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I am flattered that my letter received a reply in your august publication. A whole month has passed and we teachers are immersed in SAT’s preparation. However I must, out of politeness, reply to the correspondent, Doug Garner.

The example Mr Garner quotes does not refute my claim. As you are aware Doctor Who is a person and therefore it should be Doctor Who’s Tardis. I stick to my guns, (with clichés like that you can see why I teach rather than create), “whose” or “of who” is a possessive pronoun, like “its”, “yours” and “our”. Doctor Who has a Tardis, it is the Tardis of Doctor Who, aka Doctor Who’s Tardis. Now class, if you feel I am wrong on this one, I will need more evidence or a weightier argument.

I have written three novels under the pseudonym of Michael Fitzalan and I can tell you that publishers’ editors are very strict indeed. Over to you Mr Garner. This is a case straight from The Rockford Files.

I would love to know what Mr Garner does for a living. I hope, as a champion of grammar, that he is part of a creative team.

It seems strange, if not sinister, that no reply has been forthcoming from either Guinness or the agency that handled the campaign. Can I take it that they do not read your excellent magazine, if not why not?

Finnian Fitzpatrick

Teacher (who’s beginning to think it’s all worthwhile)

London SW 4