Friday, April 25, 2008

Grammar trivia

Yesterday's challenge:
How could you write the following better?
She was awarded the first-place trophy after defeating all the other contestants.

Here's one way to improve it:
She won.

A new challenge — correct or improve this:
After the suspect turned up missing, her guilt or innocence became a moot point for the prosecution.

Trivia: Winston cigarettes once used the slogan "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should" in its TV ads (back when cigarette advertising had not yet been banned). Complaints about the grammatical error from English teachers and editors and bibliophiles across the country inspired a new slogan. Questions: What was the error, and what was the new slogan?"

2 comments:

E said...

I have to confess I'm too intimidated to attempt an improved version of the challenge sentences. what if I'm wrong? I can dish it out, but I surely don't like having it handed right back to me. I'll admit it, I'm thin-skinned.
after all, I'm a writer--it's one of our defining characteristics.
:)

gary said...

I don't know much about cigarettes, but I know my Beverly Hillbillies. Winston was the sponsor of the show and Jed and Granny both smoked them in the commercials. The slogan was changed from "Like" to "As".
Winston tastes good as a cigarette should.