Unnecessary words
Unnecessary prepositions
The words below do not require a preposition to go with them because they have within them the meaning of the preposition.
1. Answer (= reply to).
Don't say: Please answer to my question.
Say: Please answer my question.
Note The noun answer takes to. His answer to my question was wrong.
2. Approach (- come near to).
Don't say: Don't approach to that house.
Say: Don't approach that house.
3. Ask (= put a question to).
Don't say: I asked to the teacher about it.
Say: I asked the teacher about it.
4. Attack (= go and fight against).
Don't say: They attacked against the enemy.
Say: They attacked the enemy.
Note We say, to make an attack on: They marie an attack on the enemy.
5. Comprise (= consist of).
Don't say: The book comprises of five chapters.
Say: The book comprises five chapters.
Or: The book is comprised of five chapters.
6. Enter (= go into).
Don't say: We entered into the classroom.
Say: We entered the classroom.
Note: We enter into a conversation, a debate , or a discussion.
7. Finish (= come to the end of).
Don't say: I've finished from my work.
Say: I've finished my work.
8.Leave (= depart from).
Don't say: Brian left from England last week.
Say: Brian left England last week.
9. Obey (= act according to).
Don't say: We should obey to our teachers.
Say: We should obey our teachers.
10. Allow (to) or let (= give permission to).
Don't say: The driver allowed /1/let to John (to) sit in the front seat.
Say: The driver allowed/let John (to) sit in the front seat.
Note Permit has a similar meaning to let, 'though it's used in more formal situations The teacher doesn't permit us to talk in class.
11. Reach (- arrive at).
Don't say: We reached at the'school early.
Say: We reached the school early.
12. Resemble (- be similar to).
Don't say: Does she resemble to her father?
Say: Does she resemble her father?
Note resemblance takes to or between. She bears no resemblance to her father There is no resemblance between them.
13. Tell! (= say to).
Don't say: I told to him to come at once.
Say: I told him to come at once.
14. Behind (= at the back of).
Don't say: Edward hid behind of a large tree.
Say: Edward hid behind a large tree.
15. Inside (= in the interior of).
Don't say.'The boys went inside of the room.
Say: The boys went inside the room.
16. Outside (= on the exterior of).
Don't say:They stood outside of the door.
Say: They stood outside the door.
17. Round (= on all sides of).
Don't say: The earth goes round of the sun.
Say: The earth goes round the sun.
Note. Around is similar in meaning and use to round.
18. Wrong use of the with proper nouns.
Don't say: The Sarah will go to the England.
Say: Sarah will go to England.
Don't use the definite article with proper nouns .
19. Wrong use of the with proper nouns in the possessive,
Don't say: The Euripides' tragedies are famous.
Say: Euripides' tragedies are famous.
Don't use the definite atitude with proper nouns in the possessive case.
Note. If the name ends mans or x or is difficult to pronounce with the extra syllable's we omit the final s Maria Caf/as' voice is divine.
20. Wrong use of the with abstract nouns.
Don't say: The bravery is a great virtue.
Say: Bravery is a great virtue.
Abstract nouns, if used in a general sense, can't take the article.
Note Abstract nouns, used in a particular sense, use the article The bravery of the Spartans was renowned.
21. Wrong use of the with material nouns.
Don't say: The gold is a precious metal.
Say: Gold is a precious metal.
Don't use any article without material
nouns. if used in a general sense.
Note Material nouns , used in a particular sense, require the definite article the coal from the Midlands exported to many countries.
21. Wrong use of the with plural
l nouns used in a general sense.
Don't say: The dogs are faithful animals
Say: Dogs are faithful animals.
Omit the definite article before common nouns in the plural if used in a general sense.
22. Wrong use of the with names of languages.
Don't use: The Tim speaks the English very well.
Say: Tim speaks English very well.
Never use the definite article before the names of languages .
Note We can say He speaks the English language very well.
23. Wrong use of the with names of meals.
Don't say: We'll start after the breakfast.
Say: We'll start after breakfast.
Don't use the definite article before the name s of meals, breakfast, lunch,dinner, or supper unless you are referring to a particular meal. The lunch they provided was excellent.
24. Wrong use of the with names of games.
Don't say: My favourite game is the football.
Say: My favourite game is football.
Don't use an article before the names of game s like football, hockey, tennis,cricket, volley-ball, basket-ball.
25. Wrong use of the with names of diseases.
Don't say: The cholera is a dreadful disease.
Say: Cholera is a dreadful disease.
As a rule, don't use the definite article before the name s of diseases. Note The indefinite article is needed wit h commo n name s of illnesses: I was suffering from a cold (a fever, a cough, a headache).
26. Wrong use of the with names of colours.
Don't say: The green is a beautiful colour.
Say: Green is a beautiful colour.
Don't use the definite article before the name s of colours when used as nouns.
27. Wrong use of the with the names of the senses.
Don't say: The sight is one of the five senses.
Say: Sight is one of the five senses.
Don't use an article before the name s of the five senses: sight, smell, hearing,taste and touch.
28 Wrong use of the with names of days and months.
Don't say: The Sunday can be a day of prayer.The December is the last month.
Say: Sunday can be a day of prayer.
December is the last month.
Don't use the definite article before the name s of days and months
Note: We say the Sunday before last, the December of 1940, etc.
29. Wrong use of the with man denoting the human race.
Don't say: The man is born a sinner.
Say: Man is born a sinner,
Use man, denoting the human race, without the definite article Also,mankind requires no article" Disease is the enemy of mankind.
30. Wrong use of the with school.
Don't say: My sister goes to the school.
Say: My sister goes to school.
To go to school means to be a student, whil e to go to th e school, means to visit the school
Note- Similarly, to leave school means to stop being a student and to leave the school means t o go awa y from the school premises.
31. Wrong use of the with church.
Don't say: On Sunday I go to the church.
Say: On Sunday I go to church.
To go to church means to go and pray, whil e to go to the church means to go and visit the church.
