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Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English - Literature (5) - Nairaland

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Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by chris51(f): 10:57pm On Jan 16, 2013
Napkin is CORRECT. Nappy is coloqual pronounciaton of napkin. Nappy is more like abbreviation & people accept it. That doesn't make it correct.
Very bad grammar is when people say "I cannot be able to". "Its either I cannot do it" or "I will not be able to"
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by fermlad: 11:06pm On Jan 16, 2013
Desmog21: Travelling Bag instead of Traveller's Bag
Travel bag!

1 Like

Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by olaheavy: 11:07pm On Jan 16, 2013
vivichocs: you cant eat your cake and have it instead of you cant have your cake and eat it
'cant' instead of can't!
''You can't eat your cake and have it'' makes a lot of sense to me. How can you possess 'something' after you have expended it or used it up? Well, it will take more than a miracle for you to do so.
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by Wallie(m): 11:08pm On Jan 16, 2013
olaheavy: And I cringe when I hear folks say 'each other' instead of 'one another' when referring to more than two persons. Also, I feel like kicking some dullards' behind when I see: 'its' instead of it's. 'cant' instead of can't. 'dont' instead of don't . 'what of' instead of what about.

"Each other" is not wrong...here's something you can work with:

A and B do have a cordial relationship with each other.
A and B do have a cordial relationship each with the other. (This version is more formal)
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by boborosky(m): 11:08pm On Jan 16, 2013
careytommy:
i sure say op don run for cover grin cheesy grin
before u pour out those bits and pieces of balderdash in your brain take some time to think so dat stupidity of d highest order would not b displayed. Low current as used in d context i mean is wrong. For expample. When there is power supply you will notice a high or low voltage. It is usually noticeable when you look at ur electric bulb.
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by AGgal(f): 11:10pm On Jan 16, 2013
fonzie2u: @ OP she was delivered of a boy is also in correct.

It is, She has put to Bed.
You're wrong its,she has born pikin
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by boborosky(m): 11:12pm On Jan 16, 2013
olaheavy:
'cant' instead of can't!
''You can't eat your cake and have it'' makes a lot of sense to me. How can you possess 'something' after you have expended it or used it up? Well, it will take more than a miracle for you to do so.
whether it makes sense to you or not does not change the fact. The correct expression is.. You can not have your cake and eat it. British. You can not have your cake and eat it too. American

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Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by boborosky(m): 11:16pm On Jan 16, 2013
chris51: Napkin is CORRECT. Nappy is coloqual pronounciaton of napkin. Nappy is more like abbreviation & people accept it. That doesn't make it correct.
Very bad grammar is when people say "I cannot be able to". "Its either I cannot do it" or "I will not be able to"
nappy is a material wrapped around a baby's bottom and between its legs to absorb and retain urine and faeces. While napkin is a piece of cloth used at a meal to wipe the fingers or tips and to protect garment.
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by boborosky(m): 11:22pm On Jan 16, 2013
mulumele: You are right whether you say napkin or nappy.
nappy is a material wrapped around a baby's bottom and between its legs to absorb and retain urine and faeces. While napkin is a piece of cloth used at a meal to wipe the fingers or tips and to protect garment
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by boborosky(m): 11:27pm On Jan 16, 2013
Wallie: Hmmm....did you make all these up?

could you pls go back and study your dictionary and other relevant English language text books you can find. For stating that "she has delivered a baby" is correct, i think you are a learner.

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Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by LordReed(m): 11:27pm On Jan 16, 2013
boborosky: Alright. Instead of, all right

Sorry but the jury is still out on this one.

Here's what Webster's has to say:

Main Entry: al·right
Pronunciation: \(ˌ)ȯl-ˈrīt, ˈȯl-ˌ\
Function: adverb or adjective
Date: 1887
: ALL RIGHT
usage The one-word spelling alright
appeared some 75 years after all right
itself had reappeared from a 400-year-
long absence. Since the early 20th
century some critics have insisted alright
is wrong, but it has its defenders and its
users. It is less frequent than all right but
remains in common use especially in
journalistic and business publications. It
is quite common in fictional dialogue,
and is used occasionally in other writing
<the first two years of medical school
were alright — Gertrude Stein>.

For common use alright seems to be accepted but for formal writing and "examy" uses all right should be used
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by Nobody: 11:29pm On Jan 16, 2013
Yasmeena: @OP nice reminders. i'm guilty of some of this errors. What's worth doing is worth doing well.. if u must speak english, speak it appropriately or resort to either ur moda tongue or d generally accepted pidgin language.. i am an advocate for a resort to our individual moda tongues, even for classroom teaching.. it makes more sense to students than english.
Totally agree with you. And English worth spelling is worth spelling properly. smiley
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by boborosky(m): 11:30pm On Jan 16, 2013
Juan_De_Dios: A lot of these things are colloquial and I think it’s hasty to declare them “errors” - although some of them clearly are.

Plate number. instead of number plate.
Number plate is the metal or plastic material on which the number is written. The registration number is what is colloquially referred to as plate number.


He/she is my baby (babies). Instead of , it is my baby. Pronoun for baby is 'it'.
Come on! The use of “it” for your baby isn’t contemporary.


Thank you. I am not one to go "grammar" "grammar", but this one pisses me off to no end.
whether "it" for a baby is contemporary or not does not change the fact that "it" remains the pronoun for a baby. Go back to ur dictionary.
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by ohisola(f): 11:30pm On Jan 16, 2013
justmenoni: this got me laughing out loud,but i dont agree over this one: I am hearing u. Instead of , i can hear u.


I am listening instead of i am hearing you.


U don't use d verb 'to be' four d sense organs, instead u use d verb 'to be able to (can)' its can u hear, yes I can c, can u taste? Yes I can feel it etc.

Reason behind it is simple nt evry1 has d ability 2 do these tins.
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by ohisola(f): 11:31pm On Jan 16, 2013
justmenoni: this got me laughing out loud,but i dont agree over this one: I am hearing u. Instead of , i can hear u.


I am listening instead of i am hearing you.


U don't use d verb 'to be' for d sense organs, instead u use d verb 'to be able to (can)' its can u hear, yes I can see, can u taste? Yes I can feel it etc.

Reason behind it is simple nt evry1 has d ability 2 do these tins.
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by boborosky(m): 11:35pm On Jan 16, 2013
amarral: U hav also made urs, napkin is correct spelling, even alright is a correct spelling. Do well to consult ur dictionary.
read before you expose ur ignorance. Napkin and nappy are two different things. nappy is a material wrapped around a baby's bottom and between its legs to absorb and retain urine and faeces. While napkin is a piece of cloth used at a meal to wipe the fingers or tips and to protect garment. Alright is informal English.
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by boborosky(m): 11:40pm On Jan 16, 2013
FXKing2012:
Nice one but few corrections:
plate number and number mean two different things and are both correct. Plate no is colloquial for registration no.

More grease to your elbow is idiomatic expression meaning sustained or better performance next time. Literally...elbow is a joint and every joint needs oil to operate well. So the statement is right.
could you please consult an up to date dictionary? I put it to you dat " there is nothin like "more grease or any oily elbow" it is more power to you elbow. Be informed.
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by CARLISTO77(m): 11:43pm On Jan 16, 2013
Wallie: Hmmm....did you make all these up?

Please, do correct your usage of BOTH with a verb (is)...
At that stead, Both should be followed by (ARE), ok?.
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by boborosky(m): 11:44pm On Jan 16, 2013
sagytarius™:

Are u sure about this?
veryyyyyy sure.
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by olaheavy: 11:48pm On Jan 16, 2013
Wallie:

"Each other" is not wrong...here's something you can work with:

A and B do have a cordial relationship with each other.
A and B do have a cordial relationship each with the other. (This version is more formal)
I didn't say 'each other' is wrong. I said that using 'each other' in lieu of 'one another' when making reference to MORE THAN TWO PERSONS is a 'common mistake' in English. Simplistically, your example of 'between A and B' actually proved my 'theory' to be right. Or, what do you think?
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by boborosky(m): 11:51pm On Jan 16, 2013
Sogyboy: It's been long I talked last on facebook instead of it's been long I posted last on facebook
it should be: it's been long {since}i posted on fb
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by bigfrancis21: 11:52pm On Jan 16, 2013
I actually caught my course mate one day after he blew this 'ogbu'. This guy dey claim say im sabi English but come dey tiabo wella, and if you tell am im no dey gree. Little did he know that his doomsday was to come one day.
We were in class that fateful day, after lectures, and almost all of us happened to remain behind in class. A song was playing from one of the laptops and some of us were then guessing whose voice it was. All of a sudden, na im my guy come blurt
'That voice LOOKS like Usher's voice'. Choi!!
My ear no fit pardon dis kind ogbu nau. Na im I come respond...
'That voice SOUNDS like!!!....'
Silence fell in class...
Then following was a heavy round of rolling laughter....
My guy no fit shout...Lmao.
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by olaheavy: 11:55pm On Jan 16, 2013
boborosky: whether it makes sense to you or not does not change the fact. The correct expression is.. You can not have your cake and eat it. British. You can not have your cake and eat it too. American
Noted. I'll surely make amends - if it's indeed a 'common mistake' (don't mean to be cocky, though) - I'm also guilty of this particular one. Thanks..
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by boborosky(m): 11:55pm On Jan 16, 2013
Qualcoms: @ Op,... 'I am hearing u'... It's wrong... Do u know what is called Gerund in English?
you must be ignorant of correct English language. Gerund does not apply in this case. See, hear, smell, etc can not be used in progressive term. Go and study hard.
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by Nobody: 11:56pm On Jan 16, 2013
Saying or writing the nigerian army instead of the nigeria army.
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by CARLISTO77(m): 12:07am On Jan 17, 2013
boborosky: before u pour out those bits and pieces of balderdash in your brain take some time to think so dat stupidity of d highest order would not b displayed. Low current as used in d context i mean is wrong. For expample. When there is power supply you will notice a high or low voltage. It is usually noticeable when you look at ur electric bulb.

My Fella, did you read physics?
If you did not, then, there should be nothing like 'low voltage' if you meant to address it via a bulb conduction...
By definition, a current is: A flow of electric charge through a conductor. And in respect to this, a charge
is being electroported via a bulb... Whilst a Voltage means: The potential of electromotive force of an electric charge, measured in volts.
And for your information, Voltages are conducable via cables and for instructional purposes, voltage is often compared to water pressure.
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by initiate: 12:08am On Jan 17, 2013
"as of" correct

"as at" wrong
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by CARLISTO77(m): 12:29am On Jan 17, 2013
initiate: "as of" correct

"as at" wrong

Please, do not mislead people with your extraneousness.
'As at' means: a given date...so its usage in that regard is legit.
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by CARLISTO77(m): 12:43am On Jan 17, 2013
Bandit C.:
Saying or writing the nigerian army instead of the nigeria army.
Another ambiguity from your end there!
Nigeria, as a word, is a noun; so, in this order, it takes up 's as possessive form, eg: Nigeria's economy, Nigeria's currency etc.
On the other hand, Nigerian, as a word, denotes adjectival form, which as you are aware, is a word imputing a characteristic to a noun or pronoun.
Eg, Nigerian Naira, Nigerian food, etc.

2 Likes

Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by Nobody: 1:10am On Jan 17, 2013
Extreme instead of extreme end
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by toygod2: 1:19am On Jan 17, 2013
.
Re: Common Grammatical Errors We Make In Our Everyday English by Serendipity: 1:27am On Jan 17, 2013
Tochinn: . We sale recharge card here instead of buy your recharge card here. Someone cannot buy something that belongs to him.
Sell, not sale.

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