Ha! Ha! I made a mistake and no one caught it, so you will have to reread this week’s entries if you want to discover it. (You will not find it among the corrections below.)
THIS WEEK’S GAFFS
He felt badly that the Maple Leafs missed the playoffs again.
He felt bad that the Maple Leafs missed the playoffs again.
“Bad” is an adjective describing “he”.
"...none of the fire fighters who were injured are back to work yet."
"...none of the fire fighters who were injured is back to work yet."
“None” is a singular noun and subject of the singular verb “is”.
"...that would be pretty important."
"...that would be very important."
“Pretty”, which means “becoming”, is commonly misused.
"Nurses taking part in these types of situations."
"Nurses are taking part in these types of situations."
The original is an incomplete thought as worded; “taking” needs the auxiliary verb “are”.
What is the difference between bias and prejudice?
We are biased for something or someone and prejudiced against someone or something.
He had a small amount of worms left in his fishing box.
He had a small number of worms left in his fishing box.
“Number” must be used with quantities that can be counted one at a time; “amount” is used with quantities that are not countable.
She said she was sorry but she could of been more sincere.
She said she was sorry but she could have been more sincere.
“Could of” does not exist. One must say “could have”.
THIS WEEK’S WORDS
“Grandiose” means pompous, or grand in an imposing way.
The actor’s grandiose gestures were way too melodramatic.
“Fatuous” means silly, unreal or foolish.
Paris Hilton is a fatuous and low-watted light bulb.
“Egalitarian” means asserting the equality of all.
Michael is an egalitarian in his critiques of professional writers.
“Integrity” means honesty, uprightness, soundness of moral principal and character.
He admired the girl’s integrity for refusing to cheat on an exam.
“Abstruse” means hidden, esoteric or difficult to understand.
His rationale for his cruel actions was abstruse and psychopathic.
BASIC LANGUAGE
What is a noun?
A noun is a word that names a person, place or thing.
What are the various types of nouns?
There are common nouns and proper nouns. “Tree” is a common noun. “John” is a proper noun and must be capitalized.
What is a pronoun?
A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun in a sentence.
Identify the various types of pronouns.
Pronouns can be personal, reflexive, relative interrogative, indefinite, intensive and demonstrative.
Nouns and pronouns will be demonstrated next week.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
SLOPPY LANGUAGE
ANOTHER CARELESS EFFORT
She said she was sorry but she could of been more sincere.
What is incorrect in the sentence above? Why?
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is integrity.
Define the word and use it in a sentence. What does the word imply?
BASIC LANGUAGE - A QUESTION (continued)
Identify the various types of pronouns.
She said she was sorry but she could of been more sincere.
What is incorrect in the sentence above? Why?
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is integrity.
Define the word and use it in a sentence. What does the word imply?
BASIC LANGUAGE - A QUESTION (continued)
Identify the various types of pronouns.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
CONGRATULATIONS
Kudos go to those "professionals" who have improved their presentations. Keep up the good work. Those of you who do not understand this should read some of the previous postings and the mandate of this blog.
IS THERE AN ERROR IN THE EXAMPLE BELOW?
He had a small amount of worms left in his fishing box.
Of course there is an error; I would not have included it if there were not. What is the error? What is the correction? What is the rationale? Feel free to post your correction and reason in the "Comment" section at the end of this entry.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is grandiose.
Define the word and use it in a sentence.
BASIC LANGUAGE - A QUESTION (continued)
What is a pronoun?
Kudos go to those "professionals" who have improved their presentations. Keep up the good work. Those of you who do not understand this should read some of the previous postings and the mandate of this blog.
IS THERE AN ERROR IN THE EXAMPLE BELOW?
He had a small amount of worms left in his fishing box.
Of course there is an error; I would not have included it if there were not. What is the error? What is the correction? What is the rationale? Feel free to post your correction and reason in the "Comment" section at the end of this entry.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is grandiose.
Define the word and use it in a sentence.
BASIC LANGUAGE - A QUESTION (continued)
What is a pronoun?
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
CHANGES
NEW STRUCTURE & PRESENTATION
Now that this blog is operating with some facility, I am going to change the format.
I will publish new entries Mondays through Fridays and will add the corrections and explanations on the weekends.
The concept will remain the same. I will offer examples of spelling, grammar and punctuation errors, especially those that professionals make, and will challenge you to correct them.
The desire will remain: to get rid of poor language usage and to encourage all of us to never accept mediocrity.
I am also going to change the template that governs the page image you see because I like variety.
BIAS/PREJUDICE
What is the difference between bias and prejudice?
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is abstruce. (This is a great sounding word.)
Define the word and use it in a sentence.
Now that this blog is operating with some facility, I am going to change the format.
I will publish new entries Mondays through Fridays and will add the corrections and explanations on the weekends.
The concept will remain the same. I will offer examples of spelling, grammar and punctuation errors, especially those that professionals make, and will challenge you to correct them.
The desire will remain: to get rid of poor language usage and to encourage all of us to never accept mediocrity.
I am also going to change the template that governs the page image you see because I like variety.
BIAS/PREJUDICE
What is the difference between bias and prejudice?
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is abstruce. (This is a great sounding word.)
Define the word and use it in a sentence.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
MORE PROFESSIONAL GEMS
I'm Being Picky
What is incorrect in the examples below? Why?
"...none of the fire fighters who were injured are back to work yet."
Christie Bezaire, A Channel News, Monday, May 14, 2007.
"...that would be pretty important."
"Susan Pedlar, CBC News, Monday, May 14, 2007.
"Nurses taking part in these types of situations."
Jim Crichton, A Channel News, Monday, May 14, 2007.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is egalitarian.
Define the word and use it in a sentence.
BASIC LANGUAGE - A QUESTION (continued)
What are the various types of nouns?
What is incorrect in the examples below? Why?
"...none of the fire fighters who were injured are back to work yet."
Christie Bezaire, A Channel News, Monday, May 14, 2007.
"...that would be pretty important."
"Susan Pedlar, CBC News, Monday, May 14, 2007.
"Nurses taking part in these types of situations."
Jim Crichton, A Channel News, Monday, May 14, 2007.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is egalitarian.
Define the word and use it in a sentence.
BASIC LANGUAGE - A QUESTION (continued)
What are the various types of nouns?
Monday, May 14, 2007
Sunday, May 13, 2007
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.
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.
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