CORRECTIONS AND EXPLANATIONS - May 13, 2007

GRAMMAR & PUNCTUATION

John, Will and Andrea were playing marbles and between them there were 73 marbles.
“Between’ involves two people. “Among” must be used for more than two.
John, Will and Andrea were playing marbles and among them there were 73 marbles.

"None of the job applicants were bothered by Toyota being a non-union environment."
“None” is a singular collective noun and is the verb, “was” must agree with the subject.
"None of the job applicants was bothered by Toyota being a non-union environment."

"Windsor police are seeking the public's assistance in locating a man who went missing Monday."“
Went missing” is an incorrect usage. The sentence should be reworded.
"Windsor police are seeking the public's assistance in locating a man who disappeared Monday."

"The report says that the strongest conclusion that can be drawn from empirical literature is that the vast majority of studies show that children living with two mothers and children living with a mother and a father have the same levels and qualities of social competence."
“Majority” is a singular collective noun and is the subject of the verb “shows”.
"The report states that the strongest conclusion that can be drawn from empirical literature is that the vast majority of studies shows that children living with two mothers and children living with a mother and a father have the same levels and qualities of social competence."

What is the difference between "imply" and "infer"?
“Imply” means to state indirectly. “Infer” means to draw a conclusion.
Your snobbish attitude to me implies that I am stupid. I infer from your treatment that you are cruel and insensitive.

"She said she volunteered to do it to show other suicide survivors "That there's hope. That you should reach out and get that hope. Because there's life around you and beauty around you. And the time will come when you can see that beauty."
There are three incomplete thoughts in the example. A sentence can be started with “and”.
"She said she volunteered to do it to show other suicide survivors that there's hope and that you should reach out and get that hope because there's life around you and beauty around you. And the time will come when you can see that beauty."

"Are you going to lay down?"
“Lay” means “to put something down”. When reclining, “lie” must be used.
Are you going to lie down?"

"Boscariol said he can't confirm that a lightning strike occurred until he's had a chance to investigate the building, which should happen today."
“He’s” means “he is”. The context demands “”he has”.
"Boscariol said he can't confirm that a lightning strike occurred until he has had a chance to investigate the building, which should happen today."

"Movies pirated in Canada made up 20 percent of the world's bootleg DVDs in 2005. That is nothing to be proud of."
Do not end a sentence with a preposition.
"Movies pirated in Canada made up 20 percent of the world's bootleg DVDs in 2005. Canada should not be proud of that statistic."

THE WORDS

"Competence" (n) means being fit or adequate for a service.
The writer worked hard to make his work perfect and his competence was rewarded with an award by his editor.

“Assiduous” (adj.) means constant, unremitting or attentive to a task.
The writer was assiduous in his efforts to make his work as perfect as possible.

“Pervasive” (adj.) means to extend throughout such as a perfume extending throughout a room.
The use of incorrect grammar and spelling is pervasive in many of today’s newspapers.

“Insidious" (adj.) means to entrap or beguile treacherously or deceitfully.
It is insidious how poor writers are destroying the beauty of the English language.

“Tenacity” (n) means to hold fast, stubbornness or obstinacy. “Tenacious” (adj.)
“Michael’s English Usage” will draw attention to “professional” writers’ errors with a tenacity bordering on fanaticism.

“Concomitant” (adj.) means accompanying, concurrent or attending.
His devotion to writing correctness was concomitant with his hatred of ignorance and sloppiness.