Category: Grammar

Why you shouldn’t say ‘My names are…’

EnglishNaija

People who say ‘My names are…’ think they know simple grammar than most of us because when two to three names are mentioned, they assume that’s a plural noun phrase. For the ones who would listen, let’s tell them this: a full name is a singular nominal concept because it refers to one individual and represents a singular object. Whether you have one or ten first names before your surname, they refer to YOU. They all combine to form your identity. Examples: My name is Mirabel Spencer. My name is Brian…

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Asking questions: difference between ‘which’ and ‘what’

EnglishNaija

Both which and what are used to ask questions and might be used interchangeably. However, there’s a slight distinctive difference. which When we have limited choices (e.g. two or three things to choose from), we usually prefer which. Examples: Which of the shoes should I wear? The blue or pink one? He asked which of my daughters was getting married. What We prefer the use of what when we have an unlimited number of possible answers. Examples: What is your name? What is your opinion on this issue? Apart from the above…

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How to use ‘such as’ correctly

EnglishNaija

We use such as to give an example or examples that corroborate what we’re saying or writing. It’s a formal expression used in giving accurate information when explaining a point. When we use such as to give a singular example in writing, we don’t need a comma before it; when we use it for multiple examples, a comma is needed. Examples: Educational institutions such as Temple Schools provide comprehensive education. Monica couldn’t afford the basic necessities such as shelter. It’s better to use natural remedies, such as exercise, organic food and water…

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Quotation marks: uses, rules, British/American styles

EnglishNaija

Quotation marks (inverted commas) are one of the unique punctuation marks in English. They’re generally used to show what someone has said, though they have other uses. Moreover, they’re sometimes used in different ways in British and American English. Uses of quotation marks To enclose a direct speech. Example: ‘Who else was there with him?’ she queried. Note that the word following the closing quotation mark starts with a small letter (unless it’s a proper noun or ‘I’).   To draw attention to emphasized or unusual words, such as informal…

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Adverbs: types, functions, exceptions

EnglishNaija

An adverb tells us more about a verb, an adjective, another adverb or even a noun phrase. General definition sometimes ignore the noun phrase part but you should know it exists. You can form adverbs from some adjectives with the addition of -ly. However, some adverbs are the same as adjectives. Examples: fast, straight, hard (hardly is also an adverb), likely, etc. Like adjectives, adverbs use more as comparative and most as superlative. Examples: more slowly, most likely. Adverbs usually express manner, time, place, frequency, etc: they tell us how…

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