₦airaland Forum

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As Nigerians, we usually make simple grammatical errors that we are not supposed to make. I don't really blame our youths when they make mistakes in English language because it is not our mother tongue. Evidently, English was forced on Nigerians during colonization. But even at that, we did not wholesomely jettisoned our native language and custom.

Thank you. But the queen's English wey I Sabi is enough.

Ama channel all my remaining energy into making money now. Enough of these correction.

Good work.... Added to my archive..

"He use not to live in Lagos".

"Used he to live in Lagos".


If you say this in a gathering, they will laugh at you.

I feel in years to come, "alright" will be adopted as a correct english grammar

Pls, explain these...

Heloct:
"He use not to live in Lagos".

"Used he to live in Lagos".


If you say this in a gathering, they will laugh at you.

Heloct:
"He use not to live in Lagos".

"Used he to live in Lagos".


If you say this in a gathering, they will laugh at you.

I'm outchea

You tried. However, 'averse to' is correct. It is not ' averse from'. Check your dictionary again.

Noted

Sha no turn our head. The one we don cram since secondary school still dey.
Parallel to is not correct. I give up

Some people still don't know when to use "am" and "I'm" yhu forgot to add that ..

11) COME AND BE GOING

Bscholarly:
Admin please send this to Frontpage

As Nigerians, we usually make simple grammatical errors that we are not supposed to make. I don't really blame our youths when they make mistakes in English language because it is not our mother tongue. Evidently, English was forced on Nigerians during colonization. But even at that, we did not wholesomely jettisoned our native language and custom. This is why most Nigerians still find it difficult to speak and understand the language very well.

Nonetheless, in light of the new year celebration, I, owner of Bscholarly.com, thought It wise to share and correct some of the grammatical errors Nigerians make without knowing. Note that my purpose for sharing this is so that you will not continue making them in 2020. Here we go!

10 grammatical errors you should not make from 2020

1[b]. Try And[/b]

Many a time, people use "try and" when they actually mean "try to". Logically, if you "try and do something", you  have to first of all try,  which is to make a general attempt, and finding out how do. After trying and finding how to do, you then do it. Thus, there are two actions involve, to try and to do.

On the other hand, "try to" implies the single combination of trying and doing. So, learn not to confuse the two today. 

2. Misuse of That

It is quite pathetic that most people use the word "That" as an emphatic adverb.

Examples:

"I had no idea the house was that small"

"If the weather is that bad, you had better stay at home"

This use of "That" is wrong and should be avoided. The correct forms of the above sentences are:

"I had no idea that the house was as small as that".

"If the weather is as bad as that, you had better stay at home".

3. All Right

Note that, while already, almost, almighty and altogether, are right, it is wrong to say "alright". However, there is no reason for this. But if you want your grammar to be absolutely correct, you must use "all right".

4[b]. At and About[/b]

Note that the sentence, "I shall expect you at about five o'clock" is wrong. It should rather be "I shall expect you about five o'clock". 

Reason: 
"At" applies a definite time, and "about" applies to an approximate time. So, using at about is juxtaposition of two unlikes, and should be avoided. You can only say: "I shall expect you at or about five o'clock".

5.  Ought To

Note that the construction " He ought to, didn't he?" is very wrong. Its correct form is "He ought to, oughtn't he?".

I know this sound absurd. But no doubt, it is the correct form. 

6. Parallel With

It should be noted that two lines can not be "parallel to". They can only be "parallel with" each other. So, don't say parallel to from today hence forth.

7. Use To

When people make sentences like "He used to live in Lagos" meaning he formerly lived in Lagos, it is quite understood and correct.

But where they say this negatively or in past tense, they make mistakes. Examples:

"He didn't use to live in Lagos".

"Did he use to live in Lagos?".

The correct forms of the above are:

"He use not to live in Lagos".

"Used he to live in Lagos".

Reason:

"Used to" is a peculiar idiom itself, and there is no point making its variation even more peculiar.

8. Moot Point

Note that the word "moot" does not mean the same as "mute". While the word mute simply mean silence, moot is an Anglo-Saxon town assembly, or court of justice which was a moot or mote, while the meaning place was the moot hall. 

9. Xmas

The only reason why the word "Xmas" can be tolerated is because, "X" was a Greek word for Jesus Christ. Writers who intentionally use "Xmas" having be said to be merely lazy. The most formal form is "Christmas"

10.  Averse To

Sometimes, people say they are "averse to". Meaning that they dislike. However, this is very wrong. You cannot be averse to anything, because the suffix "to" signify approach, when the opposite is intended. 

The correct form of "being averse to something" is "being averse from".

Hope this was helpful? Please leave your comments below!

Website: https://bscholarly.com (Please don't remove my link)
By: Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka

Well, I'm not trying to downplay what you've said in this your exposition. As a Linguist, I like to make it clear to you that English as a language has regional varieties. All these 'errors' you pointed out are nuances of Nigerian variety of English, which in a true sense, constite its peculiarity just like other varieties across the world. Instead of being prescriptive about NE (Nigerian English), I think it will be more worthwhile to rather point out these linguistic peculiarities in order to promote our variety of English just as other developed countries are currently doing.
Wishing everyone a prosperous new year.

Bscholarly:
Admin please send this to Frontpage

As Nigerians, we usually make simple grammatical errors that we are not supposed to make. I don't really blame our youths when they make mistakes in English language because it is not our mother tongue. Evidently, English was forced on Nigerians during colonization. But even at that, we did not wholesomely jettisoned our native language and custom. This is why most Nigerians still find it difficult to speak and understand the language very well.

Nonetheless, in light of the new year celebration, I, owner of Bscholarly.com, thought It wise to share and correct some of the grammatical errors Nigerians make without knowing. Note that my purpose for sharing this is so that you will not continue making them in 2020. Here we go!

10 grammatical errors you should not make from 2020

1[b]. Try And[/b]

Many a time, people use "try and" when they actually mean "try to". Logically, if you "try and do something", you  have to first of all try,  which is to make a general attempt, and finding out how do. After trying and finding how to do, you then do it. Thus, there are two actions involve, to try and to do.

On the other hand, "try to" implies the single combination of trying and doing. So, learn not to confuse the two today. 

2. Misuse of That

It is quite pathetic that most people use the word "That" as an emphatic adverb.

Examples:

"I had no idea the house was that small"

"If the weather is that bad, you had better stay at home"

This use of "That" is wrong and should be avoided. The correct forms of the above sentences are:

"I had no idea that the house was as small as that".

"If the weather is as bad as that, you had better stay at home".

3. All Right

Note that, while already, almost, almighty and altogether, are right, it is wrong to say "alright". However, there is no reason for this. But if you want your grammar to be absolutely correct, you must use "all right".

4[b]. At and About[/b]

Note that the sentence, "I shall expect you at about five o'clock" is wrong. It should rather be "I shall expect you about five o'clock". 

Reason: 
"At" applies a definite time, and "about" applies to an approximate time. So, using at about is juxtaposition of two unlikes, and should be avoided. You can only say: "I shall expect you at or about five o'clock".

5.  Ought To

Note that the construction " He ought to, didn't he?" is very wrong. Its correct form is "He ought to, oughtn't he?".

I know this sound absurd. But no doubt, it is the correct form. 

6. Parallel With

It should be noted that two lines can not be "parallel to". They can only be "parallel with" each other. So, don't say parallel to from today hence forth.

7. Use To

When people make sentences like "He used to live in Lagos" meaning he formerly lived in Lagos, it is quite understood and correct.

But where they say this negatively or in past tense, they make mistakes. Examples:

"He didn't use to live in Lagos".

"Did he use to live in Lagos?".

The correct forms of the above are:

"He use not to live in Lagos".

"Used he to live in Lagos".

Reason:

"Used to" is a peculiar idiom itself, and there is no point making its variation even more peculiar.

8. Moot Point

Note that the word "moot" does not mean the same as "mute". While the word mute simply mean silence, moot is an Anglo-Saxon town assembly, or court of justice which was a moot or mote, while the meaning place was the moot hall. 

9. Xmas

The only reason why the word "Xmas" can be tolerated is because, "X" was a Greek word for Jesus Christ. Writers who intentionally use "Xmas" having be said to be merely lazy. The most formal form is "Christmas"

10.  Averse To

Sometimes, people say they are "averse to". Meaning that they dislike. However, this is very wrong. You cannot be averse to anything, because the suffix "to" signify approach, when the opposite is intended. 

The correct form of "being averse to something" is "being averse from".

Hope this was helpful? Please leave your comments below!

Website: https://bscholarly.com (Please don't remove my link)
By: Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka

I'm and Am

Is not a small something

Bscholarly:
Examples:

"I had no idea the house was that small"

"If the weather is that bad, you had better stay at home"

This use of "That" is wrong and should be avoided.

Thanks for sharing

Are you aware that native English speakers routinely use sentences like these?

Thanks op but I can't use "oughtn't to" biko

Not easy to write an article OP... So Qdos

One thing I'll have you to be told (hehehe) is that grammar evolves, just like Apple iOS and Android apps, especially Twitter and UC browser apps that send updates every other day.