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Hello everybody. This is a thread about Standard British English (SBE).

common mistakes and outright errors in our speech

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EVIDENCES;
SLANGS.

Please note:
The word EVIDENCE has no plural form. It could however be plural when it relates to scientific facts/objects. BUT never plural when it relates to information used in court.

Incorrect: Evidences are legion of unjust arrest and brutalisation of people.
Correct version: Evidence are legion of unjust arrest and brutalisation of people.

Also, the word SLANG has no plural form.

Incorrect: Such slangs are common among students.
Correct version: Such slang is common among students.

You can also say: Slang words/terms/expressions.

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Whereabouts.
did you know that the afore-mentioned word is of North American origin?
As a noun, it is uncountable (always plural) and it goes with singular/plural verb.
Eg. Their whereabouts are/is still unknown.
Before, verb 'is' was the only correct version.
But English, being a living language, now accommodates both 'are/is'.
I still prefer 'is', though.

This word is also an Adverb.
Eg. Whereabouts did you go?

What do you think, my people?

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How do we abbreviate this word: Retired?
Rtd?. . . NO. WRONG!
The correct version of this is RET . Or RETD.
Please, check.



Another word we should examine is 'FAST'.

Incorrect: He writes fastly.
Correct version: He writes fast.

'Fastly' is unknown to English language. Fast is the adjective, also the adverbial form.

Besides, there is no noun related to FAST. So, avoid 'fastness'. Use speed (noun) or 'quickness' instead (depending on the context; not in all sentences).

And, 'faster' and 'quicker' are ADVERBS in most sentences.
Consider these sentences:

Can you drive faster (adverb)?
He is much quicker (adverb).

In the sentences above, one is modifying a verb (drive), the other an adjective (much). An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective or another adverb.

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And the word is 'RENTED'. Yeah! Very common ooooooooo.

Incorrect: Sounds of gunshots rented the air.
Correct version: Sounds of gunshots rent the air.

The present tense of the correct word is actually 'REND'. Not 'RENT'.
And the past tense of 'REND' is 'RENT'. Not 'RENTED'.




My people, let's talk about this one:

'Spot'

This is WRONG!
The correct word is 'Sport'.
Consider these sentences:

Incorrect: He was spoting a blue dress.

Correct version: He was sporting a blue dress.

'Sport' means to wear

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These words NKO?

Academician;
Academic.

What is the difference?

Academician: A member of an academy (a type of officail organization which aims to encourage literature, art or science.

Academic: A person who teaches and/or does research at a university or college. Eg. A university professor.

So, don't call a boffin an academician. He/she is an academic.

Check your dictionary.

What do you think?

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Exclamation mark (!).

Incorrect: Fantastic! Fantastic!! Fantastic!!!
Correct version: Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic!

Why do people use this '!!'? Or this '!!!'? Why?

Does that mean you can also use this '??'

Or this ',,,'?

Multiple exclamation marks make no sense, please.

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OUTRIGHTLY. Yes, outrightly! Wrong! Very wrong!

Did you know that this is NOT a word?

OUTRIGHT: an adjective
OUTRIGHT: an adverb.
Thus, 'outrightly' is unEnglish.

Incorrect: Neither candidate won outrightly.
Correct version: Neither candidate won outright.

It works exactly like 'fast'. Not 'fastly'.

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Everyday is used only before a noun. And it means something that happens every day (I have managed to explain both words here)
It also means 'ordinary'. Eg.A cream for everyday use.

Now, examine this.
'I go to her house every day. Did you notice the difference? This is not before a noun.
'Every day ' is used to show how often something happens or is done. The emphasis is on 'every' here. Eg. Every 10 hours.

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When one is not serious, do we say UNSERIOUS?

uhn? Unserious? No. That's unEnglish!
'Unserious' is not a word.

Use instead 'laid back'. Or 'non-serious'.

Incorrect: They want to expel unserious students.
Correct: They want to expel non-serious students.

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Help yourself here:

Advice/Advise (very easy but so common a mistake, help yourself  )
Can not/ Cannot [Not that easy(?) but try to understand the difference]
Lose/Loose (help yourself )
Save/Safe (help yourself )
Diffuse/Defuse (I will explain this)
Center/Centre (help yourself  )

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Let's examine this word today: 'Gateman'.

I love this word, though. It is an English word 'made' in Nigeria. This is one of our contributions to the English language. It will surely be recognized and become part of the lexicon.

This word, simply put, is unEnglish. The correct word is 'Gatekeeper'.

This word must be included in the next edition of Oxford dico.  

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Incorrect: He is a mediocre.

Correct: He is a mediocrity.

Please not, 'mediocre' is an adjective and NOT a noun.



Incorrect: I used a letter-headed paper to write the letter.

Correct version: I used a letterhead to write the letter.

Please note, this word 'letterhead' is of North American origin.

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Incorrect: The clergies of other denominations will soon join us.

Correct: The clergy of other denominations will soon join us.

'Clergy' is an uncountable noun.

This word is also of North American origin.

Incorrect: The clergy is . . .

Correct: The clergy are. . ,  (Plural)

It is also used with determiner 'the'. The clergy, that is.

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Incorrect: There will be a wake-keeping for Tony Curtis.

Correct version: There will be a wake for Tony Curtis.




any question ?