Here are some of the most frequently used words in the English Language. Some of the most common errors in English can be avoided if we learn to use them correctly.
1. COMPRISE, COMPRISE OF OR CONSISTED OF
2. UPTIL OR UNTIL
In the English Language, there is no such word as "uptil". The correct word is "until". We will not go until you complete your homework.
3. THE WORD "UP TO"
The word "up to" is wrong because there is no such word in the English Language as "up" and "to" are two words not one. The word "up to" is an adjective that means equal to or able to.
4. IN SPITE OR DESPITE
"in spite" is not a single word but there are two words. If we wish to one word in place of "in spite", we can use the word "despite"
5. RETURN BACK OR COME BACK
We never return back, we only return or we come back.
6. DOORSTEP OR DOORSTEPS
A parcel is delivered at our doorstep (not doorsteps), but we can walk on your doorsteps (not doorstep).
7. STUCK IN OR STUCK UP
We get stuck in a traffic jam, not stuck up, which means snooty.
8. SERVE OR SERVED
First come first serve, not first come first served.
9. PRIZES OR PRIZE
There are no prizes for guessing, not no prize for guessing.
10. GUJARAT OR GUJRAT
The Indian province is "Gujarat", not "Gujrat which is the spelling of a Pakistani town. Hence the language is "Gujarati" and not "Gujrati"
11. MEAL OR MEALS
The word meal is a singular word and there is no such word as meals in the English Language. It doesn't have any plural form.
12. BREAKFAST OR BRUNCH
The word breakfast is a combination of two words, break and fast. You fast for the whole night and in the morning you eat to break your fast. That's why we say breakfast to the morning meal. The word brunch is also a combination of two words, breakfast and lunch. "Br" has been taken from breakfast and "unch" has been taken from lunch which has become brunch. So, brunch is the meal between breakfast and lunch.
13. HEAR OR LISTEN
You don't hear your teacher but you listen to your teacher. Hearing means hearing sounds without intention or attention but listening is to hearing someone with full attention.
14. DESPITE OF OR INSPITE OF
There is no such word as despite of but it is inspite of. Despite is never followed by "of" while inspite is always followed by "of".
15. SCENERY OR SCENERIES
The word scenery doesn't have a plural. It refers to the natural appearance of a place. It may include people and movements. The plural of it is scenes but in the American English Language, the word sceneries is used.
16. TELL OR SAY
The word tell means to inform someone of something but the word say means to emphasize content, especially in the reported speech.
17. DISPOSE OFF OR DISPOSE OF
We dispose of something. We don't dispose off something because there is no such word as "dispose off" in the English Language though it is extensively used, but it doesn't mean that it is the correct one, the correct word is "dispose of".
18. THROUGH OR BY
We learn English by correspondence, not through correspondence. The preposition "by" means "by means of". Examples: English by correspondence, English by radio. The preposition "by" also refers to physical transmission. Examples: She left the country by air, and I received the letter by post. The preposition "through" refers to artistic media like music, dancing, drama, and film. Example: He delivered his message to the world through his music.
19. IDLE OR LAZY
An idle person doesn't do something meaningful or useful. He is not a lazy person. A lazy person doesn't excite himself physically.
20. BOARDING AND LODGING OR BOARD AND LODGING
It is board and lodging and not boarding and lodging. Example: She pays $300 for board and lodging.
21. HOLD ON OR HOLD UP
When you travel by bus and want to get off somewhere. In this context, you shout "hold on" and not "hold up".
22. BAD OFF OR BADLY OFF
It is the word "bad off", not the word "badly off" that is used to indicate low income or the status of not at all wealthy. Its antonym is "well off" which means wealthy or rich.
23. TAKE OR GIVE
You take an exam not give an exam. The word "take" is used with exam instead of the word "give".
24. TALK TO OR TALKBACK
The word "talk to" means to speak to, and the word "talkback" means to answer back or to reply rudely.
25. PUT UP AND PUT DOWN
The word "put up" means to provide something or build something, but it is also used to accommodate somebody for a short stay while "put down" is used to release a hold on something or to write something on paper.
26. CONTINUALLY OR CONTINUOUSLY
They are slightly different. The word "continuously" means to work non-stop or to keep working without any pause while the word "continually" means to work with interruption. It means there are periods when you didn't work. One works with intervals.