What are the errors in the following sentences?
He knew this was a very unique opportunity.
She was reticent to join the women's club.
You can't have your cake and eat it, too.
Answers tomorrow.
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2 comments:
I think this might be a trick question. One could say the use of "very" is incorrect because "unique" already means "one of a kind", but the use of "very unique" means unusual, so it would be correct. Reticent could be replaced with reluctant for clarification, although reticent does mean reluctant, while the usual definitions of reticent wouldn't work in this sentence. And, one could say to take the comma out of the third sentence, but I believe it's correct. Now, I'll have to look it up - or let you do it, David, since you get paid for it.
Uh.... all three sentences are really short?
I HATE this blog (just kidding).
Okay, why not humiliate myself further (okay, I kinda knew "further" was wrong because the phrase jumped out at me like a cougar from behind a bush, but it's true I do struggle sometimes with its usage.
Okay, here goes:
1) He knew this could be a very unique opportunity.
2) She was reticent about joining the women's club.
3) You can't have both your cake and eat it, too.
The problem is how we speak in this country - and we write how we speak. But our language is one of the richest cultural qualities remaining in America and it definitely ties us to our history in the most honest way. I mean, really, as rare as it is anymore, doesn't it kinda tickle your toes to hear something like this:
"You fixin' to go on up to the post office?"
"Yep. I'm gonna buy me about one thousand dollars of them furever stamps."
"I hear they're a'gonna do the same thing with gasoline."
"Yeah? Well then I'm gonna buy me up some of that, too! George Henry has a big ol' shed out backa his barn and I reckon we can store it up in there."
And then there's (heaven help us or this blog):
"Like, I mean, those shoes are like so WOW and like maybe I could like borrow them, you know, like sometime?"
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