Do and don’t of grammar

From: G Marsden, Buxton Avenue, Heanor, Derby.

I LOVE to read your letters for some are so articulate and to the point. However, I was most amused by the “due to” issue.

I can still feel the tingle in my hands from the ruler applied by my English Language teacher who insisted that the word “Due” must not be used if the word owing will fit.

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Due is referred to fiscal situations only. What annoys me though are the radio announcers who cannot say “due” and say “do to”. For instance “the road is blocked do to an accident”. If my tutor was still here no doubt it would be his letter you may be reading.

Line of beauty

From: Marilyn Fletcher, Great Missenden, Bucks.

LABOUR’S Maria Eagle is right to call for the Government to consider re-routing the high speed line (HS2) between London and Birmingham (Yorkshire Post, December 14). The Chilterns is the only Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) between the capital and the West Midlands. Would Yorkshire people sit by while a new high speed line with 100 yard wide cuttings and 500 yard concrete viaducts was built through the widest part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park when there are obvious alternatives?

Out of season

From: John Gordon, Whitcliffe Lane, Ripon.

ACCORDING to your newspaper, the Archbishop of Canterbury is worried about Christians in the Middle East (Yorkshire Post, December 13).

I am worried about Christians in North Yorkshire. Until now, I have received only one Christmas card remotely connected with the Christmas story: Three Kings, frankincense and myrrh. All the others have Christmas trees, flowers, riotous revelry and other secular subjects. Are the card makers afraid of giving offence to other religions? And if so, why?