Swivel
Level: Master Delver

Rank Points: 236
Registered: 09-14-2005
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This game has the following rules:
1. Post a statement or paragraph that is grammatically incorrect in one or several ways.
2. Let someone figure out its errors.
3. Alternatively, post the error(s) yourself.
4. If there are arguments, get ready to cite a source.
5. Serial commas and sentences ending in prepositions aren't wrong, just for the sake of diminishing arguments.
6. Incorrect punctuation counts as an error.
7. Have fun! With grammar?


I doubt that this is going to be exceedingly (fixed; kudos to The Stew Boy) popular. But let me start:

I know the man that invented the cucumber.

The attorney generals stayed in the finer of Connecticut's and Massachusett’s hotels.

I've added quotes to make the sentences stand out more.

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[Last edited by Swivel at 01-15-2006 11:33 PM]

The Stew Boy
Level: Master Delver
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Firstly, its exceedingly popular, not exceeding popular.

Secondly, I know the man who invented the cucumber.

Ain't got no idea about them generals...

Swivel
Level: Master Delver

Rank Points: 236
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Are you sure that "firstly" is a word? But joking aside, thanks for catching that. I'm usually pickier about adj/adv mix-ups...

Wait, what am I saying? It was counter-intuitive! I was using Socratic irony!

Feel free post your own sentences, even if the previous ones have not been solved.

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Chaco
Level: Smitemaster
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If I was king, I would fix this country in a snap.

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Hix
Level: Master Delver

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For swivel's 2nd quote: The correct plural for "attorney general" is "attorneys general." They're not generals, they're attorneys. Also, to form the possessive for "Massachusetts" you add "apostrophe s" just like you would for any other singular noun, even if you think that "Massachusetts's" looks funny. Even with these corrections, the sentence seems to indicate that Connecticut and Massachusetts each have a single hotel, and that the attorneys general stayed in the finer of the two. I think the preferred solution would be to use "finest" instead of "finer" and to omit the "apostrophe s" from "Connecticut's" to indicate joint possession. I think that is what the sentence means to say: that out of all the hotels in either state, they stayed in the finest. Thus, I correct the sentence toor possibly
For Chaco's quote: For the past subjunctive mood in English (used when setting up a hypothetical state), you only need to know one verb. Use "were" for all combinations of person, number, and gender. So change the sentence tounless there are further errors....

Here's one for you to consider

I are the square root of 1.

(This has at least two very different corrections!)

Edit-Oh, I just noticed. I'm pretty sure the cucumber was discovered, not invented

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[Last edited by Hix at 01-16-2006 04:06 AM]

krammer
Level: Smitemaster

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Well, there are the mathematical corrections:

"i is the square root of minus 1" (although a preferred correction would be "i squared is minus 1" because that is how it is defined).

Alternatively, "1 is the square root of 1".

You may even prefer "I am the square root of one." Grammatically sound, although it makes no sense...

Now here's one:

Fred lost twenty matches in the 1960's, despite him being the world number one.

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trick
Level: Legendary Smitemaster
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krammer wrote:
Fred lost twenty matches in the 1960's, despite him being the world number one.

I don't think there should be an apostrophe in "1960's", though I could be wrong. Also, "despite him being the world number one" sounds a bit off, etc. Suggested correction:


- Gerry

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[Last edited by trick at 01-16-2006 12:38 PM]

Chalks
Level: Master Delver

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trick wrote:Suggested correction:

Click here to view the secret text

×Fred misplaced twenty firesticks in the 1960s, despite being planet Mercury.

For some reason, that really hit my funny bone.
I sure hope I didn't completely miss the point. Anyway, here's my sentence.

A honorable judge made a poor sentence's today.

stigant
Level: Smitemaster

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Well, typically, you use an instead of a when the first letter of the next word is a vowel. Most people extend this rule to words that start with a vowel sound (such as honerable - you don't pronounce the h... or at least I don't). Although its a bit awkward, I guess you could interpret the rest of this sentence like Dirty Harry's line "Go ahead, make my day."


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Mouse
Level: Master Delver

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Registered: 04-21-2005
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Or maybe:


This sentence I heard while out one day:

Where's you all going for dinner at?

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[Last edited by Mouse at 01-18-2006 09:44 PM]

stigant
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perhaps you would prefer:

Whence dineth thou this night?

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[Last edited by stigant at 01-18-2006 09:53 PM]

Chris
Level: Master Delver
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Ah, but "whence" means "from where" or "from which place" so doesn't work in the sentence you propose.

"Time fly's like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."

Swivel
Level: Master Delver

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Chris wrote:
"Time fly's like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."

Ah, my friend, time flies! I don't trust anything that fly's.

He lays down whenever he feels as though he's flying.

____________________________
"Write a wise saying and your name will live forever."
-Anonymous

Chris
Level: Master Delver
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"He lay down whenever he felt as though he was flying."

or

"He lies down whenever he feels as though he is flying."

or

"He lays down his head whenever he feels as though he is flying."

but not

"He lays down".

I wouldnt of known this if I hadn't of payed so much attention in skool.

krammer
Level: Smitemaster

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Registered: 02-12-2003
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Chris wrote:
"He lay down whenever he felt as though he was flying."

Actually, it should be "as though he were flying". Subjunctive and all that.


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