COMMON ERRORS IN EVERYDAY LIFE: KEY EXPRESSIONS - IV

 

COMMON ERRORS IN EVERYDAY LIFE: KEY EXPRESSIONS - IV

Dear readers, in the previous post, we discussed the usages of common errors in terms of key expressions- Across, Over, Through that we encounter in our daily conversations. In this post, let us explore more about some key expressions, In Front Of, Opposite, Face i.e., used in daily conversation. Some of the important errors that tend to occur naturally in our conversation are briefed below:

Look at the following statements:

In Front of

1.   In front of is used to talk about something that is just ahead of something else.

i.             The Hotel Amudhas is located just in front of our college.

ii.          The State Bank of India is situated in front of LMW bus stop.

2.   In front of also means in the presence of someone.

i.            Our friends celebrated Pongal in front of the monks of our college.

ii.           Children are dancing in front of their teachers.

Opposite

1.   The word ‘opposite’ not only means something that is contrary, but it also denotes physical spacing of objects when one faces the other.

Note: Don’t use ‘to’ or ‘of’ with opposite.

i.            My thoughts are opposite my team. (Don’t say … opposite to my team)

ii.           Someone has parked the bike opposite my gate.  (Don’t say … opposite to my gate.)

2.   Opposite can be used to denote the physical arrangement of structures or objects before or in front of things.

i.            The boys living in the opposite house watch IPL cricket matches at night.

ii.           The church is opposite the government hospital.

3.   The word face is used to say that a building has something in front of it.

i.            The school facing the market is very old.

ii.           The garden facing our building is pleasant.

 

With this understanding, hereafter let us follow the key expressions, in front of, opposite, and facing appropriately in our daily conversations to sound fluent in English. In the next post, let’s discuss some important key expressions.

 

Author:

Dr. K. Nandhakumar

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science (Autonomous)

Coimbatore- 641 020

 

Reference:

Saumya Sharma. (2017). Common Errors in Everyday English