First, we note the singular verb-form (is) which occurs in the following structure: “some changes in the form of increase or reduction in the allocations to the various MDAs is done depending on their needs and ability…” What is the noun or noun phrase to which the verb (is) owes present singular form? This question is necessary because it is a little surprising that the reporter could opt for a singular form of the verb in this grammatical context. It is not impossible that the reporter erroneously considers the noun increase or reduction as the relevant entity to which the verb must relate in concord. A careful reading, however, would show that the key word as far as grammatical agreement is concerned isthe noun changes—undoubtedly plural. That being the case, as it obviously is, the verb should be changed to its plural form: are.
There is another relatively minor error: it’s. This form is found in the following context: the executive must do its home work very well. The writer fails to realize that there is a difference between the forms it’s and its. The former (the one with the apostrophe and s) is the contracted form of “it is” and “it has”.
The following sentences illustrate the usage of it’s: 1) It’s raining.= It is raining. 2) It’s likely to rain.=It is likely to rain. 3) It’s rather surprising.= It is rather surprising. 4) It’s unfortunate that teachers are poorly paid in this country.= It is unfortunate that teachers are poorly paid in Nigeria. 5)It’s risky to travel at night= It is risky to travel at night. 6) It’s being evaluated.= It is being evaluated. 7) It’s been evaluated.= It has been evaluated. 8)It’s been established scientifically that women are not inferior to men.= It has been established scientifically that women are not inferior to men. 9) It’s been a long time.= It has been a long time. 10) It’s been a tedious and unrewarding exercise.= It has been a tedious and unrewarding exercise.
The word its, on the other hand, is the possessive form/adjective of the pronoun it. The following sentences illustrate its usage: 1) The resting snake finally drew its long tail into the hole. 2) The company and its subsidiaries employ hundreds of workers. 3) The car is beautiful outside but its interior is not as beautiful. 4) Every union should be willing to protect and defend its members in the time of crisis. 5) The house is huge but its occupants are few. 6) The school is organizing a re-union with its former students. 7) Every healthy institution should be able to fund its activities with its internally generated revenue. 8) The intelligence agency maintains its presence all over the world. 9) The lion eats only the bowels of its prey. 10) Every organization has its own strengths and challenges.
The two forms occur in each of the following sentences: 1) The dog wags its tail any time it’s (it is) excited. 2) It’s (it has) been the practice over the years that the society holds its Annual General Meeting in December. 3) Whenever it’s (it is) raining, the hen keeps its chicks under its wings. 4) Although it’s (it is) expensive, its durability makes it attractive to prospective buyers. 5) When it’s (it is) moving, itstyres become more pliable.
At any rate, the form its should replace it’s in the context under review.
Next, we consider the word range which occurs in the following context: “Usually they range from top party leaders, traditional and religious leaders, opinion leaders…as well as media gurus.”
We note especially the particle from collocating with the word range. But there is another particle, missing here, which usually collocates with range in addition to the particle from. That particle is to.
Things are said to range from one point or item to the other or between one point or item and the other. Put in another way, things range from x to y or between x and y. In the structure under consideration, we have the particle from but there is no to.
Now read the following sentences: 1) Articles in the store range from the domestic to the foreign. 2) The crimes allegedly committed by the young men range from petty stealing to armed robbery. 3) The music supplied ranged from the traditional to the exotic. 4) The materials available in the library range from newspapers and magazines toencyclopaedia. 5) The animals available in the zoo range between rats and elephants. 6) The prices range between N200 and N5000. 7) The age of the people who attended the wedding ranges between twenty and fifty years. 8) The topics discussed ranged between the trivial and mundane and the complex and exoteric.
Finally, readers should please note the choice of each (singular) and their/they (plural) in the following context: “Generally, one can say each arm of government in the state knows their duties and their bounds and they do not go beyond it and they have mutual respect and regard for each other.”
As we have noted, the word each modifying the noun phrase arm of government is singular and is appropriately by the form of the verb knows (notice the final –s in knows) suggesting that the writer is aware of the singular implication of the modifier (each). Surprisingly, the reporter makes a choice that contradicts his initial choices. Thus we have their and they (occurring twice). This kind of inconsistency is unacceptable.
The sentence could be revised as follows: “Generally, one can say each arm of government in the state knows its duties and bounds. There is mutual respect among the various arms of government.”
and then