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‘Several’ is a word often associated with the number or quantity of objects. It readily comes to mind where some, many, a lot etc. are being discussed. Alongside few, a few and others, they are called quantifiers. Unfortunately, ‘several’ is not only prone to being confused with ‘many’, it is also underrated and underused. It […]
Continue ReadingWe are concluding our discussion on phrases, clauses and sentences today. In the last two classes, we compared the three, underlining how a sentence is usually a combination of clauses and phrases. We noted that a phrase is a group of words without a subject and predicate, while a clause is marked by the presence […]
Continue ReadingLast week, we started discussing the differences between a phrase, clause and a sentence. We defined a phrase as a group of words without a subject and a predicate, though standing together to form a part of a sentence. While ‘predicate’ is the part of the clause containing the verb and saying something about the […]
Continue ReadingToday’s topic is going to be a bit technical. Although it centres on three common grammatical elements, it involves some technicalities, the type we usually want to as much as possible play down in this class. By the way, what is a phrase? What is a clause? And what is a sentence? Understanding these and […]
Continue ReadingThere are three common errors in the phrase ‘Out of bound to non pharmacist’. Can you identify them? I wish this were a physical class where I would be able to see and hear you analyse the expression. I saw the notice inside a hospital I visited three days ago. Strategically, the management pasted it […]
Continue ReadingThree days ago, I watched a boss of one of our security services speak on ‘Channels Television’. The man, who spoke on the experience of his men during the #EndBadGovernance protest in Abuja, spoke impressively. He was eloquent as he marshalled his points intelligently. In the course of the interview, however, he handled two common […]
Continue ReadingOften, when many people pronounce the three words, all they say is ‘pat’. This is despite the fact that their meanings are not only different but their pronunciations are also not the same. Today, we will attempt to establish the differences in the sounds and identify some other related words. Being homonyms, pat, part and […]
Continue ReadingI watched an interview on a national TV days ago and was shocked to hear the interviewee, a professional in the real sector, use the phrase, ‘should in case’. It is an ageless tautological expression that experts rightly condemn. Well, some may whisper that even one or two teachers too have used the phrase one […]
Continue ReadingIf someone says something is ‘gooder’ than the other, the person must be a peculiar user of English language. He can be faintly literate. He can be a comedian, just as he can be drunk. Whatever his situation, the expression is likely to attract a gale of mockery. The reason is that ‘better’ is the […]
Continue ReadingThis sounds contradictory or unbelievable? You are right if you think so. But don’t forget that, in grammar, there are often exceptions to rules just as specialised usages are an integral part of languages. That is why even the present tense form of the verb can express not only the future tense but also the […]
Continue ReadingI experienced something close to communication breakdown when I visited a newly opened restaurant a few days ago. While ordering food, the server asked if it was ‘eating or takeout’ I wanted. I answered, ‘Takeaway,’ but she quickly reiterated ‘takeout’ in a manner that showed she was correcting me, while struggling to hide her disbelief […]
Continue ReadingHere is a very cheap question that even an averagely educated person should be able to answer. What is the big deal in handling ‘showed’ and ‘shown’, after all (two words: after all; not afterall)? The issue may, however, not be as straightforward as I am suggesting because the two words do clash at times. […]
Continue ReadingThe phrase sounds so harmless that you can hardly suspect it is a piece of error. That is ‘funny enough’, when used to mean surprisingly. You too are likely to have it used one time or the other. This is how it is often loudly put: Funny enough, a governor leaving office on May 29 […]
Continue ReadingWe start the lesson with this question: The court has served the Central Bank Governor with a … (a) summons (b) summon (c) summoning (d) summonses I hope you understand the message the statement is conveying. It means the court has ordered the CBN Governor to appear before it. Now, what is the correct option […]
Continue ReadingBy setting free the woman who stabbed her husband to death, the court seems to have set a bad … (precedent, precedence). Here comes another pair of words that are tricky to handle. They sound and are spelt alike but they are not to be interchangeably used, although only few people realise this. Well, what […]
Continue ReadingVeteran journalist and expert in the English Language, Seth Akintoye, has sparked a debate over the expression, ‘Happy New Year in advance’. In a Facebook post, he argues that it is erroneous. His grouse is that while ‘Happy New Year’ is the correct and universal expression, ‘in advance’ is a needless Nigerian creation. He puts […]
Continue ReadingGood spelling is vital to good written communication. If someone is bad at spelling words, the person will not be able to do very well in writing, whether in essay, letter, comprehension or summary aspect. As a matter of fact, any student guilty of this is bound to be losing marks too cheaply. In an […]
Continue ReadingStudy the following statements: The couple is here. The couple are here. The two couples are here. I hope you know the implication of the grammatical status of each of the clauses. We will get back to them. The word, couple, refers to a husband and wife. For instance, popular singer, Tuface Idibia and Annie […]
Continue ReadingUsually, we use a comma when listing items in a clause. In such a situation, the process is often concluded with ‘and’. This means that the comma ceases to appear after listing the second to the last item. That is why you don’t have it after ‘torch’ in the statement below: She needs a bag, […]
Continue ReadingMy experience watching an episode of the ‘Nigerian Idol’ talent show, last week, inspired this lesson. While one of the judges was commenting on the performance of a contestant (the budding singer gave his name as Benjamin) he said: You should have sang another song. A word in the clause stung my ears. You should […]
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