COMMONLY MISUSED WORDS/PHRASES IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
Below are some of the words we use wrongfully on daily basis as writers and English Language speakers particularly in the second language situational contexts.
(1)Faithful/Faithfuls:
Wrong:Muslim faithfuls are expected to be fasting right now.
Correct: Muslim faithful are expected to be fasting right now.
Wrong: Governor Oyetola of Osun State has congratulated all Muslim faithfuls on the occasion of Eid-al-Fitr.
Correct: Governor of Osun State has congratulated all Muslim faithful on the occasion of Eid-al-Fitr.
Note:
Even when you mean plural, it is always "Christian faithful", "Muslim faithful" not Christian faithfuls or Muslim Faithfuls.In these contexts,the word faithful doesn't attract 's'.
(2)Lack Behind/Lag Behind:
Wrong:Read your books well so that you will not lack behind your mates in the school.
Correct:Read your books well so that you will not lag behind your mates in the school.
Note:The appropriate word there is "lag", not "lack".You don't lack behind but you lag behind.
(3)Horn/Honk:
Wrong:Lean to always horn before overtaking the car in front of you.
Correct: Learn to always honk before overtaking the car in front of you.
Wrong: Tobi was horning too loud such that I have to call him to order.
Correct: Tobi was horning too loud such that I have to call him to order.
Note:
The object is what is called "horn".
The derivative verb from that is "honk".
Hence, you honk the horn of a car.
Word forms: honks, honking, honked. transitive verb/
intransitive verb. If you honk the horn of a vehicle or if the horn honks, you make the horn produce a short loud sound. Drivers honked their horns in solidarity with the peace marchers.
(4)Cutlery/Cutleries:
Wrong:Get me cutleries to eat my lunch.
Correct:Get me cutlery to eat my lunch.
Note:
All objects you used for eating, such as knives, forks, and spoons, etc, are called "cutlery", not "cutleries".
(5)Stationeries/Stationery
Wrong:I request for statineries for use in my office
Correct:I request for stationery for use in my office
Note: All your writing and other office materials, such as books, pens, erasers, stamps, etc, are called "stationery", not "stationeries".
(6)Plate Number/Number Plate:
Wrong:My wife has applied for a PLATE NUMBER for her new car.
Correct:My wife has applied for a NUMBER PLATE for her new car.
Note:
What you place at the front and back of your car is called "number plate", not "plate number".
(7)Trickish/Tricky:
In English Language,there is no such word as 'Trickish',what exist and correct is 'Tricky'.
Wrong:Yahoo guys can be very trickish.
Correct:Yahoo guys can be very tricky.
(8)Pepperish/Peppery:
Wrong:I cannot eat the soup because it is pepperish.
Correct:I cannot eat the soup because it is peppery.
(9)Running Stomach/Runny Stomach:
Wrong: I prefer to skip the breakfast today because I have RUNNING stomach.
Correct:I prefer to skip the breakfast today I have RUNNY stomach.
(10)Running Nose/Runny Nose:
Wrong:My daughter couldn't go to school yesterday because she had RUNNING nose.
Correct:My daughter couldn't go to school yesterday because she had RUNNY nose
(11)Raining Season/Rainy Season:
Wrong: We are still in the RAINING season.
Correct:We are still in the RAINY season.
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