The BuildWithWords Academy

By Itunu Taiwo | BuildWithWords Academy

If you’re a Nigerian writer struggling with English grammar, you’re not alone. Over the past five years, I’ve taught hundreds of Nigerian students through BuildWithWords Academy, and I’ve noticed the same grammar mistakes appearing again and again. And this is not because students aren’t trying, but because these particular issues aren’t often explained clearly in our educational system.

The good news? Once you understand why these mistakes happen and learn simple strategies to avoid them, your writing will become clearer, more confident, and more professional.

Here are the five most common grammar mistakes I see Nigerian writers make, along with practical solutions you can apply immediately.

1. Mixing Up “Is” and “Are” (Subject-Verb Agreement)

The Mistake:

• ❌ “The students is going to the library.”
• ❌ “My family are traveling to Abuja.”
• ❌ “Everyone are happy about the news.”

Why It Happens: In many Nigerian languages, verbs don’t change based on whether the subject is singular or plural. This makes it easy to forget that English verbs must “agree” with their subjects.

The Fix:

• ✅ “The students are going to the library.” (Students = plural → use “are”)
• ✅ “My family is traveling to Abuja.” (Family = one unit → use “is”)
• ✅ “Everyone is happy about the news.” (Everyone = singular → use “is”)

Quick Rule: If you can replace the subject with “he,” “she,” or “it,” use “is.” If you can replace it with “they,” use “are.”

Practice Tip: Read your sentences out loud. Does “is” or “are” sound more natural? Trust your ear. It often knows before your brain catches up.

2. Using “Become” Instead of “Be” or “Get”

The Mistake:

• ❌ “I want to become a doctor when I grow up.” (This one is actually correct!)
• ❌ “The food has become cold.” (Not wrong, but sounds awkward)
• ❌ “I will become late if I don’t leave now.”

Why It Happens: ‘Become’ is often taught as the general word for change, but in English, we use different words depending on the type of change.

The Fix:

• ✅ “I want to be a doctor when I grow up.” (Profession/identity)
• ✅ “The food has gotten cold.” (Physical state change)
• ✅ “I will be late if I don’t leave now.” (Temporary state)

Quick Rule: Use “become” only when describing a permanent transformation (like becoming a doctor, becoming famous, becoming a parent).

3. Overusing “Of” in Possessives

The Mistake:

• ❌ “The car of my brother is new.”
• ❌ “The book of the student is on the desk.”
• ❌ “I like the voice of the singer.”

Why It Happens: Many Nigerian languages structure possession this way, so it feels natural. But in English, we usually use apostrophes (‘s) or possessive pronouns.

The Fix:

• ✅ “My brother’s car is new.”
• ✅ “The student’s book is on the desk.”
• ✅ “I like the singer’s voice.”

Quick Rule: If you’re showing who owns something, use ‘s instead of “of.” Save “of” for abstract or non-living things (e.g., “the color of the sky”).

4. Confusing “Since” and “For” with Time

The Mistake:

• ❌ “I have been waiting since three hours.”
• ❌ “She has lived in Lagos for 2015.”
• ❌ “We have known each other since five years.”

Why It Happens: The distinction between “since” and “for” doesn’t exist in the same way in many Nigerian languages.

The Fix:

• ✅ “I have been waiting for three hours.” (Duration of time)
• ✅ “She has lived in Lagos since 2015.” (Starting point in time)
• ✅ “We have known each other for five years.” (Duration)

Quick Rule:

• Since = starting point (since Monday, since 2020, since morning)
• For = length of time (for two hours, for five years, for a while)

5. Using “On” Instead of “At” for Time

The Mistake:

• ❌ “I will meet you on 3pm.”
• ❌ “The meeting starts on 9 o’clock.”
• ❌ “Call me on night.”

Why It Happens: English prepositions (in, on, at) are tricky because they don’t follow one simple rule. Different languages use prepositions differently, so this confusion is normal.

The Fix:

• ✅ “I will meet you at 3pm.” (Specific time)
• ✅ “The meeting starts at 9 o’clock.” (Specific time)
• ✅ “Call me at night.” (General time of day)

Quick Rule:

• At = specific times (at 5pm, at noon, at midnight)
• On = days and dates (on Monday, on December 5th, on Christmas)
• In = months, years, seasons (in January, in 2024, in the morning)

Your Grammar Journey Starts Here

Making these mistakes doesn’t mean you’re bad at English. It only means you’re learning (which is a good thing!). Every fluent English speaker once struggled with grammar, including me. The key is to practice consistently, be patient with yourself, and celebrate small improvements.

Action Steps:

1. Pick one mistake from this list to focus on this week
2. Review your recent writing (texts, emails, essays) and look for that specific mistake
3. Correct it and rewrite the sentence properly
4. Repeat until it becomes natural

Remember: Grammar is a tool for clear communication and not a test of your intelligence. You have important ideas to share with the world so let’s make sure your English grammar helps rather than hinders your message.

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About the Author: Itunu Taiwo is a bestselling Nigerian author, certified TEFL instructor, and founder of BuildWithWords Academy. She has taught English to over 2,000 students worldwide and is passionate about helping young Nigerian writers communicate clearly and confidently in English.

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