Importance of correct grammar

I have a teaching credential for grades K-8 and am a practicing attorney. Words and language are my stock in trade. I therefore take exception to your Dec. 10 article title “Do Your Part to Breathe Easier, Indoors and Out.” You have used a comparative adjective to modify a verb.

In your article title, “breathe” is a verb; verbs can only be modified by adverbs. However, you use the word “easier” to modify “breathe.” “Easier” is a comparative adjective, and adjectives only modify nouns.

The grammatically correct title of this article should read, “Do Your Part to Breathe More Easily, Indoors and Out,” although that title might not have fit in the space provided.

I note that The Times frequently makes this same error. When I put my subscription on vacation hold, I am asked if I would like to donate my subscription to a school during my absence. If you intend the newspaper to be used in schools as a teaching device, then you should ensure that the grammar used throughout the paper is correct.

Ellin Vicki Palmer

Los Angeles