English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
PANIC or PANICKY?
He seems to be ~panic~ and breathless (nonstandard).
He seems to be panicky and breathless (standard). While “panic” can be a noun or a verb, the adjectival form is panicky, not panic.
She hit him in panic (noun).
I panicked when I saw him (verb).
However, just as it will be wrong to say: “he seems to be trick”, it will also be wrong to say: “he seems to be panic”.
He seems to be tricky. ✔️
He seems to be panicky. ✔️
GAB
