Grammar grab bag grows
My favorite writing blogs have been letting me down. Their references to “high-impact writing” and “highly-inspired” copy are stacking up higher than the Burj Dubai, the world’s tallest building. Shame on them.
I know I sound crabbier than my 93-year-old grandma when she flunked her driver’s test, but why can’t they get it right? These guys are writing about writing for a living. Would you want to hire a contractor whose last building collapsed?
On to some other recent offenders. I changed the details so the guilty shall remain anonymous. Yes, these have crossed my desk at The Simons Group.
ABC Co. has appointed Susan McGrath as managing director of its Houston office. McGrath has worked in turnarounds for more than 10 years and brings extensive experience from several different industries and corporate environments.
The problem here is redundancy. It should say “several industries” because “different” isn’t needed.
Also in the redundancy category:
Henry Scarborough shines in both publicly traded and closely held corporations, as well as structured and entrepreneurial environments.
Ka-ching! “Both” is redundant.
The next example contains an incorrect word I featured in a recent Style Guru. Can you find it?
On Bill’s watch, management has proven unafraid to make bold calls, especially when it scouts prospects.
“Proven” is used with an adjective, as in “proven success.” The sentence should use “proved.”
The bill provides that when an insurance company makes payment of a total-loss claim on a motor vehicle, the insurance company also shall include payment for an amount equal to the applicable sales tax or use tax rate levied on the sale of such a motor vehicle applied to the value of the motor vehicle used by the insurance company for the purposes of determining the claim.
Where do I start? This one has bloated government-speak written all over it. I couldn’t even get through all that in one breath. I’ll translate for you:
The bill also provides that such a total-loss payment shall include payment for any license or registration fees paid by an insured when he acquired the motor vehicle.
And finally, here’s a test in personal pronouns. This sentence appeared in a local newspaper:
One of them was Lonneke Purucker of Chicago, a 28-year-old law student whose husband bought she and a good friend seats at the Chicago Theatre through a ticket broker.
Someone’s clutch is slipping. The correct usage is “her” rather than “she.” The husband bought her seats. The husband bought the friend seats. I’ll go back to collecting more for the grab bag. Heaven knows, I’ve got plenty of material to work with. Job security. Yes!
