MPSC Common Error in English : 150 Sentences

Covered below are 150 common mistakes in English grammar that we very often make. They will tell you how to prepare for MPSC grammar and many other important competitive exams that you are planning to ace. I have covered a variety of English questions – which if your study right, shall give you good confidence!

Don’t get daunted with the number 150. It’s hardly the entire grammar syllabus for MPSC and other exams because English is a vast language. But here’s how you learn it: these have been used in sentences. Pick 20 of them in a day and reuse them in other sentences. Let’s not get over bothered with rules here. I have a series of documents where we discuss some of these grammar rules in more finer details.

Let the Grammar party begin!

Please note:  The first sentence is incorrect and the second is correct.

1. She prides on her beauty.
   She prides herself on her beauty.
2. Students should avail of good opportunity.
   Students should avail themselves of good.
3. We enjoyed at the party.
   We enjoyed ourselves at the party.
4. There is nothing such as luck.
   There is no such thing as luck.
5. Tell me how are you.
   Tell me how you are.
6. He jumped a ten feet wide ditch.
   He jumped a ditch ten feet wide.
7. What for has he come?
   What has he come for?
8. This will not only interest children, but also good men.
   This will interest not only children but also good men.
9. I neither know the name of the author, nor the bookseller.
   I know the name of neither the author nor the bookseller.
10. He was either educated at Bombay or at Madras.
    He was educated either in Bombay or in Madras.
11. Walking is good both for health and recreation.
    Walking is good for both health and recreation.
12. The milk of a cow is too nutritious.
    The milk of a cow is very nutritious.
13. Mohan lived in a boarding.
    Mohan lived in a boarding house.
14. He has taken admission in a law college.
    He has been admitted to a law college.
15. He feels very weak to walk.
    He feels too weak to walk.
16. The tide was so strong that the rope was torn.
    The tide was so strong that the rope broke.
17. The boat was drowned.
    The boat sank.
18. Do it or you will be beaten.
    Do it or you shall be beaten.
19. If they make noise, they will be fined.
    If they make a noise they shall be fined.
20. He is suffering from a strong cold.
    He is suffering from a bad cold.
21. Cattle is grazing in the field.
    Cattle are grazing in the field.
22. The gentry of this town does not like it.
    The gentry of this town do not like it.
23. The police has arrested him.
    The police have arrested him.
24. I shall go to my quarter.
    I shall go to my quarters.
25. I have four son-in-laws.
    I have four sons-in-law.
26. My house is built of bricks.
    My house is built of brick.
27. He is true to his words.
    He is true to his word.
28. I have three pairs of shoes.
    I have three pairs of shoe.
29. He did three-fourth of the work.
    He did three-fourths of the work.
30. He had to do several works.
    He had to do several pieces of work.
31. Let he and I do it together.
    Let him and me do it together.
32. They are all there but I.
    They are all there but me.
33. Who do you take me for?
    Whom do you take me for?
34. I would not do that if I were him.
    I would not do that if I were he.
35. He answered more questions than me.
    He answered more questions than I.
36. They are wiser than us.
    They are wiser than we.
37. We are poorer than them.
    We are poorer than they.
38. One should respect his teacher.
    One should respect one’s teacher.
39. One does not like to have his work doubted.
    One does not like to have one’s word doubted.
40. One must not boast of his own success.
    One must not boast of one’s own success.
41. Everyone should respect one’s teacher.
    Everyone should respect his teacher.
42. Anyone can do this if one tries.
    Anyone can do this if he tries.
43. Everybody wants to have their full pay.
    Everybody wants to have his full pay.
44. Whom do you think he is?
    Who do you think he is?
45. Who did you see?
    Whom did you see?
46. He was the man whom I thought was very poor.
    He was the man who I thought was very poor.
47. This is one of the interesting stories that has been told by Tolstoy.
    This is one of the interesting stories that have been told by Tolstoy.
48. This is one of the best buildings that has come into my view.
    This is one of the best buildings that have come into my view.
49. It is I who is to blame.
    It is I who am to blame.
50. This is the man who was there and no one saw.
    This is the man who was there and whom no one saw.
51. This is the book which was there and none knew.
    This is the book which was there and which none knew.
52. I want your reply.
    I want a reply from you.
53. I availed of the opportunity.
    I availed myself of the opportunity.
54. The absented for that day.
    They absented themselves for that day.
55. Any of the two men can do it.
    Either of the two men can do it.
56. None of the two boys were present.
    Neither of the two boys was present.
57. This is the best which we can do.
    This is the best that we can do.
58. I, he and you will play.
    You, he and I will play.
59. Indore of today is the most populous town of M.P.
    The Indore of today is the most populous town of M.P.
60. Ganga is our sacred river.
    The Ganga is our sacred river.
61. He begins work at daybreak and leaves off at the sunset.
    He begins work at daybreak and leaves off at sunset.
62. Rose is a red flower.
    The rose is a red flower.
63. Sun rises by 6 a.m. these days.
    The Sun rises by 6 a.m. these days.
64. Do not pull the cat by its tail.
    Do not pull the cat by the tail.
65. He is the principal of this college.
    He is Principal of this college.
66. Principal of this college is coming.
    The Principal of this college is coming.
67. This is no time to sing.
    This is not the time to sing.
68. No boy in the class is so good as Raman.
    No other boy in the class is as good as Raman.
69. He is older than anybody in the village.
    He is older than anybody else in the village.
70. He is elder than his sister.
    He is older than his sister.
71. There were no less than a hundred men.
    There were not fewer than a hundred men.
72. He dare me to fight with him.
    He dares me to fight with him.
73. He dare leave the room.
    He dares to leave the room.
74. He dare say so.
    He dares to say so.
75. Forgave him for his fault.
    I forgave him his fault.
76. We envy him for his good luck.
    We envy him his good luck.
77. He left for them all his wealth.
    He left them all his wealth.
78. This man bears me with a grudge.
    This man bears me a grudge.
79. I advice you to wait.
    I advise you to wait.
80. This book proved to be of no use.
    This book proved of no use.
81. He said me good morning.
    He bade me good morning.
82. You have rather played than worked.
    You had rather play than work.
83. The ship drowned in the sea.
    The ship was sunk in the sea.
84. The boy sank in the river.
    The boy drowned in the river.
85. I am here since 1981.
    I have been here since 1981.
86. I shall reach there by this time tomorrow.
    I shall have reached there by this time tomorrow.
87. Do you remember to see me?
    Do you remember to have seen me?
88. I will be reading for two years more.
    I will have been reading for two years more.
89. It’s high time (that) you go home.
    It’s high time (that) you went home.
90. We rejoiced at him being promoted.
    We rejoiced at his being promoted.
91. I have no faith in him keeping his promise.
    I have no faith in his keeping his promise.
92. I was very surprised at hearing this news.
    I was much surprised at hearing this news.
93. The air is very hotter today than yesterday.
    The air is much hotter today than it was yesterday.
94. This news is much surprising.
    This news is very surprising.
95. He is comparatively better today.
    He is comparatively well today.
96. This house is comparatively cheaper.
    This house is comparatively cheap.
97. He goes to the cinema off and on.
    He goes to the cinema now and then.
98. I shall, of course, come here tomorrow.
    I shall certainly come here tomorrow.
99. Is the whole always greater than the part?  Certainly, it is.
    Is the whole – part? Of course, it is.
100. He lost his son and certainly he felt much grieved.
     He lost his son and, of course, he felt much grieved.
101. He sought for his missing friend far and away.
     He sought for his missing friend far and wide.
102. Men under 25 year of age will be selected.
     Men below 25 years of age will be selected.
103. No one under an officer’s rank need apply.
     No one below an officer’s rank need apply.
104. My income is under Rs. 50000/- per month.
     My income is below Rs. 50000/- per month.
105. Upon enquiry I found him guilty.
     On enquiry I found him guilty.
106. I did not expect such treatment from your hand.
     I did not expect such a treatment at your hands.
107. I am independent from my parents.
     I am independent of my parents.
108. I beg pardon from you.
     I beg pardon of you.
109. Poverty comes from idleness.
     Poverty comes of idleness.
110. He is quick in understanding.
     He is quick of understanding.
111. He is dull in hearing.
     He is dull of hearing.
112. He is a man possessed with great wealth.
     He is a man possessed of great wealth.
113. Be not a slave of smoking.
     Be not a slave to smoking.
114. One angle is supplement of another.
     One angle is supplement to another.
115. Never take up bad means to earn money.
     Never take to bad means to earn money.
116. Health is essential for happiness.
     Health is essential to happiness.
117. It is ten in my watch.
     It is ten by my watch.
118. Your fault does not admit any excuse.
     Your fault does not admit of any excuse.
119. You cannot conceive a better way than this.
     You cannot conceive of a better way than this.
120. He is lame by the left leg.
     He is lame in the left leg.
121. You are disqualified to manage your estate.
     You are disqualified from managing your estate.
122. He persisted to say this.
     He persisted in saying this.
123. He is charged of murder.
     He is charged with murder.
124. I will communicate to him on this subject.
     I will communicate with him on this subject.
125. I have no control on him.
     I have no control over him.
126. He glanced at a letter.
     He glanced over a letter.
127. I felt much grief at him.
     I felt much grief for him.
128. There is no guarantee of his honesty.
     There is no guarantee for his honesty.
129. He is the heir to his uncle.
     He is the heir of his uncle.
130. He is the heir of a large estate.
     He is the heir to a large estate.
131. I am much concerned with your welfare.
     I am much concerned for your welfare.
132. He is slow in accounts.
     He is slow at accounts.
133. He is slow in hearing.
     He is slow of hearing.
134. He couldn’t cope up with his work.
     He couldn’t cope with his work.
135. He is not so tall as his brother.
     He is not as tall as his brother
136. He is so clever as his brother.
     He is as clever as his brother.
137. Copy it word by word.
     Copy it word for word.
138. Your excuse holds no water.
     Your  excuse does not hold water.
139. He left the town with bag and baggage.
     He left the town bag and baggage.
140. He did not leave any stone upturned.
     He left no stone upturned.
141. I am confident to win.
     I am confident of winning.
142. I can talk English well.
     I can speak English well.
143. The officer say my certificates.
     The officer looked into my certificates.
144. Inform this accident to the police.
     Inform the police of this accident.
145. Take care of her until she is with you.
     Take care of her as long as she is with you.
146. One must learn to distinguish good from bad.
     One must learn to distinguish the good from the bad.
147. I went there with a view to buy a book.
     I went there with a view to buying a book.
148. I did nothing but cried.
     I did nothing but cry.
149. Please write your name with ink.
     Please write your name in ink.
150. To laugh or weep is entirely our own choice.
     To laugh or to weep is entirely our own choice.