Scare Fest!

Everybody knows that Halloween is just around the corner. But anyone with their eye on the ball will be aware that the streets have been pretty scary for quite a few weeks…

A new phenomenon has started up recently and there have been countless reports of people dressing up in clown costumes and jumping out on unsuspecting passersby.

This is a perfect example of when English can get quite difficult.

If one person is a ‘passerby’, then surely two or more people would be ‘passerbys’? Not according to a number of official dictionaries…

Even the word ‘dictionaries’ confuses many people. If one book is a ‘dictionary’, then why aren’t two books ‘dictionarys’? It’s a difficult question to answer – and a question that has left many English students scratching their heads.

Plurals in English are not always as simple as they seem. But (and this is something to remember), even many native speakers are thrown into confusion.

So, in some circumstances, lets just forget about logistics, and enjoy a good old Halloween party!