Prescriptivism versus descriptivism

Question

Why the following sentences are considered wrong?

a) Excuse me, can I borrow your pen for a moment?

b) The Treasury is the solid white building whose windows have iron

bars across them.

c) The value of the euro is currently higher than the US dollar.

d) Neither the owner nor the tenant have accepted responsibility for the

falling balcony.

e) There is a small shop across the park on the corner of 53rd Street

selling sporting goods.

I cannot find any mistake. Can anyone help?

Rvw · Accepted Answer

ThebestWhy the following sentences are considered wrong?

a) Excuse me; may [can] I borrow your pen for a moment? Can is for physical capability; may is for permission.

b) The Treasury is the solid white building, [whose] the windows of which have iron

bars across them. Some grammarians argue that whose only applies to people, not things. However, Webster's Dictionary of English Usage says "The notion that whose may not properly be used of anything except persons is a superstition...." So your original sentence is acceptable.

c) The value of the euro is currently higher than the value of the US dollar. One must compare like things: euros and dollars, or values and values.

d) Neither the owner nor the tenant has [have] accepted responsibility for the

falling balcony. Tenant is singular.

e) There is a small shop across the park on the corner of 53rd Street
selling sporting goods. There is a small sporting goods shop on the corner of 53rd Street, across from the park.
or: There is a small sporting goods shop across from the park which is on the corner of 53rd Street.
Does on the corner of 53rd Street modify park or shop? Also selling sporting goods is too far away from shop.

I cannot find any mistake. Can anyone help?

Anonymous · Answer

(edited to remove unneccessary quote of entire question)

All fine in spoken English.

Prescriptivism versus descriptivism

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