World Literacy Day: A time to reflect
September 8th marked the annual celebration of World Literacy Day, a day dedicated to highlighting the importance of literacy as a fundamental human right and a cornerstone for individual and…
Avoid traffic lights but use breaks to prevent a crash
Grammar: Prevent or avoid
For instance, I can say, to avoid the morning rush hour traffic, I usually leave my house an hour early. In this context, prevent is a misfit. However, if I say “to prevent heat stroke on hot summer days, drink plenty of water and stay out of the sun”.
Give yourself 3 months. Set daily goals
Basic English: Four of the most common mistakes
As a purist of the English language I frequently tear my hair out when I hear or see basic grammar mistakes, particular from those in the profession of news casting…
How thinking ‘outside of the bottle’ can save us from coronavirus
The world has gone mad with the outbreak of Coronavirus. And we have had some interesting reactions. One of the church ministers said in response to gatherings of no more…
Ernest Hemingway
How to develop your writing style
Usually I write about grammar, but what about style? Grammar, if you know the rules, can with effort and dedication be learnt. Style, however, is unique to the individual. Writing…
