NewsBiscuit : Rare sightings of strange yellow orbs is the Sun, assure astronomers

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Rare sightings of strange yellow orbs is the Sun, assure astronomers

(51 posts) (14 voices)

Started 1 year ago by Dick Everyman
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Dick Everyman

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.

Posted 1 year ago #
Lindy Moone

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Oops, grammar fail!

(sightings... is... sun)

Quick, try again! (And not just by taking the "s" off "sightings" -- because it's not the sighting that's the sun, it's the orb that's the sun.)

(I know, I know, but I can't help myself. It's a sickness.)

Posted 1 year ago #
Dick Everyman

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Thanks Ms Moone - can I have 5 yellow stars now please?

Posted 1 year ago #
Arthur

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Grammar fail my arse! The transitive verb relates to the Sun and is therefore singular regardless of how many sightings there may have been.

Change it back again and I'll give you two stars for effort.

Posted 1 year ago #
Dick Everyman

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Bloody hell - okay Arthur. I'll settle for 2 ;o)

Posted 1 year ago #
Arthur

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Promise fulfilled.

Posted 1 year ago #
Dick Everyman

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Thanks Arthur.

Note to other Biscuiteers - I'll add or remove any other 's' in exchange for further stars. ;0

Posted 1 year ago #
Arthur

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Add an 's' to 'orb' for another star.

Posted 1 year ago #
Dick Everyman

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I love it when you talk dirty...

Posted 1 year ago #
Arthur

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For five stars, you need to use an uppercase 's' for 'Sun' and add a comma after it.

Posted 1 year ago #
FlashArry

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That's very accommodating of you, Dick
Have some unconditional stars on account

Posted 1 year ago #
Dick Everyman

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Thanks Arry - custard cream could do with a few stars too if you've got any spare...

Posted 1 year ago #
Arthur

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Don't be rash, Flash, we need something in reserve for when we get to greengrocers apostrophe's.

Posted 1 year ago #
Arthur

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Very good, Dick. Now, if you can somehow fit in a denial from News International then I think you've got a ticker.

Posted 1 year ago #
FlashArry

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No apostrophes but a glut of colons : can't seem to shift them

Posted 1 year ago #
Arthur

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Dick, I'm sorry to say this but some mean bastard has given you less than five stars.

Posted 1 year ago #
Dick Everyman

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Ha ha! I consider myself Murdoched!

Posted 1 year ago #
FlashArry

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I'd held one back in anticipation of the final edit

Posted 1 year ago #
Arthur

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OK, Flash; I like a strategic thinker.

Posted 1 year ago #
Arthur

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Dick: does that mean you'll be writing for the Evening Harold from now on?

Posted 1 year ago #
Golgo13

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Arthur : The verb "to be" is not transitive (or intransitive). Transitive suggests "Subject-Verb-Object" operation. "Be" takes a Predicate, not an Object. It's a statement of equivalence, not Agent acting on other agent.

Correctly, the "be" verb should agree in number with the subject, not the predicate.

In the above case, a plural subject requires a plural form of verb.

So if the subject is "Sightings" (plural), then verb should be "are" (plural) and predicate is whatever you want.

But if you think it sounds "better" with "is" then go ahead, but don't go chucking the word "transitive" into the discussion, as this is not relevant to "be" verb.

Even if it was transitive, the verb would agree in number with the subject not the object.

Posted 1 year ago #
Arthur

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Golgo, he got five stars.

Posted 1 year ago #
The All New Jeni B

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Eh?

Posted 1 year ago #
Golgo13

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Arthur:

1) You started with the "oh, it's a transitive.." trying to sound all grammared up, so I'm putting you straight.
2) It's an old joke.
3) "You twats are a joke" vs "You twats is a joke"

Posted 1 year ago #
Arthur

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Golgo, for your opinion to be credible, you'd never had said that. It's perfectly clear to everyone that Dick started it and Lindy confused the issue. I stepped in to help clarify things more than five hours later.

Posted 1 year ago #
Golgo13

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Fair enough...maybe I missed the original.

But if Lindy was saying "Rare sightings... are the sun" is better than "Rare sightings is the sun" then she was spot on.

And surely "orb" not "orbs"...many sightings of the one orb...

Posted 1 year ago #
Arthur

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Golgo, you have tampered with the evidence and I hereby accuse you of being an unreliable witness.

For the sake of Dick's five-star glory, I recommend that you rest your case while you're losing and submit to judgement.

Posted 1 year ago #
Golgo13

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pwned you!

Posted 1 year ago #
Arthur

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I think it's time for the NewsBiscuit editors to call on the Press Complaints Commission.

Posted 1 year ago #
Lindy Moone

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Good. You added the comma. Didn't ask for that cuz I didn't wanna be too demanding...

(BTW, still don't think it's right, but I'll just say "uncle" and sprinkle the well-deserved stars.)

I sure loves me a man-tussle!

Posted 1 year ago #

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