SYNTAX SCRUTINY WITH THE KEEN-EYED PROOFREADER (EP.5)

Eleven (11) common mistakes we make as creators, in our daily content.

Welcome back to another session with your Syntax Surgeon!??

In this episode, we'll find out common mistakes we make as creators, in our daily content.

I'll also add a correction for each one.

Let's go!

1. Irregardless of what you want, the restaurant does not have it.?

Regardless of what you want, the restaurant does not have it.?

(Regardless means despite but irregardless is a nonstandard word)

2. She could not decide among the two guys?

She could not decide between the two guys?

3. Presently, the boss is in his office.?

At present, the boss is in his office.?

4. The cat drank it's milk.?

The cat drank its milk.?

("Its" without an apostrophe, is the possessive version of a pronoun. In the above example, we should use the possessive “its” to talk about the cat's milk, because it belongs to the cat)

5. Its a very beautiful cup.?

It's a very beautiful cup.?

("It's" with an apostrophe, is a contraction/ short form of “it is” or “it has". Since we're saying that "it is a very beautiful cup", then we should use the contraction “it's” instead of "its".)

6. I'm literally melting from the hotness?

Figuratively speaking, I'm melting because it's so hot. ?

("literally" means actually or really while "figuratively" means not real. “Figuratively” is used to exaggerate, or enlarge the meaning of something.)

7. I didn't do nothing.?

I didn't do anything?

I did nothing?

(We hear such phrases particularly on American TV shows and movies and repeat them in our conversations. But what is wrong with it is that one cannot use two negatives together. In this case: didn't and nothing can't go together.)

8. There were less people at the function.?

There were few people at the function.?

(With nouns that can be counted, few is used and not less. Less is used for nouns we cannot count.)

9. Anyways, let me know when you are ready.?

Anyway, let me know when you are ready.?

(Anyways is a colloquial form whose use must be avoided during a conversation in a formal setting.)

10. I see my favorite series every Friday night on Tv.?

I watch my favourite series every Friday night on Tv.?

11. Let's go watch a movie at the theatre tonight.?

Let's go see a movie at the theatre tonight.?

(We use see, not watch, when we talk about being at sports matches or public performances, such as films, theatre and dramas. However, we watch the television: e.g We saw a wonderful new film last night. You'll have to go and see it while it's in the cinema.)

I hope this was helpful!

Thank you for staying to the end!

See you next week!

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SIGNED,

OGO GLADYS AMARACHI

THE KEEN-EYED PROOFREADER

YOUR SYNTAX SURGEON!??