There are many well-known names of people, things, places and organisations, that my students frequently get wrong. Make sure YOU don't make the same mistakes. Consider these:
Frequent wrong use
Correct use
Generic use
ATM machine
Atm
cash dispensing machine If you say ATM machine, you're saying automatic teller machine machine.
PIN number
Pin
personal identification number If you say pin number, you're saying personal identification number number.
Australian Security and Investment Commission
Australian Securities and Investments Commission
Australia's corporate watchdog, called "Asic".
Ernest and Young
Ernst & Young
leading worldwide accounting and auditing firm
Anderson's
Andersen
worldwide accounting and auditing firm
Carrie Webb
Karrie Webb
champion golfer
Kathy Freeman
Cathy Freeman
Olympic gold medallist athlete
Kokoda Trail or Kokoda Track
Both are correct, but Track is considered "more Australian"
You wouldn't use it in a generic sense
Australian Corporate and Consumers Commission
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
called "the A triple-C"?watchdog for the Trade Practices Act
Mr Alan Fells
Professor Allan Fels
former chairman of the ACCC
Marie-Claire
marie claire
magazine on fashion, design, the arts and beauty
Time-Warner-AOL
AOL Time Warner
giant communications company
Simon Townsend
Correct spelling is
Simon Townshend
guitarist brother of Pete Townshend of the rock band The Who