When two different prepositions are needed in a list of actions, it can read better if you repeat the noun (or use “it” or “them” as a placeholder).
Category Archives: Grammar
A poor thing, but my own
Unlike in Dutch, the word “own” can’t stand alone. You’ve always got to make clear who it is referring to.
Allow to do something
This structure always needs to say who is being permitted to do something. It can’t stand alone.
New speaker, new line
If your text is to flow naturally, typographical conventions need to be observed as well. It’s not just about getting the wording right.
Propagating initial capitals
Where sentences don’t start with a capital for some reason, there’s no need to propagate the need for one until you find somewhere to put it.
Generalized case plurals
“I had a phone conversation with ten dentists” in English is a conference call, but in Dutch it would usually mean ten separate calls, one with each.
People persons
The plural of person is ‘people’, except in legalese and occasional old-fashioned texts.
On the level
It’s “at”, not “on”. Negotiations at the European level. Coronavirus cases still at a high level. Figures at the level of the individual business units.
We live on the Bovenweg
No, I’m afraid you don’t. You live on Bovenweg. There’s no article needed for a named street or road or square.
(Grand)parents and (sub)contractors
Bracketing off part of a word to express alternatives may be very compact on the page, but it’s not acceptable English punctuation.
Advanced Dunglish 