0
MrPernickety Posted 17 years ago
Vocabulary
A question about the grammar of a passage
Hi,
I happened by this exerpt (in red) purportedly written by a native speaker, and I reckon there are some errors in it that stick out like a sore thumb. I selected my 'corrections' by underlining them and embracing them in square brackets, but maybe my corrections are off base, so could you tell me if I'm right or wrong.
I have attached a revised backlog but until we receive more information from [...] we cannot produce estimates or agree [on is missing] a delivery date (based upon [the is missing] items above). I will inform you when we have all [the is missing] necessary information.
Thanks a bunch !
I happened by this exerpt (in red) purportedly written by a native speaker, and I reckon there are some errors in it that stick out like a sore thumb. I selected my 'corrections' by underlining them and embracing them in square brackets, but maybe my corrections are off base, so could you tell me if I'm right or wrong.
I have attached a revised backlog but until we receive more information from [...] we cannot produce estimates or agree [on is missing] a delivery date (based upon [the is missing] items above). I will inform you when we have all [the is missing] necessary information.
Thanks a bunch !
Top answer
I agree with you about the missing "on," but leaving articles out is quite common in this type of communication. It's almost a telegraphic style - the writer might well have left the personal pronouns out as well. Everyone involved is just too busy making money, you see, to bother about a lot of unnecessary articles
- I agree with you about the missing "on," but leaving articles out is quite common in this type of communication.
- It's almost a telegraphic style - the writer might well have left the personal pronouns out as well.
- Everyone involved is just too busy making money, you see, to bother about a lot of unnecessary articles
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
4 Answers
0
I agree with you about the missing "on," but leaving articles out is quite common in this type of communication. It's almost a telegraphic style - the writer might well have left the personal pronouns out as well. Everyone involved is just too busy making money, you see, to bother about a lot of unnecessary articles
00
0
I agree with Delmobile that this is in a telegraphic style common in informal business writing, which explains the missing definite articles.
To agree a delivery date sounds OK to my (native British) ears, though. Agree can be transitive or intransitive in British English but I think is usually intransitive in American English.
The other thing that seemed a little non-standard
To agree a delivery date sounds OK to my (native British) ears, though. Agree can be transitive or intransitive in British English but I think is usually intransitive in American English.
The other thing that seemed a little non-standard
00
"Agree a delivery date" sounds natural to me too (BrE). It doesn't strike me as telegraphic (unlike the omission of the articles). "Agree on" is also natural to me.
0
Related Questions