Accent With Kommi

BATH vs BATHE

Most people use and pronounce these two words wrongly — especially in everyday conversation.

Let’s fix that today 👇

1️⃣ BATH = a NOUN

A bath is the act of washing yourself
OR the water/container used for washing.

Pronunciation:

❌️ baff

❌ ️bat

✅️ bath → /baːθ/ or /bæθ/
(Ends with the soft TH sound as in path, teeth)

Examples:

I want to take a bath.

The baby needs a bath.

The bathtub is full.

❌ I want to bath.
✅️I want to take a bath.

Note:
In some British usage “bath” can be used as a verb informally.

But sticking to bath (noun) and bathe (verb) is always your safest bet for standard, universally accepted professional communication.

2️⃣ BATHE = a VERB

Bathe means to wash yourself or someone.

Pronunciation:

❌️ bed
❌️ baff
✅️ bayth
✅️ bathe → /beɪð/

Note:

“a” sounds like day

“th” sounds like the TH in “soothe”

Examples:

I need to bathe before going out.

She bathed the baby.

Please bathe properly.

✅ Correct: “I want to bathe.”

❌ Wrong: “I want to bath.” (in standard modern English)

Summary:

🛁 BATH = THING (noun)

You TAKE a bath.

🚿 BATHE = ACTION (verb)

You BATHE yourself.

COMMON MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE ❌

❌ “I want to bath.”

✅ “I want to bathe.”

❌ “Go and baff.”

✅ “Go and bathe.”

Real aloud

• I took a bath yesterday.

• I will bathe this evening.

Remember:

You don’t bath yourself.

You bathe yourself.

But you can TAKE a bath.

CLASSWORK — BATH vs BATHE

Choose the correct word: BATH or BATHE

1️⃣ I want to ______ before going to bed.
2️⃣ The baby needs a ______.
3️⃣ She went upstairs to ______.
4️⃣ After football, the boys took a ______.
5️⃣ Please ______ the dog carefully.

LOSS vs LOSE vs LOOSE

These three words seem similar but they have completely different meanings.

And mixing them up can ruin your grammar

Let’s learn👇

1. LOSE = VERB (ACTION)

“Lose” means:

• to misplace something

• to fail to keep something

• to be defeated

Examples:

• Don’t lose your phone.

• If you don’t study, you could lose the opportunity.

• Arsenal may lose the match.

Common mistake:
❌ I don’t want to loose my job.
✅ I don’t want to lose my job.

2. LOSS = NOUN (THING/RESULT)

“Loss” is the RESULT of losing something.

Examples:

• The company recorded a huge loss.

• Her father’s death was a painful loss.

• Weight loss takes discipline.

A simple code 👇

📌 You lose something
📌 That becomes a loss

Example:

He lost money yesterday.

The money was a big loss.

3. LOOSE = NOT TIGHT

“Loose” describes something free, not firm, or not tight.

Examples:

• My trousers are too loose.

• The screw is loose.

• She wore a loose gown.

Common mistake:
❌ Don’t loose hope.
✅ Don’t lose hope.

Because hope is not “tight” 😅

Summary

LOSE = missing something

LOSS = the result of losing

LOOSE = opposite of tight

COMMON ERRORS

❌ You will loose customers.
✅ You will lose customers.

❌ We suffered many loses.
✅ We suffered many losses.

❌ This cloth is lose.
✅ This cloth is loose.

Classwork

Choose the correct word:

1. Don’t ___ your focus.

2. The business made a huge ___.

3. Your belt is too ___.

4. Nigeria cannot afford this ___.

LEND vs BORROW

These two words confuse a lot of English learners because they talk about the SAME situation — but from DIFFERENT directions.

Let’s learn

✅ LEND

Lend means to GIVE temporarily

When you lend, you GIVE something to someone and expect it back.

👉 The owner performs the action.

Examples:

I lent my friend ₦5,000.

Can you lend me your pen?

She lent him her charger.

✅ BORROW

Borrow means to RECEIVE temporarily

When you borrow, you TAKE something from someone and plan to return it.

👉 The receiver performs the action.

Examples:

I borrowed ₦5,000 from my friend.

Can I borrow your pen?

He borrowed her charger yesterday.

The Easiest Way to Remember It

LEND = GIVE OUT

BORROW = BRING IN

If you GIVE it → LEND
If you TAKE it → BORROW

Common Mistakes Nigerians Make

❌ Borrow me your pen.

✅ Lend me your pen.

Why?
Because the owner is giving the pen.

❌ Can you borrow me ₦2,000?

✅ Can you lend me ₦2,000?

❌ I lent money from John.

✅ I borrowed money from John.

Look at This Carefully 👇

Same situation. Different perspective.

• David lent Esther his laptop.

• Esther borrowed David’s laptop.

Both sentences describe the SAME event.

The difference is WHO you focus on.

Remember:

LEND → lend something TO someone

She lent her bag to me.

BORROW → borrow something FROM someone

I borrowed a bag from her.

Classwork ✍️

Choose the correct word:

1. Can I ______ your phone for a minute?

2. She ______ me her textbook yesterday.

3. I forgot my wallet, please ______ me ₦1,000.

4. He ______ money from the bank.

5. Never ______ things you cannot return.

❌ DISCUSS ABOUT

People often say:

❌ “Let’s discuss about it.”
❌ “We discussed about the issue yesterday.”

But in correct English, DISCUSS does NOT take “about.”

The correct form is:

✅ “Let’s discuss it.”
✅ “We discussed the issue yesterday.”

Here's why

Because discuss already means “to talk about something.”
So adding about becomes unnecessary repetition.

It’s like saying:

❌ “Return back”
❌ “Repeat again”

The extra word is not needed.

Examples👇

❌ We discussed about the project.
✅ We discussed the project.

❌ They are discussing about politics.
✅ They are discussing politics.

❌ Let’s discuss about your idea.
✅ Let’s discuss your idea.

❌ The teacher discussed about climate change.
✅ The teacher discussed climate change.

But note:

You can use discussion about because discussion is a noun.

✅ We had a discussion about the matter.
✅ The discussion about education lasted for hours.

So remember this simple rule:

DISCUSS → no about

DISCUSSION → can take about

Summary:

If the word is discuss, go straight to the topic.

✅ discuss the issue
✅ discuss the plan
✅ discuss the problem


Classwork ✍️

Correct these sentences:

1. We discussed about the exam yesterday.

2. Let’s discuss about your performance.

3. They discussed about the new policy for hours.

4. The panel discussed about corruption in society.

SELL vs SALE

This mistake has caused numerous embarrassing scenarios

I remember when someone wanted to put up his vehicle for sale and posted online:

❌ “I want to sale my car for XYZ amount. Contact the number displayed or send a DM.”

The comments were on fire 😂

Most people said they wouldn’t buy the car until he learned the difference between “sale” and “sell” (trust Nigerians).

So let’s clear it up today 👇

SELL = VERB (action)

“Sell” is what you DO.

It means to give something in exchange for money.

Examples:

• I want to sell my phone.
• She sells bags online.
• They sold their car yesterday.
• Please help me sell these shoes.

📌 SELL = ACTION

SALE = NOUN (thing/event)

“Sale” is NOT an action.

It is a period or event where things are sold at reduced prices.

Examples:

• The supermarket is having a sale.
• I bought it during the Black Friday sale.
• There’s a massive sale at the mall.
• Cars on sale are cheaper this month.

📌 SALE = EVENT/THING

Summary:

If you can replace the word with:

“market” or “discount event” → use SALE

“trade/exchange for money” → use SELL

Common Nigerian Mistakes

❌ I want to sale my land.
✅ I want to sell my land.

❌ Come and sell in our promo sale.
✅ Come and buy in our promo sale.

❌ She is doing sales girl.
✅ She is a salesgirl.
✅ She works in sales.

Note:

“Sales” (plural) is often used as an adjective to describe a job or a department.

​✅️ “He is a sales representative.”
​✅ “I work in the sales department.”

​This is often where the confusion starts, as people see the “s” at the end of “sales” and assume it can be used in other ways too.

Classwork

Choose the correct word: SALE or SELL

1. I want to ___ my old laptop.

2. The store is having a Christmas ___.

3. She ___ clothes online.

4. Everything is on ___ today.

Drop your answers 👇

IN BED vs ON BED

A lot of people mix these up, but they DO NOT mean the same thing.

Here’s the difference:

1. IN BED

Use in bed when someone is lying down to sleep or rest — usually under the bed cover or blanket.

Examples:

I’m already in bed.

She stayed in bed all morning.

The baby is in bed sleeping.

📌 Think of it this way: If the person is there to rest or sleep, use IN BED.

2. ON THE BED

Use on the bed when something or someone is physically on top of the bed surface.

Note:
It's ON THE BED not ON BED

Examples:

My laptop is on the bed.

He dropped the keys on the bed.

The clothes are on the bed.

📌 Here, we are talking about POSITION, not sleeping.

Common Mistake:

❌ He's on the bed sleeping.

✅ He's in bed sleeping.

Summary

Sleeping/resting = IN BED

Object/location/surface = ON THE BED

Now tell me in the comments 👇

If your phone is beside you right now, is it in bed or on the bed? 😂

TO LET vs LEASE vs RENT

These three are related to property, houses, shops, land, etc., but they are used differently.

1. TO LET

“To let” means available for rent.

It is commonly written on signs outside houses, shops, offices, or apartments.

It signals that a property is available for someone to inhabit or use in exchange for payment.

Examples:

• House to let

• Shop to let

• Office space to let

📌 This means the owner wants someone to rent it.

2. RENT

Rent is the most common everyday word.

It refers to the periodic payment made for temporary use of something

OR

To allow someone use your property for payment.

Rent is associated with short-term or month-to-month arrangements often called a "Rental Agreement"

Rental agreements are usually easier to terminate or change with short notice (e.g., 30 days).

Examples:

• I pay my rent on the first of every month.

• She rented a car for the weekend.

• They rent out rooms to students.

📌 “Rent” can refer to houses, cars, equipment, clothes, etc.

3. LEASE

A lease is a formal rental agreement between a landlord (lessor) and a tenant (lessee)

It covers a long-term period, such as, 12 months, or several years.

It is more common in legal, business, or official situations.

Examples:

• We signed a two-year lease.

• The company leased a new office building.

• He leased his land to a telecom company.

📌 A lease often involves contracts, fixed duration, official/legal terms

🖋 SUMMARY

To Let: The signboard or advertisement indicating a property is available.

​Rent: The payment (transaction) made to use the property or item. AND ALSO the action of giving out a property for usage.

​Lease: The contract (legal agreement) that binds the parties to a specific long-term duration.


I hope this helps.

PUT TO BED, PUT TO BIRTH or GIVE BIRTH?

Let's deal with this issue today.

PUT TO BED
Put to bed is an idiom.
It means to bring something to an end, resolve an issue, or settle a matter.

Example:
The committee finally put the argument to bed.

In everyday English, it can also mean helping someone get ready to sleep.
She put the children to bed at 9 p.m.

NOTE
Historically, “put to bed” was once used to mean “to help a woman deliver a baby.”

However, that usage is now old-fashioned and uncommon in modern Standard English.

PUT TO BIRTH
This expression does not exist in Standard English.

When a woman has a baby, “put to bed” or “put to birth” is NOT the correct expression in Standard English.


✅ Correct expressions to use

• Give birth
She has given birth.
She gave birth yesterday.

• Deliver a baby
The nurse delivered the baby safely.

• Deliver a child
She delivered her first child at the hospital.

• Be delivered of (formal)
The queen was delivered of a healthy baby girl.

🚫 Avoid saying this

She was put to bed.
She was put to birth.

✅ Better modern usage

• She gave birth safely.

• She was delivered safely of a baby girl.

Did you learn?

Guilty or not?

Don't let these 3 confuse you

📌 Some time
📌 Sometime
📌 Sometimes

They may look alike but they DO NOT mean the same thing.

Here’s the difference:

1. Some time

Some time means a period of time.

It talks about an amount of time.

Examples:

• I need some time to think.
• It took me some time to understand it.
• Give her some time.

Note:
If you can replace it with “a while,” it’s probably some time.

2. Sometime

Sometime means at an unspecified point in time.

It can be in the future (meaning “someday”) or in the past (meaning “at some point”)

Examples:

• Let’s hang out sometime.
• I’ll call you sometime tomorrow.
• We should visit them sometime.

Note: Think of it as: “someday” or “at some point.”

3. Sometimes

Sometimes means occasionally.

This means “not always.”

Examples:

• I sometimes sleep late.
• She sometimes forgets her keys.
• Lagos traffic is sometimes unbearable.

Note: If you can replace it with “occasionally,” use sometimes.

CLASSWORK

Fill in the blanks with some time, sometime or sometimes

1. I need __________ to rest after work.

2. We should travel together __________.

3. She __________ forgets to reply to her messages.

4. It may take __________ before he replies.

5. Let’s visit grandma __________ next month.

6. Most people __________ switch accents on phone calls.

Drop your answers in the comments 👇

These pairs of words are pronounced the same way

• Principle and Principal = Principle

• Kernel and Colonel= Kernel

• Flower and Flour = Flower

• Idle and Idol = Idle

• Blew and Blue = Blue

• Pair and Pear = Pair

• Stake and Steak = Stake

• Cereal and Serial = Cereal

• Prophet and Profit = Profit

• Altar and Alter = Alter

• Ewe and You = You

• Council and Counsel = Council

• Their / There / They’re = There

These are called homophones — words that sound alike but have different meanings and spellings.

Which of these pairs wowed you?

Can you add your others? Use the comment section.

Who vs Whom

“Who” vs “Whom” is all about subjects vs objects in a sentence.

Note:
• Subject does the action
• Object receives the action

1. Who = subject (does the action)

Use who when the person is performing the action.

Examples:
• Who called you?
(“Who” is doing the calling.)

• Who is coming to the party?
(“Who” is the subject of “is coming.”)

📌 If you can replace it with he/she/they, use who.
• He called you
• She is coming to the party.

2. Whom = object (receives the action)

Use whom when the person receives the action.

Whom did you call?
(You did the calling; “whom” receives it.)

To whom should I address the letter?
(“Whom” is the object of “to.”)

📌 If you can replace it with him/her/them, use whom.

🖋 In casual conversation, whom is becoming less common. It’s worth noting that this lesson represents formal or correct grammar, which is vital for exams and professional writing.

Classwork

Fill in the blanks with who/whom

1. ______ did you see?

2. ______ should I speak to about this issue?

3. ______ did the manager promote?

4. With ______ are you going to the event?

5. ______ is at the door?

6. To ______ did she give the parcel?

7. ______ will lead the team?