by Don Hauptman | Jul 22, 2010 | Articles, Skill Development
Here’s a roundup of interesting mistakes, culled from my recent reading of daily newspapers: “Mr. Bush erred in not clamping down on a rapacious, wreckless Congress and putting the brakes on its spending.” The word for “careless, heedless, out...
by Don Hauptman | Jul 15, 2010 | Articles, Skill Development
Is anything amiss in the following three sentences? “I must stress that I was neither consulted on the matter of changing the grades, nor was I asked to sign the alterations in the grading sheet.” “At the outset, I would like to stress that it has...
by Don Hauptman | Jul 8, 2010 | Articles, Skill Development
Consider the following sentences: “Want close parking to the venue and priority exiting from the parking lots at the end of the event?” “Imagine a venue capable of hosting everything from traditional weddings, Baroque chamber music recitals, and...
by Don Hauptman | Jul 1, 2010 | Articles, Skill Development
Here are four passages I encountered in newspapers. Observe how, in each case, poor wording creates an ambiguity that can lead the reader astray. “He found himself wondering how much time he spent doing one of his roommates’ dishes.” And I found...
by Don Hauptman | Jun 24, 2010 | Articles, Skill Development
What’s wrong with the following sentence (found in a pop music review)? “If you affiliate in any way with the underground scene, you’d be remiss in not going to Lipgloss. It’s the penultimate hipster haven in Denver….” The reviewer...