INCORRECT OMISSIONS 04

Dialog

Right, you. We're going through some common English mistakes. Try not to make a fool of yourself.

Oh, okay. I’ll try my best. I get a bit nervous, you know.

Just listen to me. First one. Is this sentence correct: This is the only that I like.

Hmm. This is the only that I like. It sounds a bit… incomplete, doesn't it? I think it needs something. Maybe, This is the only one that I like?

Well, look at you, actually thinking. Yes, you need 'one' there to refer back to whatever 'this' is. Otherwise, it doesn't make sense. See? You're not entirely useless.

Next. How about this: I want to tell me the truth. Is that good English?

I want to tell me the truth? That sounds like you want to tell yourself the truth. But you're talking to me. So it should be, I want you to tell me the truth, shouldn't it?

You're actually listening for once. Good. When the person who 'wants' is different from the person who 'tells', you have to say who is doing the telling. So, 'I want you to tell me the truth'. Don't make me explain it again.

Right, focus. Is this correct: Is very hot in the Sudan.

Is very hot? No, you need a subject. You can't just start a sentence like that when talking about the weather. It should be, It is very hot in the Sudan.

Precisely. You always need 'it' as the subject when you're talking about impersonal things like the weather or time. Otherwise, it's just wrong. See? Not every question is a trick.

Okay, try this one: When he saw the teacher, stood up. Is that how you'd say it?

When he saw the teacher, stood up. Who stood up? It's confusing. You need to repeat the subject, don't you? So, When he saw the teacher, he stood up.

You got it. Even if it's obvious who you're talking about, in a sentence like that, you have to say 'he' again. Good. You're not making this too hard for me.

What about this: "I am learning English," said. Is that perfectly correct?

"I am learning English," said. Said who? You always have to say who said it. So, "I am learning English," he said. Or 'she said'.

Correct. After a quote, you always need to say who the speaker is. You can't just leave it hanging. Don't forget that, you.

Here's a trickier one. I asked him for some paper, but he had not. Is that right?

He had not what? That doesn't sound finished. Like, 'had not any'? Or 'had not some'?

Close, but not quite. The correct way is, I asked him for some paper, but he had none. 'None' means 'not any'. The verb 'had' needs something to complete its meaning there. You almost had it, almost.

Okay, next. I asked him for some ink, and he gave me. Is that right?

He gave me... what? You need to say what he gave you. So, I asked him for some ink, and he gave me some.

Exactly. You can't just leave the direct object out, even if it's implied. You need to say 'some' to refer back to the ink. Good. You're actually quite quick sometimes.

Is this sentence correct: I enjoyed during the holidays.

I enjoyed during the holidays. Enjoyed what? That sounds strange. You have to say what you enjoyed. Like, I enjoyed myself during the holidays. Or I enjoyed my holidays.

Well done! The verb 'enjoy' always needs an object. You can't just leave it like that. It's either a reflexive pronoun like 'myself' or a noun like 'my holidays'. You actually know more than I thought.

Right, pay attention. The unfortunate was shot dead. Good English?

The unfortunate was shot dead. 'Unfortunate' is an adjective. You usually need a noun after an adjective when you're talking about a person. So, The unfortunate man was shot dead.

Spot on. You can't use an adjective on its own like that to mean a single person, not in formal English anyway. You need to add 'man' or 'woman'. Unless it's a general group like 'the rich'. You're actually quite smart today.

Let's try numbers. Eight thousand thirty-seven. Is that how you read it?

Eight thousand thirty-seven. No, you need an 'and' in there. Eight thousand and thirty-seven.

Correct. When you have 'hundred', 'thousand', or 'million' and then tens or units, you always put 'and' before them. It's just how we say it. Don't forget it, you.

Okay. I have only two, three friends. Sound good?

No, that's not right. You need 'or' between numbers when you're giving a choice or an approximate number. So, I have only two or three friends.

Yes, you do. You always need 'or' when you're listing numbers as a possibility. It makes sense, doesn't it? Don't look so surprised that you got it right.

How about this? My sister is fifteen years. Is that correct?

My sister is fifteen years. No, that sounds like something's missing. You need 'old' at the end. My sister is fifteen years old. Or you can just say, My sister is fifteen.

Perfect. You need 'old' to complete the phrase 'years old'. And you're right, you can shorten it. You're quite observant sometimes.

Next. For this he wants to leave. Right or wrong?

For this he wants to leave. 'For this' on its own doesn't really explain a reason. It should be, For this reason he wants to leave.

Absolutely. 'For this' by itself is incorrect. You need to say 'for this reason'. Or 'because of that'. Don't be sloppy with your explanations.

Try this. To these, he replied. Correct?

To these, he replied. To these what? You need to say what 'these' are. So, To these words, he replied.

Correct. Just like before, 'to these' isn't complete. You need to specify 'words' or 'points'. Or you can just say 'to this'. Honestly, it's not rocket science.

Okay, listen carefully. Better go home at once. Is that proper?

Better go home? It sounds a bit informal. In proper English, I think it should be, You had better go home at once.

Spot on, you. It's 'had better' when you're giving a strong suggestion or warning. It means 'it would be a good thing for you to do'. You did well there, I suppose.

What about this? He is up. Or, He is down. Are those correct?

He is up means he's awake, out of bed. He is down could mean he's sad. But if you mean he's on a different floor in a house, then it's He is upstairs or He is downstairs.

Very good. You explained the difference perfectly. 'Up' means awake, 'down' can mean sad. To talk about floors, you need 'upstairs' or 'downstairs'. Don't mix them up, you.

Here's one. It is dirty; throw it. Is that right?

Throw it? That means like, throw a ball to someone. If it's dirty and you want to get rid of it, you say It is dirty; throw it away.

Excellent distinction. 'Throw it' means to throw something to someone. 'Throw it away' means to get rid of it. You're actually paying attention for once, aren't you?

What about this one? I don't think. Is that how you'd say it?

I don't think? That sounds like you're saying you don't have a brain. If someone asks you if something is true and you disagree, you say I don't think so.

Precisely. 'I don't think' means you don't use your brain, which some might suggest is true for you sometimes. But 'I don't think so' means you disagree. Good, you remembered.

Right. He arrived before yesterday. Is that a correct phrase?

Before yesterday? No. We say, He arrived the day before yesterday. Or 'the day after tomorrow'. You need 'the day' in there.

Spot on. You can't just say 'before yesterday'. It has to be 'the day before yesterday'. It's a fixed phrase. Don't forget it, you.

Last one. If someone offers you something and you don't want it, do you say Thank you?

No, no, that's wrong. 'Thank you' means you accept the offer, like 'Yes, please'. If you want to refuse, you have to say No, thank you.

Exactly. You always need to say 'No' if you're refusing an offer. Otherwise, you'll end up with all sorts of things you don't want. You actually remembered something useful! I suppose you're not entirely hopeless, after all.

Summary

• 271. The demonstrative pronoun "one" omitted. Say: This is the only one that I like.
• 272. Omission of the personal pronoun before the infinitive. Say: I want you to tell me the truth.
• 273. Omission of "it" as subject of an impersonal verb. Say: It is very hot in the Sudan.
• 274. Omission of the pronoun subject from the principal clause. Say: When he saw the teacher, he stood up.
• 275. Omission of the personal pronoun after a quotation. Say: "I am learning English," he said.
• 276. The object of the transitive verb omitted. Say: I asked him for some paper, but he had none.
• 277. Omission of the direct object when there are two objects. Say: I asked him for some ink, and he gave me some.
• 278. The object of the verb "enjoy" omitted. Say: I enjoyed myself during the holidays Or: I enjoyed my holidays.
• 279. Omission of the noun after an adjective. Say: The unfortunate man was shot dead.
• 280. Omission of the word "and" between numbers. Say: Eight thousand and thirty-seven.
• 281. Omission of the word "or" between numbers. Say: I have only two or three friends.
• 282. Omission of the word "old" from age. Say: My sister is fifteen years old.
• 283. "For this" used instead of "for this reason." Say: For this reason he wants to leave.
• 284. "To these" used instead of "to these words." Say: To these words, he replied.
• 285. "Better" used instead of "had better." Say: You had better go home at once.
• 286. "Up" or "down" used instead of "upstairs" or "downstairs." Say: He is upstairs; he is downstairs.
• 287. "Throw it" used instead of "throw it away." Say: It is dirty; throw it away.
• 288. "I don't think" used instead of "I don't think so." Say: I don't think so.
• 289. "Before yesterday," etc., used instead of "the day before yesterday," etc. Say: He arrived the day before yesterday.
• 290. "Thank you" used instead of "No, thank you." Say: No, thank you.

Reference: T. J. FITIKIDES, "COMMON MISTAKES IN ENGLISH" p61 - p64