Among my colleagues and friends i have always stressed on the importance of sticking to a particular type of English. This is to help you write and speak efficiently.
You may not know that, in British English, the past participle of get and prove are GOT and PROVED. If you are writing your thesis in a school in the Uk like i learnt a few of my friends did and you write
It has been proven that ...❌
It has been proved that....✔
Have you gotten the mail?...❌
Have you got the mail?...✔
Sticking to a particular standard of English helps a lot.
Some people asked me which is correct
Driving licence or driver's licence?
They are both correct but since we use British English here, DRIVING LICENCE is more appropriate.
Americans use DRIVER'S LICENSE. Take cognizance of the spelling of licence. Britons spell LICENCE, Americans spell LICENSE.
Another friend of mine asked me.
Is TRAFFICATOR correct?
Trafficator is not the appropriate English word. It is now obsolete and finally , it suddenly crept into Nigerian neologisms. The right modern British word for it is INDICATOR.
Americans call it TURN SIGNAL.
E.g. I honked and trafficated before I turned ❌
I honked and indicated before I turned✔
What many Nigerians call TROTTLE in a car is basically known as the ACCELERATOR by Britons and GAS PEDAL by Americans. You press on it using your foot to increase the speed of the car.
What we call SIDE MIRROR in a car is appropriately called WING MIRROR in British English. Americans call it SIDE MIRROR.
Is it boot or trunk?
Many learned people throw away BOOT and use TRUNK thinking boot is outdated.
In appropriate British English, BOOT is used.
In appropriate American English, they use TRUNK.
Is it plate-number or a a numberplate?
Platenumber ❌
Numberplate✔
Americans say LICENSE PLATE .
Every aspect of a language is vital. Learn it all and be a better speaker.
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