120. Yes and no 

• Incorrect: ‘Aren’t you going out?’ ‘Yes, I’m not.’ 

• Correct: ‘No, I’m not.’ 

• Correct: ‘Yes, I am.’ Yes is used with affirmative sentences and no with negative sentences.

 119. Will or shall? 

The distinctions between will and shall are now strictly observed only by precise speakers. 

Shall is becoming less common especially with the second and third person pronouns. 

With first person pronouns, however, shall is still being used to indicate the simple future. 

In conversation people generally use the shortened form ’ll.

 • We’ll have a party tomorrow. 

• I think I’ll send him a letter. 

In these sentences, according to strict grammatical rules, one has to use shall. 

But ’ll may be the contraction of either shall or will.

 However, research has shown that most people consider ’ll to be a contraction of will, which proves that in actual usage will has been replacing shall.

 Instead of using shall with second and third person pronouns to express a command, promise, threat or determination, people often use other verbs and forms of expression.

 For example, instead of saying ‘You shall go at once’, people often say: • You will have to go at once. 

• You are to go at once. • You must go at once. 

 118. Whose and who’s 

Whose is a possessive word. It is used in questions and relative clauses. 

Who’s is the contraction of who is or who has.

 • Incorrect: Who’s is this coat? 

• Correct: Whose is this coat? 

• Incorrect: Whose is that over there?

 • Correct: Who’s that over there? 

 

 117. Whether and if 

• Incorrect: We haven’t settled the question of if we should move to a new house. 

• Correct: We haven’t settled the question of whether we should move to a new house.

 Only whether is possible after a preposition.

 • Incorrect: They can’t decide if to wait or leave.

 • Correct: They can’t decide whether to wait or leave.

 Only whether can be used before to-infinitives.

 116. Why not + infinitive 

Read the following sentence: 

Why not arrange a party in his honor? 

This means ‘Why should we not arrange a party in his honor?’ 

It is a way of suggesting something for other people’s consideration and acceptance.

 • Incorrect: Why not you buy now and pay later? 

• Correct: Why not buy now and pay later? 

• Incorrect: Why not we dismiss the fellow? 

• Correct: Why not dismiss the fellow? 

This is a very common error which should be carefully avoided. No noun or pronoun should come after why not. 

 116. Why not + infinitive 

Read the following sentence: 

Why not arrange a party in his honor? 

This means ‘Why should we not arrange a party in his honor?’ 

It is a way of suggesting something for other people’s consideration and acceptance.

 • Incorrect: Why not you buy now and pay later? 

• Correct: Why not buy now and pay later? 

• Incorrect: Why not we dismiss the fellow? 

• Correct: Why not dismiss the fellow? 

This is a very common error which should be carefully avoided. No noun or pronoun should come after why not. 

 115. Well and good 

• Incorrect: He speaks English good. 

• Correct: He speaks English well. 

• Incorrect: She speaks well English. 

• Correct: She speaks good English. Well is an adverb. Good is an adjective. Adverbs are used to modify verbs.

 Adjectives are used to modify nouns. 

In the sentence ‘He speaks English well’, the adverb well modifies the verb speaks. 

Similarly, in the sentence ‘She speaks good English’, the adjective good modifies the noun English.

 • Incorrect: She speaks well English. 

• Correct: She speaks English well. Adverbs cannot usually go between the verb and the object. 

 114. -ward and –wards 

• Incorrect: You can’t make a forwards pass in rugby. 

• Correct: You can’t make a forward pass in rugby. 

The words backward(s), forward(s), upward(s), northward(s) etc., do not have the –s when they are used as adjectives. 

When these words are adverbs, they can be used with or without –s. 

 113. Verbs 

The verbs enjoy, avoid, miss, postpone and suggest should be used with a gerund, and not an infinitive. 

• Incorrect: She enjoys to sing. 

• Correct: She enjoys singing.

 • Incorrect: She avoids to meet people. 

• Correct: She avoids meeting people. 

• Incorrect: Mother suggested to consult a doctor. 

• Correct: Mother suggested consulting a doctor. 

 112. Unless and if 

Unless means ‘if not’ and, therefore, it is superfluous to introduce another not into the following clause. 

• Incorrect: Unless you do not give the keys of the safe you will be shot.

 • Correct: Unless you give the keys of the safe, you will be shot. 

• Correct: If you do not give the keys of the safe, you will be shot. 

 111. Two words or one 

The following are written as one word: 

Nowadays, 

somehow, 

anyhow, 

everybody,

  into, 

moreover, 

cannot,

together, 

today, 

sometimes, 

everyone, 

afterwards, 

everywhere, 

nobody, 

meanwhile, 

newspaper, 

outside, 

already,

 anything,

  anyone .

The following are written as two words: 

All right, 

at once, 

some time, 

at least, 

no one, 

on to. 

 110. Transitive verbs 

• Incorrect: Here is my cup; please fill.

 • Correct: Here is my cup; please fill it. 

 • Incorrect: I enjoyed when I went to Paris. 

• Correct: I enjoyed myself when I went to Paris. 

All transitive verbs (e.g. fill, break, take and bring) must have an expressed object. 

Some transitive verbs (e.g. give and lend) must have two objects.

 • Incorrect: I asked for my book, but he didn't give me. 

• Correct: I asked for my book, but he didn't give it to me. 

(Here the pronouns it and me are the objects of the verb give.) 

 109. Too and very 

• Incorrect: The story is too interesting.

 • Correct: The story is very interesting. 

Too means 'more than it ought to be'. It has a negative meaning.

 It is usually followed by to or for. 

Too should not be used in the general sense of very which has a positive meaning.

 • He is too fat. 

• It is too hot to go out.