English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
FIXED PLURAL NOUNS
So you had the ~gut~ to do that to him (nonstandard)?
So you had the *guts* to do that to him (standard)?
The bravery and determination that is needed to do something difficult or unpleasant is called guts.
He got ~lodging~ because his house is far to his workplace (nonstandard).
He got *lodgings* because his house is far to his workplace (standard).
A room in someone’s house that you pay money to live in is called lodgings.
It took a long time to go through ~custom~ (nonstandard).
It took ages to go though *customs* (standard).
Customs is the place where people arriving from a foreign country have to declare goods that they bring with them. Other usages:
I know some *customs* officer. ✅
He’s with the Nigerian *customs*. ✅
GAB
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