Exquisite Speech Hub

COMMON GRAMMAR MISTAKE IN SPOKEN ENGLISH
❌ ARTICLES: A, AN, THE

Many people speak fluently but still say things like:
❌ I bought the shoe yesterday.
❌ She is an university student.
❌ He has a information for us.
Let’s fix this.

✅ WHAT ARE ARTICLES?
Articles are short words placed before nouns to give clear meaning.
A/ An is used for an item/person/ concept that is not specific.
'The' is used for an item/person/concept that is specific or already known.

📌HOW TO USE THEM CORRECTLY
1️⃣ A vs AN
Use a before a consonant sound
✔ a book
✔ a university (you hear “you”, not a vowel sound)
Use an before a vowel sound
✔ an apple
✔ an hour (silent “h”)
2️⃣ WHEN NOT TO USE ARTICLES
Uncountable nouns do not take articles:
✔ She gave me information
✔ I need advice
✔ He bought furniture
❌ an information
❌ an advice
❌ a furniture
3️⃣ USING THE
Use 'the' when:
Who/ what you are referring to is specific, and
both the speaker and listener know it
✔ The book you gave me is here.
✔ Close the door.
✔ I saw the woman this morning.

But:
✔ I bought a book yesterday. (not specific)

🎯 QUICK CORRECTIONS
❌ Go to the school early.
✅ Go to school early.
❌ She is a equipment supplier.
✅ She is an equipment supplier.
❌ He wants to be the doctor.
✅ He wants to be a doctor.

If you have any question, feel free to reach in the comment section.

ADVISE vs ADVICE
Many speakers use these two words interchangeably because they sound alike, but they are not used in the same instance.

Now, let’s fix it 👇
✅ THE DIFFERENCE
👉 ADVICE (NOUN): Means a suggestion or recommendation. Examples:
✔ She gave me good advice.
✔ I need your advice.
📌 Note: Advice is uncountable, therefore you shouldn't say:
❌ She gave me an advice.
❌ I need some advices.
You don’t say an advice or advices.

👉ADVISE (VERB): This refers to the act of giving the advice itself. E.g.
✔ She advised me to be careful.
✔ I advise you to read more.
❌ She advice me to be careful.
❌ He advice me yesterday.

🧠 EASY WAY TO REMEMBER
Advice - The given idea itself (noun)
Advise - The act of giving the idea 👆(verb)

🎯 QUICK CORRECTIONS
❌ He gave me an advice.
✅ He gave me some advice.
❌ I will advice you later.
✅ I will advise you later.
❌ She advice him to rest.
✅ She advised him to rest.

You can attempt making sentences with either of the two words in the comment section.

Be free to ask questions too.

Have a nice day/ Enjoy the rest of your day

I have noticed that people use these expressions interchangeably, whenever they want to wish a fellow a good day. This is not incorrect grammatically, but it's important that you know that timing is crucial in your use of either of the above expressions.

'Have a nice day' should be used during the early hours of the day, when the day activities just started. This extends from early hours till afternoon; 12pm.
Examples:
✔️ Good bye, John. Have a nice day.
✔️ Good morning, have a nice day.

"Enjoy the rest of your day" should be used once it's afternoon and people are already engrossed with their schedule.
Examples:
✔️ Thank you for coming, sir. Enjoy the rest of your day.
✔️ Good afternoon, sis. Enjoy the rest of your day.

These lessons tips will surely be helpful.

“Words can open doors—if you know how to use them.”

I am a speech coach, who specializes in building the power of expression: teaching you how to speak with confidence, write with clarity, and communicate with impact.

At Exquisite Speech Hub, eloquence is learned, articulation is sharpened, and oratory becomes a skill, not a gift.

If you’re ready to command attention with your voice and your words, welcome to where communication meets mastery.

Follow and engage the page as lessons continue on refining our communication skills.

Today, I will be focusing on prepositions and collocations — one of the most confusing areas in spoken English.
Many sentences sound wrong not because of vocabulary, but because words are joined incorrectly.
In this lesson, I’ll correct some of the wrong usages, and you’ll learn to use natural English expressions like the ones examined below:

1. Complain of (problem)❌ Complain about ✅
Complaint means to express dissatisfaction about a person, a place, an item, an action, etc.
Examples:
✔️ She complained about the noise.
✔️ The woman complained about the maid.
👉 An exception to the use of "Complain of" is only correct in a medical context:
He complained of chest pain.

2. Discuss about ❌ Discuss (no preposition)✅
To discuss means to talk about a person, concept, place or an object formally.
Example:
✔️ We discussed the issue.
✔️ My boss and me discussed the new project.
✔️ I was about discussing you with a friend.
Discuss about is wrong because “about” is already contained in the verb meaning.

3. Request for ❌ Request (no preposition)✅
To request means to ask for a particular thing, formally. Example:
✔ He requested assistance.
❌ Request for is influenced by mother tongue and informal speech.

4. Arrive to ❌ Arrive at / Arrive in ✅
Each of the pairs of the correct form has its contextual use:
'Arrive at' should be used in organizations or small places (school, office)
'Arrive in' should be used in big places (city, country)
✔ I arrived at the office.
✔ I arrived in Lagos.
❌ Arrive to is never correct.

5. Reply me ❌ Reply to me ✅
To reply means to answer an earlier question or demand, and this usually involves people. Examples:
✔️ Please, reply to my messages.
Reply me is wrong, because reply does not take a direct object.

6. Emphasize on ❌ Emphasize (no preposition)✅
Emphasize means to stress or make emphasis. The preposition 'on' is not needed because the meaning of the verb already indicates it. Example:
✔️ We emphasized the importance of good conduct amongst the workers.
✔️ I will emphasize the need for a new secretary.

7. Depend for ❌ Depend on ✅
To depend on means to rely on a person, object, or any other thing. So, for you to say you "depend for" do not show reliance in English.
Examples:
✔️ I depend on my Dad for my school fees.
✔️ I depend on my car for work.

I'm sure you are going to find these helpful, and if you have questions on any of them, send them in the comment section.

A quick test!
Your answers in the comment section.

Good morning sirs/mas❌
Good morning sir/ma✅.

In spoken greetings, or when addressing a group, you should not greet by saying “sirs/mas.” It is informal and non- standard English, even though the intention is respectful.

You should make use of sir/ma ✅ directly in greeting everyone. Do not use them in their plurals, simply because you are referring to more than one person.

I have listed a few recommendations that could be used, whenever you want to greet or address a group:

Good morning, sir… good morning, ma. ✅
(said while acknowledging individuals one after the other)
Good morning, everyone.✅
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.✅
Good afternoon, respected guests.✅

Trust you'll find these highlights useful.

I know it off head/ off hand ❌
I know it by heart ✅.

Many Nigeria are so used to the wrong expression above. They make use of it whenever they want a listener to know that they have memorized an idea. Typical examples are:
I can say / recite it off hand ❌
I can say/ recite it off Head ❌

These aforementioned expressions are incorrect because, the word “off” does not properly express memorization in standard English. It denotes misalignment, or diversion.

The correct expression is " I can say it by heart". The idiom “by heart” means a complete memorization of an idea, which can be recalled without effort. It is also the standard and internationally accepted form in formal and professional English.

So, going forward in this context, use expressions such as:
I can say it by heart ✅
I could sing the song by heart ✅
She can recite the poem by heart ✅

I believe you will find them useful.

Hello everyone 🌟. It's a new year, and I'm so excited that we all made it.
It will surely be a prosperous one 🙏.

A quick one!
I have observed that a lot of people make mistakes in this period with certain expressions such as:
Compliment of the season ❌
Seasons greetings ❌
Xmas celebration ❌

Let's start with the first.
It's Compliments of the Season ✅, because it a season of festivities and celebration, so 'Compliment' has to be plural and idiomatic.

Moving on to the second expression, it's correct usage is Season's greetings ✅.
A lot of people do not indicate the aprotrophe before the 's', they say and write it as though ' season' is in its plural forms, and this is wrong.
It's just one season!

The use of 'Xmas' is informal and non- standard.
Do not use Xmas in place of Christmas.
Happy Christmas ✅
Christmas Celebration ✅

Take caution of these petty errors and effect the corrections in your subsequent uses.


A. Omoyele

Exquisite Speech Hub wishes you a merry Christmas 🎄.
May the purpose of Christ's birth be fulfilled in our lives.

Refine your diction. There are some words that are impolite when you say them, most especially because of the tone that accompanies them.
As a seasoned and proficient speech coach, I have given a list of some of these expressions and their fine tuned versions.