English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
GRAMMAR AND LAMENTATION
If nothing is done on the insecurity in the country, then the country is ~sitting on a keg of gun powder~ (nonstandard).
If nothing is done on the insecurity in the country, then the country is sitting on a powder keg (standard). If you describe a situation or a place as a powder keg, you mean that it could easily become very dangerous.
All of these politicians are just ~green snakes under the green grass~; they can’t be trusted (nonstandard).
All of these politicians are just snakes in the grass (standard). A deceitful or treacherous person is a snake in the grass.
It’s hard to even choose whom to vote for; they are ~birds of the same feather~ (nonstandard).
It’s even hard to choose whom to vote for; they are birds of a feather (standard). If you refer to people as birds of a feather, you mean that they have the same interests or are very similar.
GAB
