Administrative Assistant's Update

5 Administrative Assistant's UPDATE Acoustics is or acoustics are? By George Pearson Is there a grammatical error in the sentence below? A collection of some of Monet's most well-known paintings are coming to the Fritz Gallery in May. Yes, the error is the failure to make the subject (collection) and the verb (are coming) agree. Some people (but not you, of course) think paintings is the subject, but it's not. If it were the subject, the verb are coming would be correct. The sentence should read: A collec - tion of some of Monet's most well- known paintings is coming to the Fritz Gallery in May. So when you're reading through a draft you or your executive has writ- ten, be certain you've correctly iden- tified the real subject-verb combina- tion and that they agree in number: singular or plural. Here are some tips to help you through some potentially tricky situ- ations: • Acoustics (the science) is studied by architects. (singular) • The acoustics (acoustic qualities) of the theatre are bad. (plural) • Politics (in a general sense) was be- hind his appointment. (singular) • His politics (as opinions) are not our concern. (plural) Note: In general, acoustics, politics, mathematics, gymnastics, aeronautics and other nouns ending in –ics are singular when referred to as a science or discipline and plural when referred to as a practical activity • Bread and butter is included. (singu- lar; two things form one idea) • Bacon and eggs is a classic North American breakfast. • My aunt is one of those people who are always right. (plural; people is the key word here, as the antecedent for who) • The number of casualties has risen rapidly. (number is singular when preceded by the) • A number of military police were involved. (number is plural when preceded by a) Note: The same rule applies for variety and total as for number. • The couple were having an argu - ment. (plural; acting as individuals) • A couple is given a special admission rate. (singular; acting as unit) • Neither his colleagues nor Lester was available at the time of the hearing. • Not only Shirley but also her entire family were invited to go up on the stage. Note: When a sentence contains not only . . . but also, either . . . or neither . . . nor, the verb agrees with the closest subject. • None of the immigrants were from the Baltic countries. (None takes plural verb when it means not any.) • None of the shopping was done. (None takes a singular verb when followed by a singular noun.) • Seven contestants tried to ring the gong but none was successful. (None takes a singular verb when the idea of not one is to be emphasized.) • When Uncle Bob comes to visit, two weeks seems like an eternity. (sin - gular; two weeks is a single period of time) • Six minutes is not enough time to boil the corn. (again, a single period of time) • Two or three days are all I need to complete the project. (days are con- sidered individually) A couple of excellent references to have at your fingertips are the Canadian Oxford Dictionary and The Canadian Writer's Handbook. The latter is well organized, indexed and quite accessible. It includes a sec- tion on usage that encourages clear, straightforward language (aggravate and irritate don't mean the same thing, for example) and fine points such as when to use any more and anymore. Power past your apprehensions After more than two decades on the job, Andrea Bowman (see page 4) has some tips for success – most under the heading of the fear factor. By over- coming apprehensions, she says, "you can be more valuable to your boss." For example: Don't be afraid to ask for help� "Sometimes people may think of that as a sign of weakness but it is not," says Bowman. Don't be afraid of change� "When something happens your first reaction is to close off. It is better to take a deep breath and think about it and realize this is probably a good thing so embrace it." Don't be afraid to learn� "Just because you have been in a job for a long period of time doesn't mean that you are perfect at it. There is always room for improvement and learning." Writing Tips

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