Common Errors in English

[RichardWade]

I strongly recommend that everyone make themselves familiar with Paul Brians' Common Errors in English Usage (http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html).

[Alex]

Well, I checked it, but I didn't like it too much. I stumbled upon this (emphasis mine):

KOALA

A koala is not a bear. People who know their marsupials refer to them simply as “koalas.”
A page wanting to lecture you about common errors in English usage uses 'their' instead of 'they're'. What else can I say.

[Traxius]

The use of their in the sentence is absolutely correct.

People who know their cars.
People who know their sport.

The above sentences indicate people who have extensive knowledge about a subject.

You probably could get away with using they're, but it may change the meaning ever so slightly.

[DanielScocco]

Well, I checked it, but I didn't like it too much. I stumbled upon this (emphasis mine):

A page wanting to lecture you about common errors in English usage uses 'their' instead of 'they're'. What else can I say.

Alex, the usage is correct indeed.

If people know they're marsupials than they are not people but animals :).

I hope this clarified the sentence.

[wolfatthedoor]

Alex, I believe what you were thinking is that They're refers to the koalas. Therefore it would read: People who know they're (aka the koalas are) marsupials. Unfortunatly, the subject of the sentence is people and the they're would be referring to them. People, however, are not marsupials.

[Silke]

I read it as the "their" belonging to people, not to koala.

[dancer]

Is it ten-thousand-square-feet?

Is it correct to say could have been or could of been? If one is used consistently, does it matter which one it is?

Is it rabies shots or rabies' shots?

Thank you for your help.

[Maeve]

Is it ten-thousand-square-feet?

Is it correct to say could have been or could of been? If one is used consistently, does it matter which one it is?

Is it rabies shots or rabies' shots?

Thank you for your help.

10,000 square feet (or ten thousand square feet)

could have been YES it matters!

rabies shots

[pauliree]

My weak point is verb usage. Can you let me know which of the following would be better..

This case study is analysing...

This case study is an analysis of...

I am fairly sure it is the second but I would love some confirmation.

Thanks

Paula

[Maeve]

My weak point is verb usage. Can you let me know which of the following would be better..

This case study is analysing...

This case study is an analysis of...

I am fairly sure it is the second but I would love some confirmation.

Thanks

Paula
Trust the Force in this case, Paula. Go with the second example.


"Analysing" would perhaps be appropriate for a human subject. The medical team is analyzing the results of the case study.


P.S. American spelling prefers z.)

[pauliree]

:)
Thanks Maeve, much appreciated

[Jester]

Oh yes this book is great, I think anyone (both native and non-native speakers) should have it.

[onemore4gsus]

Alex, the usage is correct indeed.

If people know they're marsupials than they are not people but animals :).

I hope this clarified the sentence.

If people know they're marsupials *then* they are not people but animals.

[Mikes]

Just a quick suggestion to anyone looking into a writing a book/story that takes place between north America and other English speaking nations: read Bill Bryson's Mother Tongue.

While more an exploration of the divergance of the language than an encyclopedia of the differences, it serves to highlight how words are used differently between countries.

A quick example; I was in a writing course recently (in Australia) with a group of people which included a 17 year old. He had a story he wanted to write and set in the US. His reasoning being he needed a large population base for a story arc and Australia only has 20 million people. Anyway, he brought some of his work in to shop and I told him that NA residents use 'sports' where we use 'sport'. "But that's not right" he said. I tried to explain that, yes, down here it's not right, but there it's the norm. He left that day still not understanding the different use of the same word.

[Maeve]

Just a quick suggestion to anyone looking into a writing a book/story that takes place between north America and other English speaking nations: read Bill Bryson's Mother Tongue.

While more an exploration of the divergance of the language than an encyclopedia of the differences, it serves to highlight how words are used differently between countries.

A quick example; I was in a writing course recently (in Australia) with a group of people which included a 17 year old. He had a story he wanted to write and set in the US. His reasoning being he needed a large population base for a story arc and Australia only has 20 million people. Anyway, he brought some of his work in to shop and I told him that NA residents use 'sports' where we use 'sport'. "But that's not right" he said. I tried to explain that, yes, down here it's not right, but there it's the norm. He left that day still not understanding the different use of the same word.

Good advice.
Experienced writers know to research such matters.