Mastering English vocabulary and avoiding common blunders is essential for clear communication. Welcome to Misused Words: Part 5 on English Grammar Blog, where we break down tricky English terms like less vs. fewer, lovely, mind, and only so you can write and speak with absolute confidence.
41. Less & Least Usage Rules
As determiners, less and least are often mistakenly used before plural countable nouns. However, this usage is incorrect in standard English grammar.
- Incorrect: There are less people on the road at night.
- Correct: There are fewer people on the road at night.
- Correct: There were the fewest people last night.
Use fewer for countable nouns and less for uncountable quantities.
42. When to Use Lovely vs. Handsome
Anything beautiful or enjoyable can be described as lovely. For example:
- Zinnia is a lovely girl.
- She has put on a lovely dress.
- It was a lovely dinner.
However, lovely is typically not used to describe the appearance of adult men. Instead, use handsome or good-looking.
- Incorrect: Azam is a lovely man.
- Correct: The bridegroom is very handsome.
43. Major & Minor Adjective Rules
As opposing adjectives, major and minor indicate relative size, number, or importance. Crucially, these adjectives do not have a comparative form.
- Correct: He is a major writer of our age.
- Incorrect: He is more major than others.
As you expand your knowledge with Misused Words: Part 6, remember that adjectives like superior, inferior, senior, and junior take the preposition to instead of than in comparisons.
- Incorrect: He is senior than me.
- Correct: He is senior to me.
44. Match vs. Box of Matches
In the context of fire-starting items, a match refers to a single stick, not the entire container box.
- Incorrect: I bought a match from that shop.
- Correct: I bought a box of matches from that shop.
To refer to the complete container, always use box of matches or matchbox.
45. How to Use the Verb "Mind" Correctly
Meaning "to feel hurt" or "to object to something," the verb mind can function both transitively and intransitively. However, it is never used in the progressive form (-ing) in this sense, nor is it typically used in the passive voice.
- Incorrect: Are you minding my smoking?
- Correct: Do you mind my smoking?
- Incorrect: I'm not minding what you say.
- Correct: I don't mind what you say.
46. Money vs. Taka and Cash
While money means wealth or currency in general, it is not the specific name of Bangladesh's currency, which is taka.
- Correct: The man has no money.
- Correct: I have one thousand taka (or takas) on me.
Note that saying "one thousand money" is grammatically incorrect. Meanwhile, cash refers specifically to physical currency: "Shall I pay you in a cheque or in cash?"
47. Formal vs. Informal Use of Nice
In colloquial or spoken English, nice is frequently used as a blanket term for "good" or "pleasant."
- It is nice of you to help us.
- It's a nice day.
- This soup is nice.
In formal writing, however, it is better to choose more descriptive adjectives. For instance, instead of calling soup "nice," describe it as very tasty or delicious.
48. O'Clock Usage Rules
The adverb o'clock is used to indicate exact, whole hours from 1 to 12.
- It's 6 o'clock now.
- I caught the 9 o'clock bus.
When minutes are included in the time statement, o'clock must be omitted.
- Incorrect: It's a quarter to 5 o'clock.
- Correct: It's a quarter to 5.
- Incorrect: It's 5 past 10 o'clock.
- Correct: It's 5 past 10.
49. Placement Rules for "Only"
To avoid altering the intended meaning, the adverb only should generally be placed directly before the specific word it modifies.
- Only Karim ate rice. (Meaning: Nobody else ate rice, only Karim.)
- Karim ate only rice. (Meaning: Karim ate nothing else besides rice.)
- Karim only ate rice. (Meaning: Karim did nothing else to the rice except eat it.)
50. Open, Shut, Close, Undo, and Turn On
Different objects require different verbs for opening and closing operations. Using the wrong verb changes the natural flow of your sentence.
| Item / Context | Correct Verbs |
|---|---|
| Doors, Windows, Boxes | Open / Shut (or Close) |
| Shirts / Clothing Buttons | Undo / Do up |
| Televisions / Electronics | Turn on / Turn off |
Key Takeaways
- Use fewer for countable nouns and less for uncountable amounts.
- Adjectives like senior and inferior take to instead of than.
- Never use mind in the continuous (-ing) tense when expressing objection.
- Place only directly before the word you intend to modify to prevent meaning shifts.
Quick Practice
Test your understanding of these rules by answering the questions below in the comments section:
- Which sentence is correct: "He is senior than me" or "He is senior to me"?
- How would you politely ask someone to close a door using the verb mind?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we use "less" before countable nouns?
No, standard English grammar dictates that fewer should be used with plural countable nouns, while less is reserved for uncountable mass nouns.
Is "senior than" grammatically correct?
No. Comparative adjectives ending in "-or" (such as senior, junior, superior, and inferior) must always be followed by the preposition to rather than than.
How should "only" be positioned in a sentence?
You should place only immediately before the exact word, phrase, or clause that you want to restrict or emphasize.