06/12/2021
From a book written by a professor, a lecturer in one of the polytechnics in the country, I lifted this text. It goes thus: " These complex relationships to 'AN' untutored 'EYES' 'IS' a maze and merge of confusion."
Looking at this expression, the words look complex and academic, but the grammar is wrong. But, to an untutored eye or to untutored eyes the wrong grammar is not easily noticeable, unless you know what you speak and speak what you know.
However, if you look closely at the second paragraph of this write-up, you will observe that I a made a correction while borrowing Mr professor's expression. Instead of saying, 'to an untutored eyes, according to Mr professor, I rather said, to an untutored eye or to untutored eyes, which is the grammatically correct expression.
To know if this is correct or not, ask yourself, do you say an eyes or an eye? Do you say a houses or a house? I hope you now understand better.
Another incorrect part of Mr professor's expression is the fact that he used a single predicate with a plural subject, and that is grammatically wrong too.
I know that some grammatically untutored eyes would at this juncture be wondering 'HOW!!!'
I'll tell you how. Mr professor said: "these complex relationships to an untutored eyes is a maze and merge of confusion."
Now if you should reduce the complexities of this expression, you will understand better.
To rephrase and reduce this expression to a simple manageable size., it will run thus: 'These relationships is...'
The subject of this sentence is, 'relationships' while the predicate (verb) is, 'is' instead of are. So outside these two words, every other word that made up the sentence is only supporting the subject and predicate to achieve the purpose of the sentence/expression.
Take the correct: These complex relationships to an untutored eye (to untutored eyes) are a maze and merge of confusion
I hope you understand better now?
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