Common Errors in Tenses

Incorrect

1. Though my means is small, I help my younger brother with money.

2. I must help him. After all, we are brothers of the same profession.

3. Has the agendum for tomorrow's meeting been drawn up?

4. The jury was divided in its opinion.

5. Mr. Bhatia, our English teacher, takes great pains in his work.

6. The scientists have not been able to tellthe reason of an earthquake.

Correct

1. Though my means are small, I help my younger brother with money.

Explanation: When the noun means is used in the sense of income or wealth, it is always plural.

2. I must help him. After all, we are brethren of the same profession.

Explanation: Brothers refer to the brothers in a family. Brethren refers to a community or members of a guild or a society.

3. Has the agenda for tomorrow's meeting been drawn up?

Explanation: Agendum is not used in English. Agenda (Programme of a meeting) is treated as singular.

4. The jury were divided in their opinion.

Explanation: Jury is a collectine noun. Whenever there is a sense of unanimous action, we use singular verb with Jury; but when it is used in the sense of separation, we use plural verb with it.

5. Mr. Bhatia, our teacher of English, take great pains in his work.

Explanation: English teacher is a slang use. The English teacher means a teacher belonging to England. The correct use is the teacher of English which means a teacher who teaches the language English.

6. The Scientists have not been able to tell the cause of an earthquake.

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