“How about saying ‘good morning’
or ‘good afternoon’ as we alight or
get off the bus?”

I imagine your first question is about the word ALIGHT. First, you can find the meaning in a good dictionary. Click here: Oxford Dictionaries. After checking the word,  you’ll realize that there is a problem with the sentence above. Interestingly, it was written by a competent native speaker and this goes to show that we all make mistakes sometimes.

In connection with buses or trains, ALIGHT can be used instead of “to get down from or out of”. In fact, some bus stops here in Malta have a sign saying “ALIGHTING of passengers only”. My advice to you is that you don’t wait for a bus there because you’ll never get on it!

Now look at the sentence above again. What the writer should have used is the word “BOARD“. You probably know it in an airport situation because after checking in you are given a BOARDING pass. This piece of paper allows you to go on –  BOARD – the plane.

Does your town or city have any bus stops which are only for the ALIGHTING of passengers? Have you ever waited there by mistake?

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