Incorrect omissions
Omission of prepositions
The following are examples of mistakes made through the omission of the preposition after certain words:
1. Ask for a thing, not ask a thing.
Don't say: She came and asked my book.
Say: She came and asked for my book.
2. Dispose/get rid of a thing, not dispose/get rid a thing.
Don't say: He'll dispose/get rid all his property.
Say: He'll dispose/get rid of all his property.
3. Dream of a thing, not dream a thing.
Don't say: Young men dream glory and riches.
/ Say: Young men dream of glory and riches.
4. Explain to a person, not explain a person.
Don't say: She explained me the matter.
Say: She explained the matter to me.
5. Knock at the door, not knock the door.
Don't say: Who is knocking the door?
Say: Who is knocking at the door?
6. Listen to a person or thing, not listen a person or thing.
Don't say: They were listening the music.
Say: They were listening to the music.
7. Pay for a thing, not pay a thing.
Don't say: How much did you pay the book?
Say: How much did you pay for the book?
Note. A person can pay another person He/She can also pay a bill
, an account, or a subscription He/She pay s fo r a thing that he/she buys.
8. Point to or at a person or thing, not point a person or thing.
Don't say: He pointed the map on the wall.
Say: He pointed to the map on the wall.
Or: He pointed at the map on the wall.
Note Also poin tour He pointed out the boy who did it to point (without any preposition) means t o direct: Don't point the gun this way.
9. Remind a person of something, not remind a person something.
Don't say: Please remind me that later.
Say: Please remind me of that later.
10. Reply to a person, not reply a person.
Don't say: She's not replied me yet,
Say: She's not replied to me yet.
11. Say to a person, not say a person.
Don't say: Kevin said me, Come tomorrow.
Say: Kevin said to me, 'Come tomorrow.
12. Search for a lost thing, not search a lost thing.
Don't say:. They're searching the ball.
Say: They're searching for the ball.
Note. In search of the wolf goes in search of sheep to searc h someone or something (without the for ) means to look in one's pockets or house: The policeman searched the man and his house.
13. Share with a person, not share a person.
Don't say: My friend shared me his book. Say: My friend shared his book with me.
14. Speak to a person, not speak a person.
Don't say: I'll speak him about that.
Say: I'll speak to him about that.
Note : I'll speak to him means I'll do all the speaking; I'll speak with him means.I'll have a conversation with him.
15. Supply a person with something, not supply a person something.
Don't say: Can you supply me all I need?
Say: Can you supply me with all I need?
Note : Also provide a person with: She provided her son with all he needed.
16. Think of a person or thing, not think a person or thing.
Don't say: Think a number and then double it.
Say: Think of a number and then double it.
17. Wait for a person or thing, not wait a person or thing.
Don't say: I'll wait you at the cinema.
Say: I'll wait for you at the cinema.
Note. Await takes no preposition: I'm awaiting your reply.
18. Wish for a thing, not wish a thing.
Don't say: He doesn't wish any reward.
Say: He doesn't wish for any reward.
19. Write to a person, not write a person.
Don't say: I'll write her tomorrow.
Say: I'll write to her tomorrow.
Note When the direct object of write is expressed, omit the preposition write him a letter.
20. The -s or -es of the third person singular omitted.
Don't say: He speak English very well.
Say: He speaks English very well.
Take great care not to leave out the -s or -es from the present tense, when the subject is he, she, it, or a noun in the singular.
21. Using don't instead of doesn't.
Don't say: He don't care what he says.
Say: He doesn't care what he says.
Use don't (= do not) with I, we , you, they, and wit h plural nouns Use doesn't (= does not) wit h he, she, it, and with singular nouns.
22. The -d or -ed of the past tense omitted.
Don't say: I receive a letter yesterday.
Say: I received a letter yesterday.
Take care not to leave out the -d or -ed from the past tense of regular verbs.When speaking, pronounce the ending of the past tense clearly.
23. The -s, -es or -ies of the plural form omitted.
Don't say: I paid six pound for the book.
Say: I paid six pounds for the book.
Take tare not lo ieave out the -s, -es or -ies of the plural number.
Note the following nouns hav e irregular plurals, man , men ; woman , women ;child, children ; ox , oxen ; foot, feet; tooth , teeth ; goose , geese ;mouse , mice.
24. The possessive ending omitted.
Don't say: A hen's egg is different from a pigeon.
Say: A hen's egg is different from a pigeon's.
If the first noun in a comparison is in the possessive case, the second must also be in the possessive: My mother's nose is bigger than my father's.
25. Omission of the article before a countable noun in the singular.
Don't say: I've no money to buy car.
Say: I've no money to buy a car.
As a rule, use either th e or a or a n before a countable noun in the singular.
26. Omission of a or an after the verb to be.
Don't say: I'm not teacher, I'm student.
Say: I'm not a teacher, I'm a student.
Use the indefinite article a or a n to express a singular noun-complement of the verb to be There's an animal in there. It's a mouse.
27. Omission of a or an after the word half.
Don't say: He drank half glass of milk.
Say: He drank half a glass of milk.
Note. Half a glas s (a n hour , a day , a mile , etc.) is the shortened form of half of a glas s (of a n hour, of a day , of a mile , etc ).
28. Omission of a or one before hundred, etc.
Don't say: Hundred years make a century.
Say: A hundred years make a century.
Or: One hundred years make a century.
Use the indefinite article a or the numeral one before hundred and thousand.
29. Omission of a or an from make a noise, etc.
Don't say: I told them not to make noise.
Say: I told them not to make a noise.
Note Also to make a mistake, to make a fortune, to make a will,to make an impression, to make an experiment, to make an attempt.
30. Omission of the before names of nationalities.
Don't say: English are fond of sports.
Say: The English are fond of sports.
Place the definite article before the names of nationalities, describing a people collectively the British, the French, the Dutch, the Swiss, the Chinese,the Sudanese, etc.
31. Omission of the before names of musical instruments.
Don't say: I play violin, but not piano.
Say: I play the violin, but not the piano.
Use the definite article before the names of musical instruments.
32. Omission of the before the word cinema, etc.
Don't say: On Saturday I go to cinema.
Say: On Saturday I go to the cinema.
Use definite article before the words cinema, theatre, concert, etc.
33. Omission of the verb to be from the passive.
Don't say: Charles Dickens born in 1812.
Say: Charles Dickens was born in 1812.
Form the passive form by using the verb to be, combined with the past participle of the verb required (to be + past participle).
