CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - June 15, 2008

Here are the corrections and explanations for last week's entries.

Monday

THAT/WHICH/WHO

“That” is a relative pronoun which is used to refer to things. It may refer to a type or class of person.
“That is the apple I want.”

“Which” is a relative pronoun that refers only to things.
The boat, which I love, is too expensive.”

“Who” is a relative pronoun which only refers to people.
“Betsy, who is blonde, is my favourite friend and foil.


Tuesday

ITS/IT'S

“Its” is a possessive pronoun as in: “The dog wagged its tail.”

“It’s" is a contraction standing for “it is” as in: “It’s time to use these words correctly.”


Wednesday

HERS/HER'S

“Hers” is a possessive personal pronoun, as in: “The purse is hers”.

“Her’s” is completely incorrect and must never be used.


Thursday

Identify and correct the error in the following:

“If you're planning on going vegan there is a few things you ought to know.”

“Things” is a plural subject and the verb must also be plural.

“If you're planning on going vegan there are a few things you ought to know.”


Friday

"THAT THERE" & "THIS HERE"

“That there” is redundant and non-standard. Avoid the expression.
Drop “there”.

“This here” is also redundant and non-standard. Avoid using it.
Drop “here”.


A GOOD PHILOSOPHY

"Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value."
This was said by Albert Einstein.


THIS WEEK’S WORDS

“Proscribe” (v.) means to bar, ban, forbid or disallow.

“Sympathize” (v.) means to pity, to empathize, to feel sorry or to identify with.

“Oligarchy” (n.) means a type of government in which power os vested in a few or in a dominant class or clique.

“Amorphous” (adj.) means shapeless, nebulous, fluid, undefined or vague.

“Plutocracy” (n.) means a type of government in which the wealthy class rules.