[pianotech] OT: Grammar

[pianolover 88]

I guess even someone with a "CELTA" isn't immune to making grammatical mistakes.

Cheers,

Terry "UniGeezer" Peterson
"Over 50, and not '2' Tired!" 
www.unigeezer.com


Date: Thu, 6 Dec 2012 00:51:42 +0000
From: David at piano.plus.com
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] OT: Grammar


  

    
  
  
    Terry and Paul, 

      

      You are right, of course, about the misuse of "their". 

      

      Terry, while "their" is strictly a plural, it is considered
      permissible (if inelegant) to use it where gender cannot be
      specifed. Many expressions would otherwise become rather
      cumbersome, with constant repetitions of "his or her" instead. 

      

      However, in this instance (as you point out, Paul) the email
      itseld DOES specify the gender, referring to "Mr M*** H*****".  It
      ought therefore to say "his".

      

      This email came from, not a university, but from the
      administrative body responsible for processing applications to ALL
      universities!

      

      The whole thing is stylistically poor as well as having real
      errors. Why use the Passive Voice in that first sentence? And in a
      clumsy way.

      

      Best regards,

      

      David.

      

      P.S. I have the CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to
      Adults)

     		 	   		  
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