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Common errors in English spoken in Nigeria.

Good morning KIB students.

Let's get down to brass tacks people.

1. You don't write exams except you are the examiner. The person  being examined,  sits for exam or takes an exam. It is wrong to say 'I wrote Waec  in 2004' rather you say 'I sat for waec in 2004' or 'I took Waec in 2004'.  'sat for' is used in Britain while 'take'  is used in the US.

2. 'Where did you school' is wrong. 'I school at Uniport' is also wrong. To school (verb) means to educate,  to teach.e.g of its usage. 
a. I am  being schooled on  Facebook by a radio personality, King Ifey.
b. You will be properly schooled on the use of English at King Ifey Academy.
c. I just got a job to school people at Uniport. (you have become a lecturer). When  someone says he schools at a particular school.  I feel like he is saying he teaches there.
You can say.
I attend Uniport. I study at Unizik.  i am getting/being schooled at Unilag.

In case you are asking question, please ask.
Which school do you attend? Where do you study?  Where are you being schooled?

3. Severally doesn't mean several times. Severally mean 'singly or separately. E.g. she washed my clothes severally(one after the other. )

4. Practically doesn't mean completely. It means 'almost'. E.g. the food was practically finished when I came to join them.  It means that something was still remaining on the plate.

5. You  lay emphasis on something but you don't emphasise on something.  Rather you enjoyed emphasise something.  When using the verb 'emphasise' you don't use the preposition 'on' with it.

6. The adjective of the word ' plump' is still plump and not plumpy.

Plumpy man,  plumpy woman,  plumpy cheeks are all wrong.

Rather you say.
Plump man,  plump woman,  plump cheeks.

7. It is not correct to say ' the devil you know is better than the angel you don't know'.  The correct expression is ' better the devil you know than the devil you don't'.

8. 'You  can't  eat your cake and have it' is not a frequent usage in contemporary English. The correct expression is ' you can't  have your cake and eat it.

9. You don't  say send-forth party or even send-off party. Rather, you say  send-off.  Send-off is a party organised to wish someone farewell.  I will attend a send-off today. We are organising a send-off for the graduates.

10. Decipher is not pronounced 'desifa' rather you say 'disaifa' /dɪˈsʌɪfə/

Determine is never pronounced as 'deterMINE' rather it is pronounced as 'deTERmin'
/dɪˈtəːmɪn/ so please tell your village people to stop you from  saying  /dɪtəː'maɪn/

11. It is not roasted corn,  roasted meat,  roasted chicken, roasted yam. Roasted is just a verb. The adjective of the word 'roast ' is still 'roast'.  So you say. 'roast corn,  roast chicken, roast yam  and roast meat.

12. You don't  say people are corrupted. The correct adjective of 'corrupt' that is used for humans is 'corrupt'.

Some  men are corrupt. Corrupt minds,  corrupt judges,  corrupt people,  corrupt judge nation. Please, avoid using 'corrupted' as an adjective for humans. 

13. Finally, talkative is an adjective not a noun.

She is a talkative ❌
You are a talkative❌

She is talkative✔
You are talkative ✔.

I am King Ifey,  a radio personality in Port Harcourt whose drive is to see people flourish and speak better English. You can follow me on  social media for online for classes.

If you are in  Port Harcourt,  then you are lucky enough.  The first live class with me starts Friday, on the 11th  of August at Shadrach de Montessori Academy,  15 Egeonu stree,  off Ikwere Road,  Rumuigbo Port Harcourt.

In case you are skeptical about my competence in  spoken  English, watch my videos. You can also listen to my radio show  on Love97.7fm , Port Harcourt. From  2 to 4pm,  Mondays to Thursdays. 

For more information,  please contact this number 07057650202.

The class is not for everyone. Those who want to be orators should attend. Those who want to be
Actors and actresses should attend and upgrade their spoken  English.
You might be a great singer with bad enunciations,  attend the class and set yourself free.

You want to be a media personality and people cringe when you speak, please come and learn with me.

If you just want to speak better because you know the vitality of speaking well,  please don't miss this three-month weekends' classes with a king Ifey.
Evening classes for adult,  morning classes for children. Get enrolled now.

I love to see you prosper.

The class with King Ifey is done and dusted.

*walks out of the class and peeps through the window*

Everyone please,  share your note with your friends. Haba na.  You may not be interested in  the class,  but  a friend of yours might be. Please share to your Port Harcourt friends.

Toodles.

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