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HOW TO IDENTIFY AND RECTIFY COMMON MISTAKES

Lets continue this previous post on common mistakes. I'm going to point out other numerous grammatical mistakes we have making in our everyday writing and conversation.

The following symbols are the keys purposely provided to open your understanding to the problems.

W ---- Wrong	C ---- Correct

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W: Many English words contain more than ten alphabets
C: Many English words contain more than ten letters

NOTE: An alphabet is a list of the letter which are used to make up words of a language as in: The English alphabet contains 26 letters.

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W: Joyce works at the chop bar as a cook
C: Joyce works at the restaurant as a cook

NOTE: There are certain expressions which may be considered correct and for that matter be acceptable locally, but are regarded as unacceptable and unintelligible elsewhere. Examples may include the following which are gradually becoming acceptance with their expressions in educated or standard English in brackets.

Junior brother	(younger brother)
Bookman	(lorry park porter or attendant)
Running stomach	(diarrhea)
Senior brother	(elder brother)
Join a vehicle	(board a vehicle)
Chop money	(pocket money/ house keeping money)

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W: Don't fear.
C: Don't be afraid.

NOTE: In an informal style be afraid is more common than fear. Compare: I am afraid that she might find out

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W: It was a fairly unique experience.
C: It was a unique experience.

NOTE: This is a much abused word. It means single , sole , one and only. Something "Unique " is the only one of its kind, and there can be no shades of uniqueness. It is therefore nonsense to call something rather unique, or to attach to Unique such words as more , most , very , somewhat , comparatively , because these words express degrees, and unique is an absolute.

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A person who says when (referring to the future) is sure that something will happen. A person who says IF is unsure whether it will happen or not.
COMPARE

• I will see you at Christmas when we are all at Baafi's place.
• I will see you in August if I come to America (perhaps I will come to America, perhaps not) situations and events (in the sense of "whenever") both "when " and "if " can be used with little difference of meaning.
  When/ IF I am in Canada, I usually stay with my sister.

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W: I know all what (or which) he said.
C: I know all that he said

NOTE: The relative pronouns which and what cannot be used after "all" , "some" , "any" , "something" , "everything" , "anything" , "much" and "nothing". Only the relative "that" may be used after those words, but it is commonly omitted.

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W: We congratulated them for their victory.
C: We congratulated them on their victory

NOTE: Say congratulate "on " and not "for" Also, the noun form of congratulate is congratulations. There is no singular form of the verb as in "congratulation".

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W: Mabel Asamoah went with train yesterday
C: Mabel Asamoah went by train yesterday

NOTE: We say "by train" , "by air" by aeroplane; by land "by sea" , "by bus" on a bus, "in a bus" , "by taxi", by motor-car or in a motor car or in a cab, in a carriage, on horse-back, on donkey, on bicycle, on foot, etc.

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W: Translate this passage to English.
C: Translate this passage into English.

NOTE: You must always use the correct preposition (i.e into) with translate

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W: Birds of the same feathers flock together
C:Birds of the same feather flock together
C: Birds of a feather flock together

NOTE: The correct forms of the proverb are provided above and therefore, should be well observed. No "S" is added to the feather.

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I hope you enjoyed this section of the course and also learnt something from it. Check my blog daily for updates and new topics.

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In case you missed, Here are links to my previous posts on this subject matter

• ENGLISH HUB (COMMON MISTAKES - PART #3) by mr.kobby

• ENGLISH HUB (COMMON MISTAKES - PART #2) by mr.kobby

• ENGLISH HUB (COMMON MISTAKES - PART #1) by mr.kobby

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Thanks for reading!

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