CORRECT AND INCORRECT SENTENCES
1a. I read his book completely (though it is not interesting.) (No)
I read his book completely (though it is not interesting). (Yes)
1b. Oxford University was established many years ago (I am not sure of the exact year now). (No)
Oxford University was established many years ago (I am not sure of the exact year now.) (Yes)
(When the expression in the parentheses is part of the preceding structure and is not an independent clause, the period is placed outside the parentheses. However, when the enclosed expression is an independent clause or expression, the period is placed within the parentheses.)
2a. There is only a vacancy for a lecturer and a counsellor. (No)
There is only a vacancy for a lecturer and counsellor. (Yes)
2b. A man or woman may apply for the job. (No)
A man or a woman may apply for the job. (Yes)
2c. The top candidate is a writer, a scholar, a journalist and a diplomat. (No)
The top candidate is a writer, scholar, journalist and diplomat. (Yes)
(The article, "a", "an" or "the", should be repeated while referring to two or more separate persons or objects. But when two or more nouns refer to the same person, the article is not repeated. A man and a woman cannot be the same person, normally.)
3a. All of them but Abiola is wrong. (No)
All of them but Biola are wrong. (Yes)
3b. All are well with me. (No)
All is well with me. (Yes)
3c. All but one lawmaker has left the ruling party. (No)
All but one lawmaker have left the ruling party. (Yes)
3d. All is prepared for their final examinations. (No)
All are prepared for their final examinations. (Yes)
3e. All kind of books are available in a good library. (No)
All kinds of books are available in a good library. (Yes)
(When "all" is used in a sentence, it either means everything or all the people or things. When it means everything, it agrees with a singular verb but when it refers to all people or things, it agrees with a plural verb. Also, "all" usually precedes a plural subject but it may also precede a singular subject, e.g., "all work without play makes Jack a dull boy." Then, note that when "all but" is used, the next verb is plural.)
Did You Know?
While "whatever" consistently ranks as the most annoying English word, the most commonly misused English word is "ironic", which is often confused with sarcasm, coincidence or paradox.
How do you feel or react when you are told "whatever"?
4a. She looks as a queen. (No)
She looks like a queen. (Yes)
4b. He came late again like he does always. (No)
He came late again as he does always. (Yes)
4c. He walks as he is drunk. (No)
He walks as if he is drunk. (Yes)
(As the use of "if" and "as" is often confusing, note that if the part of the sentence that comes after "like" or "as" contains no verb, the right word is usually "like". However, if there is a verb after the word, use "as". On some occasions, "as" is used with additions like "if", "though", etc.)
5a. Dr Oladimeji completed the assignment timely. (No)
Dr Oladimeji completed the assignment in a timely manner. (Yes)
5b. The late don related friendly with all and sundry. (No)
The late don was friendly to all and sundry. (Yes)
("Timely" and "friendly" are two of the words that end with "ly" without being adverbs. They are adjectives and they should be used as qualifiers.)
6a. Many researches have been carried out on that subject. (No)
A lot of research has been carried out on that subject. (Yes)
6b. All evidences available affirm and confirm that the accused is guilty. (No)
All evidence available affirms and confirms that the accused is guilty. (Yes)
("Research" and "evidence" are not countable, usually. Other words in this category include "sugar", "tea", "knowledge", "safety", etc.)
Did You Know?
If you spell out the numbers in English from "one", you won't encounter "a", the first letter, until you reach "one thousand".
7a. You and me are responsible for our actions. (No)
You and I are responsible for our actions. (Yes)
Both of us are responsible for our actions. (Yes)
7b. If I am you, I will not associate with corrupt politicians. (No)
If I were you, I would not associate with corrupt politicians. (Yes)
7c. If you were him, would you condone staff indiscipline? (No)
If you were he, would you condone staff indiscipline? (Yes)
(Pronouns are in the nominative case when they are sentence subjects, traditionally. Then, the subjunctive mood is adopted for expressing hypothetical situations or conditions contrary to truth or reality; i.e. "if I were you..." underscores the fact is that I am not you. Also, the rule is that the pronoun following linking verbs, like the forms of the verb "to be", takes the subjective case as it is a complement, not object; e.g., "it is I"; "it is she". However, "it is me", "it was her", etc. are acceptable, hence correct, especially in informal speech and writing.)
8a. The money is your's, not mine. (No)
The money is yours, not mine. (Yes)
8b. The pen is his, not her. (No)
The pen is his, not hers. (Yes).
8c. The book is mine, not his'. (No)
The book is mine, not his. (Yes)
(There is no apostrophe before or after the 's' in the possessive forms of personal pronouns. Unlike "her", which becomes "hers" when used predicatively, "his" is used both attributively and predicatively. For instance, "it is his food; the food is his" as opposed to "it is her food, the food is hers.")
9a. The lecturer invited family and friends to his marriage. (No)
The lecturer invited family and friends to his wedding. (Yes)
The lecturer invited family and friends to his marriage ceremony. (Yes)
9b. Are you planning a reception to mark your marriage anniversary? (No)
Are you planning a reception to mark your wedding anniversary? (Yes)
9c. The wedding of the celebrity couple did not last beyond two years. (No)
The marriage of the celebrity couple did not last beyond two years. (Yes)
( A marriage is a long-term relationship between two persons, normally a man and a woman. A wedding is the ceremony of getting married. A "wedding anniversary" commemorates the day on which the ceremony took place.)
Did You Know?
"Synonym" is one of the few words in English that does not have a synonym.
Can you think of a synonym of "synonym"?
1a. I read his book completely (though it is not interesting.) (No)
I read his book completely (though it is not interesting). (Yes)
1b. Oxford University was established many years ago (I am not sure of the exact year now). (No)
Oxford University was established many years ago (I am not sure of the exact year now.) (Yes)
(When the expression in the parentheses is part of the preceding structure and is not an independent clause, the period is placed outside the parentheses. However, when the enclosed expression is an independent clause or expression, the period is placed within the parentheses.)
2a. There is only a vacancy for a lecturer and a counsellor. (No)
There is only a vacancy for a lecturer and counsellor. (Yes)
2b. A man or woman may apply for the job. (No)
A man or a woman may apply for the job. (Yes)
2c. The top candidate is a writer, a scholar, a journalist and a diplomat. (No)
The top candidate is a writer, scholar, journalist and diplomat. (Yes)
(The article, "a", "an" or "the", should be repeated while referring to two or more separate persons or objects. But when two or more nouns refer to the same person, the article is not repeated. A man and a woman cannot be the same person, normally.)
3a. All of them but Abiola is wrong. (No)
All of them but Biola are wrong. (Yes)
3b. All are well with me. (No)
All is well with me. (Yes)
3c. All but one lawmaker has left the ruling party. (No)
All but one lawmaker have left the ruling party. (Yes)
3d. All is prepared for their final examinations. (No)
All are prepared for their final examinations. (Yes)
3e. All kind of books are available in a good library. (No)
All kinds of books are available in a good library. (Yes)
(When "all" is used in a sentence, it either means everything or all the people or things. When it means everything, it agrees with a singular verb but when it refers to all people or things, it agrees with a plural verb. Also, "all" usually precedes a plural subject but it may also precede a singular subject, e.g., "all work without play makes Jack a dull boy." Then, note that when "all but" is used, the next verb is plural.)
Did You Know?
While "whatever" consistently ranks as the most annoying English word, the most commonly misused English word is "ironic", which is often confused with sarcasm, coincidence or paradox.
How do you feel or react when you are told "whatever"?
4a. She looks as a queen. (No)
She looks like a queen. (Yes)
4b. He came late again like he does always. (No)
He came late again as he does always. (Yes)
4c. He walks as he is drunk. (No)
He walks as if he is drunk. (Yes)
(As the use of "if" and "as" is often confusing, note that if the part of the sentence that comes after "like" or "as" contains no verb, the right word is usually "like". However, if there is a verb after the word, use "as". On some occasions, "as" is used with additions like "if", "though", etc.)
5a. Dr Oladimeji completed the assignment timely. (No)
Dr Oladimeji completed the assignment in a timely manner. (Yes)
5b. The late don related friendly with all and sundry. (No)
The late don was friendly to all and sundry. (Yes)
("Timely" and "friendly" are two of the words that end with "ly" without being adverbs. They are adjectives and they should be used as qualifiers.)
6a. Many researches have been carried out on that subject. (No)
A lot of research has been carried out on that subject. (Yes)
6b. All evidences available affirm and confirm that the accused is guilty. (No)
All evidence available affirms and confirms that the accused is guilty. (Yes)
("Research" and "evidence" are not countable, usually. Other words in this category include "sugar", "tea", "knowledge", "safety", etc.)
Did You Know?
If you spell out the numbers in English from "one", you won't encounter "a", the first letter, until you reach "one thousand".
7a. You and me are responsible for our actions. (No)
You and I are responsible for our actions. (Yes)
Both of us are responsible for our actions. (Yes)
7b. If I am you, I will not associate with corrupt politicians. (No)
If I were you, I would not associate with corrupt politicians. (Yes)
7c. If you were him, would you condone staff indiscipline? (No)
If you were he, would you condone staff indiscipline? (Yes)
(Pronouns are in the nominative case when they are sentence subjects, traditionally. Then, the subjunctive mood is adopted for expressing hypothetical situations or conditions contrary to truth or reality; i.e. "if I were you..." underscores the fact is that I am not you. Also, the rule is that the pronoun following linking verbs, like the forms of the verb "to be", takes the subjective case as it is a complement, not object; e.g., "it is I"; "it is she". However, "it is me", "it was her", etc. are acceptable, hence correct, especially in informal speech and writing.)
8a. The money is your's, not mine. (No)
The money is yours, not mine. (Yes)
8b. The pen is his, not her. (No)
The pen is his, not hers. (Yes).
8c. The book is mine, not his'. (No)
The book is mine, not his. (Yes)
(There is no apostrophe before or after the 's' in the possessive forms of personal pronouns. Unlike "her", which becomes "hers" when used predicatively, "his" is used both attributively and predicatively. For instance, "it is his food; the food is his" as opposed to "it is her food, the food is hers.")
9a. The lecturer invited family and friends to his marriage. (No)
The lecturer invited family and friends to his wedding. (Yes)
The lecturer invited family and friends to his marriage ceremony. (Yes)
9b. Are you planning a reception to mark your marriage anniversary? (No)
Are you planning a reception to mark your wedding anniversary? (Yes)
9c. The wedding of the celebrity couple did not last beyond two years. (No)
The marriage of the celebrity couple did not last beyond two years. (Yes)
( A marriage is a long-term relationship between two persons, normally a man and a woman. A wedding is the ceremony of getting married. A "wedding anniversary" commemorates the day on which the ceremony took place.)
Did You Know?
"Synonym" is one of the few words in English that does not have a synonym.
Can you think of a synonym of "synonym"?
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