This archive report was first published on 21 October 2019.
Published on October 21, 2019, a heated debate erupted on social media after Miguna Miguna made some contentious comments about the Odinga family. While some defended him, others criticized his behavior, but in the process, they exposed their own grammatical errors.
One of the most common mistakes was the misuse of the word 'leave' instead of 'let'. For instance, the phrase 'Leave Miguna be' should have been written as 'Let Miguna be', as it is an imperative verb used to make a request or give an order. Similarly, the sentence 'Miguna speaks the truth always' should have been written as 'Miguna always speaks the truth', with the adverb 'always' preceding the principal verb.
Another error was the incorrect use of the phrase 'different from' instead of 'different than'. This is a common mistake, especially among writers who tend to use the phrase in place of 'unlike' or 'other than'. Additionally, the phrase 'due to' was misused in place of 'because of' or 'owing to', which can cause confusion.
Understanding the nuances of language, including diction and form, is essential in making the right choice when certain words seem to have the same meaning. For instance, the word 'unique' means 'without equal', so it cannot be used in degrees, such as 'most' or 'very'. The phrase 'He is the most unique Kenyan today, so fearless' is grammatically incorrect without the word 'most'.
Mr. Chagema, a correspondent for The Standard, highlights the importance of grammatical correctness in writing intelligible sentences. By understanding the rules of language, writers can avoid common mistakes and convey their message effectively.
