The Grammar Detective

[image error]


Instant Quiz


Can you correct the error in the sentence below? Scroll to the bottom of today’s post for the answer.


There’s three messages for you.


_________________________________________________________________________________________


During last week’s Pilates session, my trainer had a phone call from his son: their Netflix account wasn’t working. My trainer explained that the credit card had expired, and he hadn’t gotten around to updating it.


So when I got an email from Netflix about an expired credit card, I started to click the link to update it. But something didn’t look right, and I reread the email more closely. Two sentences were joined with a comma and therefore. Another sentence had a comma splice. Another sentence used the British spelling of center.


We could not authorize your payment for the next billing cycle of your subscription, therefore, we’ve suspended your membership.


Obviously we’d love to have you back, simply click restart your membership to update your details and continue to enjoy all the best TV shows & movies without interruption.


Visit the Help Centre or contact us now.


I immediately went to the official Netflix website and clicked the Account link. Everything was in order.


When I was in school, nobody told me that my usage skills would protect me from computer hoaxes. (One reason is that there were no computers back in the 60s.) I want to send a big thank you to every English teacher I’ve had over the years!


[image error]


_____________________________________________________________________________________________



[image error]


Instant Quiz ANSWER


There’s a handy trick to help you with sentences that begin with There is/There are/Here is/Here are. Just flip the sentence around.


There is three messages for you.


Three messages for you are there.


You need are! So today’s sentence should be written like this:


There are three messages for you.


Did you notice that I started my explanation with one of these sentences? “There’s a handy trick.” Let’s flip it around: “A handy trick is there.” Use is. Bingo!





What Your English Teacher Didn’t Tell You is available in paperback and Kindle formats from Amazon.com and other online booksellers.


The ebook edition is ON SALE for just $4.95 at through January 1, 2020! Click here to purchase What Your English Teacher Didn’t Tell You in a variety of ebook formats – or as a .pdf to read on your desktop. There is no shipping or service charge.


[image error]

“A useful resource for both students and professionals” – Jena L. Hawk, Ph.D., Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College


“Personable and readable…Jean knows her subject forwards and backwards.” – Adair Lara, author of Hold Me Close, Let Me Go



Share

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on December 27, 2019 04:00
No comments have been added yet.


Jean Reynolds's Blog

Jean Reynolds
Jean Reynolds isn't a Goodreads Author (yet), but they do have a blog, so here are some recent posts imported from their feed.
Follow Jean Reynolds's blog with rss.