Today’s society is all about instant gratification, and e-mail has made communication that much quicker. Don’t get me wrong, e-mail is great – I love e-mail – but there is one pitfall.
AIM (AOL Instant Messanger) has helped to cripple the youth of our nation, grammatically (and socially). People get used to saying ‘brb’ instead of ‘be right back’ and about a thousand other shorthand slang phrases. This makes for a very bad habbit.
People get used to communicating in this shorthand way (it’s hilarious to listen when people talk like they type!), and it creeps into the should-be-more-professional areas of their lives.
This may not seem like a big deal to you, but it really is a huge problem. You should not, under any circumstances, use shorthand when communicating with a boss, potential employer, or even a professor. E-mail is just a letter sent electronically, but people think that they don’t need to sound professional in such communications – WRONG!
ALWAYS use proper format for your e-mails, meaning: heading, body, closing. Always use a respectful greeting and include the appropriate title (Dr. for many professors). Always proofread your work before you hit send – you make more mistakes than you think.
You want to sound like an intelligent human being, not a young person gabbing with some friends on the internet.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
WHO vs. WHOM
This topic confuses a lot of people…almost everyone that I’ve talked to, but it doesn’t need to be so difficult. This is one of the rules of grammar that I never truly understood until I tool a Precision Language course in college. When I finally understood the concept, I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t understood it sooner! I’ll try to make this easy, so that you will never ask yourself again, “Is it who or whom?”
Both words (who and whom) are pronouns (leave a comment if I should explain the parts of a sentence, such as pronouns). The difference lies in their functions.
WHO – subjective pronoun (fancy way to say subject)
WHOM – objective pronoun (the objective of something else, such as a preposition)
WHO ate all the ice cream?
(WHO is the subject of the sentence)
To WHOM should I give the bill?
(WHOM is the object of the preposition ‘to’)
The who/whom dilemma is the same as the difference between he/him and she/her. Let me show you:
HE told me that SHE ate all the ice cream.
(HE and SHE are both the subject of a verb)
I saw HIM last night, and he said to send the bill to HER.
(HIM is the direct object of the verb; HER is the object of the preposition.
I hope that helps!
Both words (who and whom) are pronouns (leave a comment if I should explain the parts of a sentence, such as pronouns). The difference lies in their functions.
WHO – subjective pronoun (fancy way to say subject)
WHOM – objective pronoun (the objective of something else, such as a preposition)
WHO ate all the ice cream?
(WHO is the subject of the sentence)
To WHOM should I give the bill?
(WHOM is the object of the preposition ‘to’)
The who/whom dilemma is the same as the difference between he/him and she/her. Let me show you:
HE told me that SHE ate all the ice cream.
(HE and SHE are both the subject of a verb)
I saw HIM last night, and he said to send the bill to HER.
(HIM is the direct object of the verb; HER is the object of the preposition.
I hope that helps!
Friday, June 22, 2007
Grade school vs. AP Style
I have written briefly (very briefly) about a few of the differences between what we learned about grammar in school and what AP Style dictates. I would like to share a little bit more about this topic. (I apologize now if this gets a little random or starts to sound like a rant.)
My topic for today is capitalization in titles/headlines. I always was taught that you should capitalize the first letter of every word in a title, excluding articles (a, an, the – unless it is the first word in the title) and prepositions (to, of, etc.). AP Style says that you should only capitalize the first letter of the first word in the title. Let me give you an example to show you the difference in a clear and concise manner:
A Story Told by a Blind Man (how I learned it)
A story told by a blind man (AP Style)
Why does AP Style have to change all of the rules that we had to learn and relearn every year? I don’t know, and it upsets me just as much as it upsets you! I really am happy using the rules that I have been using for the past 15 years, but I follow AP when necessary (online). I suggest you do the same (or risk looking outdated and uneducated).
My topic for today is capitalization in titles/headlines. I always was taught that you should capitalize the first letter of every word in a title, excluding articles (a, an, the – unless it is the first word in the title) and prepositions (to, of, etc.). AP Style says that you should only capitalize the first letter of the first word in the title. Let me give you an example to show you the difference in a clear and concise manner:
A Story Told by a Blind Man (how I learned it)
A story told by a blind man (AP Style)
Why does AP Style have to change all of the rules that we had to learn and relearn every year? I don’t know, and it upsets me just as much as it upsets you! I really am happy using the rules that I have been using for the past 15 years, but I follow AP when necessary (online). I suggest you do the same (or risk looking outdated and uneducated).
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Proofreading
Today I am going to talk briefly about proofreading.
It is a must to check over any document you write, ALWAYS! Yio don’t want to let a silly mi steak like this to show up in you’re research paper. (You can laugh at that.)
Don’t rely on spell-check to catch everything, because it can’t think. You could use the wrong word or misspell a word, but spell-check won’t catch it if what you typed is a word.
If it is an important paper, you might want to ask someone else to glance over it. Don’t be shy! When you proofread your own work, your brain may not recognize any errors that may exist. This is because you wrote the paper, and you know what it is supposed to say. It is definitely a good idea to ask a second pair of eyes to take a look.
I’ll add here sneakily that I can proofread your work, and my pricing is negotiable. Just leave a comment with your e-mail address and I will contact you.
Okay, if you really want to proof your own work, try to leave a buffer between writing it and editing it. As I mentioned earlier, you know what you meant to say, but others reading it may not. If you put it away for a while and look at it with fresh eyes, you will be more likely to catch your mistakes. You can also try starting from the last page and read in reverse (still left to right, top to bottom, just last to first).
It is a must to check over any document you write, ALWAYS! Yio don’t want to let a silly mi steak like this to show up in you’re research paper. (You can laugh at that.)
Don’t rely on spell-check to catch everything, because it can’t think. You could use the wrong word or misspell a word, but spell-check won’t catch it if what you typed is a word.
If it is an important paper, you might want to ask someone else to glance over it. Don’t be shy! When you proofread your own work, your brain may not recognize any errors that may exist. This is because you wrote the paper, and you know what it is supposed to say. It is definitely a good idea to ask a second pair of eyes to take a look.
I’ll add here sneakily that I can proofread your work, and my pricing is negotiable. Just leave a comment with your e-mail address and I will contact you.
Okay, if you really want to proof your own work, try to leave a buffer between writing it and editing it. As I mentioned earlier, you know what you meant to say, but others reading it may not. If you put it away for a while and look at it with fresh eyes, you will be more likely to catch your mistakes. You can also try starting from the last page and read in reverse (still left to right, top to bottom, just last to first).
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Less vs. fewer
Micro-lesson for today: Less vs. Fewer!
I know, you’re thinking that this is a little over-the-top, and that these words are interchangeable… well, they aren’t. Since I’m sure you already know the definition, I will just define the difference in how these words should be used:
LESS – use when you can’t count the number of items (qualities and liquids)
FEWER – use when you can count the number of items
I wish she would pay LESS attention to Luke and more to me.
Today, I drank LESS water than I usually do.
I have had FEWER car accidents than you!
Do you know why these are correct?
I have LESS money in the bank than I had hoped I would have by now.
I keep FEWER coins in my purse than before, because they were getting too heavy.
Want to quiz yourself? Here are a few for you to try:
I wish I had eaten LESS/FEWER candy bars.
I wish I had eaten LESS/FEWER ice cream.
It rains in Spain LESS/FEWER than it does in England.
I have LESS/FEWER time than I need to finish my homework.
I will accept ten applications – no more, no LESS/FEWER.
Here are the answers (in reverse):
Fewer, less, less, less, fewer
I know, you’re thinking that this is a little over-the-top, and that these words are interchangeable… well, they aren’t. Since I’m sure you already know the definition, I will just define the difference in how these words should be used:
LESS – use when you can’t count the number of items (qualities and liquids)
FEWER – use when you can count the number of items
I wish she would pay LESS attention to Luke and more to me.
Today, I drank LESS water than I usually do.
I have had FEWER car accidents than you!
Do you know why these are correct?
I have LESS money in the bank than I had hoped I would have by now.
I keep FEWER coins in my purse than before, because they were getting too heavy.
Want to quiz yourself? Here are a few for you to try:
I wish I had eaten LESS/FEWER candy bars.
I wish I had eaten LESS/FEWER ice cream.
It rains in Spain LESS/FEWER than it does in England.
I have LESS/FEWER time than I need to finish my homework.
I will accept ten applications – no more, no LESS/FEWER.
Here are the answers (in reverse):
Fewer, less, less, less, fewer
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
LAY vs. LIE
This common mistake can really either make you sound totally uneducated or way sophisticated. It is the infamous lay vs. lie. I never understood the difference until I took a Precision Language course in college, and now I cringe every time someone uses these incorrectly.
Rather than giving you the definitions of these words, I’m going to show you the differences:
LAY – done to an object
LIE – done by the subject
Please LAY your paperwork down on the table. (The subject is doing something to something else – there is a direct object.)
I’m going to LIE down for a nap. (The subject is doing the action – no direct object.)
INCORRECT: I’m going to lay out at the pool for a few hours.
See if you can spot the mistakes in this excerpt from Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol:
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me…
These lyrics should read:
If I LIE here
If I just LIE here
Would you lie with me (they used it correctly :)
Another common problem with these words is that their past tenses and past participles get confused. Let me clear it up for you:
LAY – LAID (past tense) – LAID (past participle)
LIE – LAY (past tense) – LAIN (past participle)
Have you seen my earrings? I LAID them on the table.
Yesterday, I LAY down for a nap.
I HAD LAID my purse on the counter, but now I can’t find it.
I WOULD HAVE LAIN down for a nap, but I was too busy.
NEVER say that someone HAS BEEN LAIN TO REST.
Good luck with this one! It can be hard to remember at first, but once you master it you will sound educated and intelligent.
Rather than giving you the definitions of these words, I’m going to show you the differences:
LAY – done to an object
LIE – done by the subject
Please LAY your paperwork down on the table. (The subject is doing something to something else – there is a direct object.)
I’m going to LIE down for a nap. (The subject is doing the action – no direct object.)
INCORRECT: I’m going to lay out at the pool for a few hours.
See if you can spot the mistakes in this excerpt from Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol:
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me…
These lyrics should read:
If I LIE here
If I just LIE here
Would you lie with me (they used it correctly :)
Another common problem with these words is that their past tenses and past participles get confused. Let me clear it up for you:
LAY – LAID (past tense) – LAID (past participle)
LIE – LAY (past tense) – LAIN (past participle)
Have you seen my earrings? I LAID them on the table.
Yesterday, I LAY down for a nap.
I HAD LAID my purse on the counter, but now I can’t find it.
I WOULD HAVE LAIN down for a nap, but I was too busy.
NEVER say that someone HAS BEEN LAIN TO REST.
Good luck with this one! It can be hard to remember at first, but once you master it you will sound educated and intelligent.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Than vs. then
This issue may seem small to you, but it really gets on my nerves (I'm guessing it does to plenty of other people, too). I'll keep this short and sweet:
THAN - think amounts (and comparisons)
THEN - think time (and order)
I ate more ice cream THAN you did. She is sweeter THAN her brother.
I went to the movies, and THEN I met him for dinner.
Also, I'm thinking about either putting some of my poetry on this site or starting another for my poetry - any comments?
Update: I started a blog for my poetry (free to view, but feel free to click on an ad). The address is http://emsbookofpoetry.blogspot.com.
If you ever have any grammar questions, leave a comment! If you leave your e-mail address, I can get back to you immediately. If you would rather not share your e-mail, I can put the answer to your question up here on the site. You can also leave me feedback about the posts I already have up, or you can make suggestions for posts that you would like to see on my site.
I also am available to proofread anything. :)
THAN - think amounts (and comparisons)
THEN - think time (and order)
I ate more ice cream THAN you did. She is sweeter THAN her brother.
I went to the movies, and THEN I met him for dinner.
Also, I'm thinking about either putting some of my poetry on this site or starting another for my poetry - any comments?
Update: I started a blog for my poetry (free to view, but feel free to click on an ad). The address is http://emsbookofpoetry.blogspot.com.
If you ever have any grammar questions, leave a comment! If you leave your e-mail address, I can get back to you immediately. If you would rather not share your e-mail, I can put the answer to your question up here on the site. You can also leave me feedback about the posts I already have up, or you can make suggestions for posts that you would like to see on my site.
I also am available to proofread anything. :)
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Quotation marks and the dreaded 'however'
I’ve combined two mini-lessons for today. They may be small, but size is no measure of importance.
This first tip is about the quotation mark. It’s easy enough, right? Everyone knows to put quotations marks around quotations, don’t they? That is possible, but it is a little more complicated than that.
First, there is the issue of the single- vs. double-quote. Start with the double quote (“ “). If there is another quote being used inside that one, then use the single quote (‘ ‘). REMEMBER to close each quote and to make your quotation marks match!
You’ll never guess what Brian told me yesterday. He said, “So, I was talking to April, and she told me that you said that ‘Brian is an idiot.’”
Notice that the single, or inside, quote has to end before you can end the double, or outside, quote.
The other quotation issue is punctuation (and its placement), but I’ll save that for another day.
The second grammar faux pas that I would like to bring up today is the use of ‘however.’ Plenty of people can use the word itself, but few get the punctuation around it correct.
Your first punctuation option occurs when the sentence begins with the word ‘however.’ Simply place a comma after the word.
She thinks that he is the cutest boy she has ever seen. However, I have seen better.
If the ‘however’ is being used in the middle of a phrase, however, it will be surrounded on both sides by commas.
If the words before AND after ‘however’ are clauses (basically, if they have a subject and a verb), a semicolon (;) comes before and a comma (,) comes after. This is simply because two independent clauses are separated by a semicolon (or , and/, but).
The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain; however, my hair never gets wet.
By the way… the last ‘however’ example, when used correctly, can make a person sound extra intelligent.
This first tip is about the quotation mark. It’s easy enough, right? Everyone knows to put quotations marks around quotations, don’t they? That is possible, but it is a little more complicated than that.
First, there is the issue of the single- vs. double-quote. Start with the double quote (“ “). If there is another quote being used inside that one, then use the single quote (‘ ‘). REMEMBER to close each quote and to make your quotation marks match!
You’ll never guess what Brian told me yesterday. He said, “So, I was talking to April, and she told me that you said that ‘Brian is an idiot.’”
Notice that the single, or inside, quote has to end before you can end the double, or outside, quote.
The other quotation issue is punctuation (and its placement), but I’ll save that for another day.
The second grammar faux pas that I would like to bring up today is the use of ‘however.’ Plenty of people can use the word itself, but few get the punctuation around it correct.
Your first punctuation option occurs when the sentence begins with the word ‘however.’ Simply place a comma after the word.
She thinks that he is the cutest boy she has ever seen. However, I have seen better.
If the ‘however’ is being used in the middle of a phrase, however, it will be surrounded on both sides by commas.
If the words before AND after ‘however’ are clauses (basically, if they have a subject and a verb), a semicolon (;) comes before and a comma (,) comes after. This is simply because two independent clauses are separated by a semicolon (or , and/, but).
The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain; however, my hair never gets wet.
By the way… the last ‘however’ example, when used correctly, can make a person sound extra intelligent.
Quotations and the dreaded 'however'
I’ve combined two mini-lessons for today. They may be small, but size is no measure of importance.
This first tip is about the quotation mark. It’s easy enough, right? Everyone knows to put quotations marks around quotations, don’t they? That is possible, but it is a little more complicated than that.
First, there is the issue of the single- vs. double-quote. Start with the double quote (“ “). If there is another quote being used inside that one, then use the single quote (‘ ‘). REMEMBER to close each quote and to make your quotation marks match!
You’ll never guess what Brian told me yesterday. He said, “So, I was talking to April, and she told me that you said that ‘Brian is an idiot.’”
Notice that the single, or inside, quote has to end before you can end the double, or outside, quote.
The other quotation issue is punctuation (and its placement), but I’ll save that for another day.
The second grammar faux pas that I would like to bring up today is the use of ‘however.’ Plenty of people can use the word itself, but few get the punctuation around it correct.
Your first punctuation option occurs when the sentence begins with the word ‘however.’ Simply place a comma after the word.
She thinks that he is the cutest boy she has ever seen. However, I have seen better.
If the ‘however’ us being used in the middle of a phrase, however, it will be surrounded on both sides by commas.
If the words before AND after ‘however’ are clauses (basically, if they have a subject and a verb), a semicolon (;) comes before and a comma (,) comes after. This is simply because two independent clauses are separated by a semicolon (or , and/, but).
The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain; however, by hair never gets wet.
By the way… the last ‘however’ example, when used correctly, can make a person sound extra intelligent.
This first tip is about the quotation mark. It’s easy enough, right? Everyone knows to put quotations marks around quotations, don’t they? That is possible, but it is a little more complicated than that.
First, there is the issue of the single- vs. double-quote. Start with the double quote (“ “). If there is another quote being used inside that one, then use the single quote (‘ ‘). REMEMBER to close each quote and to make your quotation marks match!
You’ll never guess what Brian told me yesterday. He said, “So, I was talking to April, and she told me that you said that ‘Brian is an idiot.’”
Notice that the single, or inside, quote has to end before you can end the double, or outside, quote.
The other quotation issue is punctuation (and its placement), but I’ll save that for another day.
The second grammar faux pas that I would like to bring up today is the use of ‘however.’ Plenty of people can use the word itself, but few get the punctuation around it correct.
Your first punctuation option occurs when the sentence begins with the word ‘however.’ Simply place a comma after the word.
She thinks that he is the cutest boy she has ever seen. However, I have seen better.
If the ‘however’ us being used in the middle of a phrase, however, it will be surrounded on both sides by commas.
If the words before AND after ‘however’ are clauses (basically, if they have a subject and a verb), a semicolon (;) comes before and a comma (,) comes after. This is simply because two independent clauses are separated by a semicolon (or , and/, but).
The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain; however, by hair never gets wet.
By the way… the last ‘however’ example, when used correctly, can make a person sound extra intelligent.
Commas in a series
Today’s tip is a little strange – I’m going to clarify the difference between a rule that I learned in school and one I have learned in AP style (used online).
We always learned that in a series of three objects or more, you’re supposed to use commas like so:
I like to eat cookies, cake, and ice cream.
In this example a comma follows both of the first two items. AP style, however, does not use the last comma (the comma right before the ‘and’).
He likes to eat pizza, wings and fries.
I have to admit that, in this case, I hate AP style. I still follow the first example in most of my writing, creative or academic, as that is what I have been doing since elementary school. However, if it is going to be published online, follow AP style.
Another difference between what they beat into our brains in school and what I learned copy editing for an online magazine is the number of spaces that go between one sentence and the next. In school we learned that after a period you ALWAYS use two spaces. However, online writers (and those that simply are putting something online) should only use one space after a period. It’s strange to me, but that’s what is correct.
We always learned that in a series of three objects or more, you’re supposed to use commas like so:
I like to eat cookies, cake, and ice cream.
In this example a comma follows both of the first two items. AP style, however, does not use the last comma (the comma right before the ‘and’).
He likes to eat pizza, wings and fries.
I have to admit that, in this case, I hate AP style. I still follow the first example in most of my writing, creative or academic, as that is what I have been doing since elementary school. However, if it is going to be published online, follow AP style.
Another difference between what they beat into our brains in school and what I learned copy editing for an online magazine is the number of spaces that go between one sentence and the next. In school we learned that after a period you ALWAYS use two spaces. However, online writers (and those that simply are putting something online) should only use one space after a period. It’s strange to me, but that’s what is correct.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
YOUR vs. YOU'RE and then some
Todays tip, well, series of tips, is pretty easy to master. I'm going to show you the subtle differences between some words that are confused way too often. It's not that I think you're stupid or anything -- people really do confuse these (and frequently).
Okay, this lesson is any easy one, but it is also easy to mess up. Even though he is dating a grammar nerd, my boyfriend can’t seem to get this one right. (I love you!) Funny? Slightly. Not really – everyone should be able to get this one right. If you don’t, your boss will laugh when he reads that memo you sent him (before you read this, of course).
YOUR = possessive adjective
YOU’RE = contraction of you + are
Is that YOUR coffee on the table?
YOU’RE the nicest, most intelligent person I’ve ever met!
This next simple mistake is similar, but it can throw your credibility down the tubes if you commit it.
THERE = indication of place
THEIR = possessive adjective (like YOUR)
THEY’RE = contraction of they + are (like YOU’RE)
Have you seen my pencil? Sure, it’s over THERE on the table.
Is this THEIR first date?
THEY’RE so cute together!
Following the same pattern:
ITS = possessive adjective (like YOUR)
IT'S = contraction of it + is (like YOU'RE)
Look at that dog! IT'S chasing ITS tail!
And finally:
WHOSE = possessive adjective (like YOUR)
WHO'S = contraction of who + is (like YOU'RE)
WHOSE cookie is that?
WHO'S coming with me to the pool?
I know this was a short one, but it really is important. I also realize that no one will congratulate you for correctly spelling THEIR, but at least no one will make fun of you for spelling it THERE.
Okay, this lesson is any easy one, but it is also easy to mess up. Even though he is dating a grammar nerd, my boyfriend can’t seem to get this one right. (I love you!) Funny? Slightly. Not really – everyone should be able to get this one right. If you don’t, your boss will laugh when he reads that memo you sent him (before you read this, of course).
YOUR = possessive adjective
YOU’RE = contraction of you + are
Is that YOUR coffee on the table?
YOU’RE the nicest, most intelligent person I’ve ever met!
This next simple mistake is similar, but it can throw your credibility down the tubes if you commit it.
THERE = indication of place
THEIR = possessive adjective (like YOUR)
THEY’RE = contraction of they + are (like YOU’RE)
Have you seen my pencil? Sure, it’s over THERE on the table.
Is this THEIR first date?
THEY’RE so cute together!
Following the same pattern:
ITS = possessive adjective (like YOUR)
IT'S = contraction of it + is (like YOU'RE)
Look at that dog! IT'S chasing ITS tail!
And finally:
WHOSE = possessive adjective (like YOUR)
WHO'S = contraction of who + is (like YOU'RE)
WHOSE cookie is that?
WHO'S coming with me to the pool?
I know this was a short one, but it really is important. I also realize that no one will congratulate you for correctly spelling THEIR, but at least no one will make fun of you for spelling it THERE.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
The First
Hello!
To begin I will post just a little bit about myself. I am an intelligent, energetic and goofy student, trying to find ways to pay for college (translation: I have put ads on my site – you can click anytime). I am majoring in French and, possibly, minoring in Creative Writing. I thought about being a lawyer, but I think I have decided to be a French teacher (which is why I can’t afford student loans) or a translator…or both. I have a twisted love for all things grammar, and I love, love, LOVE correcting papers for people!
I'm still deciding what direction I want to take this blog. One idea is to offer grammar tips to help readers write papers for school or to sound more professional by correctly commanding the English language in memos, etc. Any comments?
Of course I have to offer my services - if anyone has a paper they would like me to proofread...let me know! I actually have experience not only from correcting papers for my friends, but also from working as a copy editor for my school's online magazine.
I am also a very random person, so Disney, poetry, music, just about anything might end up here at some point in time.
To begin I will post just a little bit about myself. I am an intelligent, energetic and goofy student, trying to find ways to pay for college (translation: I have put ads on my site – you can click anytime). I am majoring in French and, possibly, minoring in Creative Writing. I thought about being a lawyer, but I think I have decided to be a French teacher (which is why I can’t afford student loans) or a translator…or both. I have a twisted love for all things grammar, and I love, love, LOVE correcting papers for people!
I'm still deciding what direction I want to take this blog. One idea is to offer grammar tips to help readers write papers for school or to sound more professional by correctly commanding the English language in memos, etc. Any comments?
Of course I have to offer my services - if anyone has a paper they would like me to proofread...let me know! I actually have experience not only from correcting papers for my friends, but also from working as a copy editor for my school's online magazine.
I am also a very random person, so Disney, poetry, music, just about anything might end up here at some point in time.
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