Let’s observe some more common errors.
- Incorrect: “I went to abroad.”
Correct: “I went abroad.”
- Another common mistake is saying, “I did not go anywhere in the last week.”
The correct way to say this sentence is, “I did not go anywhere the last week.”
Explanation: We don’t use preposition ‘in’ with words like last, past, etc., when they mean a specific point in the past. However, we can use ‘in’ when we mean duration. It is alright to say ‘in the last week’ when we mean last seven days of the week.
- Incorrect: “More than one mistakes are made.”
Correct: It should be, “More than one mistake is made.”
Explanation: “More than one” phrase takes singular subject and singular verb.
- Incorrect: “I am married with Jay.”
Correct: “I am married to Jay.”
Similarly, I am divorced with or to him is wrong. Correct way of saying is, “I divorced him.”
- Incorrect: She is one of my few friends who plays guitar very well.
Correct: She is one of my few friends who play guitar very well.
Explanation: When we use relative pronouns, the verb after them always follows the subject mentioned just before them. ‘Friends’ is a plural subject which takes, according to simple present tense, the verb ‘play’ (without s).
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