English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
VERBAL FORMS
Some students are still ~lacking~ behind their mates in this course (nonstandard).
Some students are still *lagging* behind their mates in this course (standard).
If one thing or person lags behind another thing or person, their progress is slower than that of the other.
We can’t call what we have in Nigeria a ~fledging~ democracy (nonstandard).
We can’t call what we have in Nigeria a *fledgling* democracy (standard).
A fledgling company, country, or organisation is new and not yet developed. Note the letter “l” in “fledgling” which makes it different from “fledging”.
GAB
No comment