Most are aware that the local evening news is presented at the comprehension level of a seventh-grader. However, that should not preclude proper usage of the English language.

Case in point: On April 17, two local news anchors utilized the word “busted” to relate a story of an alleged home break-in where a door was forced open in the WTAE story and a basement window was smashed in the KDKA story. I can only assume that the two story-readers were busy putting on their lip gloss and eye shadow during junior high English class rather than attending to the study of verb and tense.

Though rehashing the so-called news each half hour is probably as exciting as tightening the nut on the left wheel of a passing vehicle on an assembly line, it would help to utilize correct wording rather than trying to increase one’s street cred.

Try “break,” “broke” or “broken” instead.

Here is a simple maxim. Only women, statues and perhaps losers are busted.

Ronald Wasilak

Murrysville

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