Chapter 5 of 518% of exam
Common Usage Errors
Certain grammar mistakes recur when professionals write quickly. This chapter collects frequent errors in modal verbs, reporting verbs, and countable nouns, with corrected versions so you can spot and fix them in your own writing.
Modals Plus Base Verb
Modal verbs like 'must', 'should', and 'can' are followed by the base verb with no 'to': 'You must finish the course', not 'must to finish'.
Reporting Verbs and Prepositions
'Explain' and 'suggest' need 'to' before the listener: 'explained his concerns to me'. 'Inform', by contrast, is followed directly by the person: 'inform the family'.
Countable Nouns: Fewer vs Less
Countable plural nouns take 'fewer' and a plural verb: 'There are fewer appointments available.' 'Less' is reserved for uncountable nouns such as 'time' or 'space'.