Common mistakes occur all the time Our education system in South Africa should have corrected the following mistakes in primary school, but they persist everywhere; in news reports, on advertising signs, in podcasts and even up to tertiary level and beyond at university. They even find their way into the corporate business world. They occur so often that people accept them as the norm; and the Bela Act has made the situation much worse.
So, let’s fix them once and for all.
Qualifying Superlatives
Superlatives are words like; exceptional, unique,, outstanding, miraculous, outstanding, horrific, disgusting. They are adjectives that show that the object you are writing about stands alone as the best of its kind. It is something that is the best it can be. It is the ultimate. It cannot be bettered.
You should never put an adverb such as very, extremely, perfectly, or amazingly before a superlative.
Example 1: This picture is ‘very unique‘ Wrong! There is only one picture like that in the universe. There is only one in existence.
Example 2: That was a ‘very horrific movie’. – No – Wrong! – meaning that there is no other movie that’s more horrific than this one. It should simply read: that was a horrific movie.
Using what or that instead of ‘who’ or ‘whom’ or ‘he’ or ‘ she‘
Example 1: The person that is in charge of catering is a marvellous chef – Wrong! the person referred to is a human being not an inanimate object.
Therefore, the sentence should read:
The person ‘who’ is in charge of catering is a marvelous chef.
Anymore or any more
Any more expressed as 2 words refers to quantity, not time.
Example 1: No thanks. I do not want ‘any more‘ cake
Anymore expressed as one word refers to time.
Example 2: No, I don’t love you ‘anymore’ – this is referring to time, meaning that the time when I loved you – is over.
At this point in time
This is totally wrong because adding the words ‘in time’ is totally unnecessary because, clearly, the speaker is talking about time here and now, not in outer space, or under water or in a certain location.
Example 1: So, at this point in time, I wish to announce the winners.
That is totally incorrect. The sentence should simply read:
‘So now. I will announce the winners‘!
or, ‘I will announce the winners in a few minutes’.
or simply, ‘at this time I will announce the winners’.
‘Comprises’, instead of ‘comprises of’
You should never use – ‘comprises of‘ …
Example: The livestock on the farm ‘comprises of’ cows, sheep and ducks. Wrong! – You should never use comprises of‘ … You should simply say; the levestock on the farm comprises cows, sheep and ducks.
Avoid over-using:
- basically …
- according to …
- sources have revealed …
- As a result …
- challenging …
- asserted …
- likely …
- involves …
These words and expressions are over- used; so, if you can, rather replace them with words that more-accurately convey the meaning you are trying to convey.
The expressions we have described above that are being used incorrectly are simply bad habits that have crept into English over time; but they can be corrected very easily with practice.
Writers please note! Keep your English as straightforward as you can; without frills, unnecessary repetition or hackneyed phrases that are over-used. Beware of over-using AI platforms like ChatGpt or Perplexity although they are marvellous tools; because readers are looking for new and creative ideas or useful content.
professors, supervisors, media editors and readers get very bored and are tired of reading over-used content and unnecessary ‘fluff’ that does not add relevant information to your topic.
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