Ads 468x60px

Pages

Know Your English (Oct 2001)-3

Know your English

Which of the following sentences is correct? ``The driver of the bus was expired in the accident'' or ``The driver of the bus expired in the accident"?



It is grammatically incorrect to say, "was expired". The first sentence is therefore definitely wrong. As far as the second sentence is concerned, well, usually in an accident, people "die", they do not "expire". Therefore it's better to say, "The driver died in the accident", instead of "The driver expired in the accident". The word "expire" carries with it the sense that things came to an end gradually along expected lines. In an accident, things do not happen gradually; they happen suddenly, unexpectedly. Therefore "died" is a better word in this context.

Source:
The Hindu daily, Tuesday, October 02, 2001
Posted by Sridevi. V, M.A

0 comments:

Post a Comment


Hello Friends ! Please send your requests,comments,suggestions to improve this blog.
Learn English Grammar & Usage; Are U Anxious To Know The Science & Tech News; Where Are You ? Know The Changes; Health:News N Tips
Word of the Day

raillery discuss

Definition:(noun) Light teasing repartee.
Synonyms:backchat, banter, give-and-take
Usage:Excitement instantly seized the whole party: a running fire of raillery and jests was proceeding when Sam returned.
Article of the Day

The Ghost Dance

The Ghost Dance is the main ritual of a messianic religious movement that gained a widespread following among Native American groups in the American West during the late 19th century. The dance, which incorporates traditional circle dance rituals, was created by a member of the Paiute tribe known as Wovoka, who taught that it would hasten the ousting of whites, the restoration of traditional lands, and the resurrection of the dead. What role did the Ghost Dance play in the Wounded Knee massacre? More... Discuss

This Day in History

F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby Is Published (1925)

Considered to be Fitzgerald's masterpiece, The Great Gatsby is a devastating critique of the American Dream and materialism at the height of the Roaring Twenties. It is the story of a bootlegger, Jay Gatsby, whose obsessive dream of wealth and lost love is destroyed by a corrupt reality. Today used as required reading in many high schools, the book has been cited as the paragon of the Great American Novel. Why did Fitzgerald dislike the title, and what did he want to call his novel? More... Discuss
Today's Birthday

Hugo Grotius (1583)

Grotius was a Dutch jurist, philosopher, and writer. He enrolled at the University of Leiden at the age of 11 and became a lawyer at 15. Among his key legal treatises is the first definitive text on international law, On the Law of War and Peace, which prescribes rules for the conduct of war and advances the idea that nations are bound by natural law. In 1615, he became involved in a religious controversy that extended to politics and was eventually imprisoned. How did he escape? More... Discuss

In the News

Quote of the Day
Noise proves nothing. Often a hen who has merely laid an egg cackles as if she had laid an asteroid.
Mark Twain
(1835-1910) Discuss

Spelling Bee
difficulty level:
score: -
n. a signed written agreement between two or more parties (nations) to perform some action
 
spell the word:
Match Up
Select word:










Match each word in the left column with its synonym on the right. When finished, click Answer to see the results. Good luck!