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I guess even someone with a "<font style="" face="Arial">CELTA</font>" isn't immune to making grammatical mistakes.<br><br>Cheers,<br><br>Terry "UniGeezer" Peterson<br>"Over 50, and not '2' Tired!" <br><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://unigeezer.com/" target="_blank">www.unigeezer.com</a><br><br><br><div><div id="SkyDrivePlaceholder"></div><hr id="stopSpelling">Date: Thu, 6 Dec 2012 00:51:42 +0000<br>From: David@piano.plus.com<br>To: pianotech@ptg.org<br>Subject: Re: [pianotech] OT: Grammar<br><br>
<font style="" face="Arial">Terry and Paul, <br>
<br>
You are right, of course, about the misuse of "their". <br>
<br>
Terry, while "their" is strictly a plural, it is considered
permissible (if inelegant) to use it where gender cannot be
specifed. Many expressions would otherwise become rather
cumbersome, with constant repetitions of "his or her" instead. <br>
<br>
However, in this instance (as you point out, Paul) the email
<u><font style="font-size: 16pt;" size="4"><b> itseld</b></font></u> DOES specify the gender, referring to "Mr M*** H*****". It
ought therefore to say "his".<br>
<br>
This email came from, not a university, but from the
administrative body responsible for processing applications to ALL
universities!<br>
<br>
The whole thing is stylistically poor as well as having real
errors. Why use the Passive Voice in that first sentence? And in a
clumsy way.<br>
<br>
Best regards,<br>
<br>
David.<br>
<br>
P.S. I have the CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to
Adults)<br>
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