CORRECTING COMMON ERRORS IN ENGLISH (B)

BAN (noun, verb)
- forbid, order with authority that something must not be done, said, etc

Wrong : Smoking in cinemas has just been put a ban.
Right   : Smoking in cinemas has just been put under a ban.
Right   : The government has banned the sale of that product which is harmful to the public.


BANAL (adjective)
- commonplace, uninteresting

Wrong : Hardly anyone showed any interest in his collection of banals tricks.
Right   : Hardly anyone showed any interest in his collection of banal tricks.


BANDY (verb)
- spread, pass or send something around, from person to person, or backwards and forward
- exchange (words, blow, etc.) especially in a quarrel

Wrong : It is too late to stop it now; the story has been bandied pass about.
Right   : It is too late to stop it now; the story has been bandied about.
Right    : Hardly a day passes without some words being bandied between these two.


BANE (noun)
- cause of ruin or trouble

Wrong : Television can be either a boon or a bane, depending to how we make use of it.
Right   : Television can be either a boon or a bane, depending on how we make use of it.
Right   : The parents' gambling was the bane of the family's happiness.


BARREN (adjective)
- (of land) not fertile, not good enough to produce crops
- (of plants, trees) not productive
- (of women, animals) unable to have young ones
- without value, interest or result

Wrong : She was not keen to join in what she felt was a barren of discussion.
Right   : She was not keen to join in what she felt was a barren discussion.
Right   : No one was willing to settle on that piece of barren land.


BARRICADE (noun, verb)
- barrier of objects (trees, carts, barrels, etc.) made across or in front of something as a defence.
- block ( a street, etc.)

Wrong : The trees formed a naturally barricade against the strong winds.
Right   : The trees formed a natural barricade against the strong winds.
Right   : They barricaded themselves behind large crates and held off their captors for as long as possible.


BATTER (verb)
- strike hard and often; beat out of shape

Wrong : The waves battered to the boat to pieces and washed the planks ashore.
Right   : The waves battered the boat to pieces and washed the planks ashore.
Right   : He preferred to walk rather than drive his father's battered old car.


BEGUILE (verb)
- cheat; cause or get by guile or trickery
- cause time to pass pleasantly
- amuse

Wrong : He beguiled the unsuspecting lady from all her jewellery.
Right   : He beguiled the unsuspecting lady of all her jewellery.
Right   : The long night was beguiled with good programmes on the television.
Right   : She beguiled the restless and impatient crowd with jokes.


BEHALF (noun)
- for; in the interest of; on account of

Wrong : They are speaking in our behalf as well.
Right   :  They are speaking on our behalf as well.
Right   : There is no need to trouble yourself on my behalf.


BEING (noun)
- existence
- human creature

Wrong : Do you know how this world came to being?
Right   : Do you know how this world came into being?
Right   : He is a human being, just like you and me.

CORRECTING COMMON ERRORS IN ENGLISH (A)

ABDOMEN (noun)
- the part of body that includes the stomach and the bowels

Wrong : He complained that his abdomen is painful.
Right   : He complained of a pain in his abdomen.


ABIDE (verb)
- endure, bear
- rest, remain, stay (at a place, with somebody)
- be faithful to, keep
- wait for (an event, somebody's coming)

Wrong : No matter what he does, you must abide with him.
Right   : No matter what he does, you must abide him.
Right   : It is all her own doing, so she will have to abide by the consequences.


ABILITY (noun)
- capacity or power (to perform acts, physical or mental)
- cleverness or intelligence

Wrong : He has the ability to predicting future events.
Right   : He has the ability of predicting future events.
Right   : His ability saved the team from defeat.


ABOMINATE (verb)
- detest, feel hatred or disgust for something or somebody

Wrong : I abominate to hearing people swear in public.
Right   : I abominate hearing people swear in public.
Right   : I abominate people who ill-treat animals.


ABOUND (verb)
- have or be found in great numbers or quantity

Wrong : Fish is abound in this lake.
Right   : Fish abound in this lake.
Right   : The forest abounds with wild animals.


ABSCOND (verb)
- go away (with something) suddenly, secretly and aware of having done wrong.

Wrong : He absconded our shares of the money.
Right   : He absconded with our shares of the money.


ABSENT (adjective, verb)
- not present
- stay, keep oneself, away

Wrong : He was absent in school last week.
Right   : He was absent from school last week.
Right   : He absented himself from the meeting without permission.


ABSOLUTELY (adverb)
- completely
- unconditionally

Wrong : He is right absolutely in refusing to do it.
Right   : He is absolutely right in refusing to do it.
Right   : He absolutely refused to discuss the matter any further.


ABSOLVE (verb)
- declare, set, free (from sin, guilty; from promise, duty)

Wrong : Having been absolved his guilt, he is now a free man again.
Right   : Having been absolved of his guilt, he is now a free man again.
Right   : She refused to absolve him from his promise of marriage.


ABSORB (verb)
- take up the attention (of someone)
- take in something (liquid, heat, light, knowledge)

Wrong : The book absorbed him completely that he did not hear the call.
Right   : The book absorbed him so completely that he did not hear me call.
Right   : I used a piece of blotting paper to absorb the spilt ink.