CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - May 27, 2007

MONDAY

How many errors are there in the efforts below?
All three sentences end in prepositions. This is incorrect and redundant. Also, sentence two is an incomplete thought.
"Where are you getting your glasses at?"
"Where are you getting your glasses?"
"The same place you got your frames from."
"The same place you got your frames."
"What time are we going at?"
"What time are we going?"

TUESDAY

What are the errors?
The girl walked into the room and tried to orientate herself to her surroundings.
Orientate is an old form and should be avoided. “Orient” as a verb means to find or give direction and should be used in the sentence below.
The girl walked into the room and tried to orient herself to her surroundings.

"Also, a patient may not work well with the doctor, in which case the doctor has the right to stop treating them, for a number of reasons."
The subject is “patient” and is singular so it should read “the doctor has the right to stop treating him.” or “patient" should be pluralized.
"Also, a patient may not work well with the doctor, in which case the doctor has the right to stop treating him for a number of reasons."
"Also, patients may not work well with the doctor, in which case the doctor has the right to stop treating them, for a number of reasons."

WEDNESDAY

Identify the errors below.
"The large majority of the 211 plates are held by multi-plate owners - some whom live outside Windsor - who rent them out to drivers for up to $200 per week."
“Whom” is objective case. “Who”is subjective case and must be used as subject of the verb “live”. Also, I am not a fan of dashes because they usually are inserted when the writer does not know what punctuation to correctly use.
"The large majority of the 211 plates are held by multi-plate owners, some who live outside Windsor, and who rent them out to drivers for up to $200 per week."

"Installer charged after iPod goes missing"
Things and people DO NOT GO MISSING. THEY ARE NOT FOUND MISSING, EITHER!
"Installer charged after iPod disappears"

THURSDAY

What is the difference between "like" and "as"?
“Like” is a preposition. A preposition takes an object.
“As” is a conjunction. A conjunction must take a clause with a subject and a verb.
He walks like a clown.
The young bucks fight as two behemoths do.

FRIDAY

NOUNS
A noun which applies to any one of a class of things is a common noun.
A noun which names one particular person, place or thing is called a proper noun.
In the sentence below, “town”, “city” and “library” are common nouns and “Whitby”, “Toronto” “King Street” and “Andrew Carnegie” are proper nouns..
"The town of Whitby is close to Toronto. The city has a library on King Street. It was endowed by Andrew Carnegie."

PRONOUNS

Personal pronouns are words that stand for persons. “Him”, “we”and “mine” are personal pronouns.
Interrogative pronouns are used in asking questions. “Whom” and “yours” are interrogative pronouns.
Demonstrative pronouns point out particular people or things. “That”, “those” are demonstrative.
Indefinite pronouns stand for no particular person or thing. “Others”, “somebody” and “neither” are examples.

What is a pronominal adjective?
This word has the value of an adjective and a pronouns because it modifies a noun and can stand for persons or things.
“This book belongs to me.” “This” modifies book and is demonstrative.

What is a compound personal pronoun?
A compound pronoun is indefinite and composed of two parts.
“No one is able to solve the problem.”
What is a reflexive pronoun?
A reflexive pronoun is one that reflects back or refers to the doer of the action. It cannot be used as a subject of a sentence.
“I shot myself in the foot.”

TODAY'S WORD

“Irrespective” (adj.) means independent or without regard to something else
“Irrespective of your likes and dislikes, you shall do the work or be replaced."

“Slipshod” (adj.) means untidy or slovenly.
“The writer was slipshod in his proofing and it showed in the product.”

"Doddering” (adj.) means shaking, tottering or senile.
"The doddering old fool ogled the girls with a jaundiced eye."

“Sycophant” (n.) is a word identifying a self-seeking and flattering person.
"The sycophant kept flattering his boss in hopes of a promotion."

“Multifarious” (adj.) means having many different parts, forms or sides.
"The multifarious actor could play Hamlet or Richard III with ease."