1. Presently: I am presently trying to upgrade our English usage. (Incorrect)
In Standard English, the word "presently" means soon, in a short while. (US it means now).
I am at present trying to upgrade our English usage. (Correct)
Currently, there is a plan to re-route some roads in the southern area. (Correct)
2. Everyone must pay their dues. (Incorrect)
This is one of the indefinite pronouns. (See table 1 below)
Everyone must pay his dues (if all-male group). Everyone must pay her dues (if all-female group).
Everyone must pay his or her dues. (If a mixed group)
Indefinite pronouns seen in the following table are always singular. They are used with a singular verb and are the antecedents of singular possessive pronouns.
Each is to do his own work.
Someone has left her bag on the bus. Or non-sexist: Someone has left a bag on the bus.
Every one of the guests is seated.
Somebody has lost his or her phone.
Apply this rule to the following sentences by noting the underlined correct word in the brackets:
i. Neither of these two books (is, are) suitable.
ii. Everybody is influenced by (his/her, their) environment.
iii. Anyone who feels cold may put on (their, his) jacket.
iv. Nobody can predict the day of (their, his, her) death.
3. Damage and injure:
Have you damaged your hand? (Incorrect)
Have your injured your hand? (Correct)
You had an accident and damaged your car. (Correct)
Injury applies to animate objects–people or animals; damage to inanimate objects (things).
4. That secret is between you and I. (Incorrect) That secret is between you and me. (Correct)
The object pronoun is used after a preposition; "between" is a preposition.
Prepositions are pointing or position words and are always followed by object pronouns: me, him, her, us, them–not the subject pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they.
This is for you and me; this is from you and me; he sits beside you and me; God watches over us.
5. (a) Definitely is spelled ite, but the word is pronounced def-in-it-ly. It is not correct to pronounce it as it is spelled. The English language is contrary sometimes.
(b) The verb is to pronounce, but the noun is pronunciation–another peculiar difference in English spelling and pronunciation.
6. This is mines (incorrect). The following is a list of the demonstrative pronouns: mine has no "s"
�2 mine, yours his, hers, its, ours, yours, theirs
Mine is the exception. There is no "s" at the end of mine and it is extremely poor grammar to pronounce mine adding an "s." Practise omitting it.
This is mine. Or The tall ones are yours, the short ones are mine.
7. Pronounce the ending of words and spell them correctly: curried chicken, stewed pork, fried plantain, roast bake, stuffed toys, knocked, protect, respect, supposed, strict, frightened, vexed.
8. He should not have drank that water. (Incorrect)
He should not have drunk that water. (Correct)
There is a group of verbs whose past participles change the "a" in the past tense to "u," eg, sing, sang, has sung; swim, swam, has swum; begin, began, has begun; ring, rang, has rung; drink, drank, has drunk; sink, sank, has sunk.
9. Someone wrote and begged me to point out that there is no such verb as "to have was to do" something. Simply "I had to do something." Leave out the "was," please, I beg you.
10. It's not "God's willing" or "Gods willing" or, worse, "gods willing". Originally, "God willing" was uttered as a prayer or a plea to God to spare life: "I'll see you next Tuesday, God willing!" This is correct, meaning may God be willing, or if God is willing to let us live that long.
"God willing!" without the irrelevant Trini "s" is a Latin phrase "Deo volente," which is sometimes abbreviated to "DV." It is not a statement of fact, but should be uttered with the prayerful purpose of asking God or pleading with Him, if He would let us live long enough to meet at a later date. It is equivalent to the charming, hopeful: "Tomorrow, please God" said by so many with faith and love. So, until next Sunday, God willing, take care.
There will be more misused words in a future column.