CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - July 15, 2007

Monday

"City authorities maintain $1.8 million loaned to the theatre in the mid-1990s give the city rights to the building following the recent bankruptcy."
"City authorities maintain $1.8 million lent to the theatre in the mid-1990s gives the city rights to the building following the recent bankruptcy."
“Loan” is a noun and cannot be used as a verb.
The subject is singular and must have a verb that is also singular.

"The bridge company is competing to build the next Windsor-Detroit border crossing against a government-backed bid to instead build a new bridge by 2013 in an area further downriver linking the communities of Sandwich and Delray."
"The bridge company is competing to build the next Windsor-Detroit border crossing against a government-backed bid to instead build a new bridge by 2013 in an area farther downriver linking the communities of Sandwich and Delray."
“Further” means “in addition to”. “Farther must be used because the reference in the sentence is to distance.

TUESDAY

PRESCRIBE/PROSCRIBE

“Prescribe” means to recommend something.
I prescribe the intense study of a book dealing with sentence structure to some writers.
“Proscribe” means to forbid the use of something.
I proscribe the use of tobacco as injurious to your health.

Wednesday

PREDOMINANT/PREDOMINATE

“Predominant” is an adjective.
The predominant colour on the faces of some writers should be red.

"Predominate" is a verb.
Lions predominate in the jungle because of their size.

Thursday

"Assuming the same proportion of Canadian guys are into shoulder furniture, each with a content value of $680, a staggering $7.1 billion worth of goods are being routinely carried about by men coast to coast."
"Assuming the same proportion of Canadian guys is into shoulder furniture, each with a content value of $680, a staggering $7.1 billion worth of goods is being routinely carried about by men coast to coast."
The subjects of the clauses are plural and demand plural verbs. DUH!

Friday

"Where did you get your supplies from?"
"Where did you get your supplies?"
“From” is dangling and redundant.

THE WORDS

“Atrocious" (adj.) means extremely wicked, cruel or heinous.
The Marquis de Sade was an atrocious person.

“Xenophobia" (n.) means the fear or hatred of foreigners.
Ignorance and xenophobia regarding recent immigrants often cause social unrest.

“Chivalrous" (adj.) means having high qualities such as courage, courtesy, generosity and loyalty.
Opening a door for another is still a chivalrous act.

“Nescience" (n.) means a lack of knowledge, ignorance or agnosticism.
Nescience is the root of all evil, especially when trying to write.

“Specious" (adj.) means superficially pleasing, pleasing to the eye but deceptive, apparently good but without real merit.
His argument about the superiority of man was specious and ignorant.