Common English Errors: A Compilation of Tammy's Online English Tutorials 3



Hello guys, this is the episode 3 of Tammy's Online English Tutorials. If you missed the episodes 1 and 2, you can read them here and here respectively. Let's cruise!
Common English Errors: A Compilation of Tammy's Online English Tutorials 3
1. You apportion BLAME, not 'blames.'
'Blame' is an uncountable noun; thus, it does not accept a plural marker.

2. "It's a shame" doesn't mean "you should feel embarrassed or ashamed over something." It simply means "It's unfortunate."

3. The man is cunning, not CUNNY; he takes things (too) seriously, not (too) SERIOUS. Learn to use these words correctly!

4. A student who is about to graduate or receive a degree is called a GRADUAND, not a "GRADUANT."

5. Which have you been saying?
OIL MAY (MARKET)
or
OIL MILL (MARKET)

6. SAY: "On a platter" or "On a silver platter."
DON'T SAY: On a platter of gold.

Example: Tammy got his admission on a (silver) platter.

7. Did you know that the letter 'f' in 'OF' is pronounced /v/, not /f/? Yes! This simply means that 'OF' is pronounced /ov/, not the way it is spelt.

8. How have you been writing this?

In other to

In order to

Example: "I teach people in order to learn."

9. Please, note that "fiancé" and "fiancée" are pronounced the same way: /fi-on-say/ or /fi-an-say/.

10. How have you been writing this?

Inspite of

In spite of

11. Do you use "wicked" as a verb? For example, "You like to wicked someone. If you wicked me, I will wicked you." Please, STOP IT.

12. Your smartphone has a TOUCHSCREEN, not a "SCREEN TOUCH." Stop saying "SCREEN TOUCH."

13. Father, may affliction never rise up the second time in the mouths of those who still make use of this expression: "She/He is jealousing me."


14. "Delve" is the appropriate term, not "dive." You don't DIVE into an issue or a topic (of discussion); you DELVE into it.

15. If you still make ends meet in spite of the hardship, 
SAY: I am surviving.

DON'T SAY: I am managing.

16. Never spell "Good luck" as "Goodluck" except you are referring to the former President of Nigeria.

17. Did you know that the correct idiom is, "Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know"? There is no "angel" in this idiom.

18. IDIOM
(Never) bite more than you can chew.

(Never) bite off more than you can chew.

19. And you don't WET your appetite; you WHET it.

Both words have the same sound but different meanings and spellings. Take note of this when you write.

20. To ask someone who is upset to calm down,
SAY: Pull yourself together.

DON'T SAY: Put yourself together.

21. This is Nigeria where someone can rain insults on you for saying they are LOCAL.
Please, note that "LOCAL" is not an insulting word.

22. As a student, 
DON'T SAY: I'm running an MA or a PhD programme.

SAY: I (am) enrolled in an MA or a PhD programme.

23. Don't say "The shirt/trousers is BOGUS" except it is fake.

"BOGUS" does not mean "oversize"; it means fake or counterfeit.

24. As a student, you don't OFFER a course; you TAKE a course. It is your institution that OFFERS a course.

25. Before you ask someone to shut up, try to know the difference between QUIET and QUITE! It is 'Keep QUIET,' not 'Keep QUITE.'

Tamuno Reuben

Those who seek knowledge seek power because the pen is mightier than the sword.

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