❇ *Confusing words*🤔💬💭
💠 All together/Altogether
Use *all together* to mean “all in one place”, or “in a group”.
Use *altogether* to mean “completely” or “in all”, or “on the whole”.
When “all together” is used, other words can come between “all” and “together ” but same cannot be done when “altogether” is used.
Example
1. The apprentice packed *all* the tools *together*.✅
2. We have fun when we are *all together*.✅
3. *Altogether*, we have made progress in today’s discussion.✅
❇ *Misused words/expressions*❌
💠 He *hunged* himself
Use *hanged* when you mean “put to death by hanging”. Use *hung* in all other instances.
*Hanged* is the past tense of “hang” in the sense of executing someone by using a rope around the neck. *Hung* is the past tense of “hang” but it is used for things. For example, “He hung the picture on the wall”. “Hanged” is used for persons whereas “hung” is used for things.
Example
1. The condemned prisoner is to be *hanged* this afternoon.✅
2. I have *hung* a Ghana flag on my wall.✅
❇ *Grammar*📚
💠 Rules for writing numbers
*Rule number Two: Numbers that require numerals*
1. Numbers 10 and above
Example: We bought *13* laptops yesterday.
2. Percentages
Example: Clinton scored 78% in the English exam. *Note*: Spell out the percentage if it begins the sentence.
❇ *Pronunciation*◀️🅿▶️
💠 Stethoscope /ˈstɛθəsˌkoʊp/
“It is a medical instrument used for listening to sounds produced within the body…”
The first syllable is not pronounced as /sɛ/ but /stɛ/.
Example
1. The NGO donated *stethoscopes* to the hospital. ✅
❇ *Spell Check*☑
💠 Lefty/Righty
A lefty or a left-handed person is one who uses his/her left hand in preference to, or more skillfully than, one’s right. It is also spelt as “leftie”. The opposite form is *rightie* or *righty* or *right-handed*.
In UK, a *leftie* is one with left-wing political views. To be on the safe side, you can use “left-handed” which is common between the two varieties.
Example
1. Stephen is *left-handed*.✅
2. We didn’t know he was a *righty* until he started playing.✅
❇
*Ghanaianisms/Ghanaian English*😜🙊🙉
💠 Two twins
Example
1. Harriet is the younger of the *two twins*. ❌
The above example is a tautological statement. We know that “twins” are “two” so it is unnecessary to precede it with “two”. The sentence should read,
1. Harriet is the younger of the *twins*.✅
❇ *Idiom of the day*🆔
💠 Expectant mother
A pregnant woman
Example
1. God bless all *expectant mothers*. 🙏🏽
❇ *Word of the day*
👍🏽🆕
💠 Paedophile/Pedophile (noun)
A person who is sexually attracted to children.
The British spell it as “paedophile” /pii də faɪl/ and the Americans spell it as “pedophile“ /pɛ doʊ faɪl/.
Example
1. We shouldn’t tolerate *paedophiles* in our society.✅
❇ *Conversation Tip*✅
💠 To overcome stage fright, you need to know that,
1. Everyone, at one point in time, has experienced this.
2. The need to communicate or perform the action is more important.
3. You won’t overcome it if you don’t ever make the attempt to break the ice.
4. You need to prepare well on presentations before getting on stage.
5. It is necessary to free your mind; don’t be intimidated; be confident!
6. Practice makes perfect.
❇ *Literary device of the day*🚸
💠 Exposition
An opening section in fiction, including novel, play, and movie, by which background information about the characters, events, or setting is conveyed.
The exposition of characters helps the audience or readers to know the various characters and their details such as their families, occupations, relationships, etc.
❇ *Countries and their people*🇬🇭🇺🇸🇳🇿
A person from France is a *French*.
❇ *Collective noun*🎛
A group of cockroaches is called an *intrusion*.
akosualiynne 