Singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens has written a witty open letter to pop star Miley Cyrus aiming at her poor grammar in the single 'Get It Right' from her latest album Bangerz.
Cyrus, 20, who was criticised heavily by singer Sinead O'Connor recently, received some grammar tips from Stevens, 38, via his Tumblr account, said the Holywood Reporter.
"Dear Miley. I can't stop listening to 'Get It Right' (great song, great message, great body), but maybe you need a quick grammar lesson," Stevens wrote.
"One particular line causes concern: 'I been laying in this bed all night long.' Miley, technically speaking, you've been lying, not laying, an irregular verb form that should only be used when there's an object," he said.
In the next post Stevens urges Cyrus to make a proper use of English in her future songs.
"Whatever. I'm not the best lyricist, but you know what I mean. Get it right the next time. But don't worry, even (author William) Faulkner messed it up. We all make mistakes, and surely this isn't your worst misdemeanour," Stevens said.
The singer further took aims at the wrong use of tenses.
"Miley, did you know the tense here is also totally wrong. Surely you've heard of Present Perfect Continuous Tense (I have been lying in this bed all night long (hopefully getting some beauty sleep?). It's a weird, equivocal, almost purgatorial tense, not quite present, not quite past, not quite here, not quite there." he said.
"I have a feeling your 'present perfect continuous' involves a lot more excitement than mine," he added.
Stevens finally concluded by saying, "Anyway, doesn't that also sum up your career right now? Present. Perfect. Continuous. And Tense. Intense? Girl, you work it like Mike Tyson."
"Miley, I love you because you're the Queen, grammatically and anatomically speaking. And you're the hottest cake in the pan. Don't ever grow old. Live brightly before your fire fades into total darkness," he concluded.
