Nov 27
Holiday Grammar
Just now during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, one if the hosts commented that the balloons and fun of a parade is enough to make her “revert back” to her childhood. People say this all the time, but it’s incorrect: she may revert to her childhood, but since revert means “to go back” or “return,” the phrase “revert back” is redundant. It’s enough to make me wish that one of those giant balloons would (at least temporarily) carry her away.
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November 27th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Good point; but in the sentence you use as an example, shouldn’t the verb be “are” — “balloons and fun are enough?”
November 27th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Quite right, Dan. Actually, if I recall correctly, she grouped them together and said “it’s enough to make me revert back…” so that’s where the is came from in my paraphrase.