WELCOME TO AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASS THAT CAN HELP US ALL
1. PLATTER OF GOLD or ON A SILVER PLATTER?
Often, one hears or reads expressions like:
** Poju got the job on a platter of gold ❌
It is not an English language expression.
The correct idiom is
ON A SILVER PLATTER: *if you are given something on a silver platter, you do not have to do much to get it.*
Example:
** These rich kids expect to have it all handed to them on a silver platter. ✔
** Poju got the job on a silver platter. ✔
NOTE: Let's desist from using the incorrect expression:
*ON A PLATTER OF GOLD*
2. I AM A STAFF or I AM A MEMBER OF STAFF?
Many Nigerian users of the language have been heard saying :
"I'm a STAFF of the firm" ❌
The word STAFF had been wrongly used above.
STAFF according to the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary means all the workers employed in an organization considered as a GROUP.
It is therefore WRONG to address one person as STAFF.
It is correct to say:
"I am a member of staff."
NOTE: The plural form STAFFS is less frequent but is used in both British and American English to refer to more than one group of people:
The Senator and his staff (singular)
Senators and their staffs (plural)
3. THE FOLLOWING WORDS MARKED WRONG SHOULD BE AVOIDED AS THEY DON'T EXIST
SELDOMLY ❌
SELDOM ✔️
FASTLY ❌
FAST ✔️
OUTRIGHTLY ❌
OUTRIGHT ✔️
4. DON'T USE THE WORD 'BACK' AFTER THE WORDS LISTED BELOW AS THEY ALREADY SUGGEST 'BACK'
RESUME
RETURN
RETRIEVE
REPAY
REPLY
RESPOND
REPATRIATE
REVERT
REVERSE
RESUMPTION
RECALL
RELOCATE
REPLAY
RELOCATE BACK ❌
RECALL BACK ❌
RESUMPTION BACK❌
REVERSE BACK❌
REPATRIATE BACK❌
REVERT BACK❌
RESPOND BACK❌
REPLY BACK❌
REPLAY BACK❌
REPAY BACK❌
RETURN BACK ❌
RESUME BACK❌
RETRIEVE BACK❌
Those of us who are fond of using some of these words with BACK in the same sentence know themselves.
Avoid such TAUTOLOGY henceforth.
Our media practitioners are not helping matters as many are GUILTY of such misuse.
Well, folks, this is the much time will permit us to go through today...
REFERENCES
OXFORD ADVANCED LEARNER'S DICTIONARY, 9TH EDITION.
MY ENGLISH LANGUAGE NOTE