Mistakes occur all the time. Our education system in South Africa should have corrected these mistakes in primary school but they persist everywhere; in news reports, on advertising signs and even up to tertiary level at university. They even find their way into the corporate business world. They occur so often that people accept them as the norm.
So, let’s fix them once and for all!
Using ‘what’ or ‘that’ instead of ‘who’ or ‘whom’ or ‘he’ or ‘she’.
Example 1: The person’ ‘that’ is in charge of catering is a marvellous chef. Wrong! The person referred to is a human being.
Therefore the sentence should read:
‘The person ‘who’ is in charge of catering is a marvellous chef’ – is correct.
Because the person being referred to is human, you must use a personal pronoun such as ‘he‘, ‘she‘, ‘who‘, ‘whom‘ etc. because the pronouns are standing in place of a noun such as ‘George‘ or ‘Peter ‘or the ‘The chef’, as in the example above.
Any more or anymore
Any more, expressed as 2 words refers to quantity, not time.
Example 1: No thanks. I don’t want ‘any more’ cake.
‘Anymore’ expressed as one word refers to time.
Example 2: No, I don’t love you ‘any more; this is referring to time, meaning that the time when I loved you – is over.
At this point in time.
This is totally wrong because adding the words ‘in time‘ is totally unnecessary because clearly the speaker is talking about time, not in outer space, or under water or in a certain location.
Example: So, ‘at this point in time’, I wish to announce the winners.
That is totally incorrect. The sentence should simply read:
‘So now, I wish to announce the winners’!
or, ‘I will announce the winners in the next few minutes.’
or simply, ‘at this time I will announce the winners’.
‘Comprises’, instead of – ‘comprises of’ …
You should never use – ‘comprises of‘ ‘…
Example: The livestick on the farm comprises of‘ cows, sheep and ducks.
Wrong! You should never use ‘comprises of’.
Qualifying Superlatives
Superlatives are words like; exceptional, uniqe,outstanding, horrific, disgusting. They are adjectives that show that something stands alone as the best of its kind; somethng that is as good as can be. It is the ultimate. It cannot be bettered.
You should never put an adverb such as very, extremely, perfectly, amazingly‘ before a superlative.
Example 1: This picture is ‘very unique‘ Wrong! There is only one picture like that in the universe. There is only one in existence.
Example 2: That was ‘a very horrific movie.‘ – No – Wrong! – meaning that there is no other movie that’s more horrific than this one.It should simply read: ‘That was a horrific movie’.
That’s all for now. We will do another post when we find more common mistakes.
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