Common Grammar Mistakes in Tributes

Common Errors In English with Samule Alimi

When President Muhammadu Buhari passed away at the London Clinic, tributes poured in from all walks of life, especially for his vision to transform Nigeria that gave rise to the “change” mantra popularized during the campaign across the 36 states and FCT. Since this is not a political commentary but a grammar-focused lesson, there is no need to delve into his leadership style or administration during his 8-year tenure. May his soul rest in perfect peace!

One of the most common grammatical errors I have noticed is the use of the word “late” for the deceased without adding the definite article “the”.

For example:

The late President Muhammadu Buhari died at the London Clinic in the United Kingdom. (Correct)

Late President Muhammadu Buhari died at the London Clinic in the United Kingdom. (Incorrect)

The late commissioner of police was buried in his hometown on Monday. (Correct)

Late commissioner of police was buried in his hometown on Monday. (Incorrect)

“The late” before a noun, usually a person’s name or title, indicates that the person is deceased. It is often used to refer to someone who has recently died or who died some time ago.

Since “late” in this context is an adjective that comes before the noun, it is incorrect to write: “President Muhammadu is late”. Why? It could mean that he doesn’t attend a meeting on time, which is different from being deceased.

Consider the following expressions:

President Muhammadu Buhari is deceased. (Correct)

The old man who promised to award the brilliant girl a full scholarship is deceased. (Correct)

Lessons on Punctuation Marks

A few minutes after a lesson on quotation marks was uploaded on my WhatsApp, an ardent follower questioned why my full stops are usually used after the closing quotation marks. For example, In May 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced, “Fuel subsidies are gone”. Her objection blindingly goes thus: The full stops ought to have come before the double inverted commas. Well, I was not taken aback because her stance reflects her limited knowledge of the topic.

First off, British English which has always been our model for everyday communication, most especially the non-verbal aspect, encourages the use of full stops after the closing quotation marks. The decision to adopt the style in my works offline and online was motivated by this uncommon information. Below are other example sentences I found in the University Writing & Speaking Centre’s article while penning down my thoughts for today’s column:

The UWC says, ‘This is how British people, as they say, “do it”.’

The UWC says that British people write it “this way”.

In American English, the rule is completely different because the inverted comma is expected to come after the full stop. The sentences below are written to buttress this discovery.

The UWC says, “This is how British people, as they say, ‘do it’.”

The UWC says that British people write it ‘this way.’

Also, British English was known for using single quotation marks for direct speech before double quotation marks gained wide acceptance among many writers. I made several attempts to confirm ‘single quotation marks’ in the direct speech in our major national newspapers and textbooks, but alas, I was utterly disappointed.

In contrast, American English adopts double quotation marks, as observed in their writing. E.g. My friend said, “Many Nigerians are leaving the country for the United States.”

This is the pivot of the question: It is grammatically OK to have your full stop and comma after the inverted comma.

Study the following sentences:

“Who instructed you to discipline the students?”, the principal asked the governor’s son.

The minister said, “I want to retire from politics”.

“When did Dr. Nola Femi become a professor?”, an undergraduate asked the vice chancellor during the last orientation exercise.

A prospect inquired, “How long does it take to make fifty-six thousand naira from your business?”.

Assignment

Attempt the following questions:

The University of Abuja is one of the _________ universities in Nigeria. (a) highly-ranked (b) highly ranked (c) highly ranking
The politician is _________ in his hometown. (a) well respected (b) well-respected (c) well respecting
In American English, ________ are always used for direct speech. (a) double quotation marks (b) single quotation marks (c) half quotation marks

Kindly forward your answers to samueltolulopealimi@gmail.com or 07049203179 via SMS.

Names of those who answered the last questions correctly
Adamu Sulaimon, Bello Sulaimon, Wilson Racheal, Adedigba Emmanuel, Eze John, Ahmed Roqeeb, Bankole Richard, Yahyah Aisha, Oladunjoye Oluwafemi, Adeyemi Abigael, Alimi Olive, Adebayo Bukola, John Solomon, Sultan Musa, Okere Chigozie, Phillip Solomon and Abdullahi Nuhu.