Language/English/Grammar/More-on-Omission

More Rules on Omission

• A preposition should always follow the infinitive in this context:
  • She has no office to work. (wrong)
  • She has no office to work in. (correct)

• When comparisons requiring before are made, the word ‘before’ should not be omitted.
  • Such a situation has never happened. (wrong)
  • Such a situation has never happened before. (correct)

• When comparison is made between one person or thing and all others, the word ‘else’ should not be omitted.
  • That runner is faster than everybody. (wrong)
  • That runner is faster than everybody else. (correct)

• In cases of two objects in a sentence, the direct objects in a sentence should not be omitted.
  • He requested for water from the waitress and she gave him. (Gave him what?)
  • He requested for water from the waitress and she gave him some. (correct)

• The verb ‘enjoy’ should not be left without an object when there is one.
  • The employees enjoyed during the company audit. (Enjoyed what?)
  • The employees enjoyed themselves during the company audit. (Enjoyed themselves, the food, the entertainment, etc.)

• The names of musical instruments and words related to acting must always be preceded by ‘the’ when necessary.
  • She mastered the violin not viola. (wrong)
  • She mastered the violin not the viola. (correct)

In the pair of sentences above, the name of the musical instrument 'viola' must be preceded by the article 'the' although 'violin' is already preceded by the.

◇ Every Tuesday, he goes to cinema. (wrong)
◇ Every Tuesday, he goes to the cinema. (correct)

In the pair of sentences above, the word 'cinema' (related to acting) must be preceded by 'the'.

◇ Keyboard is not a percussion instrument. (wrong)
◇ The keyboard is not a percussion instrument. (correct)

In the pair of sentences above, the name of the musical instrument 'keyboard' must be preceded by the article 'the'.