WHICH is correct? “Seri Carcosa Negara is a/an historic building.” – belallang

The “h” in “historic” is usually pronounced now, and so the phrase “a historic” is what is commonly used. However, in the older pronunciation of the word, the “h” is not pronounced, and so the word begins with a vowel and sounds like “istorik”. When that pronunciation is used, the phrase “an historic” is used.

Choice of words

1. Can you please explain the differences in the words “perhaps”, “possible” and “probable”. Is there a difference between “possible” and “probably”?

2. Which is correct: Please accept my apology or apologies? If both are correct, which one is more polite? How about a “thousand apologies”? Am I being very humble by using this expression? – Balan

1. “Possible” and “probable” are adjectives, while “possibly”, “probably” and “perhaps” are adverbs. The difference between “possible” and “probable” is a difference in degree of possibility. What is probable is more likely to exist or happen than what is possible, which is something that can exist or happen. For example, it is possible for human beings to go to the moon. But it is not probable that there will be package tours to the moon even in 10 years’ time.

“Perhaps” just means “possibly”. If a friend sometimes comes to your house on Sunday, and someone asks you whether your friend is coming this Sunday, your answer may be: “Perhaps he will come, perhaps not. He hasn’t said anything yet.”

If someone asks you whether you think you will get the job you have been interviewed for, you answer “Possibly.” if the interview seemed to have gone well, but you have no idea whether you’ll get the job or not. But you answer “Probably.”, if the Chairman of the selection committee told you at the interview that you were the best candidate for the job, but you still haven’t got a letter offering you the job.

2. You can say either “Please accept my apology for ...” or “Please accept my apologies for ...”. I don’t think one is more polite than the other, but if you have a lot to apologise for, it’s better to use the plural form! When we refer to the need to say sorry to someone, we usually use the singular form, like “I owe her an apology for not going to her party.”

I think “a thousand apologies” is excessive. It’s often used jokingly to friends, or to produce a comic effect in a play, novel, etc.

Not ongoing

In an advertisement by the Star Education Fund in The Star last month, the opening paragraph stated that the Star Education Fund was established “since 1994”. Isn’t that like saying “I was born since 19xx”? I would say “I was born in 19xx”. Being born is not a continuing, ongoing, process. Nor is the establishment of something. Would it not be more correct to say the Fund was established “in 1994”? – I.Ho

I agree with you. It would be correct to say the Fund was established in 1994. “To establish” means “to start a company or organization that will continue for a long time” (online Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary). As you say, establishing a Fund, like being born, is not a continuing process that began in a certain year and continues till today. That is what “since” implies.

However, it would be correct to say that the Fund has been helping students since 1994, because helping students is an ongoing process.

A dog ‘passes away’

Here’s what I read a while ago, with my emphasis.

Jennifer Aniston was recently spotted in NYC showing off her very first tattoo: the name “Norman” on the inside of her right foot. The fresh ink is a tribute to the 42-year-old actress’s dog Norman, a Welsh corgi-terrier mix that passed away in May at 15 years old. [...]

I may be old-fashioned but “passed away” is a euphemism usually applied to humans who die. So is it appropriate if that phrase is Is it all right when used for a pet dog? – sm

I don’t see why that euphemism should not be used to speak about the death of a pet who was very much loved by her or his owner. Some people love their pet animals as much as they do their human loved ones. Obviously Norman was very dear to Jennifer Aniston.

Has or had

1. In these two sentences, would I use has or had?

a. We refer to the above and are pleased to inform you that the individual title in respect of the above property has/had been issued.

b. We would like to seek your kind approval to refund the purchase price which has/had been paid by the customer to XXXX company amounting RM5,000 (photocopied receipts attached)

2. May I know if the use of photocopied is correct? – Confused

1. You are right. Both sentences need to use “has”. This is the correct auxiliary verb to use in the present perfect tense verbs “has been issued” in sentence (a) and “has been paid” in sentence (b). If you use “had” in these verbs, you would be using the past perfect tense, which is not right, since there is only one past time mentioned in each sentence. However, you would need to use “to” after “amounting” in sentence (b).

2. Your use of “photocopied” is correct. Here, the past participle of the verb “photocopy” is used as an adjective before the noun “receipts”.

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