CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - February 10, 2008

Monday

HIM/HER & HE/SHE

"He" and "she", and their plural form, “they“, are personal pronouns that can only be used as subjects.

"Him" and "her", and their plural form, “them”, are personal pronouns that can only be used as objects.

BONUS

“I” is a personal pronoun that can only be used as subject.
“Me” is a personal pronoun that can only be used as object.

Examples

Him and her went to the store.
Correction
He and she went to the store.

She and him went to the store.
Correction
She and he went to the store.

He and her went to the store.
Correction
He and she went to the store.

He and she went to the store.
Correction
He and she went to the store.

They talked to her and I.
Correction
They talked to her and me.


Tuesday

Something seems odd or incorrect in each of the following. What is the problem in each? What are the solutions?

"Those calls went unreturned."
How can calls “go”? This is a cliché that does not make sense.
"Those calls were unreturned."

"[Benson students] put on a skit for fellow classmates."
Isn’t “fellow classmates” redundant? Am I being too picky?"
[Benson students] put on a skit for their classmates."

"...as we head further south..."
“Further” means “in addition to”. “Farther” indicates distance.
"...as we head farther south..."


Wednesday

"Between her and myself there is a lot of knowledge."
This is an awkward sounding sentence but the major error is the misuse of “myself” which is a reflexive pronoun and cannot be used as a subject.
"There is a lot of knowledge between her and me."
Even this sounds awkward.
She and I have a lot of knowledge.

"He gave an envious eye to her and I as we sped down the slopes."
“To her and I” is a phrase. A phrase has a preposition and its object(s). “I” cannot be used as object.
"He gave an envious eye to her and me as we sped down the slopes."

"I and my girlfriend are really getting serious."
When mentioning yourself with another person, the other person should always be cited first.
"My girlfriend and I are really getting serious."

"You can talk to Harry and myself at any time that yous need some help."
“Myself” is reflexive and cannot be used as an object.
THERE IS NO SUCH WORD AS “YOUS”! The plural of “you” is “you”.
"You can talk to Harry and me at any time that you need some help."


Thursday

LIKE/AS

“Like” is a preposition. A preposition starts a phrase and takes an object. It cannot be used to start a clause.
‘He fights like a demon.”

“As” is a conjunction. A conjunction starts a clause and is, therefore, followed by a subject and verb. It cannot be used to start a phrase.
“He fights as a demon would fight.


Friday

Identify and correct the errors in the sentences below.

"During his cross-examination of Mlynek, Monroe questioned whether the two alleged home invasions, neither of which were reported to police at the time, had taken place."
“Neither” is singular and demands a singular verb.
"During his cross-examination of Mlynek, Monroe questioned whether the two alleged home invasions, neither of which was reported to police at the time, had taken place."

"None of the allegations in the lawsuit have been proven in court."
“None” is singular and demands a singular verb.
"None of the allegations in the lawsuit has been proven in court."


THE WEEK’S WORDS

“Misanthrope" (n.) means a hater of man or mankind.

“Unconscionable" (adj.) means without morals, villainous, unprincipled or exorbitant.

“Masticate" (v.) means to chew or jaw.

“Mercurial" (adj.) means shrewdness, quickness, changeability or erratic in behaviour.

“Ideological" (adj.) refers to the science of ideas, the visionary quality of someone or of a group, or to the doctrine of a particular group.