CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - April 26, 2009

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

Monday

BEAUTIFUL IRONY

Identify and correct the error in the following example.

“Schools like Begley perform poorly on provincial tests, the number of low income and immigrant families are often used as excuses.”

This is an example of a comma splice, that is, using a comma where a period is needed.
The subject and verb of the second clause must agree. The subject is "number" and that word is singular so the verb must be singular.
"Excuse" should be singular; only one thing is being implied.
"Excuse" must be completed with a phrase, such as "for poor performance", so the sentence makes sense.

“Schools like Begley perform poorly on provincial tests. The number of low income and immigrant families is often used as an excuse.”


BONUS

The irony of the piece is that it is about education but is written in an uneducated fashion with four glaring errors.


BONUS # 2: FOUR TYPES OF IRONY

Irony is a literary device used by writers to enhance interest in their stories. Irony very easily translates into real life.

Simple Irony is a device whereby one thing is said but another thing is meant.

Dramatic Irony occurs when a character in a play or the audience knows something but another character does not.

Irony of Situation is an unexpected turn of events.

Irony of Fate occurs when a character, usually unwittingly, causes his own downfall.


Tuesday

What is the error in the following entry? Fix it.

“That despite the Spitfires carefully crafting a 4-1 lead after two periods.”

This is an incomplete thought; there is no verb.

“That [comeback] occurred despite the Spitfires carefully crafting a 4-1 lead after two periods.”


Wednesday

Find and fix the errors in the following pieces.
What are the applicable rules?

“Police said a Leamington resident found an envelope in their mailbox and initially thought it was delivered by Canada Post.”

“Resident” is singular. “Their”, which refers to “resident”, is plural. That is not acceptable grammar.

“Police said a Leamington resident found an envelope in his mailbox and initially thought it was delivered by Canada Post.” Use “her” if you don’t like “him”.


“Which brings me to another point: Susan Boyle says she has never been kissed.”

This is an incomplete thought because of the subordinate conjunction at the start of the sentence. The conjunction must be changed.

“That brings me to another point: Susan Boyle says she has never been kissed.”


Thursday

TORTUROUS/TORTUOUS

“Torturous” (adj.) means painful, cruel or causing extreme agony.

“Tortuous” (adj.) means full of twists, turns, winding or crooked. It also means morally crooked.


BONUS

What is the easiest way to determine what part of speech a word is, if you are unsure?
Write a sentence using the word in question and determine the word’s function. This usually shows the type of word.


Friday

BRING/TAKE

“Bring” means to carry to a nearer place from a farther place.

“Take” means to carry from a nearer place to a farther place.

The past tense and past participle of “bring” is “brought”.

The past tense of “take” is “took”. The past participle is “taken”.


BONUS

What are the forms of the word "bring" that are very often misused?

“Brung” “brang” and “tooken” are unacceptable forms of the words.


PONDER THIS CAREFULLY

“I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.”
Gerry Spence, U.S. trial lawyer, wrote this.


LAST WEEK’S WORDS

“Irreconcilable” (adj.) means conflicting, incompatible, opposed or contradictory.

“Embodiment” (n.) denotes personification, quintessence or picture.

“Calamitous” (adj.) means disastrous, ruinous, cataclysmic or tragic.

“Larcenous” (adj.) means relating to the theft of another’s property.

“Comprehensive” (adj.) means complete, inclusive, full or wide-reaching.