Words That Must End With ‘S’ In English Language: A Must Read Article For WAEC, NECO And JAMB Candidates

English Language is a wide subject. For anyone or candidates to pass the subject, it requires of us to read omnivorously to cover a wide range of topics and branches not only in English but others.

In English Language, the letter S is not omitted in some words. For instance, the statement: Your team will lock horn with our team is not correct. Rather, you say: Your team will lock horns with our team.

Lock horns is an expression which means “to argue or fight with someone”.

Others include:

1. Wrong to say: He passed the exams in flying colour. Rather say he passed the exams with flying colours. This is an indication that you are very successful in it.
2. Wrong to say: It is easy to pick hole in his argument. Rather say: it is easy to pick holes in his argument. By so doing, you are criticizing it and bringing out the weak points.
3. Wrong to say: She has a pair of legging. Rather say: she has a pair of leggings.
4. Wrong to say: My joy knew no bound. Rather say: my joy knew no bounds.
5. Wrong to say: The room is out of bound to non-staff. Rather say: the room is out of bounds to non-staff.
6. Wrong to say: He addressed us in the early hour of yesterday. Rather say: he addressed us in the early hours of yesterday. The phrase ‘in the early hours’ refers to the time between around midnight and 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning.

It is also right to say: office hours, opening hours, working hours, visiting hours and after hours respectively.

7. Wrong to say: The unfortunate girl was raped turn by turn. Rather say: the unfortunate girl was raped in turns. The expression turn by turn is non-standard. In a sense, when people take turns to do something in turns, they do it one after the other.
8. Wrong to say: I’m worried about his manner. Rather say: I’m worried about his manners. We can as well say you have no manners, that is he behaves badly. Manners refers to behavior that is considered polite in a particular society or culture.
9. Wrong to say: The robbers are behind bar. Rather say: The robbers are behind bars.
10. Wrong to say: Two-third of the members supported his motion. Rather say: two-thirds of the members supported his motion.
11. Wrong to say: so you have the gut to address me this way. Rather say: so you have the guts to address me this way.
12. Wrong to say: He has spent three-quarter of an hour. Rather say: he has spent three-quarters of an hour.
13. Wrong to say: I consider it bad manner to eavesdrop. Rather say: I consider it bad manners to eavesdrop. Note: someone may have good or bad manners.
14. Wrong to say: Rumours doing the round is that he has resigned his appointment. Rather say: Rumours doing the rounds is that he has resigned his appointment. This is the British way of expressing it. The America equivalent is make the rounds.
15. Wrong to say: John went to pay his last respect to the deceased. Rather say: John went to pay his last respects to the deceased.
16. Wrong to say: Three-eighth of the members went home. Rather say: three-eighths of the members went home.
17. Wrong to say: He has spent three-quarters of an hour. Rather say: He has spent three-quarters of an hour.
18. Wrong to say: No appeal fund was held for the purpose. Rather say: No fundraiser was held for that purpose.
19. Wrong to say: We have discussed the eleven and half years of his political career. Rather say: we have discussed the eleven and a half years of his political career.
20. Wrong to say: the lady has all the lecturers in the palm of her hands. Rather say: the lady has all the lecturers in the palms of her hands.

In summary, we must put into consideration that in our daily written and spoken English, the letter S is not omitted in some words. WAEC, NECO and JAMB  candidates and others should note that they  read and know them so that they don’t make mistakes in their examinations and in the public domain.