Common Errors In English With Samuel Alimi
During my internship with a publishing company in Nigeria, one of the facilitators mentioned that many writers mistake ‘foreword’ for ‘forward’ in their manuscripts. Of course, editors are expected to correct every grammatical error and ensure clarity and coherence for readability. Reading books riddled with avoidable mistakes can be an eyesore; therefore, it is important for writers to engage the professional services of skilled editors and proofreaders for their books, regardless of the subjects they discuss.
According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, a foreword is “an introductory section preceding the text of a book or other document; a preface or introduction.” In actuality, a preface is not the same as a foreword, but it is similar in that it is usually positioned at the beginning of a book to acknowledge others’ contributions and contextualize the content.
The example sentence used to further explain the word is:
The book included a brief preface explaining the author’s motivation for writing.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary also defines a ‘foreword’ as an introductory comment typically written by someone other than the author. The decision to write a foreword depends on the relationship between the assigned writer and the author. For instance, a retired academic may ask a colleague to write the foreword for their autobiography. Similarly, a religious leader might decide to reach out to their mentor to provide their perspective on the work. Forewords are typically short.
In an attempt to market their books to potential readers, some authors prefer to have them written by famous individuals whose influence can bring in strong financial returns and boost the publicity needed to capture the readers’ interest. Imagine a novel with a foreword written by the late Chinua Achebe. Do you believe that this literary work would struggle to gain widespread acceptance within the targeted timeframes? Do you think these books would be left abandoned in bookstores, waiting for buyers?
‘Forward’, on the other hand, functions as a noun, an adjective and an adverb with various examples mentioned in the dictionaries I consulted. One of the most common meanings I found concerning it as an adverb is ‘at, near or towards the front of something’.
For example, the professor told all her students standing in front of her office to move forward.
It also means ‘into the future.’
For example, from this day, no one will be permitted to enter the presidential villa due to the high level of insecurity in the country.
I hope you have learnt the clear differences between the two words. Be aware of them to prevent grammatical errors.
Order for a cake?
It is interesting to note that I previously discussed ‘order’ as a transitive verb that do not need a preposition in an article I wrote for the People Daily. I am revisiting the topic to ensure that all readers understand for better communication.
I ordered for two cartons of biscuits. (Wrong)
I ordered two cartons of biscuits. (Correct)
Tolu ordered for a cake from her baker to celebrate her boyfriend’s birthday. (Wrong)
Tolu ordered a cake from her baker to celebrate her boyfriend’s birthday. (Correct)
Other words that do not require any prepositions are listed below:
Demand
The labour union demanded for an increase in minimum wage. (Wrong)
The labour union demanded an increase in minimum wage. (Correct)
Seek
The masses are seeking for the Federal government’s help in addressing inflation. (Wrong)The masse are seeking the Federal government’s help in addressing inflation. (Correct)
Request
We requested for two months’ salaries from management. (Wrong)
We requested two months’ salaries from management. (Correct)
Is accent reduction necessary?
While studying sounds at the beginner’s level, I realized that numerous English words are not well enunciated in Nigeria, including the pronunciation of the country. The major cause is traced to the strong influence of mother tongue on the usage of the language. However, we can improve in order to be well understood, especially when we interact with foreigners who may struggle to decode our expressions.
Saddeningly, there have always been myriad negative reactions from many of us who find it difficult to grasp the essence of proper pronunciation without necessarily changing our accent to speak like American or Brit. In our next class, I will extensively discuss the importance of accent reduction and the necessary steps for drastic improvement.
Assignment
Choose the correct answers to each of the following questions:
The book’s ________ was written by the most successful medical practitioner. (a) forward (b) foreward (c) foreword
2. __________ is an introductory note written at the beginning of a book to discuss its goals. (a) preface (b) epilogue (c) final note
3. _________ God’s blessing to be wealthy in life. (a) seek for (b) seek (c) demand
Kindly forward your answers to samueltolulopealimi@gmail.com or send an SMS to 07049203179
Names of those who answered the last questions correctly:
Abdullahi Nihu, Joy Emeka, David Okufuwa, Olaniyi Temitayo, Adesina Sofiyat, Pitan Rasheed, Alimi Olive, Rasheed Fatah, Idowu Rofiat, Eze Jeremiah, Caroline Praise, Shukurat Adekola, Bolanle Olusola, Bala Aminat, Bello Sulaimon, Adaeze Beauty and Jerry Solomon.
