Friday, December 27, 2013

Time and Life Building is one building. "Which" refers to this one building; therefore, the appropriate verb is is. 

Commas Clear Up Confusion

The meaning of this sentence is changed by the addition of commas. As the article is published, the sentence seems to say that something occurred before the officers said something. When read in context, it seems that the officers say the man hit another car before hitting the building. Setting "officers say" apart with commas clarifies this confusion. 

Split Infinitive

This, my friends, is an example of the dreaded split infinitive. Some still hold to the notion that the split infinitive is always incorrect.  Many hold that if it can be easily corrected, one should correct the split infinitive. This one is easily corrected. To eat is an infinitive. Because infinitives in other languages are one word and cannot be separated, or split, grammarians contend that we should not interject any word or words within the infinitive. In this case, the words should be written not to eat. 

I Didn't Do It. I Promise.


I wasn't the one complaining about his grammar. Really. 

Subject/Verb Agreement

If you endeavor to be a source of news for the community, a basic grasp of grammar adds credibility. The subject of a verb will not be in a prepositional phrase. "Portions" is the subject of the first sentence; therefore, the verb should be are not "is." 

No Comment's Please

My dear daughter found this one, too. No apostrophe needed. 

Or

My dear daughter found this one while out with her dad. Confusing and wordy, this sign misuses the apostrophe in the word "Meal's." The ampersands and multiple uses of "or" render this sign difficult at best. Perhaps a complete rewording is the answer. This sign is posted at Oasis, a new restaurant in Bryant, Arkansas. 

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Day's and Days

They are days of Christmas not day's. This one was posted on the door at the Bryant, Arkansas, Hallmark store. 

Even Your Dog Knows Better

No apostrophes needed because a dog does not wag it is tail with it is heart. 

From Saline Courier

This is a post on the Facebook page of Saline Courier, one of Saline County, Arkansas' local newspapers. 
There is an apostrophe missing in New Year's resolutions. The antecedent of it is resolutions; therefore, the word them should be used instead of it. Commas should separate the two independent clauses in the second sentence and again in the last sentence. Perhaps a proofreading resolution is in order for the newspaper staff. 

Saturday, December 07, 2013

Hyphen


"2 YEAR" is working as an adjective describing the card, as is "marijuana." It is not a "2" card, nor is it a "year" card. The two words must work together; therefore, they should be hyphenated. "Marijuana" can work independent of "2 year," so "marijuana" need not be hyphenated. It is a two-year marijuana card. This was posted in Michigan. 
This is a rather well-written sign. There's a fragment;perhaps, it is for effect. 
No apostrophe needed. This one is from War Memorial Stadium. 
"Student" is singular "their" is plural. "Their" should written as his or as his/her. 

Cheap Pizza!

According to the sign, each slice costs almost a penny. 
Error #1-Some form of punctuation is needed to correct this run-on sentence. A period or a semicolon would work. 
Error #2-An end mark is needed. 
Error #3-It's possible. 
Error #4-A comma is needed following this subordinate clause. 
Error #5-Commas should set these words apart. 
Error #6-A comma should follow this introductory subordinate clause. 

Tater/Tatter

I think the Salem Dairy Bar sells TATER tots. 

The first mistake is a common one. Rarely is the word "there" a subject. The subject of the subheading is "timestamps." The sentence should read, "There ARE Timestamps on Text Messages."
The other error is likely just a typo. 
I believe they are discountED. 

Funtrackers Mistake

"Childs" should be child's. "Adults" should be adult's. 

Calender vs. Calendar

It's a CALENDAR. 

Ready to Proofread?

"Too" should be to. 

Fox16

What's "spoending"?

Scare

Two errors are in this one. The comma should be inside the quotation marks, and Finney probably has a scar, not a "scare."

Their/They're

"After they're finished..."

Impulsive Apostrophe

An education group making a post with an elementary mistake. Hmmm. 
No apostrophe needed. 

The School PrinciPAL=Your PAL

The principal is your PAL. 

Great Sentiments. Terrible Grammar.

The first, second, and fourth errors are errors in agreement. The post begins with the singular "a lost loved one." The switch to "them," "them," and "their" causes disagreement between these plural pronouns and their singular antecedent. The third error is an error in tense. It should be "shared" since the time would be in the past. The last circled error is a comma splice, meaning that two sentences have been incorrectly joined with a comma. A period, a semicolon, or a comma and coordinating conjunction could correct this error. 

Proofreader Needed

Loud Smoking Not Allowed



This sign implies that one can smoke loudly. Shhh! No loud smoking allowed. 
I could start another blog devoted entirely to these cartoons with witty statements on them. This one contains a more complex error than the errors I usually see on these. The correct way to write this would be as follows: I'm it's-8:30-and-you-wanna-start-a-movie-this-late-years old. 
Wanna is very informal, I know. 

Starbucks Sign

It should be ITS not it's. 

Santa Claus


It's CLAUS not  CLAUSE Tsk, tsk, Junior League. 

You Can't Make Children Plural

Children is the plural of child. When adding an -s to it, it must be to make it possessive, requiring an apostrophe. This sign was posted multiple places at Walgreens. 

Friday, December 06, 2013

Humanly/Humanely

Wow! According to this article, the dog died as a human. Surely, the author means this medication provided a humane expiration. This is from an online police report from Benton, Arkansas. 

Monday, December 02, 2013

Apostrophes Needed


Mens and Womens should be Men's and Women's. 



In the same store is an unnecessary apostrophe. 

Possession

Pssession does not posess a necessary -o. 

Thanksgiving

A comma should separate the day (Thursday and Friday) from the month (Nov.), but the most egregious error is the apostrophe marring the word Thanksgiving. 

Grammatically Incorrect Attempt at Political Correctness

The pronoun their is referring to the word sister. Sister is singular. Their is plural. They don't agree. Their should be her. 

Proofread Please!


The sentence, however, DOES end after disease; therefore, a period should follow the word disease. Many people would say that there should be a comma before too. 

Since the writer doesn't mean "at it is best," the apostrophe is incorrect and should written its. 

Sunday, December 01, 2013

Find/Fined


Thanks to an astute student for this one. The sign should read FINED instead of FIND. I would like to find $50 if my car is ever towed, though.