Lucy Adams's Blog, page 19
June 8, 2012
Typical Male
My 14 year-old son, I've determined, is normal. He's a typical male specimen, unafraid of consuming a container of peas and a dreamsicle in the same sitting, at the same time, in the same mouthful. He possesses courage beyond logic.
He prides himself on the array of sounds that spontaneously and forcefully emit from his body. B.O. doesn't bother him. And he's constantly complaining, "We don't have anything to eat," (probably because he already ate everything).
Last night when he lodged those words through a belch, I snapped. "We have food, you just don't look for it. Your problem is you don't know how to find food. You expect it to put itself on a plate and come find you."
A 14 year-old cannot be shut-up or shut down so easily, though. There's always a last word and it's always his. He said that oh yes he does know how to find food. These are the steps in his method, as described by him in his own last words:
1. Open the refrigerator.
2. Stand and stare until Mama yells to close the refrigerator.
3. Lower your standards.
4. Open the refrigerator.
5. Repeat process until Mama bonks or you find a shriveled piece of sausage in a zip-lock bag, or, preferably, both.
6. Put the sausage back and eat a bowl of cereal. Leave the milk on the table.
7. Go do something until you're hungry again.
He prides himself on the array of sounds that spontaneously and forcefully emit from his body. B.O. doesn't bother him. And he's constantly complaining, "We don't have anything to eat," (probably because he already ate everything).
Last night when he lodged those words through a belch, I snapped. "We have food, you just don't look for it. Your problem is you don't know how to find food. You expect it to put itself on a plate and come find you."
A 14 year-old cannot be shut-up or shut down so easily, though. There's always a last word and it's always his. He said that oh yes he does know how to find food. These are the steps in his method, as described by him in his own last words:
1. Open the refrigerator.
2. Stand and stare until Mama yells to close the refrigerator.
3. Lower your standards.
4. Open the refrigerator.
5. Repeat process until Mama bonks or you find a shriveled piece of sausage in a zip-lock bag, or, preferably, both.
6. Put the sausage back and eat a bowl of cereal. Leave the milk on the table.
7. Go do something until you're hungry again.
May 29, 2012
Lovely Blogs and Broken Rules
Jo at Jo on Food, My Travels and A Scent of Chocolate awarded me the One Lovely Blog Award which means that I haveto a) thank her for the award and then b) follow the rules:
Name the blogger who awarded you this fantastic award.
List 7 random facts about yourself
Award 15 other bloggers this award (Here's the deal, though, rules in my unlimited opinion are general guidelines. In the essence of time, I have awarded it to 5 other bloggers. I may get struck by lightening, but I doubt it will have anything to do with me bending a rule here and there.)
Enjoy!
Seven Random Facts About Me
1) I have an unfinished novel in my beach bag. I'm carrying it around with me this summer. It's some kind of wishful thinking thing I've got going.
2) I enjoy a light breeze, but I detest wind.
3) Repetitive noises drive me over the wall, into the ditch and out of my mind.
4) Every time I finish writing something I panic that I will never think of anything creative ever again. And then I do.
5) I think I'm having a mid-life crisis. To add to that stress, I'm concerned that the two halves of my life aren't adding up to my ideal life expectancy.
6) A favorite way to treat myself is with smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers on crackers.
7) When I was in second grade, I was running across the playground one day at recess and I ran smack-dab into a bumblebee. It stung me. Maybe that's why I don't like surprises.
Not One, But Five More Lovely Blogs
{just had} A Bright Idea
1 Funky Woman
Daily Dodo
Buttered Toast Rocks
Idea City
May 23, 2012
Seductive Dance of the Eggplant
They're great in the garden and so easy to grow. What could be more rewarding than a plant that pops up leafy and green as the valley of Paradise? And it's hardy, withstanding drought and beetles and weeds.
The fruit of its stalk beautifies the ordinary garden with a flash of color unlike that of the other ordinary vegetables gathered in the dirt. None compares to the full purple hue of its rounded curves. A painting of temptation in the Garden cannot convince without its inclusion. Aye, it is the essence of temptation itself.
A man, my man, is known to give into it every summer; planting it, harvesting much too much of it, despite my opposition. He is weak to its illusory promises. He thinks he can change it or that it will change of its own voluntary notion. But temptation remains temptation and its richly aubergine skin remains just a pretty cover-up for what lies within.
Bring it into the kitchen light, and it is nothing more than a burden to bear. Beneath that cloak of color is spongy, anemic flesh devoid of flavor. The more determined cook who dares prepare it by battering and dipping and dripping in cheese and sauce only achieves creating a disguise that slides off, revealing its true nature, as fork seeks mouth.
Summer after endless summer, by beloved and I choreograph the seductive dance of the eggplant. He plants and pulls weeds and picks and admires and allows the vile vegetable in its cheap disguise to capture his fascination. I endure the early summer dabbles, flashes in the pan, knowing that he too will eventually recoil from the tasteless fancy.
Everything trickles to an unspoken arrangement of my husband hiding his forbidden fruit in the crisper. Then I, when he is out, transfer the unwanted wages back to the mulch pile, where it has an opportunity to better itself and make a real impact on earth. All things have value - I'm determined to believe that - but not all things feed the summer soul the way a tomato or an ear of corn or a cucumber does.
The tiller feels the same way I do. Either that, or the seductive pull of the eggplants overcame its faculties. Not an hour ago, that tiller suddenly and without warning lit upon the obligatory row of eggplant, cutting it down in a moment of impulsive violent turbulence. When I finally managed to pull the willful tines from the soil, it was too late. The plants had been returned to dust and weeping foliage scraps. Nothing could be saved.
Nothing but me, and my husband, that is. And our summer, of course.
The fruit of its stalk beautifies the ordinary garden with a flash of color unlike that of the other ordinary vegetables gathered in the dirt. None compares to the full purple hue of its rounded curves. A painting of temptation in the Garden cannot convince without its inclusion. Aye, it is the essence of temptation itself.
A man, my man, is known to give into it every summer; planting it, harvesting much too much of it, despite my opposition. He is weak to its illusory promises. He thinks he can change it or that it will change of its own voluntary notion. But temptation remains temptation and its richly aubergine skin remains just a pretty cover-up for what lies within.
Bring it into the kitchen light, and it is nothing more than a burden to bear. Beneath that cloak of color is spongy, anemic flesh devoid of flavor. The more determined cook who dares prepare it by battering and dipping and dripping in cheese and sauce only achieves creating a disguise that slides off, revealing its true nature, as fork seeks mouth.
Summer after endless summer, by beloved and I choreograph the seductive dance of the eggplant. He plants and pulls weeds and picks and admires and allows the vile vegetable in its cheap disguise to capture his fascination. I endure the early summer dabbles, flashes in the pan, knowing that he too will eventually recoil from the tasteless fancy.
Everything trickles to an unspoken arrangement of my husband hiding his forbidden fruit in the crisper. Then I, when he is out, transfer the unwanted wages back to the mulch pile, where it has an opportunity to better itself and make a real impact on earth. All things have value - I'm determined to believe that - but not all things feed the summer soul the way a tomato or an ear of corn or a cucumber does.
The tiller feels the same way I do. Either that, or the seductive pull of the eggplants overcame its faculties. Not an hour ago, that tiller suddenly and without warning lit upon the obligatory row of eggplant, cutting it down in a moment of impulsive violent turbulence. When I finally managed to pull the willful tines from the soil, it was too late. The plants had been returned to dust and weeping foliage scraps. Nothing could be saved.
Nothing but me, and my husband, that is. And our summer, of course.
May 6, 2012
Where's My T-Shirt?
I survived the 2012 April A to Z Blog Challenge. Where's my t-shirt?
Oh, I'm only kidding . . . sort of . . . kind of . . . not really. I think those of us who finished all deserve an
I SURVIVED
t-shirt. It was a thrilling month of highs and lows and pressure and fear that we might not make it past the elem-n-opey portion of the alphabet (for those whose minds are still addling, that's L, M, N, O, P).
The best part for me was reconnecting with bloggers I met during last year's challenge, such as Brianna and The Golden Eagle. If you didn't visit their blogs during April, you must go there right away.
And meeting new people from around the blogosphere: Jo, Dana, Wendy, and Delores, to name a quick few. Every blog I visited reflected the personality and interests of its host. And I learned, learned, learned without much effort at all. I mean, just think, without Grover, I would have never known what zorbing is or that I might like to do it sometime on a dare.
For me these A to Z challenges are more than just a way to socialize or get more followers. They make me stretch as writer and a reader. They force me to organize my thoughts.
It took me several months, but I worked my posts from the 2011 challenge into a book, ABC Book of Literary Devices , available from Amazon in print and and Kindle versions. If all goes well, the ABC Book of Writing Conventions will be the second in the series and include simple, brief explanations of common grammar, usage, and punctuation errors/misunderstandings.
You might call me obsessive when I tell you that I've already planned out the next four years' worth of themes and posts. But really it's because I want my t-shirt, dog-gone-it.
Oh, I'm only kidding . . . sort of . . . kind of . . . not really. I think those of us who finished all deserve an
I SURVIVED
t-shirt. It was a thrilling month of highs and lows and pressure and fear that we might not make it past the elem-n-opey portion of the alphabet (for those whose minds are still addling, that's L, M, N, O, P).
The best part for me was reconnecting with bloggers I met during last year's challenge, such as Brianna and The Golden Eagle. If you didn't visit their blogs during April, you must go there right away.
And meeting new people from around the blogosphere: Jo, Dana, Wendy, and Delores, to name a quick few. Every blog I visited reflected the personality and interests of its host. And I learned, learned, learned without much effort at all. I mean, just think, without Grover, I would have never known what zorbing is or that I might like to do it sometime on a dare.
For me these A to Z challenges are more than just a way to socialize or get more followers. They make me stretch as writer and a reader. They force me to organize my thoughts.
It took me several months, but I worked my posts from the 2011 challenge into a book, ABC Book of Literary Devices , available from Amazon in print and and Kindle versions. If all goes well, the ABC Book of Writing Conventions will be the second in the series and include simple, brief explanations of common grammar, usage, and punctuation errors/misunderstandings.
You might call me obsessive when I tell you that I've already planned out the next four years' worth of themes and posts. But really it's because I want my t-shirt, dog-gone-it.
April 29, 2012
Zero Article
Zero Article
Zero article refers to when a noun is NOT preceded by a, an or the (which are all three known as articles). This, however, is not a random omission. Like everything else in grammar, the zero article, or absence of one of the three articles before a noun, is governed by rules:
1) Use a zero article when the exact one or ones is not known.
For example: People should understand how their government functions. (We do not know which people should understand. Which is not specified. If we did know, we might write, The people of France should understand how their government functions.)
Lodeche's economy is in trouble. Monies are needed for the survival of the republic. (We do not know the exact monies, but we do know the exact republic.)
2) Use a zero article (no article at all) with proper nouns.
For example: Sally Jane skips down Langston Street, turns the corner at Hughes Department Store, and spits into Calloway Creek. (Without proper nouns, we would use articles and the sentence would read, A girl skips down the street, turns the corner at the department store, and spits into the creek.)
Tomorrow: We breathe a sigh of relief and rest.
This post is brought to you by the April A to Z Blog Challenge . Check back all through April for daily discussions of writing conventions.
Zero article refers to when a noun is NOT preceded by a, an or the (which are all three known as articles). This, however, is not a random omission. Like everything else in grammar, the zero article, or absence of one of the three articles before a noun, is governed by rules:
1) Use a zero article when the exact one or ones is not known.
For example: People should understand how their government functions. (We do not know which people should understand. Which is not specified. If we did know, we might write, The people of France should understand how their government functions.)
Lodeche's economy is in trouble. Monies are needed for the survival of the republic. (We do not know the exact monies, but we do know the exact republic.)
2) Use a zero article (no article at all) with proper nouns.
For example: Sally Jane skips down Langston Street, turns the corner at Hughes Department Store, and spits into Calloway Creek. (Without proper nouns, we would use articles and the sentence would read, A girl skips down the street, turns the corner at the department store, and spits into the creek.)
Tomorrow: We breathe a sigh of relief and rest.
This post is brought to you by the April A to Z Blog Challenge . Check back all through April for daily discussions of writing conventions.
April 27, 2012
Your v. You're
Your v. You're
They certainly sound the same, but they are worlds apart in meaning. Nonetheless, many people tend to use them interchangeably. But we can do our small part to right this problem.
Your is a possessive pronoun. It denotes ownership of something.
For example: Go get your shoes. If you don't see them in the hall, look under your jacket. I'm really tired of you leaving your stuff in the floor.
You're is a contraction of the pronoun you and the verb are.
For example: You're failing to take responsibility for your belongings. Someday, you're sure to appreciate how I've cleaned up behind you.
Tip: If you are uncertain about which word to use in a sentence, insert the words you are. If the sentence makes sense, then you're is the word you're looking for. If you are does not make sense in the sentence, then your should be used.
Now that we've settled that, I feel a calm settling on us all.
Tomorrow: Zero Article
This post is brought to you by the April A to Z Blog Challenge . Check back all through April for daily discussions of writing conventions.
They certainly sound the same, but they are worlds apart in meaning. Nonetheless, many people tend to use them interchangeably. But we can do our small part to right this problem.
Your is a possessive pronoun. It denotes ownership of something.
For example: Go get your shoes. If you don't see them in the hall, look under your jacket. I'm really tired of you leaving your stuff in the floor.
You're is a contraction of the pronoun you and the verb are.
For example: You're failing to take responsibility for your belongings. Someday, you're sure to appreciate how I've cleaned up behind you.
Tip: If you are uncertain about which word to use in a sentence, insert the words you are. If the sentence makes sense, then you're is the word you're looking for. If you are does not make sense in the sentence, then your should be used.
Now that we've settled that, I feel a calm settling on us all.
Tomorrow: Zero Article
This post is brought to you by the April A to Z Blog Challenge . Check back all through April for daily discussions of writing conventions.
April 26, 2012
Overcoming the Red X
X
Who has not been the victim of the big, red X, scritch-scratched across a school paper by a teacher or marked on a manuscript at the hand of an editor? It's shocking when we see it. I dare say, it hurts, physically and psychologically. And almost always, it is associated with a violation of standard writing conventions.
Our primary goal, other than to compose a unique piece of writing that others cannot bear to put down, is to avoid the X. The best way to do that is to proofread with writing conventions in mind. And if we have violated any of them, to either correct them or to compose a suitable defense for them.
In that vein, I offer some tried and true proofreading strategies:
1) Put the piece down and walk away. After some time has passed, read through it again with a critical eye.
2) Read the piece out loud, preferably not in public.
3) Alert! Alert! Don't get cornered by a deadline or due date. Allow enough time for proofreading once the piece is complete.
4) Become mindful of your typical mistakes (maybe even keep a list of them handy) and actively look for those in the paper.
5) Ask someone else - someone who is familiar with grammar, punctuation, capitalization and usage - to read the piece.
6) Be a stranger to your own work. Put yourself in the place of your unknown reader and look at it through his or her eyes.
7) Read one sentence at a time, paying attention to each word, each punctuation mark, etc. Reading from the end to the beginning makes this process easier.
Proofreading, like anything, takes practice. It can be very frustrating. The story is complete. There's nothing more to say. Yet, here we are still rehashing it, again and again. When we start to feel bogged down in the process and ready to call it quits, we must remember that we are giving our reader a gift: A beautiful, well-written.
Tomorrow: Your v. You're
This post is brought to you by the April A to Z Blog Challenge . Check back all through April for daily discussions of writing conventions.
Who has not been the victim of the big, red X, scritch-scratched across a school paper by a teacher or marked on a manuscript at the hand of an editor? It's shocking when we see it. I dare say, it hurts, physically and psychologically. And almost always, it is associated with a violation of standard writing conventions.
Our primary goal, other than to compose a unique piece of writing that others cannot bear to put down, is to avoid the X. The best way to do that is to proofread with writing conventions in mind. And if we have violated any of them, to either correct them or to compose a suitable defense for them.
In that vein, I offer some tried and true proofreading strategies:
1) Put the piece down and walk away. After some time has passed, read through it again with a critical eye.
2) Read the piece out loud, preferably not in public.
3) Alert! Alert! Don't get cornered by a deadline or due date. Allow enough time for proofreading once the piece is complete.
4) Become mindful of your typical mistakes (maybe even keep a list of them handy) and actively look for those in the paper.
5) Ask someone else - someone who is familiar with grammar, punctuation, capitalization and usage - to read the piece.
6) Be a stranger to your own work. Put yourself in the place of your unknown reader and look at it through his or her eyes.
7) Read one sentence at a time, paying attention to each word, each punctuation mark, etc. Reading from the end to the beginning makes this process easier.
Proofreading, like anything, takes practice. It can be very frustrating. The story is complete. There's nothing more to say. Yet, here we are still rehashing it, again and again. When we start to feel bogged down in the process and ready to call it quits, we must remember that we are giving our reader a gift: A beautiful, well-written.
Tomorrow: Your v. You're
This post is brought to you by the April A to Z Blog Challenge . Check back all through April for daily discussions of writing conventions.
April 25, 2012
Who v. Whom
Who v. Whom
Hold on to your hat. The use is both complicated and simple.
Who and whom are both pronouns, which we all know are words that take the place of nouns, which we all know are people, places, things or ideas. The decision about whether to use who or to use whom depends on the role it plays in the sentence. Who is always the subject of a sentence, which we all know is the person, place, thing or idea doing the action. Whom is always the object in a sentence, which we all know is the person, place, thing or idea receiving the action of the verb.
For example: Who plans to give the bad news to the people? When we arrive, we give the news to whom?
To whom much is given, much is expected. Who, though, grants these gifts? I am the one who imparts them to my children.
Hint: Still having trouble deciding when to use who and when to use whom? Try inserting he and him into the sentence. If he works, then who is the pronoun you seek. If him works, then whom is what you want.
Tomorrow: X
This post is brought to you by the April A to Z Blog Challenge . Check back all through April for daily discussions of writing conventions.
Hold on to your hat. The use is both complicated and simple.
Who and whom are both pronouns, which we all know are words that take the place of nouns, which we all know are people, places, things or ideas. The decision about whether to use who or to use whom depends on the role it plays in the sentence. Who is always the subject of a sentence, which we all know is the person, place, thing or idea doing the action. Whom is always the object in a sentence, which we all know is the person, place, thing or idea receiving the action of the verb.
For example: Who plans to give the bad news to the people? When we arrive, we give the news to whom?
To whom much is given, much is expected. Who, though, grants these gifts? I am the one who imparts them to my children.
Hint: Still having trouble deciding when to use who and when to use whom? Try inserting he and him into the sentence. If he works, then who is the pronoun you seek. If him works, then whom is what you want.
Tomorrow: X
This post is brought to you by the April A to Z Blog Challenge . Check back all through April for daily discussions of writing conventions.
April 24, 2012
Verb-Subject Agreement
Verb-Subject Agreement
Yes, I know this is normally written subject-verb agreement, but I needed a V-word in my A to Z theme of writing conventions. Please don't hold this stretch against me.
Subjects and verbs in sentences should always agree in number. In other words, singular subjects should have singular verbs and plural subjects should have plural verbs. Keep in mind that most nouns are made plural by adding -s to the end. Most verbs with an -s on the end are singular. Subject-verb agreement rules to remember:
1) The pronouns anyone, someone, everyone, no one, anybody are SINGULAR pronouns and must be accompanied by a SINGULAR verb.
For example: Everyone sees the hypocrisy of attending church to meet customers and make more sales. No one denies that such things are done. Someday, someone is going to address the practice from the pulpit. Most anyone agrees, however, that at least the hypocrites are at church.
2) Each is always SINGULAR and requires a SINGULAR verb.
For example: Each of the real estate agents expresses guilt when confronted by the deacons. Each regrets dropping his business card into the offering plate. Each of the agents is embarrassed. (Each is the subject of the first and third sentences, not agents. Agents is part of the prepositional phrase that begins with the word to. A sentence's subject and verb are NEVER part of a prepositional phrase.)
3) Careful! Either and neither are SINGULAR subjects and require a SINGULAR verb.
For example: Neither dress is appropriate for the wedding.Either is designed to upstage the bride.
4) When and joins two subjects, a PLURAL verb follows.
For example: The fuchsia dress and the white dress are not acceptable choices.
5) When or or nor is used, the subject closest to the verb determines whether or not it will be PLURAL or SINGULAR.
For example: The cornflower blue dress or the skirts are appropriate for the occasion. Black pantsuits nor the off-white ensemble is too business-like for a Saturday afternoon affair.
6) Don't accompanies a PLURAL subject. Doesn't accompanies a SINGULAR subject.
For example: They don't know how to fish with a cane pole. Louise doesn't care to teach them. She doesn't like to bait her own hook, but they don't offer to help her. No one has fun on those fishing trips.
In English, subject-verb agreement can get very tricky. We have lots of nouns that end in -s, but are singular, such as news, mathematics and measles. We have many collective nouns that we know to be more than one person or thing, but that are treated as if they are singular, such as team, family, fleet, and crew. Proceed with caution.
Tomorrow: Who v. Whom
This post is brought to you by the April A to Z Blog Challenge . Check back all through April for daily discussions of writing conventions.
Yes, I know this is normally written subject-verb agreement, but I needed a V-word in my A to Z theme of writing conventions. Please don't hold this stretch against me.
Subjects and verbs in sentences should always agree in number. In other words, singular subjects should have singular verbs and plural subjects should have plural verbs. Keep in mind that most nouns are made plural by adding -s to the end. Most verbs with an -s on the end are singular. Subject-verb agreement rules to remember:
1) The pronouns anyone, someone, everyone, no one, anybody are SINGULAR pronouns and must be accompanied by a SINGULAR verb.
For example: Everyone sees the hypocrisy of attending church to meet customers and make more sales. No one denies that such things are done. Someday, someone is going to address the practice from the pulpit. Most anyone agrees, however, that at least the hypocrites are at church.
2) Each is always SINGULAR and requires a SINGULAR verb.
For example: Each of the real estate agents expresses guilt when confronted by the deacons. Each regrets dropping his business card into the offering plate. Each of the agents is embarrassed. (Each is the subject of the first and third sentences, not agents. Agents is part of the prepositional phrase that begins with the word to. A sentence's subject and verb are NEVER part of a prepositional phrase.)
3) Careful! Either and neither are SINGULAR subjects and require a SINGULAR verb.
For example: Neither dress is appropriate for the wedding.Either is designed to upstage the bride.
4) When and joins two subjects, a PLURAL verb follows.
For example: The fuchsia dress and the white dress are not acceptable choices.
5) When or or nor is used, the subject closest to the verb determines whether or not it will be PLURAL or SINGULAR.
For example: The cornflower blue dress or the skirts are appropriate for the occasion. Black pantsuits nor the off-white ensemble is too business-like for a Saturday afternoon affair.
6) Don't accompanies a PLURAL subject. Doesn't accompanies a SINGULAR subject.
For example: They don't know how to fish with a cane pole. Louise doesn't care to teach them. She doesn't like to bait her own hook, but they don't offer to help her. No one has fun on those fishing trips.
In English, subject-verb agreement can get very tricky. We have lots of nouns that end in -s, but are singular, such as news, mathematics and measles. We have many collective nouns that we know to be more than one person or thing, but that are treated as if they are singular, such as team, family, fleet, and crew. Proceed with caution.
Tomorrow: Who v. Whom
This post is brought to you by the April A to Z Blog Challenge . Check back all through April for daily discussions of writing conventions.
April 23, 2012
Underline
Underline
Underlining is a way to distinguish, or emphasize, specific text, a word or group of words, from that around it. As wordprocessing has become more prevalent and more sophisticated, many writers choose to italicize rather than underline; thus, the two techniques are interchangeable. Therefore, it is technically incorrect to underline an italicized word(s) or italicize an underlined word(s).
1) DO NOT underline/italicize punctuation (commas, end marks, semicolons, colons) that follows the words being underlined/italicized, unless the punctuation is part what is being underlined/italicized.
For example: Callie Ann Metcalf announces the release of her seminal book on Southern girls, Friends Make the Tea Sweet, Enemies Add the Ice!
2) Underline/Italicize the titles of things that can stand alone:
Journals and Magazines
Plays
Novels
Long Music Compositions
Movies
Television Shows
Radio Shows
Art Pieces
Published Speeches
Lengthy Poems
Pamphlets
3) Caution! DO NOT underline/italicize titles of short stories, television show episodes, journal or magazine articles, or poems. Enclose these titles in quotation marks.
For example: Her last article, "Summer House," which appeared in The New Yorker, offers a teaser about what readers can expect from the longer manuscript.
4) Underline/italicize names of famous planes, trains, automobiles, boats, space craft, and other vehicles, but not vehicle makes, models, manufacturers or brands. The prefixes USS, HMS and RMS are never underlined/italicized.
For example: We rode in his Dodge Charger to the re-enactment of the sinking of the S.S. Titanic.
5) Notice! DO NOT underline/italicize titles of religious works or the chapters within them.
For example: Read your Bible every day. The Gospel of Luke is my favorite book.
6) Underline/italicize foreign words that are not loanwords (see my L post) or easily translated by a majority of readers.
For example: Frederick snickered quietly just behind Felicia's shoulder, pushing her buttons until her temper boiled to al dente. Then, she caught herself and backed off the burner.
7) Underline/italicize words under discussion.
For example: When you say the word etiquette, my posture goes prim.
8) Underline/italicize sound words.
For example: Shhhstka-stka-stka, shhhstka-stka-stka. The boys could hear the rattlesnake, before they could see it.
Though, many teachers and many writers still prefer underlining, I almost always italicize instead. To me, the text looks cleaner and the eye flows across it easier, while the brain still understands that the words are being emphasized for a particular reason. All in all, it comes down to personal preferences. Which do you tend to use?
Tomorrow: Verb-Subject Agreement (I know I have it in reverse order. Give me a break. V is hard.)
This post is brought to you by the April A to Z Blog Challenge . Check back all through April for daily discussions of writing conventions.
Underlining is a way to distinguish, or emphasize, specific text, a word or group of words, from that around it. As wordprocessing has become more prevalent and more sophisticated, many writers choose to italicize rather than underline; thus, the two techniques are interchangeable. Therefore, it is technically incorrect to underline an italicized word(s) or italicize an underlined word(s).
1) DO NOT underline/italicize punctuation (commas, end marks, semicolons, colons) that follows the words being underlined/italicized, unless the punctuation is part what is being underlined/italicized.
For example: Callie Ann Metcalf announces the release of her seminal book on Southern girls, Friends Make the Tea Sweet, Enemies Add the Ice!
2) Underline/Italicize the titles of things that can stand alone:
Journals and Magazines
Plays
Novels
Long Music Compositions
Movies
Television Shows
Radio Shows
Art Pieces
Published Speeches
Lengthy Poems
Pamphlets
3) Caution! DO NOT underline/italicize titles of short stories, television show episodes, journal or magazine articles, or poems. Enclose these titles in quotation marks.
For example: Her last article, "Summer House," which appeared in The New Yorker, offers a teaser about what readers can expect from the longer manuscript.
4) Underline/italicize names of famous planes, trains, automobiles, boats, space craft, and other vehicles, but not vehicle makes, models, manufacturers or brands. The prefixes USS, HMS and RMS are never underlined/italicized.
For example: We rode in his Dodge Charger to the re-enactment of the sinking of the S.S. Titanic.
5) Notice! DO NOT underline/italicize titles of religious works or the chapters within them.
For example: Read your Bible every day. The Gospel of Luke is my favorite book.
6) Underline/italicize foreign words that are not loanwords (see my L post) or easily translated by a majority of readers.
For example: Frederick snickered quietly just behind Felicia's shoulder, pushing her buttons until her temper boiled to al dente. Then, she caught herself and backed off the burner.
7) Underline/italicize words under discussion.
For example: When you say the word etiquette, my posture goes prim.
8) Underline/italicize sound words.
For example: Shhhstka-stka-stka, shhhstka-stka-stka. The boys could hear the rattlesnake, before they could see it.
Though, many teachers and many writers still prefer underlining, I almost always italicize instead. To me, the text looks cleaner and the eye flows across it easier, while the brain still understands that the words are being emphasized for a particular reason. All in all, it comes down to personal preferences. Which do you tend to use?
Tomorrow: Verb-Subject Agreement (I know I have it in reverse order. Give me a break. V is hard.)
This post is brought to you by the April A to Z Blog Challenge . Check back all through April for daily discussions of writing conventions.
