Commonly misused phrases

Commonly misused phrases

The frequent use of incorrect grammar makes one to see correct grammar sound odd or even wrong.

supposed to 

wrong use: The children are suppose to be here now. The children suppose to be here now.

She is suppose to be here now.  She suppose to be here now.

  Do not omit the -d since this will give your phrase a different meaning. The verbs  is and are must precede supposed.

correct use:  The children are supposed to be here now.  She is supposed to be here now.

used to

wrong use: I am used to stay up late. I am used to dance.

correct use: I am used to staying up late. I am used to dancing.

rule: You cannot use the verb in another form here. After the preposition (to), the verb becomes a verbal noun (gerund). 

However, it is correct to say: I use to go to school on Mondays. (Note that you haven't stopped going to school on Mondays here.)  I used to go to school on Mondays. (You just stopped going to school on Mondays.) Determine the tense used, and you will get it right away.

looking forward to

wrong use : I am looking forward to see you.

correct use: I  look forward to seeing you.

rule: You cannot use the verb in another form here. After the preposition (to), the verb becomes a verbal noun (gerund).

Doubling the past tense is incorrect!

wrong use: Did you went to school?  Did you ate something?

correct use: Did you go to school? Did you eat something?

You see, the auxiliary verb did is already carrying the past tense of the whole sentence here. Putting the main verb into past tense will only make the whole saying sound incorrect.

 Frans SM (authoress)

More posts are still to come.