DAILY GRAMMAR (DG) 07-10-2018
1a. The boy is regrettable of his actions. (No)
The boy is regretful of his actions. (Yes)
1b. That our leaders are incompetent is regretful. (No)
That our leaders are incompetent is regrettable. (Yes)
(A person is “regretful” or full of the feelings of regret. An event, action, situation or state is “regrettable” or deserving regret.)
2a. The money has been dispersed to the delegates. (No)
The money has been disbursed to the delegates. (Yes)
2b. The candidate’s agents disbursed his flyers at the political rally. (No)
The candidate’s agents dispersed his flyers at the political rally. (Yes)
2c. The protesters were disbursed by the police. (No)
The protesters were dispersed by the police. (Yes)
(To “disburse” is to distribute or pay out money. To “disperse” is to distribute something other than money or to scatter or make disappear.)
3a. The lady doesn’t never want to see the man again. (No)
The lady doesn’t ever want to see the man again. (Yes)
3b. We have ever seen such a big cobra anywhere before! (No)
We have never seen such a big cobra anywhere before! (Yes)
3c. If you do that, your daughter will ever trust you again. (No)
If you do that, your daughter will never trust you again. (Yes)
3d. The first book I never wrote was published 20 years ago. (No)
The first book I ever wrote was published 20 years ago. (Yes)
(“Never” means “at no time,” a negative term used in affirmative constructions to avoid double negatives. “Ever” means “at any time;” it is not used in affirmative constructions. “Ever” is usually used after superlatives or restrictive adjectives like “only”, “first”, etc.)
Did You Know?
In medieval Europe, a “moment” was precisely 1/40th of an hour, or 90 seconds.
Wait a moment!
Mahfouz Adedimeji’s Blog
Leave a Reply