Here are the corrections and explanations for this week’s entries.
MONDAY
MONDAY PUN DAY
They are always fun to read.
“Two fish swim into a concrete wall. One turns to the other and says ‘Dam!’ ”
“Energizer bunny arrested . Charged with battery.”
IS THERE AN ERROR BELOW?
Read the piece below and determine if there is a writing error. If you think there is an error, identify it and correct it. If you think there is no error, give reasons to support your decision.
“But it’ll cost $1,560, the records will be in paper format and the city is refusing to release electronic data it has mapping out the problem areas in the city.”
Claire Brownell, “City fights Star request for flooding data”, The Windsor Star, Monday, December 9, 2013.
I suggest the comma after “$1,560 is incorrect. A semi-colon should be used.
“But it’ll cost $1,560; the records will be in paper format and the city is refusing to release electronic data it has mapping out the problem areas in the city.”
Claire Brownell, “City fights Star request for flooding data”, The Windsor Star, Monday, December 9, 2013.
TUESDAY
MICHAEL’S RULES OF CORRECT ENGLISH USAGE
MORE NOUN PLURALS
Some nouns are plural in form but singular in meaning. They always require a singular verb.
Some examples are: news, mumps, civics.
“The news is great today; my cancer has been eradicated.”
Some nouns are always plural and require a plural verb.
Some examples are: scissors, ashes, riches, thanks.
“Riches do not always bring happiness.”
PRINCIPAL/PRINCIPLE
“Principal” is an adjective meaning the first or the highest in rank, importance or value.
“She is the principal singer in the group even though there are others who are equally talented.”
“Principle” is a noun referring to an accepted or professed rule of action or conduct or a fundamental, primary or general law or truth.
“The principle by which I live is to respect all humans.”
WEDNESDAY
Find, identify and correct the errors in the following.
“WEMG is solely responsible for paying the cost overruns associated with the faulty under its 30-year contract with the provincial government to build, operate and maintain the parkway.
‘There is absolutely additional costs,’ Prince said. ‘I’m sure someone has an idea what those are, but I’m not that person.’ ”
‘There is absolutely additional costs…’ is carelessly edited and must be correctly worded, not to mention that the subject and verb do not agree.
“WEMG is solely responsible for paying the cost overruns associated with the faulty under its 30-year contract with the provincial government to build, operate and maintain the parkway.
‘There are absolutely no additional costs,’ Prince said. ‘I’m sure someone has an idea what those are, but I’m not that person.’ ”
“ ‘It’s obviously concerning, it’s troublesome, when we learn of people going to residences to conduct these types of robberies,’ Sgt. Matthew D’Asti said Tuesday.”
The punctuation needs some refinement.
“ ‘It’s obviously concerning; it’s troublesome when we learn of people going to residences to conduct these types of robberies,’ Sgt. Matthew D’Asti said Tuesday.”
“It just kind of sad to me this is a part of my history, although I’m not from Windsor, I’m still Canadian.”
The punctuation needs a lot of work here.
“It just kind of sad to me; this is a part of my history, Although I’m not from Windsor, I’m still Canadian.”
A SARDONIC OBSERVATION
“Unprovided with original learning, unformed in the habits of thinking, unskilled in the arts of composition, I resolved to write a book.”
Edward Gibbon, an English historian who lived from 1737 to 1794, wrote this.
THURSDAY
ANYMORE/ANYMORE
“Anymore” is an adverb and is properly used in a statement about a change in a previous condition or activity.
“Anymore” and “any more” are both acceptable but “anymore” is the more common form used.
Do not use “anymore” as a synonym for “nowadays”, “today” or “lately”.
“I am not going to take that treatment anymore and will file a formal grievance if it occurs again.”
THIS WEEK’S WORDS
“Aggrandize” (v.) means to dramatise, to embellish, to pad or to blow up.
“That signer just wants his fifteen minutes and will inappropriately aggrandize himself to achieve that end.”
“Promulgate” (v.) means to state clearly, to proclaim, to explain or to formally declare.
“He will promulgate any philosophy that suits his moods of the moment and his followers must follow or be exiled from the community.”
“Saturnine” (adj.) means sardonic, biting, pungent or grimly humourous.
“His saturnine tongue and cheerless disposition make him a candidate for humbug of the year.”
“Gainsay” (v.) means to challenge, to dispute, to confute or to disprove.
To gainsay the mayor is to deny Windsor’s phenomenal recovery from near economic ruin.”
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