Mrs. Bluezette's
GRAMMAR YAMMER
"A PBS mind in an MTV world."

Monday, February 8, 2010

This was in Mrs. B's email Sunday from The Washington Post:

A HISTORIC MESS

POWERLESS: Officials across area consider opening shelters for tens of thousands without heat. (2-7-10)

It's a good reinforcement of that rule about using an a before a consonant sound. And since the "h" is pronounced, "historic" does begin with a consonant sound. Use an before a vowel sound. When you hear the "a," "e," "i," "o," or "u," use an: an honorable man and an honest mistake. ("Ah" is a vowel sound.)

When Mrs. B saw this in a TampaBay.com blog (the online version of the St. Petersburg Times), she wanted you to see it, too:

We knew the line had to be drawn somewhere: Parents are starting to tow the line on extravagant kids' birthday parties. ("go Momma," 2-2-10)

That "tow the line" should be toe the line. Today Mrs. B begins a series on what she calls "fractured phrases." The correct phrases follow the incorrect ones:

neck in neck, instead of neck and neck

amusing antidotes, instead of amusing anecdotes

back and call, instead of beck and call

baited breath, instead of bated breath

besides the point, instead of beside the point

died in the wool, instead of dyed in the wool

for all intensive purposes, instead of for all intents and purposes

got my dandruff up, instead of got my dander up

he's just a gopher, instead of he's just a go-fer

hone in on, instead of home in on

in like Flint, instead of in like Flynn

mute point, instead of moot point

nip it in the butt, instead of nip it in the bud

no pre-Madonnas, instead of no prima donnas

old wise tale, instead of old wives' tale

ongoing gorilla war fair, instead of ongoing guerilla warfare

poured over a document, instead of pored over a document

right away, instead of right-of-way

shoe-in to win, instead of shoo-in to win

supposably, instead of supposedly

take it for granite, instead of take it for granted

the dye is cast, instead of the die is cast

tough road to hoe, instead of tough row to hoe

unchartered territory, instead of uncharted territory

wet my appetite, instead of whet my appetite

Mrs. B ends today's lesson with an encouraging quotation:

Our heads are round so that thoughts can change direction.--Francis Picabia, painter and poet (1879-1953)

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