Grammar Star

When we want to change direct to indirect speech, we are faced with the word "say". Most of those times, we keep repeating the word "say" as in "He said...", "She said..." At those times, using the right word will go a long way in conveying the appropriate message.  Thus, in this lesson, we are going to look at the verbs we can use in place of "say". When you want to express  1. Agreement, use:  admit, confirm, continue, declare, maintain, reply, state, suggest. 2. Command, use: command, direct, insist, instruct, order. 3. Distress, use: alert, complain, cry, groan, lament, mutter, regret, shout. 4. Refusal, use: contradict, criticize, counter, deny, forbid, oppose, refute. 5. Request, use: advise, ask, beg, caution, entreat, plead, request, urge, wish. Using the words above in appropriate places will eliminate monotony and save one from the embarrassment arising from frequent use of the verb "say".  ### Let's have your co

Easter is just few days away from now. As we prepare for the day, we shall be considering a word used to describe the event of the Day and other confusing words. 1. Between "arose" and "arouse" Let's look at the two words: i. Arose (past tense of arise): - to get up or stand up : rise.  E.g. He arose from the grave. - especially: to get up from sleep or after lying down. E.g. He arose (from bed) refreshed after a good night's sleep. ii. Arouse  /ə-ˈrauz/: - to cause (an emotional or mental state) E.g. The report aroused a great deal of public interest. - to awaken the passion or (sexual) desire in someone. E.g. The alleged rapist said he was aroused by the lady's nude body. - to wake (someone) from sleep. E.g. The noise of the children playing could  arouse him. Note that the two vowel letters / ou / in "arouse" sound like / aw / as in "out" while the letter /o/ in "arose" has a different sound. Often times, some p