English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
Obligatory “THE”
I told her that I am GAB, and not Gabriel, and she said it was ~a slip of tongue~ (nonstandard).
I told her that I am GAB, and not Gabriel, and said it was *a slip of the tongue* (standard).
If you describe something you said as a slip of the tongue, you mean that you said it by mistake.
We have to put this ~to ballot~ for peace to reign (nonstandard).
We have to put this *to the ballot* for peace to reign (standard).
To put something to the ballot is to vote secretly on a particular matter. This is expressed as “on the ballot” in American English:
We have to put this *on the ballot* (standard; American).
*If worst comes to worst*, I will let him have the money (American).
*If the worst comes to the worst*, I will let him have the money (British).
You use if the worst comes to the worst to say what you might do if a situation develops in the most unfavourable way possible.
GAB
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