Monday, August 26, 2013
Friday, August 2, 2013
Criminal Sentence 654: Heartwarming Story, Not Heartwarming Grammar
From an online article (about a girl with cancer):
"Tinoco, like so many others, got the opportunity to partner with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and her wish was the same as so many other tennis fans across this globe; she wanted to meet Roger Federer."
The grammar problem concerns this comparison:
"her wish was the same as so many other tennis fans..."
This sentence compares "wish" to "fans." I understand why in casual writing everyone makes this type of mistake, because the two correct ways sound or look weird:
"her wish was the same as that of so many other tennis fans..." (sounds stuffy)
"her wish was the same as so many other tennis fans'..." (apostrophe looks weird)
Still, I prefer the right grammar.
You can avoid the problem by writing it differently:
"she wished for what so many other tennis fans have wanted"
"Tinoco, like so many others, got the opportunity to partner with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and her wish was the same as so many other tennis fans across this globe; she wanted to meet Roger Federer."
The grammar problem concerns this comparison:
"her wish was the same as so many other tennis fans..."
This sentence compares "wish" to "fans." I understand why in casual writing everyone makes this type of mistake, because the two correct ways sound or look weird:
"her wish was the same as that of so many other tennis fans..." (sounds stuffy)
"her wish was the same as so many other tennis fans'..." (apostrophe looks weird)
Still, I prefer the right grammar.
You can avoid the problem by writing it differently:
"she wished for what so many other tennis fans have wanted"
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