Author: MargaretAshworth

Times, March 3, 2025

It is a basic piece of knowledge that Jack Daniel’s has an apostrophe. This is inexcusable from the Times, though nothing surprises me.

The i Paper, February 15, 2025

It would be a sad state of affairs if your readers could not tell the difference between Eric Morecambe and his desk. The obvious way to deal with it is to have a caption under the two pictures on the lines of

Eric Morecambe and the desk at his home

 

The i Paper, February 12, 2025

‘Admittance’ is to do with entering a place as in ‘No admittance’. Confusingly, ‘admission’ can also be used in the same context, as in ‘Admission £12’.  However the two words are not interchangeable when the meaning is ‘confession’, as here. Only ‘admission’ will do.

The i Paper, February 11, 2025

It can be assumed that unless we are told otherwise, a ‘play area’ or ‘playground’ is intended for children.

The i Paper, February 11, 2025

‘Affect’ and ‘effect’ are not synonyms and anyone calling him or herself a sub-editor should be well aware of the difference.

From Style Matters:

affect/effect: To affect (verb) means to produce a result as in ‘cold weather affects the growth of plants’, or to touch the feelings as in ‘she was badly affected by the death of her mother’; effect (verb) is to bring about, as in ‘he effected an improvement’; effect (noun) is a result, as in ‘the effect of poison is death’.

So this should read ‘the effect it would have . . .’

The i Paper, February 10, 2025

Not the first time I have  mentioned this – I dare not check the online dictionaries as by now they are sure to be saying this is correct. It is not – ‘coruscating’ means ‘brilliant’ or ‘dazzling’ as in a diamond. The word for ‘scathing’ which is wanted here is ‘excoriating’.

The i Paper, February 10, 2025

 

This is a new one for me. ‘Reverend’ is an honorific on the lines of ‘Mr’ or ‘Miss’, so this is like saying ‘A mister and Synod member’. What nonsense, and what ignorance. The possible terms that should have been used include ‘vicar’, ‘clergyman’ or ‘priest’.

Times, February 10, 2025

I can honestly say that I have never seen a national newspaper story start with the name of an obscure country road. Not only that, but within a few words it is spelled in two ways. Who are they hiring at the Times? My guess is Oxbridge graduates with first class degrees who are far too clever to bother with details.  Below is a better version of the same story from The i Paper (what a wretched name), far from perfect with a lot of repetition, but at least it’s an attempt at a national story.

Times, February 1, 2025

‘Continual’ and ‘continuous’ are often confused but they are not synonyms. ‘Continual’ means to recur at frequent intervals, as in ‘he was driven to violence by the continual barking of the dog next door’; continuous means prolonged without interruption, as in ‘he was driven to distraction by the continuous hum from the factory next door’ or ‘The Grove is Miami’s oldest continuously inhabited neighbourhood’.

While here, I would say this paragraph is a bit overloaded with adjectives : ‘boho backwater’, ‘yesteryear charm’, ‘refreshing number, ‘sturdy oaks’, ‘notable high’. You don’t need one for every noun.

 

 

The i Paper, January 29, 2025

You really cannot repeat a quote in this way. You need to delete it from the main quote and start at ‘He’s done brilliantly  . . .’

Thus:

 . . . with Rodgers (left) calling him ‘a real iconic player for the club.’

‘He’s done brilliantly during his time,’ he said . . .