Learn English, speak English

09/07/2024

The use of 'shall' and 'will'
The words "will" and "shall" are both used to express future actions, but there are some subtle differences in their usage:

*Will:*

- Used to express future actions that are voluntary or intentional (e.g., "I will attend the meeting").
- Used to express predictions or expectations (e.g., "It will rain tomorrow").
- Used to express willingness or consent (e.g., "I will help you with your task").

*Shall:*

- Used to express future actions that are obligatory or mandatory (e.g., "You shall attend the meeting" (i.e., you are required to attend)).
- Used to express laws, rules, or regulations (e.g., "You shall not exceed the speed limit").
- Used to express determination or intention (e.g., "I shall succeed in this endeavor").

In general, "will" is used more frequently in American English, while "shall" is used more frequently in British English.

It's worth noting that the distinction between "will" and "shall" can be nuanced, and in many cases, either word can be used without changing the meaning of the sentence.

09/07/2024

Someone sent me this question "Is it, 'it is I who am to blame for the lapses' or 'it is l who is to blame for the lapses?' "

My response:

Both sentences are grammatically correct, but they use different pronouns and styles:

- "It is I who am to blame for the lapses" is a more formal, traditional way of phrasing, using the nominative pronoun "I" as the subject of the sentence. This construction is often used in formal writing, literature, and formal speeches.
- "It is I who..." is a more emphatic way of expressing responsibility, drawing attention to the speaker's role in the mistakes.

- "It is I who..." is more commonly used in British English.

-The second sentence should be "It is me who is to blame for the lapses" is a more informal way of phrasing, using the objective pronoun "me" as the subject of the sentence. This construction is often used in everyday conversation and informal writing.

- "It is me who..." is more commonly used in American English.

- "It is I who..." sounds more formal and polite, while "It is me who..." sounds more conversational and casual.

So, both sentences are correct, but the choice between them depends on the context, style, and regional variation.

22/06/2024

Students "do" or "take" a course, rather than "offer" a course.

"Offer" is typically used from the perspective of the educational institution or instructor, meaning to provide or make a course available to students. For example:

- "The university offers a wide range of courses in computer science."
- "The professor offers a special topics course on artificial intelligence."

On the other hand, students "do" or "take" a course to indicate that they are participating in or completing the course. For example:

- "I'm doing a course on machine learning this semester."
- "She took a course on data analysis last year."

So, to summarize: institutions offer courses, while students take or do courses!

22/06/2024

ASSOCIATION AND HER MEMBERS OR ASSOCIATION AND ITS MEMBERS
The former expression is wrong but the latter is correct. No matter how an association loves you or the other way round, grammatically, an association takes the personal pronoun ‘it’ or ‘its’ in the possessive form. It is grammatically wrong to write or say Katsina Old Students Association invites ‘her’ members…Instead, the expression should be recast as Katsina Old Students Association invites ‘its’ members…It may interest you to know that in a bid to avoid giving an impression of sentimentality, some users of the English language prefer to use ‘it/its’ even when referring to ones native land. There are other reasons too why the pronoun ‘it’ substitutes ‘she’ when referring to a country in some cases.
It merits clarification that in good English, the pronoun ‘she’ is used to refer to one’s native land, Church, university, and old school, though by suggesting that the institution in question is motherly, benevolent, and perhaps immortal.
The pronoun ‘it’ is equally used to refer to a human baby when you do not know what s*x the baby is. For example, When the baby is born, I’ll give it a name.
Interestingly, one’s pets (dogs, cats, horses etc )can take the personal pronouns he or she depending on the s*x of the pet. The sentence, I’ll be taking my horse for a bath is as good as I’ll be taking her or him (depending on the pet horse’s s*x) for a bath.However,if the animal is not a pet, use the neuter pronoun ‘it’ .
Let’s keep talking about the English language as long as we keep using it. As we service our machines and vehicles, let’s service the English language too. We need the language and the service. Wherever you are weekending, pray, relax, read and enjoy.

01/05/2024

DON’T CONFUSE ‘ROUND OFF’ WITH ‘ROUND UP’

ROUND UP means to find and gather together people animals or things. You can round up a few friends for a party. Police or soldiers can round up somebody or group of people. So, if police or soldiers round up a group of people, they find them and arrest them or capture them. Example, after the robbery incident, a number of suspects were rounded up and questioned.

ROUND OFF means to complete or finish something or to end something in a satisfactory manner. Example, we rounded off the meeting at 2pm or we hope to round off the meeting at 2pm.
So, don’t use round up instead of round off next time in your speech.

Note: round up and round off have few other meanings but these are the most commonly used and confused.

29/04/2024

What's the difference between "few" and "a few?"

The words "few" and "a few" have similar meanings, but they are used in different contexts to convey different shades of meaning.

- "Few" typically implies a small number, but with a slightly negative connotation, suggesting that the number is smaller than expected or desired. For example: "Few people attended the concert." (Here, the implication is that the turnout was disappointing.)
- "A few", on the other hand, implies a small number, but with a more neutral or even positive connotation, suggesting that the number is sufficient or adequate. For example: "I have a few friends coming over tonight." (Here, the implication is that the number is enough for a enjoyable gathering.)

So, in short, "few" tends to imply "not many", while "a few" implies "enough" or "a sufficient number".

26/04/2024

Is the verb in this sentence transitive? "The bell has been rung."

The verb "rung" in the sentence "The bell has been rung" is not a transitive verb in this context.

Although "rung" is a transitive verb in its typical usage (e.g., "She rung the bell"), in this sentence, it's used in a passive construction, where the subject (the bell) receives the action of the verb. The verb "rung" is in the passive participle form, indicating a state of being (the bell is in the state of having been rung).

In passive constructions like this, the verb is no longer transitive, as it's not acting on an object directly. Instead, the focus is on the subject (the bell) and its state.

Great question!

26/04/2024

26/04/2024

Are these words: "small" and "big" quantifiers?

"Small" and "large" are not quantifiers in the classical sense. Quantifiers typically indicate a specific amount or quantity, such as "three", "some", "most", or "all".

"Small" and "large" are actually _adjectives_ that describe the _size_ or _magnitude_ of something. They are used to provide a qualitative description, rather than a specific quantity.

However, there are some cases where words like "small" and "large" can be used to imply a quantity, such as:

- "A small number of people attended the event." (Here, "small" implies a relatively low quantity.)
- "A large portion of the cake was eaten." (Here, "large" implies a significant quantity.)

In these cases, "small" and "large" are being used as _imprecise quantifiers_, indicating a general sense of quantity rather than a specific amount.

I hope that helps clarify things!