Baby Blunders

1. Baby Blunders How many blunders do you usually avoid?

2. Baby Blunders GRAMMAR USAGE ! SUPPORT CORRECT

3. Did you ever see a baby blunder? Watch a baby and see how he stumbles in everything he does.

4. The very simple mistakes we make in speaking are “Baby Blunders”.

5. “A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it, is committing another mistake.” • Confucius (551BC- 479 BC) • Chinese philosopher, administrator, and moralist.

6. ENERGIZER Complete each of the following sentences by choosing the correct form of the word.

7. discrete & discreet 1.She was _____when addressing Sally’s tardiness. 2. Instruction manuals break down jobs into scores of _____steps.

8. discreet– showing prudence, tactful discrete– distinct; completely separate

9. elicit & illicit 3. Forward bending did not _____ the patient’s back pain. 4. The patient denies use of _____ drugs.

10. Elicit – to bring about or induce illicit– unlawful

11. As…as & So…as 5. John is not ___ tall ___ Jim. Right:John is not so tall as Jim. (negative comparison)

12. As…asis used in stating equalthings. So…asis used in making a negative comparison.

13. Good & Well 6. They sing hymns _____. Right: They sing hymns well.

14. Goodis an adjective meaning skillful, admirable, or having the right qualities. It describes a noun and answers the question “what kind of”. Well is an adverb telling how something is done. It usually modifies a verb.

15. Stuck up & cope up 7. I cannot cope up with this hectic schedule. 8. I was stuck up in traffic.

16. Right: "I cannot cope with this hectic schedule." Right: "I was stuck in traffic.“ 'Up' should not be attached to verbs like 'cope' and 'stuck', but we do it all the time!

17. English Bloopers/Baby Blunders

18. LET’S START LEARNING TO SUPPORT CORRECT GRAMMAR USAGE! TODAY, WE WILL DISCUSS SOME GRAMMAR BLUNDERS WHICH WE COMMONLY USE. I WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE CORRECT USAGE OF THOSE WORDS. Enjoy learning!

19. Discussion • “The girl next door is as cute as a button, but when she opens her mouth. Her English is bad enough to get her sent back to kindergarten!”

20. Well, it's a common enough problem today. Almost everyone is mourning the lack of fluency in English among our school and college-going generation as well as in the new entrants into the work force.

21. What is Baby Blunders/Bloopers? The meaning of blunder is mistake or an error. If we combine it to baby blunders. It means common or simple mistakes.

22. We commonly commit faux pas in sentences that for us it is correct but grammatically it is wrong.

23. English Bloopers are faulty sentences, phrases or use of words in English. The aim of this lesson is to teach us to avoid blunders.

24. HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF COMMON BABY BLUNDERS . 1.)WRONG: "I'm going to give an examination." RIGHT: "I'm going to administeran examination.“ or “I’m going to take an examination.” >You don't give an examination, you administer or take one!

25. 2.) WRONG: It was a blunder mistake. Correction, people! The word blunder means mistake, so you could say: RIGHT: It was a blunder. or: It was a big mistake.

26. 3.) WRONG: It would have been more better. The word better itself implies that the option in question is superior. The use of the word more in the sentence is, therefore both inappropriate and unnecessary. Thus the correct sentence would go as follows. RIGHT: It would have been better.

27. 4.) WRONG: I, my sister and Diana went to the mall. • 'I' and 'me' are always placed at the end of a list of names/ pronouns. The correct usage is. RIGHT: My sister, Diana and I went to the mall.

28. 5.) WRONG: The fish aquarium is very large. WRONG: The dance ballet was lovely. In both cases, the descriptive word is unnecessary. An aquarium houses fish and a ballet is always a dance! The correct usage is simply:

29. RIGHT: The aquarium is very large. RIGHT: The ballet was lovely.

30. 6.)WRONG:I could not able to do it, sir. In this case, either able should be removed or could should be replaced with was. Here are the two correct possibilities: RIGHT: I could not do it, sir. RIGHT: I was not able to do it, sir.

31. 7.) WRONG: "Reply fastly!" • This one is rampant in chat windows and e-mail inboxes! In fact, there's no such word as 'fastly'. RIGHT: "Reply quickly!" is the correct way of saying it.

32. 8. And & Also Wrong: I study English, French, Spanish, also Russian. Right: I study English, French, Spanish, and Russian.

33. Alsoshould not be used in place of andto connect items in a series.

34. 9. Between & Among Wrong: Just between the three of us, she saw the most. Right: Just among the three of us, she saw the most.

35. Betweenis used when referring to two people or things. • Amongis used when referring to more than two people or things.

36. 10. And & etc. Wrong: We need eggs, bacon, and bread, etc. Right: We need eggs, bacon, bread, etc.

37. The abbreviation etc.means “and so forth”. It is incorrect to use and to connect the last item in a series when the last item is followed by etc.

38. 11. When & Where . Wrong: A foul is when the ball leaves the court. Right: A foul is made when the ball leaves the court during the playing period. (Time involved)

39. Right: A foul is made at the place where the ball crosses the foul line. (Place involved)

40. When should not be used to introduce a definition unless the definition involves a time element; whereshould not be used unless the definition involves place or location.

41. 12. Sure & Surely Wrong: I know he will come as sure as if he had said no. Right: I know he will come as surely as if he had said no.

42. Sureis an adjective meaning certain or positive. Surelyis an adverb meaning certainly. If you can use certainlyin place of surely, you know that your choice of surely is correct.

43. 13. Because & For Wrong: Come inside, for it is raining. Right: Come inside, because it is raining. ( The reason given is an established fact.)

44. Because is used when the reason it introduces is based upon fact. For is used when the reason it introduces is based upon opinion or speculation. • Right: Go home, for she is deeply upset

45. 14. Beside & Besides Wrong: Beside the picnic lunch, she also brought lemonade and dessert. Right: Besides the picnic lunch, she also brought lemonade and dessert.

46. Beside means to be next to or at the side of something. Besidesmeans in addition to or extra.

47. 15. If & Whether Wrong: Please let me know if I am right. Right: Please let me know whether I am right. (alternative implied)

48. If introduces clauses of supposition or condition involving uncertainty or doubt. It may also stand for even though or whenever. “if I were…” Whether introduces clauses which involve an alternative. The alternative may be stated or understood.

49. HERE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES OF COMMON BABY BLUNDERS ADVICE & ADVISE  advice –opinion; e.g., "I gave the patient advice regarding her diet." advise –to offer advice, counsel; e.g., "I advised the patient to resume her regular activities."

50. CITE, SIGHT & SITE cite –to quote; "I cited Ernest Hemingway in my speech.“ sight –ability to see; "The patient’s sight is diminished in the left eye." site – location(n)or to locate (v); "The wound site is healing well."