Grammar Star

One of the most common mistakes in English is the incorrect usage of the phrase 'If I was' . In fact, you will hear native speakers commonly make this mistake. Here are a few examples of this mistake: 1. If I was you, I would try to find a new job. 2. If she was here, she would explain the situation. In both sentences, 'was' is used instead of the correct form 'were'. However, sometimes If I was or If she was is correct!  Here are two examples: 1. If I was late for class, the teacher gave me extra homework. 2. If he was asked a question, he replied quickly and honestly. What's the difference between these two types of sentences? Why is one correct and the other not? The answer is that the first two sentences are used to express imaginary situations. These sentences require the subjective form 'were' for all subjects 1. If I were you, I would try to find a new job. 2. If she were here, she would explain the situation. The second group of sentences ref

There have been lingering arguments on whether it is appropriate to use the singular verb 'is' or its plural form 'are' when introducing one's name. Some people argue that because the person is bearing more than one name, as in James Paul Moses, the verb to be used must be 'are' instead of 'is'. Note that each human being has just one name. Let's look at the following: 1. Tope Johnson Balogun 2. Ramat Ihuoma Hassan  The names in (1) and (2) above refer to different individuals with each set of name representing one person only. We need to understand that irrespective of the length of the name or its number, since it refers to only one person, the verb to be used MUST be the singular form 'is'. Example: My name is Ramat Ihuoma Tope Anuoluwapo. Not: My names are Ramat Ihuoma Tope Anuoluwapo. However, if the person has an alias, he can introduce his real name and include the alias. A musician, for example, whose real name is Tope Johnson Bal