English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
Grammar Note to Students
The lecturer was willing to teach us but my ~colleagues~ were not in class (nonstandard).
The lecturer was willing to teach us but my *classmates* were not in class (standard).
Your colleagues are the people you work with, especially in a professional job. Your classmates are, therefore, not your colleagues.
My classmates and I have been at home because we are on ~strike~ (nonstandard).
My classmates and I have been at home because our lecturers are on *strike* (standard).
When there is a strike, workers stop doing their work for a period of time, usually in order to try to get better pay or conditions for themselves. Therefore, only workers go on strike, not students.
GAB
