Improve Your Language

Here are some more commonly made grammatical mistakes.
a) Amount, number
Correct usage: You will require the right amount of money.I was surprised at the number of people that attended the gathering.
Point to remember: Use the word amount to refer to quantity and number for things that are countable.The most common mistake of this kind is to refer to an “amount” of people instead of a “number” of people.
MoreNote: The word “more” can be used either way: you can eat more food and also drink more juice.
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b) Less, fewer
Point to remember: These are often confused because they both mean the opposite of more. But more has two meanings: Greater amount and greater numberLess means not as much Fewer means not as many
Correct usage: Sheila earns less (not as much) money for her work.Sheila sells fewer (not as many) products than Jatin. It’s the units of time and money which are treated as amounts: less than an hour, less than five rupees. Only when you are referring to specific coins or bills would you use fewer: “I have fewer than fifty stickers left to complete my collection.”Note: The use of the word lesser is incorrect. Please use less than…
c) An historic, a historic
You should use “an” before a word beginning with an “H” only if the “H” is not pronounced: An honest effort; it’s a historic event.And also, and, also‘And also’ is redundant; say just ‘and’ or ‘also.’
d) Anxious, Eager
Correct usage: I am very anxious about my sick mother.I am eager to receive my present.
Point to remember: Anxious has to do with worry while eager means looking forward to.
e) Any where, anywhere
‘Anywhere,’ like ‘somewhere’ and ‘nowhere,’ is always one word.
f) Apart, a part
Correct usage: Six months after they were married, Seema and Raja decided to live apart.Seema always claimed that Ravi would be a part of her life forever.
Point to remember: Apart (single word) implies separation while the two-word (a part) signifies union!

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