#9. "a" or "an" before words starting with a vowel. I love the example, because "an usual" does sound weird, but "a unusual" also sounds weird. Remember when it used to be "an" before words starting with an "h"--"an historical episode..."?
#11. This is a consequence of the absurdity that is (are?) personal pronouns in English (and French and German and Italian and Spanish--I blame it all on Latin). I mean, seriously: I/me; you; she/her, he/him, it; we/us; you; they/them--why the difference between the nominative and the accusative? I think it's about time that us did away with all that. (And don't get me started on irregular verb forms...)
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"I was stranded on a desert island" is passive voice? Well, ok, it has been decided, I guess.
Of course poets don't worry about any of this. For purposes of meter or rhyme they might say "On a desert island, I was stranded."
#9. "a" or "an" before words starting with a vowel. I love the example, because "an usual" does sound weird, but "a unusual" also sounds weird. Remember when it used to be "an" before words starting with an "h"--"an historical episode..."?
#11. This is a consequence of the absurdity that is (are?) personal pronouns in English (and French and German and Italian and Spanish--I blame it all on Latin). I mean, seriously: I/me; you; she/her, he/him, it; we/us; you; they/them--why the difference between the nominative and the accusative? I think it's about time that us did away with all that. (And don't get me started on irregular verb forms...)
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