physical distance (measurable in steps, inches, kilometres, etc.)

How much farther can we travel on half a tank of gas?

NOTE: Most sources list farther and further as synonyms. However, they suggest using further in an abstract (or figurative) sense and farther in a physical sense. When choosing between further or farther, you need to consider whether the distance is physical or figurative. For example:

I'm exhausted, I can't go any farther.

[Means I can't walk another step]

I'm exhausted, I can't go any further.

[Means I can't do anything more]

4th common English error-Cannot or can not?

Problem

One word

Or

Two words

Have you lost precious minutes wondering about cannot and can not? If so, you're not alone.

Solution

 Both cannot and can not are correct. However, cannot is the far more common spelling. We recommend the following guidelines:

USE CANNOT USE CAN NOT

When you mean be unable to:

The parties cannot (are unable to) agree.

Erica cannot (is unable to) play at the jazz festival.

When you want to give greater emphasis to the word not:

Joe: I can speak Italian better than you can.

Bridget: You can not!

When a choice is involved:

He can go, or he can not go.

OR

He can go or not.

When the word not is part of the correlative conjunction not only…but also:

We can not only meet for dinner but also see a movie.

5th common English error: Bring vs. Take

When we go to the party on Saturday, let’s bring a bottle of wine.

This is INCORRECT.

When you are viewing the movement of something from the point of arrival, use “bring”:

When you come to the party, please bring a bottle of wine.

This is CORRECT.

When you are viewing the movement of something from the point of departure, use “take”:

When we go to the party, let’s take a bottle of wine.

This is CORRECT.

6th common English error: Fewer vs. Less 

Sign at the checkout of a supermarket: “Ten items or less”.

This is INCORRECT.

You can count the items, so you need to use the number word “fewer”.  These nouns are countable.

Ten items or fewer.

This is CORRECT.

If you can’t count the substance, then you should use “less”.  These nouns are uncountable.

You should eat less meat.

This is CORRECT.

7th common English error: Went vs. Gone 

I should have went to school yesterday.

This is INCORRECT.

The correct form is:

Should + have + past participle

I should have gone to school yesterday.

This is CORRECT.

8th common English error:  Its vs. It's

Its going to be sunny tomorrow.

This is INCORRECT.

It’s is the contraction of It is:

It’s going to be sunny tomorrow.

This is CORRECT