11. Anyhow and somehow
• Incorrect: He did it anyhow.
• Correct: He managed to do it somehow.
• Incorrect: He keeps his things somehow in his desk.
• Correct: He keeps his things anyhow in his desk. (= He doesn’t keep his things in order.)
• Incorrect: He may not come but somehow I shall.
• Correct: He may not come but anyhow I shall. (= I will certainly come.)
Use 'anyhow' to mean 'in disorder'. ‘Anyhow’ can also mean 'for certain'.
12. Articles
The misuse of the and a is very common.
Here are the basic rules for the use and omission of articles.
Proper nouns (e.g. John, Alice and India) do not take articles.
• Incorrect: The John is my friend.
• Correct: John is my friend.
• Incorrect: The Tokyo is a big city.
• Correct: Tokyo is a big city.
A singular common noun (e.g. boy, cat, tree, book, apple etc.) must have an article.
• Incorrect: There is cat on roof.
• Correct: There is a cat on the roof. A plural common noun cannot be used with the article a. It is usually used with no article, though 'some' is sometimes used before it. Compare:
• A spider has eight legs. • Spiders have eight legs.
Remember that a noun can be common in one sentence and proper in another sentence. A superlative adjective is usually used with the.
• Incorrect: He is best player in the team.
• Correct: He is the best player in the team.
13. Article a – correct use
The article 'a' placed in front of a noun conveys the idea of 'one'. When writing about two separate objects, a second 'a' must be used.
If the two objects are considered as one, then the second 'a' may be left out.
• Incorrect: I have a hammer and chisel.
• Correct: I have a hammer and a chisel. (Here we are talking about two separate objects.)
• Incorrect: She has a son and daughter.
• Correct: She has a son and a daughter.
• Incorrect: The mechanic used a block and a tackle to lift the machine.
• Correct: The mechanic used a block and tackle to lift the machine. (Here we are talking about one object.)
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