Common mistakes in the use of adjectives

Incorrect: These all mangoes are rotten.
Correct: All these mangoes are rotten.
Correct: All of these mangoes are rotten.

Articles (a/an, the), possessives (my, your etc) and demonstratives (that, these, this and those) are called Group A determiners. Quantifiers like all, some, both and half are called Group B determiners. A Group A determiner cannot be used directly before a Group B determiner.

If we have to put a group B determiner before a group A determiner, we have to use of. Note that of can be left out after all, both and half when they are followed by nouns.

Incorrect: The woman held the baby in the both hands.
Correct: The woman held the baby in both hands.
Correct: The woman held the baby in both her hands.

We do not use the before both.

Incorrect: They have no any children.
Correct: They have no children.
Correct: They don’t have any children.

Avoid the use of double negatives. Note that when have is the main verb in a sentence, questions and negatives are made with do.

Incorrect: Shakespeare is greater than any other poets.
Correct: Shakespeare is greater than any other poet.

Incorrect: Gold is more precious than any other metals.
Correct: Gold is more precious than any other metal.

Incorrect: Alice is taller than any other girls in the class.
Correct: Alice is taller than any other girl in the class.

Note that in this structure a singular noun should be used after any other.

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