CSS Forums - Common errors!!!

[SIZE="2"]1* We make a common mistake while using apostrophe with IT.
"It's" is contraction of IT IS.
"Its" is the possessive form of IT.

Use of It's;

It's very good essay.
It's going on.

Use of Its;
I read an article its language is quite simple and comprehensible.
I like your style of writing and its simplicity is quite worthy.

2*Advice vs advise

“Advice” is the noun, “advise” is the verb.

Advise;
I advise you to study hard for getting success in CSS exams.

Advice;
I give you advice to study hard for getting success in CSS exams.

3* ACCEDE vs EXCEED

Accede means "Agree"

Exceed means "To go beyond"

Accede;
He accedes my request.

Exceed;
It seems we always exceed even our own expectations-after a lot of hard work, though!

4* We often use "two dozens bananas, three dozens apples and four hundreds coins." These are common errors.

Never use "S" with dozen, score, hundred, thousand and million when a fixed number comes before them.

Usage;

I have two hundred gold coins.
I shall buy three dozen of Apples.
I have four thousand to buy a cycle.

One can use S with dozen, score, hundred, thousand and million when a fixed number doesn't come before them.

Usage;

300 Spartans had fought with millions of Persians.
Every year thousands of aspirants take CSS test.

Uncountable nouns

Uncountable nouns are substances, concepts etc that we cannot count.
Bottles of milk, liters of milk we can count but we cannot count Milk itself so milk is uncountable noun.

Some more examples of uncountable nouns.

Music, furniture, art, love, sympathy, advice, news information etc.

We often make a mistake while using the indefinite article a/an with uncountable nouns. we cannot use a/an with uncountable nouns. We often use like this;

I have a furniture.
I want to give you an advice.
I have learned an art. These are incorrect sentences.

Correct usage;

I have furniture.
I want to give you advice.
I have learned art.

Never use A/AN with uncountable nouns.

But we can say a something of:
a piece of news
a bottle of water
a grain of rice
a piece of information
a liter of petrol.

5* For vs Since

For is used for period of time.

Like;

Ten years, two days, three months, etc

Since is used for point of time

Like;
1992, 14 August, Monday etc

Usage of For

I have been studying English for years.
I have been posting material in CSS forum for 5 months.

Usage of since

I have been studying English since 2003.
I have been posting material in CSS forum since August 2011.

5* Chose vs Choose

We often make a mistake while saying or writing like;

You should chose Journalism and sociology Instead of Indo-Pak-History.
It's incorrect.

Chose is past tense (2nd form) of Choose.

Choose is Present tense (Ist form) of Chose.

Choose = Chose = Chosen

6* lose/lost/loss/loose

Lose is Present tense
lost is Past tense
loss is noun (Nuqssaan)
loose is Adjective (Something which is not fixed or tied. Dhela)

These words are used in incorrect way.

Usage.

He does not lose who is passionate and determinant.
I have lost my book of Muslim history.
Business man should not give up; loss is part of business.
My shoes are loose.

7* Then vs Than

We often write these both words in incorrect way. like;

If one cannot understand Wren and Martin than he should buy Easy grammar book. It is incorrect.

Than is used for comparisons.
Then is used for time expressions.

Usage.

Muslim history is more scoring than Indo-Pak-History.

If one has not more time then he should study and struggle harder.

8* Practice vs practise

Practice is a noun

Practise is a verb

Usage

You should practise Essay writing for succeeding in English Essay.
You should put Essay writing into practice for succeeding in English Essay.

9* That vs which.

That is used with restrictive clauses . (no commas)

Which is used with nonrestrictive clauses.

You can understand it, now.

The book that was in my home is lost. (There was only one book)

It restricts on book. If one hears this sentence he will guess/know a book is lost. If there were several books in my home then it would be incorrect. On account of reader would think there had been only one book in my home.

The book, which was in my home, is lost. (There were several books)

It's nonrestrictive clause. In this sentence I say there were many books in my home and one of them is lost. If there had been only one book in my home then this sentence would be incorrect.

That= Ek e Kitab Thy.
Which = Bohat sy kitab thy or ek khoo gaye.

Do not use WHICH with LIVING THINGS.

Like;

The man which was going to karachi was murdered. It's incorrect.

Use WHO instead of which with Human beings.

10* Their Vs there

Their means belonging to them.

There means at that place.

Usage.

I don't want to go there.

They have brought their CSS books.

11* All ready vs Already

All ready means completely ready.

Already means before the present time. (pehlayee)

Usage.

Are you all ready for CSS exams?

I am already all ready.

12* We often use present indefinite tense in inaccurate way.

Like;

He go to school.
She prepare for CSS.
Akram sing a song.

These are incorrect.

S or Es is used with verb if subject is HE, SHE, IT and ANY NOUN.

Usage.

He goes to school.
She prepares for CSS.
Akram sings a song.

Do not use S or ES if there are two nouns.

Like;

Akram and Sunny sings a song.

It is incorrect.

Correct usage.

Akram and Sunny sing a song.

13* UNLESS

This very word is also used in incorrect way.

like;

You will not get success in CSS unless you don't struggle.

It is incorrect.

Correct usage.

You will not get success in CSS unless you struggle.
(If you won't struggle, you will not get success in CSS.)

Do not start topic unless i come.

You can't win in CSS competition unless your English is perfect.

I shall struggle unless i die.

14* Past tense.

When we use past tense we do common mistakes.

I thought he is going.
I had seen him, he is there.

These are incorrect.

"If sentence is started in past it should be ended in past."

One should not change tense from past to present or future. It will be incorrect.

Usage

I met Akram when he was studying for CSS.
He had gone when i reached there.

If quotation is used in direct speech then exact words of quotation should not be changed in past tense.

Like;

Rumi said, "love comes by its free will."
Buddha said, "He who knows, tells not; he who tells, knows not."

15* It is said that one should use "AN" with vowels (A.E.I.O.U) but every time it is not acceptable.

An umbrella - it is correct.

An university - it is incorrect.

A university - it is correct.

More exceptional cases.

An X-ray machine
A European coin
A user
A unicycle
An hour
an honor
an unbeliever
an honest man
an heir etc

Aam toor per jis alfaaz ka starting sound "Aluf" ho us k agay AN lagay ga.

An X-ray machine- Its sound starts with ALUF so An is used.

A university- Its sound does not start with ALUF so an is not used.

16* We often make mistakes in interrogative sentences.

Like;

Where you are going? Incorrect

How i am driving a car? Incorrect.

Like these, we often make incorrect sentences.

Here WHERE and HOW are relative pronouns.

Meaning of Where you are going is.

Jahan tum jaa rahay ho.

It does not give any sense of question.

Correct usage.

Where are you going?

How am i driving?

[B]
In interrogative pronouns we use helping verb after who, where, which etc. [B]

In relative pronouns we use Subject after who, where, which etc.

17* Do not ask questions like this:

From Where are you?

About what i should do? These are incorrect.

Where are you from?

What should i do about? these are correct.

Try to use preposition at end.

Examples:

What are you asking about?

What are you looking for?
18* except vs. without

These both are different words with different meanings......

Without means: at the outside of; out of; not within.

Except means: With exclusion of; leaving or left out.

Every one is present without Zuhaib.

No one is present except Zuhaib.

These both sentences have different meanings.

Her koee Hazaar hai Zuhaib k ilawa,

Koee B hazar nhn Zuhaib k ilawa.

Examples:

I can't live without love.

There are many other pains in life except love.

Call everyone without Akram.

Call no one except Akraum.

There is no god except Allah.

19* Affect vs Effect

Affect means to influence, to pretend (verbs); feeling (noun)
Effect means a result; being in operation (nouns); to make happen (verb)

Craziness of CSS has affected me _Its effect will be beneficial.

Here affected is used as influence and effect is used as result.

See another example.

Flood affected many areas of Pakistan and its effect was critical for nation.

20* Adverbs are often made from adjectives by adding a "LY" but it is not for always.

Like:

I run fastly.
I study hardly.
He reached lately.

These are incorrect.

I run fast.
I study hard.
He reached late.

These are correct.

Hardly means; very little, almost not

Lately means; recently

Speaking English language doesn't matter but perfection does.

21* Most of time we make common errors.

Like:

I swear upon God.
I swear of God.
He died by heart-attack.
He died in cancer. These are incorrect.

Correct are:
I swear to God.
I swear by God.
He died of heart-attack.

22* As well as

We make a common mistake while using as well as.

Like:

I, as well as my friend, has prepared for CSS.

It is wrong.

I, as well as my friend, have prepared for CSS.

23* With

Ghaddafi, with his sons, were killed.

It is wrong.

The verb is put singular.

Ghaddafi, with his sons, was killed.

24* Crisis

We do a common mistake when we use word Crisis.

Like:

There are many crisis in Pakistan.

It is wrong.

We understand CRISIS is a plural noun. But, it is not.

Crisis is a singular noun and CRISES is a plural noun.

So, the correct one is:

There are many crises in Pakistan.

25* Although

We do a common mistake when we use Although.

Like:

Although, he is my enemy, but I forgive him.

It is wrong.

Although, he is my enemy, I forgive him.

It is correct.

Remember it!

Although is not followed by BUT.

It is followed by yet in rare cases. (Used rarely)

26* Good And Well

We do a common mistake when we use good as an adverb.

Like:

He has done good.
He does good. These are incorrect.

Good is an adjective and well is an adverb of Good.

He has done well.
He does well. These are correct.

Use WELL as an adverb.

27* Give and Take Exam

We make a common mistake when we use Give and Take Exam.

I give exams. Means, I am examiner. MAIN EXAMS LAY RAHA HUN
I take exams. Means, I am student. MAIN EXAMS DAY RAHA HUN
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