Posts Tagged ‘common errors’

  • 'Can I get …'

    Posted by Susan Jellis on July 22, 2009

    ‘Can I get some more paper?’ ‘Yes, it’s on the table over there – help yourself.’
    This would be an unremarkable question and answer pattern but the colleague who was asked this question by several native speakers of British English recently was the invigilator of an exam and certainly did not give that response! The expectation [...]

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  • Revolving speakers: “So she turned round and said…”

    Posted by Michael Rundell on June 08, 2009

    Why do we say that someone “turned round” (or turned around) and said something? It’s one of those  expressions people seem to find deeply irritating, and the standard response to what is perceived as “sloppy” English is to imagine it is nothing more than a meaningless filler. I tend to take the opposite view: language [...]

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  • I’m beginning to hate apostrophes!

    Posted by Gwyneth Fox on May 04, 2009

    I’m turning into a grumpy old woman. Or perhaps I’ve been one for ages without noticing and I’m only just becoming aware of how grumpy I can get. I used not to bother when people got apostrophes wrong; I refused to join a society for the preservation of the apostrophe; and I gently corrected my [...]

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  • Sorry I bought it up!

    Posted by Shane Rae on April 22, 2009

    I was recently visiting a primary school and had the great pleasure of sitting in on an assembly that was to be a celebration of some of the children’s fantastic work. It was also a chance for the pupils to bring in things to show to their peers as well. In a nice clear voice, [...]

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