Fun with Grammar.

[MichaelM]

But after Yello's post I'm not so sure.

In an essay, I wrote:

"I have demonstrated the growth in my own professional practice over the the course of the placement."

I should have used "development" instead !

 

[yello]

It's what I do. If in doubt, reword!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Isn't ''their'' a pronoun? Which goes before a noun. If it went before a verb surely it would be a proverb.

 

[deanE]

practise makes perfect!

 

[yello]

If it went before a verb surely it would be a proverb.

Cheers. Made me chuckle that did.

 

[MichaelM]

It's what I do. If in doubt, reword!

There was no doubt - until it was marked as being incorrect!

 

[fatblokish]

For some reason I find it very easy to use advice/advise correctly, yet practice/practise seems much harder to get right. Dunno why, despite the common ce/se endings.

 

[Arch]

There was no doubt - until it was marked as being incorrect!

I think you were correct. Their, his, my, all refer to a thing, owned by a person. That may be a physical thing (dog, hat), or a concept (skill, soul), but it's a thing, and therefore a noun. You cannot own a verb.

Here's my hobbyhorse: When a reporter on the telly is talking about something rare and describes it as 'one of the only ..... left in the country'. 'The Only' is a singular item in that context. You cannot have one of the only. You can have 'one of the few', or even 'one of only a few' (where only is.. well I dunno, an adjective?), but not 'one of the only'.

 

[Maz]

I agree it should be practice (noun) and not practise (at least in British English, anyway).

My pet peeve is the supermarket check-out signs saying 'Ten Items Or Less'. I heard somewhere that some supermarkets were going to adopt 'Up to 10 Items' instead.

 

[Archie_tect]

Licensed to kill... and a licence to prove it.

 

[subaqua]

I think you were correct. Their, his, my, all refer to a thing, owned by a person. That may be a physical thing (dog, hat), or a concept (skill, soul), but it's a thing, and therefore a noun. You cannot own a verb.

Here's my hobbyhorse: When a reporter on the telly is talking about something rare and describes it as 'one of the only ..... left in the country'. 'The Only' is a singular item in that context. You cannot have one of the only. You can have 'one of the few', or even 'one of only a few' (where only is.. well I dunno, an adjective?), but not 'one of the only'.

it wouldn't be so bad if they said "one of only (x)" , where (x) is a number low enough to make sense in the context

 

[Arch]

it wouldn't be so bad if they said "one of only (x)" , where (x) is a number low enough to make sense in the context

Indeed, that would be fine, like I said, it's ok to say 'one of only a few'. It's the use of 'the' and 'only' together that rankles.

 

[MontyVeda]

My pet peeve is the supermarket check-out signs saying 'Ten Items Or Less'. I heard somewhere that some supermarkets were going to adopt 'Up to 10 Items' instead.

hmmmm... i'm not sure if you should get out more or stay in more

 

[vernon]

I met a panda that eats shites and leaves.

 

[Maz]

hmmmm... i'm not sure if you should get out more or stay in more

I'm should start with a capital I !!!