Baby Blunders

How many blunders do you usually avoid?

Baby Blunders

SUPPORT CORRECT

GRAMMAR

USAGE !

Did you ever see a baby blunder? Watch a baby and see how he stumbles in everything he does.

The very simple mistakes we make in speaking are “Baby Blunders”.

“A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct

it, is committing another mistake.”

Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC) Chinese philosopher, administrator, and moralist.

ENERGIZER

Complete each of the following sentences by choosing the correct form of the word.

discrete & discreet

1.She was _____when addressing Sally’s tardiness.

2. Instruction manuals break down jobs into scores of _____steps.

discreet – showing prudence, tactful

discrete – distinct; completely separate

elicit & illicit

3. Forward bending did not _____ the patient’s back pain.4. The patient denies use of _____ drugs.

Elicit – to bring about or induceillicit – unlawful

As…as & So…as

5. John is not ___ tall ___ Jim.

Right: John is not so tall as Jim. (negative comparison)

•As…as is used in stating equal things.•So…as is used in making a negative comparison.

Good & Well6. They sing hymns _____.Right: They sing hymns well.

Good is an adjective meaning skillful, admirable, or having the right qualities. It describes a noun and answers the question “what kind of”. Well is an adverb telling how something is done. It usually modifies a verb.

Stuck up & cope up

7. I cannot cope up with this hectic schedule.8. I was stuck up in traffic.

Right: "I cannot cope with this hectic schedule."Right: "I was stuck in traffic.“

'Up' should not be attached to verbs like 'cope' and 'stuck', but we do it all the time!

English Bloopers/Baby Blunders

TODAY, WE WILL DISCUSS SOME GRAMMAR BLUNDERS WHICH WE COMMONLY USE. I WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE CORRECT USAGE OF THOSE WORDS.ENJOY LEARNING!

LET’S START LEARNING TO SUPPORT CORRECT GRAMMAR USAGE!

Discussion

“The girl next door is as cute as a button, but when she opens her mouth. Her English is bad enough to get her sent back to kindergarten!”

Well, it's a common enough problem today. Almost everyone is mourning the lack of fluency in English among our school and college-going generation as well as in the new entrants into the work force.

What is Baby Blunders/Bloopers?

The meaning of blunder is mistake or an error. If we combine it to baby blunders. It means common or simple mistakes.

We commonly commit faux pas in sentences that for us it is correct but grammatically it is wrong.

•English Bloopers are faulty sentences, phrases or use of words in English. The aim of this lesson is to teach us to avoid blunders.

HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF

COMMON BABY BLUNDERS . 1.)WRONG: "I'm going to give an examination."

RIGHT: "I'm going to administer an examination.“ or “I’m going to take an examination.” >You don't give an examination, you administer or take one!

2.) WRONG: It was a blunder mistake. Correction, people! The word blunder means mistake, so you could say:

RIGHT: It was a blunder.

or: It was a big mistake.

3.) WRONG: It would have been more better. • The word better itself implies that the option in question is superior. The use of the word more in the sentence is, therefore both inappropriate and unnecessary. Thus the correct sentence would go as follows. RIGHT: It would have been better.

4.) WRONG: I, my sister and Diana went to the mall. • 'I' and 'me' are always placed at the end of a list of names/ pronouns. The correct usage is.

RIGHT: My sister, Diana and I went to the mall.

5.) WRONG: The fish aquarium is very

large. WRONG: The dance ballet was lovely.•In both cases, the descriptive word is unnecessary. An aquarium houses fish and a ballet is always a dance! The correct usage is simply:

RIGHT: The aquarium is very large.RIGHT: The ballet was lovely.

6.)WRONG:I could not able to do it, sir. • In this case, either able should be removed or could should be replaced with was. Here are the two correct possibilities:

RIGHT: I could not do it, sir.

RIGHT: I was not able to do it, sir.

7.) WRONG: "Reply fastly!"• This one is rampant in chat windows and e-mail inboxes! In fact, there's no such word as 'fastly'.RIGHT: "Reply quickly!" is the correct way of saying it.

8. And & AlsoWrong: I study English, French, Spanish, also Russian.Right: I study English, French, Spanish, and Russian.

Also should not be used in place of and to connect items in a series.

9. Between & AmongWrong: Just between the three of us, she saw the most.Right: Just among the three of us, she saw the most.

Between is used when referring to two

people or things.Among is used when

referring to more than two people or things.

10. And & etc.Wrong: We need eggs, bacon, and bread, etc.Right: We need eggs, bacon, bread, etc.

The abbreviation etc. means “and so forth”. It is incorrect to use and to connect the last item in a series when the last item is followed by etc.

11. When & Where

.

Wrong: A foul is when the ball leaves the court.Right: A foul is made when the ball leaves the court during the playing period. (Time involved)

Right: A foul is made at the place where the ball crosses the foul line. (Place involved)

When should not be used to introduce a definition unless the definition involves a time element; where should not be used unless the definition involves place or location.

12. Sure & SurelyWrong: I know he will

come as sure as if he had said no. Right: I know he will come as surely as if he had said no.

Sure is an adjective meaning certain or positive.

Surely is an adverb meaning certainly. If you can use certainly in place of surely, you know that your choice of surely is correct.

13. Because & ForWrong: Come inside, for it

is raining.Right: Come inside, because it is raining. ( The reason given is an established fact.)

Because is used when the reason it introduces is based upon fact. For is used when the reason it introduces is based upon opinion or speculation.

Right: Go home, for she is deeply upset

14. Beside & Besides

Wrong: Beside the picnic lunch, she also brought lemonade and dessert.Right: Besides the picnic lunch, she also brought lemonade and dessert.

Beside means to be next to or at the side of something. Besides means in addition to or extra.

15. If & Whether

Wrong: Please let me know if I am right.Right: Please let me know whether I am right. (alternative implied)

If introduces clauses of supposition or condition involving uncertainty or doubt. It may also stand for even though or whenever. “if I were…”

Whether introduces clauses which involve an alternative. The alternative may be stated or understood.

ADVICE & ADVISE ADVICE – OPINION; E.G., "I GAVE THE PATIENT ADVICE REGARDING HER DIET."ADVISE – TO OFFER ADVICE, COUNSEL; E.G., "I ADVISED THE PATIENT TO RESUME HER REGULAR ACTIVITIES."

HERE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES OF COMMON

BABY BLUNDERS

CITE, SIGHT & SITEcite – to quote; "I cited Ernest Hemingway in my speech.“

sight – ability to see; "The patient’s sight is diminished in the left eye."

site – location (n) or to locate (v); "The wound site is healing well."

 

 

 it & it’sit’s – contraction; e.g., "It’s really hot in here."its – possessive; e.g.,"I put the book back in its proper place.“

Loose & loseloose – not restrained; e.g., "Her bowel movements have been loose in consistency."

lose – to mislay or not keep; e.g., "I’d love to lose 10 pounds before the reunion.“

Subtle & supple

subtle – slight, elusive; "I gave my husband subtle reminders about our anniversary."supple – flexible; "The patient’s neck is supple.“

 

Than & then than – used to introduce a second element or clause; e.g., "Sally has more cats than Bill."

then – at that time, next in order, besides; e.g., "She then will need an ultrasound of the gallbladder."

• Today we look at how technology is mangling the use of English! Suddenly, nearly all educated humans are making spelling errors, and willfully! Blame this on heavy text messaging, chatting habits and lax Internet English standards.

Activity CardDID YOU

UNDERSTAND? LET’S HAVE AN EXERCISE TO TESTS WHAT

YOU HAVE LEARNED.

Change the following to grammatically accepted sentences.

1.) Why don't he get married? ANS. Why doesn't he get married?

ORAL DRILLS:

2.) I want two Xeroxes of this card.ANS. I want two photocopies of this card.

3.) Your hairs are looking silky today. ANS. Your hair is looking silky today.

4.) I don’t want to loose you.ANS.I don’t want to lose you.5.) One of my friend lives in Colombo.ANS.One of my friends lives in Colombo.

6.) I didn't cried when I saw the movie.ANS. I didn't cry when I saw the movie.

7.) The city bus service is highly erotic.

ANS.The city bus service is highly erratic.

8.) I will revert back to you shortly. ANS. I will revert to you shortly.

9.) Could you repeat that last line again? ANS.Could you repeat that last line?

10.) Please return my book back. ANS. Please return my book.

\If bloopers are unnoticeable mistakes, how do we avoid them?

“The man who makes no mistakes

does not usually make anything.”

Edward John Phelps U.S. lawyer and diplomat.

 

THANK YOU! HAVE A

GREAT DAY AHEAD!

NEXT TOPIC:WORD ANALYSIS

Bibliography[sources]:

Bassis, Ricardo C.. Modern English For College Freshmen. Mandaluyong: Mutual Books, inc.,1973

Webster’s 21st Century Guide to Speech, Style and Grammar. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1992

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