How to receive your Google AdSense payment using your FCMB savings account

In the blogging world, especially in the world of those bloggers who have Google Adsense running on their blogs, there is nothing sweeter than having your Google AdSense earnings being paid into your account once you've reached your specified or required threshold. Inarguably, this is the joy of every blogger. It spurs you to do more as it overwhelms you with the feeling that you are making progress in the blogging world.

Unfortunately, certain prerequisites to getting one's Google AdSense earnings paid into one's savings account (in any of the banks in Nigeria) have deprived so many Nigerian bloggers of such a joyous moment. A well-known prerequisite is the opening of a domiciliary account (an account that lets you save and receive funds in currencies other than Naira) due to the fact that Google issues payment in U.S Dollar or GBP. In Nigeria, opening a domiciliary account with any bank, among other things, requires a minimum deposit of $100, which is about N35,000 or N36,000. The problem is not the opening of the account. Of course, anyone who is N35,000 or N36,000 rich(er) can open a domiciliary account. The problem is that transactions need to take place on that account from time to time; otherwise, the account closes. You don't just open a domiciliary account and fold your hands in wait until Google issues payment. Therefore, except you are sure of receiving payment from abroad (other than Google's AdSense payment) or reaching your threshold at the end of every month, do not open a domiciliary account irrespective of its advantages as regards receiving Google's AdSense payment. You can use your savings account to receive payment of your AdSense earnings once the payment is issued by Google. Yes, you can. Let's cruise!

I have read so many articles online, explaining how to receive payment of AdSense earnings using either Diamond Bank, First Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) or Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) with no information on First City Monument Bank (FCMB) as regards the topic. That was really saddening because I bank with FCMB. However, with the information I got from my bank, I gave it a try and it was successful. In order to ensure that other bloggers who bank with FCMB receive payment of their AdSense earnings without going through the stress of opening a domiciliary account, this article explains how to receive Google's AdSense payment using FCMB savings account.

HOW TO RECEIVE GOOGLE'S ADSENSE PAYMENT USING YOUR FCMB SAVINGS ACCOUNT.

It is no news that there are two payment options for receiving Google's AdSense payment in Nigeria: cheque and wire transfer, but it is advisable to make use of wire transfer since it is the fastest means. You should as well confirm from your branch whether or not your savings account is eligible for receiving payment from abroad before filling in the "wire transfer option" form with the information provided below as there are different types of FCMB saving account. I know of Flexy Savings and Classic Savings but I am very sure FCMB's Classic Savings is eligible because that is what I use. However, to be on the safer side, don't hesitate to confirm from your branch. Having done that, do the following:

1. Login to your blog's dashboard.

2. On your blog's dashboard, click on earnings.

3. Click on Visit Adsense for details of my earnings.

4. Sign up with your blog's URL and email address.

5. On the next page, click on the horizontal lines close to the word "Home".

6. Click on Payment.

7. Click on Add payment method.

8. Choose Add new wire transfer details between the options given and a form like the one below will appear. This is how to fill in the form.

Beneficiary ID: Leave it blank

Name on Bank Account: Put your account name (e.g. Tammy Reuben).

Bank Name: First City Monument Bank Plc

Swift BIC: FCMBNGLA

Account Number: Put your account number (e.g. 0123456789).

Re-type Account Number: Put your account number again.

Intermediary Bank: CITIBANK, New York, USA

Intermediary Swift BIC (optional): CITIUS33

Check out this

9. Click on Set this payment method as primary, then click save

10. That's all! You are good to go.

OTHER THINGS YOU SHOULD NOTE
1. Google issues payment to publishers whose earnings have reached their specified thresholds on the 21st of every month. Once the issued payment is successful, Google sends your payment ID that will redirect you to your payment receipt when clicked.

Google's payment receipt

2. Depending on your branch/bank, payment may or may not hit your account on the day it is issued.  You may receive payment 1 -10 days after payment is issued. This is because your branch/bank needs to convert the amount (which is issued in US dollar) to naira before depositing it into your account. Therefore, you don't need to panic should you experience delay in receiving payment after Google has issued payment. Provided you filled in the correct information, you will receive payment. I received my payment five (5) days after Google issued it.

3. I advise you contact FCMB Customer Care Service on 07003290000 and provide them with the needed information once you notice that payment has been issued. This will also help expedite the process. I did same and the cash hit my account within five (5) working days.

4. Should you have any question on the subject matter, kindly use the comment box and I will answer you ASAP.

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Different ways you can describe a person as "thin" without making them feel bad

The popular saying, words are very powerful, is a fact that is inarguable. Words can kill and make alive; they can control the emotions of people. Therefore, no matter the circumstance(s), you should always use the right word on people, especially when describing them. The truth is that a dullard in class wouldn't want to be described as such in the presence of other students. Similarly, the word, thin, is one of the descriptions that people who are "thin" don't like to hear. Perhaps the sound of the word makes them thinner. LOL! It is just like the word "fat", which denotes additional weight so not many people like to be described as fat. So, how would you describe someone who is "thin" without hurting their feelings if you were asked to do so? Just be focused as we sail.

POSITIVE WAYS OF SAYING SOMEONE IS "THIN"

They are positive in the sense that the addressee exhibits a feeling of joy when either of these synonyms of "thin" is used to describe him/her. Some of these words are: willowy, slender, slim, lean etc.

Examples

1. Tammy is willowy. This means that Tammy is tall, thin and graceful.

2. Tammy is slender. A slender person is attractively thin and graceful.

3. Tammy is lean. When you describe someone as lean, you mean that they are thin but look strong and healthy.

4. My younger brother is tall and slim. A slim person has an attractively thin and well-shaped body.

From the examples given above, it is obvious that these words (willowy, slender, lean and slim) are positive in meaning as they express admiration and praise.

However, the ones listed below are more negative in meaning and shouldn't be used to describe someone who is "thin" if you don't want them to frown at you:

1. Skinny

A skinny person is extremely thin and unattractive.

Example:

The boy is quite skinny.

2. Bony

Someone who is bony is very thin and has very little flesh.

Example:

The girl has a bony face.

3. Scrawny

If you describe a person as scrawny, you mean that they look unattractive because they are excessively thin.

4. Gaunt

If someone looks gaunt, they look very thin, usually because they have been ill or worried.

5. Underweight

If someone is underweight, it means that they are too thin, and therefore not healthy.

6. Emaciated

A person that is emaciated is extremely thin because of illness or lack of food.

7. Anorexic

If someone is anorexic, they are suffering from anorexia and so are very thin.

Always choose your words correctly when describing people irrespective of whom they are. This will not only bring about a peaceful coexistence between you and them but will also portray you as one who is skilled in the language.

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As regards childbirth, is it correct or wrong to say "She delivered a baby boy"? Find out!

Most persons and some grammar pamphlets have argued that it is wrong to say "She delivered a baby boy" as regards childbirth. According to them, the statement has nothing to do with childbirth as it simply means “She delivered or rescued a baby boy from trouble or any form of attack.” As a result, we are schooled to say “She was delivered of a baby boy.” instead of “She delivered a baby boy.”

Inarguably, the statement, She delivered a baby boy, is ambiguous because of the presence of the polysemous word, “delivered”. It can either mean “She gave birth to a baby boy.” or “She delivered or rescued a baby boy from any form of attack.” However, this doesn't mean that it is wrong to say “She delivered a baby boy” when talking about childbirth. In a case such as this, the context should be used to determine the actual meaning of the statement. Context is very vital in determining the meaning of words and sentences.

With respect to childbirth, both statements are very correct but have different meanings. When you say “She delivered a baby boy”, it simply means that the woman gave birth to a baby boy. But when you say “She was delivered of a baby boy”, it means that the woman gave birth to a baby boy with the help of others, often doctors or midwives. There is a form of assistance once the phrase, was delivered of, is used.

Before making use of any correction in a grammar textbook, always visit the dictionary for confirmation. The dictionary is the final arbiter when it comes to word usage and error correction. Below are screenshots from some online dictionaries as regards the subject matter.

American Heritage Dictionary

Oxford Dictionary

Dictionary.com

English Dictionary

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WORD STRESS: 10 easy ways to identify the stressed syllable in a word

Word stress/Stress pattern is one of the important topics in the learning and teaching of English as a second language (henceforth ESL). However, most teachers of ESL skip or shy away from this topic because of their incompetence; thus, leaving their students helpless in an external exam. In Nigeria, with essay writing occupying the front seat as regards "the reasons why students fail English in WAEC, NECO or NABTEB", one can inarguably place word stress/stress pattern, which comes as paper 3 (Test of Oral) in WAEC examination, as the second reason why students fail English in WAEC, NECO or NABTEB. Students have no option(s) other than resorting to error and trial method when it comes to answering questions on word stress because they were neither taught nor properly taught. Therefore, this article is written to expose students and teachers of English to the rudiments of word stress in order to enable them easily identify the stressed syllable of a word.

Stress is the degree of force applied when pronouncing the syllable(s) of a word. The stressed syllable is the syllable on which the speaker uses more muscular energy and breath effort when pronouncing a word. A syllable is a unit of pronunciation that has one vowel sound. A word might have one syllable (like “come or “go”), two syllables (like "doc-tor" or "pre-sent"), three syllables ("dis-a-gree" or "com-pa-ny") and more (like "pan-de-mo-nium" or "per-so-ni-fi-ca-tion"). A word with one syllable is called a monosyllable; a word with two syllables is called a bisyllable, and a word with more than two syllables is called a polysyllable. Whatever the word, pay attention to the vowels because one of them will be where you find the stress of a word.

It is also important to note that syllables are different from letters. For example, “come” has four letters but one syllable. On the other hand, "Sunday" has six letters but two syllables.

There are different types of stress. Before you proceed, make sure you read it up using the links below. It will aid your understanding of this article.

The meaning and types of stress. Episode 1

The meaning and types of stress. Episode 2

Features of a stressed syllable

Stressed syllables possess similar feature which enables us to identify them. According to Roach (2004), "...all stressed syllables have one characteristic in common, and this is prominence." Four main factors make a stressed syllable prominent:

1. Loudness

Loudness is an important factor in determining the stressed syllable of a word. When pronouncing a word, the syllable that is louder than the others is heard as stressed. In other words, for hearers and listeners, stressed syllables are perceived as louder than unstressed syllables.

2. Length

A stressed syllable is usually longer than the other syllables in a word. Roach (2004) asserted that "If one of the syllables in a word is made longer than the others, there is quite a strong tendency for that syllable to be heard as stressed"(p. 94).

As regards this, Umera-Okeke (2015, p. 125) asserted that "Syllables containing long vowels are viewed as more prominent than those with short vowels."

3. Pitch

Pitch is the extent of vibration of the vocal cords when producing the syllables of a word. In a word, a syllable is heard as stressed if it is said with a high pitch unlike the other syllables. Umera-Okeke (2015) opined that "when there is a pitch change on a syllable, that syllable is seen as being more prominent" (pp. 125 - 126). For example, in the word "Pandemonium", the primary stress is on the third syllable, "mo", since there is a pitch change on that syllable.

4. Quality

The quality of a sound in a syllable determines whether or not that syllable is stressed. That is to say that "a syllable of a sound will tend to be prominent if it contains a vowel that is different in quality from the neighbouring vowels" (Roach, 2004, p. 94). Vowels are very important in determining the stressed syllable of a word. Therefore, one needs to pay attention to the type of vowel a syllable contains. Within vowels, open vowels are more prominent; thus, a syllable containing an open vowel is most likely to be stressed.

When next you pronounce a word, take note of these aforementioned features. It is also important to state that, of all these factors, loudness and length are more important in determining the stressed syllable of an English word.

Let's look at some rules that will enable you identify the stressed syllable of word.

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ: How to answer questions on emphatic stress in Use of English Exam

RULES THAT WILL ENABLE YOU IDENTIFY THE STRESSED SYLLABLE OF A WORD

1. Monosyllabic words, such as come, go, sit etc., are usually stressed since they can't be divided into different syllables.

2. Numbers that end in "ty" are stressed on the first syllable while numbers that end in "teen" have their stress on the second syllable. For example, "sixty" has its stress on first syllable (SIXty) while "sixteen" has its stress on the second syllable (sixTEEN).

3. Most bisyllabic nouns and adjectives are usually stressed on the first syllable.

Examples: BAS-tard, PRE-tty, CLE-ver, DOC-tor, STU-dent etc.

However, there is an exception to this rule, and you have to learn these words by heart: ho-TEL,  ex-TREME, con-CISE etc.

4. Bisyllabic verbs and prepositions are usually stressed on the second syllable. Examples: be-LOW, a-BOUT, a-BOVE, be-TWEEN, a-SIDE, pre-SENT, re-PLY, ex-PORT etc.

5. Some words in English language function as both nouns and verbs. When such words function as noun, the stress is usually on the first syllable, and as verbs, the stress is usually on the second syllable.

Examples:

i. PRE-sent (a gift) vs. pre-SENT (to give something formally to someone).

ii. RE-fuse (garbage) vs. re-FUSE (to decline).

iii. SU-spect (someone who the police believe may have committed a crime) vs. su-SPECT (to believe that something is true, especially something bad).

However, this is not always the case. For example, the word "respect" has its primary stress on the second syllable both when it’s a verb and a noun.

6. Six syllable words ending in "tion" are usually stressed on their fifth syllable. Examples: per-so-ni-fi-CA-tion, ca-pi-ta-li-SA-tion, i-ni-tia-li-SA-tion etc.

7. Three syllable words ending in "ly" often have their stress on the first syllable. Examples: OR-der-ly, QUI-et-ly etc.

8. Words ending in "ic", "sion" and "tion" are usually stressed on the second-to-last syllable. In this case, you are to count the syllables backward in order to get the second-to-last syllable. Examples: cre-A-tion, com-MI-ssion, au-THEN-tic etc. However, there are times when you need to count the syllable forward in order to get the second-to-last syllable. Examples: pho-to-GRA-phic, a-ccom-mo-DA-tion, ex-CUR-sion etc.

9. Words ending in "cy", "phy", "al", "ty" and "gy" are usually on the third-to-last syllable. You should also the count the syllables backward to get the third syllable. Examples: de-MO-cra-cy, pho-TO-gra-phy, CLI-ni-cal, a-TRO-si-ty, psy-CHO-lo-gy etc.

10. Most compound nouns (a word made up of two or more nouns) have their stress on the first noun. Examples: PLAYground, BLACKboard, FOOTball, KEYboard etc.

BONUS
Compound verbs (a verb made up of two or more words) and compound adjectives (an adjective that is made up of two or more adjectives, which are linked together by a hyphen) usually have their stress on the second word or syllable.

Examples:

outRIDE (compound verb).

outSHINE (compound verb).

old-FA-shioned (compound adjective).

In sum, the identification of the stressed syllables of English words is not an easy task; it is a process that requires a lot of practice and repetition as there are many rules and exceptions. For native speakers, this wouldn't be a problem, but for non-native speakers of the language, the reverse is always the case.  Therefore, the latter should immerse themselves in the enlightening dew of word stress through constant practice in order to be fortified. Should there be any problem while going through this process, don't hesitate to make reference to this page.

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