CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - October 25, 2009

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

Monday

ABIDE/BIDE

“Abide” (v.) means to endure, to survive, to hold out or to put up with something or someone unpleasant.

“Bide” (v.) means to wait for a favourable opportunity.


Tuesday

How many errors can be found in the following examples?

“There was a baseball cap and blood-soaked clothing laying in a pile on the pavement.”

The verb should be “lying”. If the subject is acting on some other object, it is “lay.” If the subject is lying down, it is “lie”.

“There was a baseball cap and blood-soaked clothing lying in a pile on the pavement.”


“Not because people believe they might not be able to drive safely, but because of the penalties in blowing over a .05 blood-alcohol reading, which is at the heart of the six-month old law.”

This is an incomplete thought. To have it make sense, the context must be known.
The comma after “safely” is unnecessary.

“More debate about breath tests must be done, not because people believe they might not be able to drive safely but because of the penalties in blowing over a .05 blood-alcohol reading, which is at the heart of the six-month old law.”


“Again, no definite answer.”

This is an incomplete thought.

“Again, there is no definite answer.”


“Common sense says these individuals aren't going to threaten their own life or anyone else's.”

“These individuals” is plural, but “life” is singular. Do these people have only one shared life? “Life” should be “lives”.

“Common sense says these individuals aren't going to threaten their own lives or anyone else's.”


Wednesday

MEDAL/METAL/MEDDLE/METTLE

With the following words, it is important, when speaking, to enunciate clearly to avoid confusion.

“Medal” (n.) refers to a decoration or ribbon or award.
“He received a medal acknowledging his brave acts.”

“Metal” (n.) refers to substances or elements such as gold silver or copper.
“That metal you are examining is pure gold.”

“Meddle” (v.) means to tamper, to interfere unwantedly or to disturb.
“Do not meddle is affairs that do not concern you.”

“Mettle” (n.) refers to courage, heart, nerve or spunk.
“He had the mettle and mental toughness to complete the gruelling Iron Man competition.”


Thursday

A DIFFERENT KIND OF APPROACH
THESE KIND/THIS KIND

“These” is plural.
“Kind” is singular.
Therefore, it is incorrect to try to have “these” modify “kind”.
It must be “these kinds” or “this kind”.

“This kind of candy is too sweet.”
“These kinds of mistakes should not be made by professional writers.


Friday

PRECEDENCE/PRECEDENTS

“Precedence” is a noun meaning status given in order of importance, priority or urgency. It also refers to the act of preceding or going before.
“On the Titanic, precedence was given to women and children in abandoning the ship.”

“Precedents” is the plural of “precedent” and refers to examples, forms, patterns or shapes.
“In arguing the case, the lawyer tried to set several precedents for future litigation.”



WORTH REMEMBERING

“The very spring and root of honesty and virtue lie in good education.”
Plutarch, a Greek biographer, (46 AD - 120 AD) wrote this.


LAST WEEK’S WORDS

Sorry. There are only four words this week. I was careless and did not pay enough attention.

“Obdurate” (adj.) means stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing, obstinate, perverse or resistant to tender feelings.

“Otiose” (adj.) means disinclined to work or exertion, lazy, idle or serving no useful purpose.

“Mollify” (v.) means to appease, assuage, pacify or make less rigid.

“Audacious” (adj.) means brave, fearless, brash, insolent, shameless or disposed to taking risks.