By English For Today (August 27, 2018) By Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (GAB)
See these:
I want two dozen eggs (not two dozens of eggs). When you use dozen (countable) to mean a group of twelve, it is both singular and plural: One dozen eggs, two dozen eggs.
Put the engine to pieces (not, pieces the engine). The word “pieces” can’t be used as a verb to mean “dismantle”.
He’s as poor as a church mouse (not, church rat). Idioms are fixed expressions and no part of them can be replaced.
In time, you’ll be fine (not, with time). When we mean to say sooner or later, some day or finally, it’s expressed as “in time”.
Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose
Academic Advisor, Distance Learning Centre, University of Ibadan;
&
Doctoral Student of English, University of Ibadan.
