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Business Communication · Essentials of Good English

Articles, Prepositions and Common Errors in English

Updated 11 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Articles (a, an, the) show whether a noun is general or specific. Prepositions link a noun or pronoun to other words and often need fixed pairings. To solve error questions, find the subject, check the article, preposition and verb in turn, then choose the correct form.

Understand Articles, Prepositions and Common Errors

Articles are small words placed before nouns. There are two kinds. A and an are indefinite: they point to any one item. The is definite: it points to a particular item both speaker and listener know.

The choice between a and an depends on sound, not spelling. Use an before a vowel sound and a before a consonant sound. So we say "an hour" (silent h) and "a university" (starts with a y sound).

A preposition shows the relation of a noun or pronoun to another word, such as time, place, direction or cause. Examples are in, on, at, by, with, for, of. Many verbs, adjectives and nouns take a fixed preposition, for example "depend on", "good at", "interested in". These pairings must be learned.

Common errors are repeat patterns: wrong article, wrong preposition, subject-verb mismatch, wrong tense, wrong pronoun, and misused adjectives. In a spotting-the-error or correction question, the examiner hides one such slip in an otherwise normal sentence. You score by knowing the patterns and checking each one calmly.

Key rules to remember

A or an
a + consonant sound; an + vowel sound
Go by pronunciation: an MBA, an honest man, a one-rupee coin, a European tour.
Use of the
the + specific or already mentioned noun; the + unique things; the + superlatives
Examples: the sun, the best plan, the Reserve Bank of India. Also used with rivers, oceans, mountain ranges and holy books.
No article
No article before plural or uncountable nouns used in a general sense, and before most names of persons, cities and countries
Say "Honesty is the best policy" and "Mumbai is large". Do not add the without a reason.
Time prepositions
at + clock time; on + day or date; in + month, year, season
at 5 pm, on Monday, in March, in 2025.
Place prepositions
at + point; in + enclosed area or city; on + surface
at the gate, in Pune, on the table.
Since and for
since + point of time; for + period of time
since 2020, for five years. Both usually go with the perfect tense.
Between and among
between + two; among + more than two
Between the two partners; among the directors.
Fixed pairs
depend on; agree to a proposal, agree with a person; good at; interested in; prohibit from; comply with
Learn these as units. Also: different from, capable of, aware of, congratulate on.

How to solve Articles, Prepositions and Common Errors questions

Use the same checking order for any spotting-the-error, fill-in-the-blank or correction question.

  1. 1Read the whole sentence once and find the subject and main verb.
  2. 2Check the verb: does it agree with the subject in number, and is the tense right?
  3. 3Check every noun for its article: is it missing, extra, or wrong (a/an/the)?
  4. 4Check each preposition against the word it follows, such as a verb or adjective with a fixed pair.
  5. 5Check pronouns, adjectives and word order for slips.
  6. 6Make the smallest change that fixes the error and read the sentence again.
  7. 7In a written answer, write the corrected sentence in full and add one line naming the rule.

Quickest way: Four-point scan for error questions

When to use it: Use when time is short and you must correct many sentences quickly.

  1. Underline the words just before and after each noun and preposition.
  2. Scan in this order: verb agreement, article, preposition, pronoun.
  3. Test a/an by saying the first sound aloud in your head.
  4. Test prepositions by recalling the fixed pair; if it sounds odd, it is likely wrong.
  5. If no error shows, recheck the verb tense; sentences with no error are rare in correction tasks but do not force a change.

Common mistakes in Articles, Prepositions and Common Errors

  • Choosing a or an by the letter, such as "a hour" or "an university".

    Students look at spelling instead of sound.

    Fix: Say the word aloud. Write "an hour" and "a university".

  • Using the before general plural or uncountable nouns, as in "The honesty is a virtue".

    Students think the always makes a sentence formal.

    Fix: Drop the when the noun is general: "Honesty is a virtue".

  • Writing "discuss about the matter".

    Discuss feels like it needs a preposition, as talk about does.

    Fix: Discuss is followed directly by its object: "discuss the matter". Similarly, "reach Delhi", not "reach to Delhi".

  • Mixing since and for, as in "He has worked here since five years".

    Both words refer to time, so they look alike.

    Fix: Use for with a period and since with a starting point: "for five years" or "since 2020".

  • Using between for more than two, as in "between the five directors".

    Students treat between and among as the same.

    Fix: Use among for three or more: "among the five directors".

  • Missing the verb error because the article or preposition looks suspicious.

    Students stop at the first thing that seems odd.

    Fix: Finish the full four-point scan before choosing your answer.

Worked examples

Example 1

Correct the errors in this sentence: "The company has appointed a auditor and discussed about the report since three weeks."

Show the solution
  1. Subject is the company; verb is has appointed, which agrees.
  2. "a auditor": auditor begins with a vowel sound, so use an.
  3. "discussed about": discuss takes a direct object, so remove about.
  4. "since three weeks": three weeks is a period, so use for.
  5. Rewrite the sentence with all three changes.

Answer: The company has appointed an auditor and discussed the report for three weeks.

Example 2

Fill in the blanks with the correct article or preposition: "She is (a/an/the) honest employee and is very good ___ drafting letters. The meeting is ___ Monday ___ 10 am."

Show the solution
  1. Honest starts with a silent h, so the first sound is a vowel: use an.
  2. Good is followed by at for a skill: good at.
  3. A day takes on: on Monday.
  4. A clock time takes at: at 10 am.

Answer: She is an honest employee and is very good at drafting letters. The meeting is on Monday at 10 am.

Exam tips

  • In written papers, rewrite the whole corrected sentence; do not give only the changed word.
  • Add a short reason, such as "an, because honest begins with a vowel sound", to earn full marks.
  • Memorise about twenty fixed word-preposition pairs; they appear again and again.
  • Never leave a sentence unchanged without checking the verb, article and preposition first.
  • Practise reading each sentence aloud in your mind; wrong forms often sound odd.

Practice questions from Essentials of Good English

Articles, Prepositions and Common Errors: frequently asked questions

How do I decide between a and an?

Look at the sound, not the letter. Use an before a vowel sound (an hour, an MBA) and a before a consonant sound (a university, a one-day visit).

When should I use the?

Use the for something specific or already mentioned, for unique things like the sun, and with superlatives like the best. Do not use it for general plural or uncountable nouns.

How can I learn prepositions quickly?

Learn them as fixed pairs with the word before them, such as depend on and interested in. Revise a short list daily and use each pair in your own sentence.

What are the most common errors asked in CSEET correction questions?

Typical slips are subject-verb disagreement, wrong articles, wrong prepositions, wrong tense and pronoun errors. Checking these in a fixed order helps you catch them.