Daily Grammar – Week 3

The price of the shoes is less than I thought. (Yes)

(“Less” is a comparative adjective that is usually followed by “than”. Please, you cannot say “too less”.)

2. I know that administration will solve the water problem soon. (No)

I know that the Administration will solve the water problem soon. (Yes)

(When “administration” is used to refer to the class of people that carry out administrative responsibility in an organisation, it is started with a capital letter. Also, it is usually preceded by the definite article or another modifier, e.g., my Administration, this Administration, etc. The same rule applies to “government”. For example, “opposition elements are giving the Government a lot of headache.”)

3a. Each students are expected to submit a report. (No)

Each student is expected to submit a report. (Yes)

3b. Each of the book belong to me. (No)

Each of the books belongs to me. (Yes)

(When “each” appears in a structure, the noun following it is singular and the verb is also singular, as item 3a illustrates. However, when “each of” precedes a structure, the next noun, actually a noun phrase, is plural but the verb is singular as item 3b exemplifies. This rule also applies to “one” and “one of”. For example, “one boy is enough for the task”; “one of the boys is here already.”)

Did You Know?

The string of letters, “ough”, can be pronounced in nine different ways which you can find in the sentence, “A rough-coated, dough-faced, thoughtful ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough; after falling into a slough, he coughed and hiccoughed.”