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Grammar - Planned Robbery

Started by instranets [2118750] on in Bugs & Issues.

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instranets [2118750]

Hi. One of the planned robbery messages has a few grammatical issues.

Mistakes in bold.

[name] and [name] meet their contact from Torn City Investment Banking in a derelict car park.
[name] hands over cash for the blueprints, and they head back to the faction hideout.
[name] studies the blueprints with [name] in detail, and come up with a plan to rob the bank!
The team head to the bank, and wait outside in the faction van for the right moment.
[name] waits outside the door, as [name] and [name] charge in to the bank and shout "This is a robbery!"
[name] points their shotgun at the teller and tells her to fill a bag with cash. As soon as the bag is filled, they grab it and run out the bank.
The team jump in to the van and make a clean getaway.

Corrections:
  1. and they come
  2. heads
  3. waits
  4. out of the
  5. jumps
  6. into
  7. makes
Line 4 would be improved by "The team heads to the bank, then waits..."

Line 5 would be improved by not having a comma.
Grif [882958]

team can be classed as a singular character in most versions of english

yes you can say the team heads, but you can also say that the team head to the bank

ii can see heads being changed if you are being very pedantic, 

but the rest of the plural vs singular work with the singular case

its mearly a preference

Out the bank also works, id put in the of just for completions sake but you dont need it

 

The only one that isnt a preference, is Into, which is the only one that necesarly needs to be changed the rest are a choice

 
instranets [2118750]

You cannot say "the team head to the bank." Team is absolutely a singular noun in this instance. To say "head to the bank," one requires a plural noun (e.g., "They"). The same goes for all the other verbs used the same way (wait, jump, make).

My suggestion for line 3 is a necessary disambiguation. As written, the line states that the first name comes up with the plan, but the intent seems to be that both of the names came up with the plan. If the first name was the mastermind, the verb should be 'comes'. If the second name contributed, 'they' clarifies this. The sentence could also be rewritten to be completely unambiguous as: "[name] and [name] study the blueprint in detail, and come up with a plan to rob the bank!"