Common Errors In English With Samuel Alimi
It is crucial to state that both words are verbs. On one hand, “Lose” means “to cause (something) to cease to be in one’s possession due to unforeseen circumstances or reasons”. There are other meanings though.
Consider the following expressions:
If you lose your ID card, you will be fined by the school management.
The old woman lost her only son in the explosion that happened last night.
Don’t lose your pen.
On the other hand, “loose” means “to be free from restraints”.
Mr president ordered, “Loose three well-behaved prisoners for the celebration of Independence Day”.
IDIOMS ABOUT LOOSE
-break loose, to free oneself; escape: Over 100 convicts broke loose during the protest.
-cast loose, to send forth; set free: The popular artiste was cast loose at the age of 10 to make a tremendous impact on her generation.
In other to vs In order to
We left our house early in other to catch our flight. (Wrong)
We left our house early in order to catch our flight. (Correct)
Alternatively, use “in order that” or “so that” instead of “in other to”.
I am trying to buy some clothes, in order that I may look good at the event.
The woman is always trying new recipes on YouTube, in order that she may become a professional chef.
We vote so that democratic leaders will emerge for the success of our country.
It is also correct to reduce “so that” to “so”.
Eat your food so you can have energy.
Stature and Physique
I got completely flummoxed when I read that “stature” is not “the body shape or figure of a human being”. I was eager to discuss it extensively in today’s class so we could have a grasp of the word for proper usage. After I posted the information on my WhatsApp status, a follower was inquisitive, “What then is the word for the shape or figure of a human being?”
According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, “stature” means “a person or animal’s natural height when standing upright”. This definition provides a thorough understanding of the commonly misused word among many speakers. In Nigerian English, we often use it to mean “one’s weight or figure”. In contrast, “Physique” is the most suitable word, which means “the natural constitution or physical structure of a person”.
Study the following example sentences in the Cambridge Dictionary:
Although short in stature, his voice and stage presence were remarkable.
He has a very powerful, muscular physique.
Can you now identify the differences between these two words?
Tout and Lout
According to the Collins Dictionary, a “tout” is “someone who sells things such as tickets unofficially, usually at prices which are higher than the official ones”, while a “lout” is “an awkward, stupid person; a clumsy, ill-mannered boor; an oaf.” Mariam Webster Dictionary further explains that the former is used to indicate an offensive and insensitive person. The word has been adopted that way since the mid-1500s. More facts emerged that it later metamorphosed into a verb with the meaning “to bow in respect”. Therefore, it is grammatically wrong to refer to “thugs” as “touts” in everyday conversations. A friend narrated how he felt when a professor informed him that the word is a common error during one of his English classes. I agreed with the teaching and also explained that many other words are not correctly used by a large number of us.
Sentence examples:
Britain’s best-known ticket tout once boasted that he could get you tickets for anything. (Cambridge Dictionary)
Howard’s rude behaviour in the country earned him a reputation as a lout. (Cambridge Dictionary)
Continually and Continuously
The adverbs above are usually used interchangeably by writers. However, it is imperative to state that they are not the same. “Continually” means “in regular or repeated succession” while “continuously” means “without pause”. For example, we all breathe continuously (without interruption). Also, many Muslims and Christians pray continually (regularly) for God’s help.
The example sentences in Scribbr’s articles on this topic are below:
The privacy policy is updated continually.
I continually lose my keys.
If you continually practice the trumpet in the middle of the night, you will be evicted.
Martin complained continuously for twenty minutes.
It has been raining continuously for two days.
Aaron worked continuously for eight hours without taking a break.
