Common Mistakes : injure

verb

.BAD: My car was seriously injured in the accident .GOOD: My car was badly damaged in the accident

.BAD: We must all stop injuring the environment .GOOD: We must all stop damaging the environment

: Injure is used only in connection with people and animals Latest reports from the site of the crash indicate that three people are dead and twelve are seriously injured

: For objects, plants and machines, use damage .Some of the equipment had been badly damaged

.BAD: He shot dead 22 innocent people and injured 23 others .GOOD: He shot dead 22 innocent people and wounded 23 others

: wound = injure a person or animal by using a weapon such as a gun or knife .He is accused of wounding a fellow prisoner .The sergeant had been seriously wounded and was losing blood

.BAD: Several people injured in the accident .GOOD: Several people were injured in the accident

.BAD: Fortunately the driver was wearing his seat belt and so he did not injure .GOOD: Fortunately the driver was wearing his seat belt and so he wasn’t injured

: Injure is a transitive verb .Gibbs won’t be playing because he’s injured his knee : In passive sentences, use be injured .You’re lucky you weren’t injured

.BAD: I was afraid that she might injure .GOOD: I was afraid that she might injure herself

.BAD: He fell and was injured in the leg .GOOD: He fell and injured his leg

: (injure + a part of the body (WITHOUT in ?How did you manage to injure your shoulder : Compare .He’d been wounded in the leg and couldn’t walk