English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)

REVERT or REVERSE?

She got depressed and ~reversed to~ smoking (nonstandard).
She got depressed and ~reverted back to~ smoking (nonstandard).
She got depressed and *reverted to* smoking (standard).
When people or things revert to a previous state, system, or type of behaviour, they go back to it.

The Minister of Education has to ~revert~ the decision on English as the only medium of instruction in schools (nonstandard).
The Minister of Education has to ~reverse back~ the decision on English as the only medium of instruction in schools (nonstandard).
The Minister of Education has to *reverse* the decision on English as the only medium of instruction in schools (standard).
When someone or something reverses a decision, policy, or trend, they change it to the opposite decision, policy, or trend.
GAB

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