Correct Errors Of Usage - 7

1. He is superior than John. (W)

He is superior to John. (R)

Note:- Superior is normally followed by to, not than.

2 (i). She dresses very slovenly. (W)

She is slovenly in her dress. (R)

She dresses in a very slovenly manner. (R)

(ii). He did his work very slovenly. (W)

He did very slovenly work. (R)

He did his work in a very slovenly manner. (R)

Note:- Slovenly is an adjective. But for the adverb a phrase “in a slovenly manner” must be used.

3. He ate scarce a crumb. (W)

He ate scarcely a crumb. (R)

Note:- Scarce as an adverb is now archaic. Use scarcely.

He escaped without scarcely a scratch. (W)

He escaped with scarcely a scratch. (R )

Note:- “Without scarcely” is a double negative. The alternatives are “Without a scratch” and “With scarcely a scratch”.

4. It is three years since I have seen him. (W)

It is three years since I saw him. (R)

Note:- If since introduces a clause, then the verb of this clause must normally be in the past tense.

It is ten years, ago since my brother left for America. (W)

It is ten years, since my brother left for America. (R)

Note:- Remove ago. “Since” and “ago” cannot be combined.

5. All the old typewriters are being substituted by new ones. (W)

All the old typewriters are being replaced by new ones. (R)

Note:- A substitute is something that takes the place of another thing. The verb therefore means “to put in place of”. “New ones are being substituted for the old” may be also correct.

6. He gave up general practice and went into hospital work, with a view ultimately to become a consultant. (W)

He gave up general practice and went into hospital work, with a view to ultimately becoming a consultant. (R)

Note:- The correct construction is “with a view to + noun or gerund.

7. There was no one but who condemned his action. (W)

There was no one but condemned his action. (R)

Note:- Omit who. In such sentences but is itself equivalent in meaning to “Who . . . not”; “but condemned” means “who did not condemn.”

8. The writer has refrained from the temptation to condemn merely on moral grounds. (W)

The writer has resisted from the temptation to condemn merely on moral grounds. (R)

Note:- Use resisted. Refrain from can be followed only by:-

(i). A gerund in the active voice

(refrain from doing something)

(ii). A noun with an active sense

(refrain from theft, from crime etc.)

It cannot take a noun, like temptation, which is passive in sense.

We refrain from doing something which we are tempted to do.

We resist the temptation to do it.

Special Note:- You are advised to go through the common errors and the reasons for correction given in the coming articles.

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