Common Errors in Usage of Noun (6)

Common errors in usage of Noun (6) is written with an intention to elaborate the grammatical rules attached to the usage of Noun while speaking or writing in English Language.

It gives examples of sentences with correction of incorrect use of noun in the light of grammatical rules.

 
It also provides you with the reason why and how the incorrection is corrected in accordance with grammatical rules.

 

Incorrect	Correct	Grammatical reason
You happened to hurt a foot finger.	You happened to hurt a toe.	Toe is the suitable noun in this case.
Your chair’s legs are broken.	The legs of your chair are broken.	Apostrophe s (’s) is not allowed to be used with lifeless things.
		.
Alms is given to every beggar.	Alms are given to every beggar.	Alms is used in plural sense so take plural verb. (assets, billiards, trousers, thanks etc are of same category)
The new machineries have arrived.	The new machinery has arrived.	Collective noun machinery is used in singular sense.
I have no issues with your departure.	I have no issue with your departure.	Issue in this case would not take‘s’.
I know you are true to your words.	I know you are true to your word.	Word when represents promise does not take‘s’ with it.
I found him sleeping in his quarter.	I found him sleeping in his quarters.	Quarter take ‘s’ with it like reforms, orders, summons etc.
It is bad manner to eavesdrop.	It is bad manners to eavesdrop.	Manners always take‘s’ with it like respects.
He is employed at high emolument.	He is employed at high emoluments.	Emolument take ‘s’ like billiards, scissors etc
Take a compass and draw a circle.	Take the compasses and draw a circle.	It will be compasses like billiards, alms, scissors, emoluments etc
She has gone abroad for higher study.	She has gone abroad for higher studies.	Study in a sense of noun must take ‘s’ with it. He is not good at his studies.
He has got this job on merits.	He has got this job on merit.	Merit does not take‘s’ with it for forming plural except when used in a sense of benefit or advantage. Merits/Demerits.
The course materials you sent were very useful.	The course material you sent was very useful.	Material is Collective noun and is considered singular therefore takes singular verb.
The police was late in coming.	The police were late in coming.	Police is considered plural and takes plural verb with it. (It is of the same category of cattle, swine, poultry, people, gentry etc. all of them  are plural and does not take‘s’ with them).
The ten-men delegation met the chairman.	The ten-man delegation met the chairman.	Noun preceded by numeral (ten) will always be considered singular. eg.  five mile, two score apple, five hundred ,ten rupee
The earthquake has caused many damages.	The earthquake has caused much damage.	The noun damage is quantifiable so adjective much is used instead of many and‘s’ is therefore dropped after damage.
He met all my fooding expenses.	He met all my food expenses.	Fooding is incorrect
The sister of my friend has come to see me.	My friend’s sister has come to see me.	Apostrophe s (’s) is used with living beings so it is correct to use ’s with friend.
He is too fond of his offsprings.	He is too fond of his offspring.	Offspring  like cattle, people and police etc does not take ‘s’ with it
Please sanction me one day leave.	Please sanction me one day’s leave.	Apart from living beings Apostrophe s (’s) is allowed to be used with nouns denoting space, weight, time, dignified objects and personified objects. Like duty's call, day’s absence, year’s truce, arm’s length, stone’s throw, pound’s weight, sun’s rays, etc.
The weather at the hill resort was fine.	The climate at the hill resort was fine.	Climate is weather of specific region recorded and averaged over a long period of time. Weather is short term atmospheric conditions.