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Very Common English Language Errors - Education (6) - Nairaland

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Some Common Silly Mistakes/errors People Make In English Language. / Very Common Mistakes in Nigerian Spoken English! / ABC Of Common Errors And Mistakes In English (2) (3) (4)

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Re: Very Common English Language Errors by madprof(m): 2:01am On May 25, 2010
fine piece of work, olawale. i however thought wednesday was pronounced "wenzdi", rather than "wensdei" as you stated. here are some other common mistakes we make in english language usage:

sometimes last year (wrong)
sometime last year (right)

convocating students (wrong)
convoking students (right) (come to think of it, do you "invocate" spirits?!)

an hausa man (wrong)
a hausa man (right)

an european sailor (wrong)
a european sailor (right)

i've being calling you (wrong)
i've been calling you (right)


thanks for been there (wrong)
thanks for being there (right)

birds of the same feather fly/flock together (wrong)
birds of a feather flock together (right)


i shall pay instalmentally (wrong)
i shall pay in instalments (right)

i am going to a send forth party (wrong)
i am going to a send-off party (right)

now, when we say that power supply is epileptic, what do we really mean - because "epileptic" cannot quite be used in the context of power supply, so what are we trying to say? is it that power supply is erratic or that it is unavailable most of the time?
it is also imperaqive that media outfits(electronic & print) take pains to proofread what they give out as they often broadcast or publish stories that are filled with grammatical and other errors.

1 Like

Re: Very Common English Language Errors by DOnlooker(m): 10:36am On May 25, 2010
Sir, I am also interested in getting my English right. My email : emmazonas@aol.com
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by BLACKSNIP(m): 11:10am On May 25, 2010
madprof:

fine piece of work, olawale. i however thought wednesday was pronounced "wenzdi", rather than "wensdei" as you stated. here are some other common mistakes we make in english language usage:

sometimes last year (wrong)
sometime last year (right)

convocating students (wrong)
convoking students (right) (come to think of it, do you "invocate" spirits?!)

an hausa man (wrong)
a hausa man (right)

an european sailor (wrong)
a european sailor (right)

i've being calling you (wrong)
i've been calling you (right)


thanks for[b] been[/b] there (wrong)
thanks for being there (right)

birds of the same feather fly/flock together (wrong)
birds of a feather flock together (right)


i shall pay instalmentally (wrong)
i shall pay in instalments (right)

i am going to a send forth party (wrong)
i am going to a send-off party (right)

now, when we say that power supply is epileptic, what do we really mean - because "epileptic" cannot quite be used in the context of power supply, so what are we trying to say? is it that power supply is erratic or that it is unavailable most of the time?
it is also imperaqive that media outfits(electronic & print) take pains to proofread what they give out as they often broadcast or publish stories that are filled with grammatical and other errors.


Please, can you explain better on been & being, am having difficulties with those two words,
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by MissyB1(m): 1:17pm On May 25, 2010
mrrock:

You are free to make mistakes when you speak English language. 
I'll rephrase that - Making mistakes is inevitable, assert Your right to make mistakes in whatever area of Life and strive to improve or correct them.

mrrock:

English people do make mistakes too when they speak English. Remember English is not your first language.
This is a sorry excuse to feel comfortable with one's defect.
Where is it written that an Englishman must have a better English speaking skills than a Nigerian?

mrrock:

My people please stop this trend of colonial mentality. Bob marley said "EMANCIPATE YOURSELVES FROM MENTAL SLAVERY". People like FELA, Marcus Garvey, Mandela have spent their lifes to set you free!!!!. Free your minds now.
How does our interest in the English Language have anything to do with mental slavery?
Fela, Marcus, and Mandela Fought for who and against what?
I'm sure those men took time to enhance their speaking abilities, else, they would have been tagged 'inarticulate men with great ideas' and that, wouldn't have gotten them where they are today.

mrrock:

Russians, Chineese, Germans, Arabs, Japanese e.t.c all those civilations in other parts of the world that are doing well today are not doing well because they learnt to speak English, infact they are doing well because of the opposite!!. If you travel to the above countries you find out they hardly speak English, this is the reason they are successful civilizations. Language is a very powerful tool. What you should be promoting is an African language like swahili not English language.

English have destroyed African reasoning and understanding of subjects like Physics, Chemistry, e.t.c these are the sciences that a civilization needs to develope it's own science, technology and therefore develope. The one reason Africa is lagging behind in science and therefore development is because as I said subjects like physics and chemistry e.t.c are being taught in schools in English language so students have to do the double works of understanding it's English interpretations first then the subject. This is not what the Russians, Chineese, Germans, Arabs, Japanese e.t.c do!!. These civilizations understands science in their own reasoning based on their language. Can anybody here tell me; what do you call TRIOXO NITRIC ACID in IGBO, HAUSA, YORUBA, indeed in any African language?. You see?. You don't know it neither do I.

But the Russians, Chineese, Germans, Arabs, Japanese e.t.c understand what TRIOXO NITRIC ACID means in their own language and therefore understand science in their own reasoning that's the single reason there are doing better than Africans in science and technology. And that's why they are developed countries.

The Russians were the first nation to put man on the moon. They learnt science in their own reasoning as Rusians.
Story!!
It would interest You to know that many citizens of  non-English speaking countries do everything possible to learn the language.
English is the universal language and it's only right that You have a good knowledge of it, unless You want to remain in Your village, planting maize forever. grin

mrrock:

I' am not saying you should not learn English but it have done more harm than good in Africa.
Are You kidding? shocked
Biko, stick to Pidgin.

I'm not saying our dialects should be thrown in the conduit.
My point is; if we must speak English, there's no harm in learning to speak it well.
It does not only paint a fine picture of You in public, it can also open doors for You.
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Emmyk(m): 3:10pm On May 25, 2010
It's our mother tongue language that affects us. We try to change our local dialet directly to English! While still in Sec. School, I spoke English my class mates say it wrong (cos my dad worked at T.A.C OKO, he corrected&stil corrects my spoken eng. And pronounciation) (no brag). They spoke eng like;
consist of (wrong) consist; (right) used while listing a long item.
RETURN IT Back(wrong).
return it(right).
It's high time we leave(wrong)
It's high time we left (right).
There's No english like PLATE NO. but NO PLATE
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by powacon: 3:07am On May 26, 2010
pls i'm interested in that stuff. i think it's a goodd deal. my email is rdaannee@yahoo.com
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Ndipe(m): 3:11am On May 26, 2010
BLACKSNIP:


Please, can you explain better on been & being, am having difficulties with those two words,

Check this explanation on this site out, it will help you out.

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=255651
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Nobody: 6:18am On May 26, 2010
@ madprof: sorry to burst your bubble but convocating and convoking are both good. Check your Chambers/Oxford for proof
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by powacon: 11:25am On May 26, 2010
@ Emmyk: pls check again, 'consist of' isn't wrong. it is very correct. comprise of is wrong
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Nobody: 1:34pm On May 26, 2010
Thanks all for your response.

This time, I want to bring to your notice (exams candidate especially) a common mistake that candidates make on a particular question.

Tunde saw you and I (wrong)
Tunde saw you and me (correct)

But;

You and me saw Tunde (wrong)
You and I saw Tunde (correct)

I'll try to explain why this is, with clarity. The explanation is due, for the error is also common in oral use.

'I' and 'me' are personal pronouns but with uniqueness in usage.

Let me quickly explain that;

SUBJECT is the doer of action (the reason for the verb)
OBJECT is the receiver of action (the receiver of the verb)

Now,

'I' is used in the subjective case (remember SUBJECT is the doer of the action)
'me' is used in the objective case (do not forget, OBJECT is the receiver of the verb/action)

So, whenever you must use the personal pronoun;

* as the doer of the action, use 'I'
* as the receiver of action/verb, use 'me'.

Example, "I am the person, " (personal pronoun SUBJECT -or doer of the action/verb)
"The person is me" (personal pronoun following a verb. 'is' is a verb)


Generate further sentences that would require either 'me' or 'I', then decide which is suitable for use in each case.

I hope this is clear.

N.B. I received e-mails and they are being treated. Please if you want to send me an e-mail, send to proudlyvisionite@yahoo.com, but leaving your e-mail in this thread is risky.
Spammers get easy ticket to immerse your 'inbox' with their stuff as they sight your e-mail address.
I'll still attend to your notes if you leave your e-mail here, but it is not advised.

Thanks.

O' Law.
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Everbright(f): 9:37pm On May 26, 2010
I have heard all, but the one that gets me irritated is when people sing this song:

There is none holy as the Lord
There is none beside him
Neither[b] is there are [/b] [color=#990000][/color]any rock as my Lord.

For goodness sake, there's no sentence like "NEITHER IS THERE ARE, The correct thing is NEITHER IS THERE ANY ROCK AS MY LORD,
Please correct people around you when they sing this song in this manner. The annoying thing is that even learned people sing it that way sad
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Ndipe(m): 9:50pm On May 26, 2010
Everbright:

I have heard all, but the one that gets me irritated is when people sing this song:

There is none holy as the Lord
There is none beside him
Neither[b] is there are [color=#990000][/color]any rock as my Lord.[/b]

For goodness sake, there's no sentence like "NEITHER IS THERE ARE, The correct thing is NEITHER IS THERE ANY ROCK AS MY LORD,
Please correct people around you when they sing this song in this manner. The annoying thing is that even learned people sing it that way sad

Where in the world did you hear this expression, grammar queen?
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Everbright(f): 9:53pm On May 26, 2010
Back here in Naija, when you here people sing that song, listen again.
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by OAM4J: 10:09pm On May 26, 2010
May be you didnt hear well.

The song is from 1Sa 2:2

There is none holy as the LORD:
There is none beside thee:
Neither is there any rock, like our God.
There is none holy as the LORD

(KJV)
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Nobody: 9:05am On May 27, 2010
@blacksnip, to understand the difference between 'been' and 'being', let's attempt it in these two areas.

First, you need to understand the main word 'be', just as we have other words like 'work'. Though there is difference in their verbal type, but that's not the focus here, let's just see the two as words (verbs) for now.

Second, you should understand tenses (past, present and future).

Now, these tenses have other types; (simple, continuous/progressive, perfect and perfect continuous).

The 'simple' means the normal word or 'the past participle' alone (if it is in the past form)

e.g .1, I closed the book ('closed' alone is simple past')

I have a ring ('have' is simple present)

I will be in the school ('will be' is 'simple future')

Note: the 'will' only indicates the future, 'be' is the word indicating the condition of being.


e.g. 2, I had eaten before you came ('had' is past + 'eaten' which is perfect = past perfect)

I have eaten ('have' is 'present' + 'eaten' which is perfect = present perfect)


Give more attention here please, I am eating ('am' is present + 'eating' which is continuous or progressive = present continuous)

Now it is essential for you to note that whatever verb possesses '-ing' means continuous.

I have been eating ('have' is present + 'been' is perfect + 'eating' is continuous = present perfect continuous)

Now, note that 'been' is a perfect term, indicating that the activity in mention is completed.

Let's leave the rest on 'future' tenses. It is not the focus here.


So, whenever you use the 'been', it indicates that the activity is 'completed'. It is the past-participial or 'perfect' use of 'be'.

e.g., I have been there (indicating that the activity is completed)

I have been treated (completed)

but,

I am being treated (not yet completed)

It is just like saying; "I have worked", which is perfect and different from saying "I am working", which is continuous.

Whenever any of the words is to be used, if it is perfect, it is 'been' but if it is continuous, it is 'being'.

Note that 'been' does not mean only in the past and 'being' does not only mean in the present. They only indicate whether it is perfect as used or continuous.

e.g., we may have; "He had been working before his brother finished schooling"

In that sentence, you have 'been', a perfect and 'working', a continuous term.

Similarly, you may also have it in the present by replacing the 'had' with 'have'.

'being' is also possible in the past and present.

Finally, note that 'been' only agrees with 'have'. Remember that 'have' has singular and past form which are 'has' and 'had' respectively.

e.g., I have been, he has been, I/we/he had been,

While 'being' agrees with 'am' or the past form 'were' or the second person's form 'are' ('you are being'; second person + are) or, the third person 'is' (he is being).

So, in nut shell, 'been' agrees with 'have', while 'being' agrees with 'am', with mind on the fact that they could be present, past or other persons than 'personal'.

Does this help?

O' Law.
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Zigzy101: 11:19am On May 27, 2010
O' Law, Please send the link to my mail address. Thanks a million.

moses_oyeniyi@yahoo.com
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Nobody: 12:38pm On May 27, 2010
Bros! Please i need the English material too. My email is adeyemiadebiyi@yahoo.com

Many thanks to you
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Rudewaterz(m): 9:36pm On May 27, 2010
RAIN IS FALLING DOWN! perfect English, eh!! grin
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Annyauthe: 3:40am On May 28, 2010
@olawoye pls send the english material to me,my e mail address is annyauthe@yahoo.com
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Medlabgirl: 10:48am On May 28, 2010
rume:

What is the correct pronounciation for
PNEUMATIC


some say noo-ma-tik, others nyoo-ma-tik (like new-ma-tik); to-may-to, to-mah-to! po-tay-to, po-tah-to! grin
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by SLIGHT(m): 11:01am On May 28, 2010
**passing by**
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by madprof(m): 8:05pm On May 28, 2010
apocalypse,
i really am curious to know where you saw "convocating" as correct grammar or even a real word. even the spell check in this mail is flagging the word. neither of the sources you mentioned appears to have this word.
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Ikechukwu09(m): 10:46pm On May 28, 2010
for d english material my mail is iykonye@gmail.com
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Ikechukwu09(m): 10:48pm On May 28, 2010
for d english material my mail is iykonye@gmail.com
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by namski(m): 10:47am On May 29, 2010
Who are these english grammer teachers. wetin bi una waec english score?
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Ndipe(m): 8:59pm On May 29, 2010
namski:

Who are these english grammer teachers. wetin bi una waec english score?

Speaking and writing impeccable English doesnt have anything to do with WAEC scores.
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by SeanT21(f): 11:12pm On May 29, 2010
In Nollywood movies, I always hear people say "How do you mean?" when it should be "What do you mean"?

This thread is eye opening because I am not perfect when it comes to the English language.
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Nobody: 12:22pm On Jun 01, 2010
Lend and Borrow

Borrow me your pen (wrong)

Lend me your pen (correct)

'Borrow' means 'collect or ask for use'. So, one could say; "Can I borrow your pen?"

'Lend' means 'release for another to use'. It suits therefor, to say; "Lend me, "

In another simple way, we could construe borrow as take in; while on the contrastive, we could term lend as give out.

So, 'lend' and 'borrow' are words that stand 'opposite' in use. Hence, the need to be careful in the application of any of them in a sentence.

Imagine saying; sit to a person who is already seated, when you mean to say stand.

So, telling someone to 'borrow' something that belongs him is a misuse of word.

Thanks for taking note.

'Segun O' Law.
Receive English language improvement tips free in your in-box all time, join the forum at the signature link below
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by Nobody: 8:13am On Jun 05, 2010
The Reason is because (avoid it)

The reason is that (use)


The reason already suggests because. It would be repeated to use 'because' again after 'the reason'.

It's safe to use 'The reason is that'.

Thank you.

O' Law.
Re: Very Common English Language Errors by English1(f): 2:43pm On Jun 05, 2010
I'm always amazed at how good Nigerians are with languages - often speaking two, three, four or more! They may not be perfect in all of them, but there's a talent there! I only speak English sad so I would never criticise anyone who's made the effort to learn it even if it's still at a basic level.
I also don't think there's anything wrong with having an accent - everyone has an accent of one sort or other.

There are lots of varieties of English these days, all over the world, and none of them are exactly the same. I wouldn't worry too much about speaking 'Nigerian' English in Nigeria, why not? It only becomes a problem when you move to a place where they have a different form of English, and then it's wise to adapt to the local form. I know a lot of Nigerians have problems when they first come to the UK because most English people are not yet familiar with that accent or the mannerisms.

Anyway I have a question for you.

We have a new Nigerian lady at work. She keeps adding 's' to the end of people's names when she says them. Peter becomes Peters, for example. This is starting to irritate a couple of her collegues. I need to talk to her about it but I'm curious as to whether this is just an odd habit she has, or if it maybe comes from her language in some way (she is Yoruba)?

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