Fail File #2: "Their" were Major Risks?

Our grammar fail today is from an article that I found on Yahoo, but was originally published at People. It's the story of Andy Sandness getting a face transplant.

Great story. Inspiring, sad, and amazing all at the same time.

But that's not what this site is about.

Here it is. Caitlyn eed to brush up on their, there, they're.

Fail File #1: Associated Press and Passive Voice

First of all, I want to say that the headline I will be highlighting today is sad. It's a heartbreaking news. :-(


Anyway, let's move on to our grammar flub today.

I first read this headline on Yahoo. Apparently it came from Associated Press and was also published in other media outlets. Unfortunately, most of these outlets' proofreaders were absent the day the news was wired to them by AP.

Yes, Google, that's what I meant.

Looking closely at the screenshot, you will see what's wrong with the headline.

Google knows for sure!

The verb "being" should be followed by the past participle form "attacked" instead of attack as the verb is in the passive voice.

It seems like the NY Daily News has their own writer, but the proofreader was absent as well.

Why "Everyday English"?

Let me make this clear. English is my second language. And though I used to teach English, I do admit that my grammar isn't perfect. I am against people who make fun of other people's mistakes to troll them or to nitpick.



However, I also believe that it is great when one is able to write and spell properly. For example, learn the difference between their, they're, and there; principle vs principal. These are very common mistakes that I see people commit over the internet on a daily basis.

One of my pet peeves is when news articles are written, edited, and not proofread carefully. And oftentimes, Yahoo articles give me the impression that they don't have a proofreader. I don't nitpick on people's grammar on comment boards, but journalism is a different league. I've always held journalism on a pedestal. I expect articles, whether it's a news article or entertainment article, to be edited and proofread and published with no grammar mistake at all. Why? Because that's journalism. It's these writers' job and I expect them to do it well. Don't you?

So, if it's a noteworthy error, it deserves a space here in Everyday English.