Education is the most powerful weapon, Nelson Mandela says, which we can use to change the world.
This article helps and inspires students to improve their English and encourage their interest in achieving their goals without needing to go off the course syllabus, however strict it might be. It is divided into five segments: quotations and their explanation, proverbs and their meanings, correct and incorrect English, vocabulary learning and some tips to improve your English. All the segments are presented in twos.
Quotations and Their Explanation
Life without motivation is like sitting in a dark room with lots of fear inside. Here are two quotes that can motivate you in life:
“Let’s not ask Barbara Walters about how Muslim women feel. Let’s not ask Tom Brokaw how Muslim women feel. Let’s not ask CNN, ABC, FOX, The London Times, or the Australia Times. Let’s not ask non-Muslims how Muslim women feel, how they live, what are their principles, and what are their challenges. If you want to be fair, ask a Muslim woman. Ask my wife. Ask my mother. Ask a Muslim woman who knows her religion, who has a relationship with her Creator, who is stable in her society, understands her responsibilities. Ask her.” ─Khalid Yasin
Explanation: Khalid Yasin (1946 –{74 years old}), is an American convert from Christianity to Islam who lives in Manchester, England and lectures in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world. Yasin frequently travels overseas to spread his faith and has called himself a “media-bedouin,” remarking that the Bedouins are willing to settle wherever there is a presence of “water and shelter”. Yasin has operated dawah organizations under various names, including Islamic Broadcasting Corporation Ltd which was dissolved in 2010. The quote is super self-explanatory.
“A woman’s heart should be so lost in the remembrance of Allah, that a man would have to seek Him first in order to find her.” –Khalid Yasin
Explanation: It says, if one sacrifices their desires for Allah, they would see how Allah rewards them in ways they could never imagine.
Proverbs and Their Meanings
There is a proverb for almost any situation. It is a wise saying that gives some advice about life. Almost every culture has its own unique proverbs. However, some proverbs exist in more than one language; people borrow them from other languages and cultures similar to theirs.
Not everything in the garden is rosy
Meaning: it everything can’t be fine all the time(Ba kullum ake kwana a gado ba… in Hausa), e.g someone should let her know that not everything in the garden is rosy.
Note: the you can say “everything in the garden is rosy” to mean, things are going well; everything is fine.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained
Meaning: it is used to say that you can’t achieve anything if you never take any risks.
Note: it is wrong to say, “nothing venture, nothing gain” – without the “ed” in both words!
Correct and Incorrect English
Grammatical errors come in many forms and can easily confuse and obscure meaning. Absolutely, no one is immune to errors when it comes to the English language. Of course, it is inevitable. The important thing is to learn from the mistakes so you become a more confident, capable speaker and writer. Prepositions are tricky(difficult to deal with), confusing(unclear and difficult to understand) and significant in sentence construction. Here are some mistakes that should be avoided:
Incorrect: I think you should dispose your phone, and get another one.
Correct: I think you should dispose of your phone, and get another one.
Note: If the word “dispose” means “to get rid of sth”, it should always be followed by “of” respectably.
Incorrect: Isa succeeded to prove his critics wrong.
Correct: Isa succeeded in proving his critics wrong.
Note: The word ‘succeed ‘ is followed by the preposition “in + ing” – and never by “to + root form of a verb”.
Vocabulary Learning
There are some verbs that are used with particles. Examples are sit down, get up, go out, etc. The verbs are sit, get, go, and the particles are down, up, out. These kind of combinations are called phrasal verbs. In many cases the meaning of the phrasal verbs cannot be deduced from its elements and some are polysemous (have two or more different meanings). Moreover, phrasal verbs are very important because they are so prevalent(common) in every spoken or written English. Voltaire once said, “Language is a very difficult to put into words.” What is the best way to learn new words? Sound them out, The Seattle Time reported. Researchers found sounding words slowly helps people memorize new words easier. Here are some phrasal verbs:
Move off (moves, moving, moved)
if a vehicle or group of people moves off, it starts to leave, e.g. You have to check behind the car before you move off.
Hurry sb/sth up (hurries, hurrying, hurried)
To make someone do something more quickly, or to make something happen more quickly, e.g. If you you want to do it correctly, you should not hurry it up. Stop hurrying me up, please!
Tips to Improve Your English ─ Hester
The most natural way to learn grammmar is through talking.
You can’t learn English from a book. Like driving a car, you can only learn through doing it.
Thanks a bunch for reading and remember ─ practice is key!
Bashir Shu’aibu Jammaje
08168757065
bashjam90@gmail.com
Twitter: @Mrbashjam
