Times, November 25, 2024
One of the most commonly misused words is ‘but’. It is not an alternative to ‘and’, as many seem to think. It means that what follows is contrary to expectations. There is nothing surprising or contrary to expectations about the third in a sequence of bad weather pictures. I would have left it at a semi-colon, which is quite sufficient.
A bonus error: ‘bail’ is a judicial term meaning a prisoner is granted his or her freedom in return for a guarantee that a sum of money will be forfeit if he or she fails to turn up at an appointed date. The word wanted here is ‘bale’.