She has spent most of her life helping the poors [Wrong]

GRAMMAR INCORRECT TO CORRECT
Incorrect: She has spent most of her life helping the poors.
Correct: She has spent most of her life helping the poor.

Grammar: Instead of saying 'poor people' we often say 'the poor', using the adjective as a noun. Adjectives used as nouns (and -ed forms used as nouns) do not take a plural ending: 'He is collecting money for the blind.' 'The injured have been taken to hospital.' 

The curtains' colour had faded in the sun. [Wrong]

GRAMMAR INCORRECT TO CORRECT
Incorrect: The curtains' colour had faded in the sun.
Correct: The colour of the curtains had faded in the sun.

We do not normally add - 's/-s' to an inanimate noun [curtains']. Instead, we use an of-phrase 'the end of the road', 'the outskirts of the town', 'the back of the door'.

Note however that time expressions usually take -'s/-s': six weeks' work, a month's salary in advance.

Nouns: Common English Grammatical Errors

Incorrect English: Is Ram still in the hospital?

Correct English: Is Ram still in hospital?

Incorrect English: We visit Ram in hospital.

Correct English: We visit Ram in the hospital.

Some nouns such as school, hospital, prison can refer to a particular place or a type of place. When they refer to a type of place, they are considered to be uncountable and do not need a determiner.

But when they refer to a particular place, they are countable and need a determiner if in the singular form.

In the first example mentioned above, the noun hospital is denoting a type of place; whereas in the second example, the noun hospital is denoting a particular place.

Some of these nouns are university, college, class, church, home, bed, hospital, jail, prison, sea, work.

Note: However, in American English, such type of nouns referring to a type of place use ‘the’ as a determiner.

E.g. Is Ram still in the hospital?

Nearby

GRAMMAR INCORRECT TO CORRECT


Incorrect: The new hospital is nearby the bank.
Correct: The new hospital is near (to) the bank.

GRAMMAR: Nearby is not used as a preposition.

Observe: We stayed in a nearby hotel. [adjective]
My parents live nearby, about a mile away. [adverb]

British English and American English: Different Spellings, Different Meanings

Here are some words one must be careful while writing since these words change their meaning when spelt differently.

check – cheque: to check is to ensure; outside the US, a bill of exchange drawn on a bank payable on demand is a "cheque".

kerb – curb: In British English, 'kerb' is the edge of the road or pavement (UK) (sidewalk in the US) where 'kerbstones' can be found. 'To curb' is to limit or control in either dialect.

disc – disk: In British English, the usual spelling is disc (meaning: thin flat circular object), but in computing, disk is usually used when referring to magnetic disks, as in hard disk. In the case of optical discs, such as "compact disc", the other spelling is used.

draft – draught: In the UK, draft is a preliminary version of a document; draught is a drink or a current of air.

enquiry – inquiry: for most British writers, an enquiry is a request for information, but an inquiry is a formal investigation.

judgement – judgment: In Australian and British Law, a Judge's decision in a case is always spelt Judgment. On the other hand, the forming of opinion or conclusion by an ordinary person is usually spelt judgement.

metre – meter: in most countries other than the US, metre is the metric unit of length, and meter is a measuring device.

programme – program: In British English, the spelling program can be used for computer program. In all other cases, programme is invariably used. In Australia, program is widespread in all contexts.

story – storey: a story is a tale; outside of the U.S., upper floors of buildings are spelt "storey".

theatre – theater: Many uses of either spelling can be found in American English. Both theater and theatre are commonly used among theatre professionals. The Columbia University Guide to Standard American English states that "theater" is used except in proper names.

tyre – tire: In American and Canadian English, tire is used to refer to 'to fatigue' and the inflated rim of a wheel. In British and other forms of English, tire means 'to fatigue' and tyre is the inflated rim of a wheel.

ensure – insure: To ensure is to make sure. In British English, to insure is to take out an insurance policy. In American English, to insure is sometimes used instead of to ensure.

British English and American English: Spelling Differences

While reading or writing, we hardly pay attention to the source of the literature. In our attempt to write correct English, we generally end up writing hotch-potch English.

As there are different types of English, it is generally useful to have knowledge about the differences. Two basic forms of English, which we usually encounter are British English and American English.

Here in this post, we will be tracking the differences in the spelling of words in British and American English.

British English	American English
A
aluminium	aluminum
analyse	analyze
armour	armor
B

Nouns: Common grammatical errors

GRAMMAR INCORRECT TO CORRECT:

Incorrect: There are sheeps grazing peacefully in the field.

Correct: There are sheep grazing peacefully in the field.

GRAMMAR:

• The plural form of most nouns is made by adding -s, -es or -ies but some nouns have irregular plural forms.
• Some of these plural forms are oxen, children, brethren.The -en ending for plurals is based on Old English form spoken between the mid-5th and mid-12th centuries.
• Some other plural forms are feet, geese, lice.
• There is one more type of plural noun. These nouns have same singular and plural forms, for example, sheep, deer, fish, moose and swine.

III. Countable and Uncountable Nouns: Common grammatical errors

GRAMMAR INCORRECT TO CORRECT:

Incorrect: I want plate to serve her food.

Correct: I want a/the plate to serve her food.

GRAMMAR:

• Countable singular nouns must have a determiner like definite/indefinte articles (the,a/an).
• Countable singular nouns can also stand with other determiners like this, that, my, your, one, two, etc.
• With Countable singular noun, use "the", if you are speaking about a definite thing different from other things.
• With Countable singular noun, use "a", if it is used in general sense or when it is not distinguished from other things.

II. Countable and Uncountable Nouns: Common grammatical errors

GRAMMAR INCORRECT TO CORRECT:

Incorrect: My furnitures are too old.

Correct: My furniture is too old.

GRAMMAR:

• Furniture is an uncountable noun and uncountable noun is always singular.
• Furniture is itself a plural form.

I. Countable and Uncountable Nouns: Common grammatical errors

GRAMMAR INCORRECT TO CORRECT:

Incorrect: There is always a heavy traffic during office hours.

Correct: There is always heavy traffic during office hours.

GRAMMAR:

Traffic is an uncountable noun and cannot be used with a/an. It will always take a singular verb.


-The meaning of a noun generally indicates whether it belongs to countable noun or uncountable noun.

Meanings which are normally uncountable are:
• Anything perceived as a mass: traffic, hair, equipment, grass.
• Materials: wood, cotton, plastic, rubber, cardboard.
• Liquids and gases: water, milk, oil, air, oxygen.
• Food: bread, cheese, rice, meat.
• Concepts: knowledge, health, time, energy, noise, travel.
• Activities: reading, swimming, dancing, shopping.
• Sports and games: chess, tennis.
• Languages: English, Chinese, Hindi, French.

The name of anything which we can count is likely to be a countable noun.
E.g. a toothbrush, two tables, a plate.

Nouns

Nouns: Nouns are words use to denote name of a place, person, thing or an idea.

Different Kinds of Nouns:

• Proper nouns
• Common nouns
• Countable nouns
• Uncountable nouns
• Collective nouns
• Concrete nouns
• Abstract nouns

Proper Nouns: Proper nouns are used to denote name of a particular person or place.

Example: Rakhi is a student of Fashion Designing.

Common Nouns: Common nouns are used to denote name given in common to every person or thing of the same class or kind.

Example: First year Students are enjoying Freshers party.

Countable Nouns: Countable nouns can have a/an before them. They can be used in the plural.

Example: I have two dogs and a cat.

Uncountable Nouns: Uncountable nouns cannot be used with a/an and cannot be used in the plural.

Example: The weather is nice in Shimla.

Collective Nouns: Collective nouns are used to name a group of people, things or animals.

Example: Army is deployed in the war torn area.

Concrete Nouns: Concrete nouns denote materials having physical existence and can be felt by senses.

Example: It is a beautiful song.

Abstract Nouns: Abstract nouns signify ideas, feelings and qualities which cannot be felt or perceive by senses.

Example: Inner strength is the real strength.