Potentials?

Common Errors In English With Samuel Alimi

Today’s class provides the opportunity to learn that some nouns are uncountable; therefore, adding ‘s’ to them is grammatically wrong. For my younger students, I like to illustrate that just as ‘rice’ cannot be counted and pluralized with an ‘s’, some nouns fall into this same category. I have read works by authors who mistakenly used ‘potentials’, which sparked my interest in teaching this topic to prevent you from making the same mistakes in your writing and speaking.
It is disheartening to recall the alarming level of atrocities in Nigeria as the country grapples with high unemployment rates; however, this does not justify the level of corruption. In an effort to discuss these issues extensively, a speaker once said, “Most of our youths have lost their potentials”.

Let us study the following sentence examples:
Sadly, some teenagers with potentials have become internet fraudsters. (Wrong)
Sadly, some teenagers with potential have become internet fraudsters. (Correct)
Nigerians should encourage politicians with the potential to build our country during the general elections. (Correct)
Nigerians should encourage politicians with the potentials to build our country during the general elections. (Wrong)
There are many indigent students with potential in the university. (Correct)
There are many indigent students with potentials in the university. (Wrong)
Below is a sentence example from the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary on the noun:
Even from a young age, it was clear that she had the potential to become a great musician.
“Potential” also functions as an adjective. In this context, it means “someone or something that can be successful”, among other meanings.

Examples:
The entrepreneur lost a potential customer on Monday because he was rude.
It is quite difficult to close deals with potential clients.

A good news?
Another common error I have noticed over the years is adding an article before ‘news’. This sounds confusing and shocking since ‘news’ itself is an uncountable noun. Therefore, the indefinite article ‘the’should never be used alongside it.
Hello, Chioma. I have a good news for you! My mother just bought an exotic car. (Wrong)
Hello, Chioma. I have good news for you! My mother just bought an exotic car. (Correct)
Since “news” is a non-count noun, it is appropriate to use singular verbs (“is” and “has”) with it.
The news of his electoral victory has been announced on air. (Correct)
The news of his electoral victory have been announced on air. (Wrong)
The news of the Nigerian economy is heartbreaking to every patriot. (Correct)
The news of the Nigerian economy are heartbreaking to every patriot. (Wrong)
The news in the Peoples Daily Newspaper is always unbiased. (Correct)
The news in the People Daily Newspaper are always unbiased. (Wrong)
Below are the example sentences in Cambridge Dictionary:
Obviously, this is good news for societies anticipating a substantial increase in the older population.
Indeed, it is good news for the current integrative aims of development studies that these misconceptions can be set aside.
We simply accept that in biomedical research, all news is good news.

Is Evidence a Countable Noun?
While reading an article written by a legal practitioner, his use of “evidence” without adding the “s” inflection caught my attention, and it is important to discuss it. Did you know that the noun “evidence” is also uncountable? It is incorrect to say “evidences”.
If you have much evidence, it is grammatical to use “ pieces” for quantification.
We have many evidences to present at the court of law. (Wrong)
We have much evidence to present at the court of law. (Correct)
In addition, plural verbs should be used for “pieces of evidence”.

Example:
The pieces of evidence are being noted by the justices.

Information
Apart from “news”, which is discussed extensively at the beginning of this column, “information” is another noun considered singular and mass. In other words, there is nothing like “informations”.
All the informations we got from the police officers are wrong. (Wrong)
All the information we got from the police officers is wrong. (Correct)

Many Information?
To quantify the information, use “much” instead of “many”.
Please, keep our secrets. Do not reveal many information about us to them. (Wrong)
Please, keep our secrets. Do not reveal much information about us to them. (Correct)

Assignment

Answer the following questions correctly:
My friend has ____________ for everyone. (a) good news (b) a good news (c) many good news
Check the manual for ____________. (a) more informations (b) many information (c) more information
The lawyers presented convincing ____________. (a) evidences (b) evidence (c) many evidences

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

Names of those who answered last questions correctly

Ezegwu Slyvester, Lipson Precious, Adeyemi Abigeal, Adedigba Emmanuel, Babatunde Esther, Fiyinfoluwa Olawale, Yahyah Aishat, Fakore Olawale,, Adaeze Okpala, Solomon Miracle, Aderinsola Ireoluwa, Victory Diamond, Gold Precious Victory Daniel, Yusuf Bala, Adeniji Mattew, Alade Charity, Alimi Olive, Genesis Johnson and Sultan Musa