Errors of Addition and omission in English

Today’s English
May 18th, 2017

Many speakers of English, especially Indians omit prepositions where it is necessary and add where there is no need for any prepositions. It’s not at all a problem when you chat on WhatsApp and Facebook but it is a grave mistake in formal reports and all such correspondences. The incorrect and correct expressions are listed below for your ready reference:

Don’t omit prepositions :
1. Incorrect: Go and see who is knocking the door.
Correct: Go and see who is knocking at the door.

2. Incorrect: Don’t ask my mobile.
Correct: Don’t ask for my mobile.

3. Incorrect: He was sick. I wished him to get better.
Correct: He was sick. I wished for him to get better.

4. Incorrect: Think any flower in your mind and tell me.
Correct:  Think of any flower in your mind and tell me.

5. Incorrect: The story reminded me my college days.
Correct:  The story reminded me of my college days.

6. Incorrect: This is the book you asked.
Correct:  This is the book you asked for.

7. Incorrect: What are you looking?
Correct:  What are you looking for / at?

8. Incorrect: I insisted these things in particular.
Correct: I insisted on these things in particular.

9. Incorrect: which chair did you sit?
Correct: which chair did you sit on?

10. Incorrect: This is the shop I told you.
Correct: This is the shop I told you about.


Don’t add prepositions:
1. Incorrect: She answered to my question.
Correct: She answered my question.

2. Incorrect: We entered into the principal’s room.
Correct:  We entered the principal’s room.

3. Incorrect: She closely resembled to her father.
Correct: She closely resembled her father.

4. Incorrect: I asked to him a question.
Correct: I asked him a question.

5. Incorrect: We discussed about the new cinema.
Correct: We discussed the new cinema.

6. Incorrect: We are awaiting for your reply.
Correct: We are awaiting your reply.

7. Incorrect: He told to me that he would resign his job.
Correct: He told me that he would resign his job.

8. Incorrect: See you in the next week.
Correct: See you next week.

9. Incorrect: I met him on last Sunday.
Correct: I met him last Sunday.

10. Incorrect: I’m going to home/abroad.
Correct: I’m going home/abroad.

Remember three things:
1. Those verbs which do not take a preposition take a preposition when used as a noun. (“I discussed the cinema”, but “ I had a discussion about the cinema.”)

2. To emphasize, sometimes object is used in the beginning and in such cases preposition is used at the end. (This is the girl I was looking for.)

3. In time expressions, before last, next, this, that, one and every, no preposition should be used. (He came here last Tuesday.)

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” - Albert Einstein