Arlene Miller's Blog, page 53
January 16, 2016
January 14, 2016
Commas Part 10: Comma Finale!
Commas Make All the Difference!
We have been talking about the pesky comma for nine previous blog posts! This post will give the remaining significant comma uses. Here we go:
Use a comma in phrases and sentences containing a contrast or two opposing ideas:
He was small, but very strong
Here today, gone tomorrow
Garbage in, garbage out
I might go the movies, but not out to dinner afterwards.
She has dark hair, not blonde hair, as we had thought.
The more the merrier (No comma is needed in very short phrases)
2. Use a comma to separate two identical words in a row (or rewrite the sentence):
Where he is, is the question.
Wherever she goes, goes her dog.
Let them come in, in single file.
Whatever will be, will be good!
3. Use a comma in quotations, often instead of a period.
“He lives next door,” she said.
She said, “He lives next door.”
“He lives next door,” she said, “but he isn’t home right now.”
“He lives next door,” she said. She added, “He isn’t home right now, though.” (The comma before though is the comma’s use as sort of an afterthought. Here are other examples: He isn’t here, however. Set the table, please.)
4. Use a comma for a question that is part of a sentence when it is at the end:
I asked myself, I wonder where she went. BUT
I wonder where she went? I asked myself. (Italics are often used for the thoughts of the speaker).
5. Use commas in the greetings of friendly letters and closings of letters, memos, and e-mails:
Dear Susie, (For business letters use a colon instead of a comma)
Yours truly, With regards,
Frank Jones Dr. Lester
6. Use commas in sentences with an unusual word order:
Where he is, I certainly don’t know. (Would generally be I certainly don’t know where he is.)
What I will do next, I don’t know. (Would generally be I don’t know what I will do next.)
7. You can use commas sometimes for emphasis:
They think, unrealistically, that they can beat the other team.
I believe, completely, that you will get into that college.
8. Commas can be confusing when used with other punctuation. To review (these are American English standards):
No matter what, commas always go inside quotation marks and exclamation points.
Occasionally, you will have cause to use a period and a comma in a row, but not usually: For example – She lives at 110 Main St., Worcester, MA. However, it is always best to spell things out in text, so you would probably write Street instead of St., so there would be no period anyway.
These final two comma reminders may seem to conflict!
9. Don’t use commas without a reason. Commas are not like salt and pepper — to be sprinkled willy-nilly over your writing. HOWEVER…
10. Use a comma wherever in your writing not using one would cause confusion. Here are some examples of such cases: The dress comes in black and white, and blue and white. While eating, ants invaded our blanket. To Ellen, Mary was a pest. I saw the spider who ran up the wall, and screamed.
There you have it! In the ten posts about comma use, you have most of the ways we use commas. Some of the standards we discussed can be broken down even further into smaller categories. And although it is not foolproof by any means, the old trick of using a comma when you pause does work sometimes, even much of the time… but not always. Some people love commas and use them whenever they can (appropriately); others find them a nuisance in reading and writing. It is probably best to err on the side of too few commas as long as the meaning is clear. Clarity is the reason for punctuation.
Stick around, and next week find out when you shouldn’t use commas.
NEWS:
My website is undergoing a facelift in the next several days, but it will still be up for your viewing pleasure. Look for some new and interesting features to come.
I will be one of the featured readers at the Redwood Writers Open Mic on Saturday, January 23 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Gaia’s Garden on Mendocino (I think) in Santa Rosa, CA.
Mark your calendars on Friday, February 26 at 7 p.m. I will have the official launch (of course, there will be cake; there is always cake) of Fifty Shades of Grammar at the Petaluma Copperfields Books on Kentucky Street.
I am delighted and very proud of a review I just received on Amazon for The Best Little Grammar Book Ever, so if I can indulge myself and brag, here it is:
“In preparation for a remedial community college English class I taught, I purchased 6 other grammar books to compare against one another (e.g., The Idiots Guide, Dummies, CliffNotes, etc). Hands down, The Best Little Grammar Book Ever! is the BEST. I even brought the other books to my class to show the students and they all voted for Ms. Miller’s. Her examples are clearly presented, examples precise, and formatting accessible. She includes quizzes at the beginning of every chapter and the answers are on the next page. The students are able to see where they need help before getting stated. She does go a little overboard with her use of exclamation points, but she also lets the readers know this. It does reflect her passion for grammar. My students and I thank her for making the learning process less painful.”
January 8, 2016
Commas Part 9: Yet More Comma Uses!
The Chicago Manual of Style has 59 comma rules; one of my favorite old reference books, the Gregg Reference Manual, has 52. I promise you we won’t be discussing that many because I have grouped some together and left some more minor ones out (you can rely on the “pause” method for those!)
We have talked about these comma usages so far:
The comma in a series (Oxford)
Commas in compound sentences
Commas with interrupting words
Commas with introductory words and phrases
Commas with interrupting phrases
Commas with adjective clauses
Commas with adverb and noun clauses
This post talks about six other comma uses.
Direct Address: Direct address is when you call someone by name. And when you do, in a sentence, you set the name off with commas regardless of where in the sentence the name appears.
Megan, please do the dishes.
Please, Megan, do the dishes.
Please do the dishes, Megan
Two Adjectives in a Row: Sometimes two adjectives in a row are separated with a comma, but sometimes they are not. If the first adjective describes the second adjective (rather than the noun that follows them), there is no comma:
I like the bright blue dress. (bright describes the kind of blue, not the dress)
There is, however, sometimes a fine line as to whether there should be a comma between the adjectives. The best thing to do is read the phrase and put “and” between the two adjectives. If the phrase sounds okay with “and,” you should probably use a comma between the two adjectives (but take out the and!)
Do you have to wear that old green shirt? (old and green doesn’t really sound right, so no comma needed)
That old, raggedy sweater is mine. (old and raggedy sounds okay, so use a comma)
Did you see the great new show at the theater? (great and new doesn’t sound right, so no comma)
I rescued that old, sad dog from the shelter. (old and sad sounds okay; I would say this one goes either way)
Usually, it doesn’t make a whole lot of difference if you leave the comma out. If you put the comma in where it doesn’t belong (like bright blue dress), it will look strange.
Certain Words and Abbreviations: We pretty much covered this with interrupting words. Things like namely, for example, i.e., e.g., and that is are set off with commas.
I love Italian food, namely, pizza, pasta, and garlic bread.
She likes active hobbies, for example, sports and dancing.
She is the drum major in the band, that is, the leader of the marching band.
I want to go to an ivy league school, e.g., Harvard, Yale, or Princeton
Dates: A common use of commas is in dates, and it can be confusing and best shown by example.
January 9, 2016 (in a letter)
9th of January, 2016 (in a letter)
On January 9, 2016, we will have a meeting.
I need the January 9, 2016, issue of the magazine.
I was born on January 9, 1999, in New York City.
I was born in January 2016 in New York City.
Addresses: Addresses can also be kind of confusing and are best shown by example. An address on an envelope is pretty straightforward, so other examples will be for addresses in text. Envelope:
Mr. James Johnson
49 Baker Street
Boston, MA 12345
Send the package to Mr. James Johnson, 49 Baker Street, Boston, MA 12345.
Send the package to Mr. James Johnson, 49 Baker St., Boston, MA 12345
Send the package to Mr. James Johnson, 49 Baker Street in Boston.
I am moving to New Orleans, Louisiana, in a year or two.
I was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1968.
I was born in California in 1968.
Title and Company Names: The best rule of thumb to follow here is to write the company name or person’s title the way they want it done. I am talking mostly about things like Jr. and Inc., here. You do not need commas.
Mark J. Phelan, Jr. is speaking tonight
Mark J. Phelan Jr. is speaking tonight.
You don’t put a comma after Jr. And it is up to the person as to whether they spell it with a comma before Jr.. If you don’t know….either way is OK.
Athens Chemical, Inc. is building a new complex downtown.
Athens Chemical Inc. is building a new complex downtown.
Spell and punctuate a company’s name just the way they do.
Next week: The final comma rules (Yay!)
P.S. I probably already mentioned this in a previous post, but you do not need a comma before the too at the end of a sentence:
I, too, would like to go.
I would like to go too.
NEWS:
I will be reading from Fifty Shades of Grammar as the Featured Speaker at Redwood Writers Open Mic at Gaia’s Garden in Santa Rosa, Saturday, January 23 from 2-4 p.m. Please come hear me and other local authors!
The launch event for Fifty Shades of Grammar is set for Copperfields Books in Petaluma on Friday, February 26 at 7 p.m. Please help me fill those seats! And hear some fun posts from the book!
If you have any of my books, I would so appreciate an Amazon review. Thank you!
My website will be new, improved, and more mobile friendly in a couple of weeks. Same address!
December 31, 2015
The Grammarians’ New Year Resolutions for 2016
Well, it has been two years since the last New Year Resolution Post. And we are probably still trying to lose weight, get to the gym more often, be a better parent or friend or spouse, stop smoking, write that book, start that new business, and on and on. Well, here are some grammar resolutions for 2016 — and no, they aren’t the same ones as two years ago!
1. I resolve never to correct anyone’s grammar—except in a published book or on TV or radio where the speaker is getting paid money to talk! Don’t correct your friends — even on Facebook — unless they specifically ask.
2. I resolve to form an opinion about the Oxford comma and to feel no guilt whether I want to use it or not. But please, be consistent in your use within the same piece of writing. Either use it or don’t — unless something would be unclear without it — or with it.
3. I resolve to not even think about separating two sentences with a comma unless there is a conjunction (like and, but, or so) present. A comma alone cannot separate two complete sentences. Try a semicolon or a period.
4. I resolve to learn the forms of the darn verb “to lie”: to realize that it is so confusing because lay is the past tense of lie, in addition to being it own present tense verb — and that lain really is a word.
5. I resolve to never use its’, because someone made it up. With all the confusion between its and it’s, the last thing we need is a third option! By the way, please also avoid on accident. It is by accident — but on purpose. And while we are at it, it’s not a whole nother story; it’s a whole other story. Or another whole story.
6. I resolve to pronounce the word mischievous correctly. The accent is on the first syllable (mis), and the last syllable is pronounced vus, not vius.
7. I resolve to learn how to spell out BBQ, and to realize that there is no Q in it at all (barbecue). And there is no ham in hamburger. . .
8. I resolve to eliminate or limit my use of a lot — and to always use it as two separate words.
9. I resolve not to put an s on toward (British use towards; American English uses toward, although no big deal). Also it is in regard to, not in regards to. And there is no such word as anyways — it is anyway.
10. I resolve to understand that good grammar improves my communication skills and the image I project to others. However, it isn’t everything. And if I can’t figure something out, thee is always a good grammar book around –speaking of which . . .
If you have purchased one or more of my books this past year, thank you so much! And I always appreciate a review on Amazon or elsewhere. And I do plan more books for 2016!
Happy New Year from The Grammar Diva!
December 23, 2015
Happy Holidays from The Grammar Diva
from
The Grammar Diva!
We will be back next week with the annual Grammarians’ New Year Resolutions.
December 15, 2015
So You Want To Be Santa? Our Annual Christmas Post
Perhaps you have always wanted to get paid to be Santa. Well, it is a little late to find one of those plum jobs this year, but here is some information you might want to know for next year.
The pay isn’t great. The going rate for Santa is about $10 or $12 per hour — unless you are a Santa who is hired out for private parties, in which case you might make about $18 per hour.
Here are some requirements and information for would-be Santas from real Santa want ads. My comments are in italics and parentheses. I have printed the important information in boldface:
1.Real bearded Santa Claus for our mall location (is that a real Santa or a real beard???). Must be able to stay in character and be great with children and families. Provide the full Christmas and Santa experience to guests. Financially rewarding and incredibly emotionally rewarding! We provide a competitive salary with bonus incentives. All applicants must pass a national background check.
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2. Actors to portray Santa Claus at a local store. We will provide a custom-made Santa suit; you must bring the jolly appearance and experience for the part. You must be customer-service orientated and truly enjoy working with children. You must possess a true care and concern for fulfilling the Christmas dream for thousands of children.
Previous experience as Santa
Possess a jolly personality and laugh
Must be able to attend training classes
Ability to meet a high volume of children
Must be able to pass a drug test
Must pass a background check
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3. Santa Claus to engage patrons into conversation. Meet and greet customers interested in communicating and taking photographic picture with Santa Claus. (Is there another kind of photo?)
Duties and Responsibilities:
Regularly communicates with patrons as they approach to talk and/or prepare for photos.
In a jovial manner engages customers in conversation for purposes of relaxing children to take photo (picture) with Santa (in case you don’t know that a photo IS a picture!).
High degree of professionalism, both visually and verbally, which exceeds customer expectations at all times when speaking to customers (adults and children).
Adheres to uniform standards by wearing Santa Claus costume at all times when greeting and meeting customers.
Exercises tact, good manners, and courtesy when interacting and assisting customers and fellow associates.
Job requires long hours in sedentary position, and lifting of children to place upon lap while communicating and/or preparing for photographic picture. (Photographic picture? Do they mean pornographic??)
Performs other related duties as assigned. (Cleaning the bathrooms??)
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4. Historic Hotel is now hiring for a part-time Santa Claus.
POSITION SUMMARY:
Meet and greet children and their families dining at the Sunday Musical brunch.
SKILLS REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
Strong customer service orientation
Strong listening skills and patience
Ability to deal well with people in a professional and courteous manner
Excellent phone skills (Are we calling Santa too?)
Proficiency in Open Table software (making dinner reservations?)
QUALIFICATIONS:
Must be 18 years of age or older. Must have a high school diploma or equivalent. Must be able to communicate effectively, both verbally and written, in English. Proficiency in Open Table is a must. Excellent hospitality skills. Self-motivated with excellent organizational skills and attention to detail. Ability to work a flexible schedule including extended hours, weekends and holidays.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Applicants must have the physical capability to lift, push or pull at least 30-50 pounds. Also, applicants must have the ability to use abdominal and back muscles and be able to stand for the duration of the shift. Must also have the ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists, and to reach and stretch, bend, kneel and squat. (Is Santa going to dance?)
There will be a pre-employment drug screen, physical, and a nationwide criminal background check. Previous employment will be verified and references will be thoroughly checked.
Competitive wages based on experience and great work environment. Experience: Professional Santa Claus for 1 year
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5. Mall seeking an outgoing, jolly individual(s) to be Santa Claus for the 2015 Holiday Season! No Experience Necessary and Santa Suit Provided.
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6. This is a sales position for Santa Claus photos with children.
Employee will be required to show photos to parents, help them choose, make the sale and print the photos.
Applicant should be:
Friendly, reliable and have basic computer skills (iMac).
Salary: $12.00 /hour
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If you read this blog regularly, you know I have a fondness for phobias. They are entertaining and unusual. Here are some phobias that, if you have them, might ruin your holiday season:
fear of alcohol – methyphobia
fear of anything new – neophobia
fear of the color red – erythrophobia
fear of church – ecclesiophobia
fear of cooking – mageirocophobia
fear of dolls – pediophobia
fear of eating – phagophobia
fear of food – cibophobia
fear of holy things – hagiophobia
fear of home – ecophobia
fear of ice or frost – pagophobia
fear of kissing – philemaphobia (watch the mistletoe!)
fear of laughter – geliophobia
fear of light – photophobia
fear of memories – mnemophobia
fear of religion – theophobia
fear of snow – chionophobia
The Grammar Diva Blog may take Christmas off. Or maybe there will be a lighthearted post….then, we will have the new Grammarians’ New Year Resolutions post, after which the comma series will resume.
Happy Holidays from The Grammar Diva!
December 11, 2015
Commas Part 8: Adverb and Noun Clauses
Santa Clauses!
My previous post talked about using commas around adjective clauses. Today we discuss using commas with adverb and noun clauses.
Adverb clauses (clause = a group of words containing a subject and a verb, but not always a sentence) act as adverbs in a sentence, usually modifying the verb in the sentence. Noun clauses serve as nouns in a sentence, functioning, like nouns, as subjects or objects.
Let’s talk about adverb clauses first. Adverb clauses can begin a sentence, end a sentence, or sometimes be in the middle of a sentence. Adverb clauses begin with words like this: because, although, if, since, whenever, when, wherever, before, and after (called subordinating conjunctions if you wanted to know!).
Here are some sentences that begin with adverb clauses. Always use a comma after adverb clauses that begin a sentence. Remember the rules about introductory elements? Well, actually these are introductory elements.
Because I won’t be home next weekend , I can’t make it to your party.
Although I love this flooring, I just cannot afford it.
If you wait here a few minutes, I can come with you.
Since I can’t be there on the holidays, we can meet after the new year.
Whenever I eat chocolate, I am happy.
When I see my family, I am always grateful.
Wherever you go, I will follow.
Before you leave for your vacation, make sure you have enough cash.
After we get home from the game, we will have dinner.
Careful with before, after, and since. They can also be used as prepositions. If you don’t see a verb with them, they are not being used in a clause. They are being used in a prepositional phrase, and you probably don’t need to follow them with a comma:
Since last Tuesday I have walked fifty miles.
Before the game you should warm up.
After midnight Santa will come!
Notice that in all the examples of introductory adverb clauses above, you can flip the sentence around. When you flip it around, you usually do NOT need a comma before the clause. If you really would pause, and the information is really additional information, you can use a comma. Because is never preceded by a comma.
I can’t make it to your party because I won’t be home next weekend .
I just can’t afford this flooring, although I love it . (I would use a comma here; it is additional information.)
I can come with you if you wait here a few minutes.
We can meet after the new year since I can’t be here for the holidays.
I am happy whenever I eat chocolate.
I m always grateful when I see my family.
I will follow wherever you go.
Be sure you have enough cash before you leave for your vacation.
We will have dinner after we get home from the game.
You can see that the clause is necessary for the complete meaning of the sentences except for the sentence with although. Therefore, do not use a comma.
Noun clauses are generally followed by commas when they begin a sentence because they cause the sentence to have an unusual word order. Sentences with unusual word order often have commas to make them clearer. Here are some examples:
Whatever you want , I don’t think I have. (“Normal” word order would be, I don’t think I have whatever you want)
Whoever you are , you should leave this instant.
Whatever this is , I don’t know to work it.
Whom you are pretending to be, I don’t know.
It is perfectly fine to write a sentence with unusual order. Sometimes sentences are written this way for effect.
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Happy Chanukah from The Grammar Diva!
Still looking for that perfect gift for the person who has everything?
Next week – The annual Christmas post (or should I say holiday post??)
December 4, 2015
Commas Part 7: Adjective Clauses
We have discussed setting off interrupting words and phrases with commas. Today, we will talk about when to set off adjective clauses with commas — and when not to.
First, what is a clause? A clause is a group of words, sort of like a phrase, but a clause has a subject and a verb. In fact, independent clauses are simple sentences, so we won’t be talking about those because sentences don’t interrupt other sentences. However, dependent, or subordinate, clauses are not complete sentences. There are a few different types of dependent clauses; today we are talking about adjective clauses.
What is an adjective clauses? Well, it isn’t called an adjective clause because it contains an adjective, although it can. It is called an adjective clause because the entire clause acts like an adjective, modifying a noun (or sometimes a pronoun). Adjective clauses never begin sentences. They are either in the middle or at the end of a sentence.
All adjective clauses begin with one of the following five words: which, that, who, whom, or whose. Here are examples of sentences using each of these words to begin an adjective clause:
The cookies on the table, which are slightly burned, are for the bake sale. (subject: which/verb: are/modifies: cookies on the table)
The cookies that are on the table are for the bake sale. (subject: that/verb: are/ modifies: cookies)
The girl who is at the end of the line is my cousin. (subject: who/ verb:is/modifies: girl)
The teachers whom I remember best were the stricter ones. (subject:I/verb: remember/modifies: teachers )
That tall kid, whose name is similar to mine, is in all my classes. (subject: name/verb: is/modifies: kid)
In all of the above examples, the clause is interrupting the sentence. (If you leave out the clause, you still have a complete sentence.) However, the clause can end the sentence, as in these examples:
Those are the cookies that I baked last night.
That is the girl whom I am asking to the prom.
This is my favorite book, which I have read six times!
Notice that in some of the sentences the clause is set off with commas, and in others it is not. The “rule”
is the same as for interrupting phrases. If you need the clause to define what you are talking about, you do not use commas. If the clause is additional information, or a “by the way,” use commas. Sometimes you can also put the clause in parentheses or even enclose it in dashes instead of using a comma . . . but this post is about commas.
Clauses that are necessary for the meaning of the sentence are called restrictive. They restrict the noun being described, so the reader knows which one. Restrictive clauses are not set off with commas. Clauses that add information that is not really necessary for the meaning of the sentence are called nonrestrictive. They don’t serve to limit the noun they modify; use commas around them.
Look at the first five examples above. In the first sentence we already know the sentence is about the cookies on the table and that they are for the bake sale, The fact that they are burned is additional information. In the second sentence we need the clause to tell us which cookies the sentence is talking about — the cookies on the table.
In the third sentence, we wouldn’t know which girl was your cousin without the clause that tells us which girl — the girl at the end of the line. In the fourth sentence, which teachers were the stricter ones? The ones you remember best.
In the last example, you identify that tall kid, so the reader knows whom you are talking about. The fact that his or her name is similar to yours is additional information.
Can you use pausing as a clue? If you would pause, use commas; if you wouldn’t pause, don’t use a comma. This technique is pretty accurate most of the time, but it is best to know the WHY.
Why use a clause at all? Why not just say “The girl at the end of the line is my cousin”? You can. I am not telling you how to write, or whether to use a phrase or a clause. But when you use a clause, know when to use commas and when not to.
Finally, when do you use which? that? who? whom? whose?
Which is used for things, not people, and usually in nonrestrictive clauses (with commas).
That is used for things and usually in restrictive clauses (without commas).
Who is used for people and is the subject of the clause.
Whom is used for people and is the object in a clause.
Whose is used for people and is possessive.
Who, whom, and whose are used for both restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses.
Sometimes you can use that for people, especially for groups of people: That is the tribe that lives in North Dakota.
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What’s new with the Grammar Diva?
Here is my interview on BlogTalk radio with Sharon Michaels.
Here in my interview on KRCB’s A Novel Idea.
My books are for sale — along with other books by local authors and beautiful works of art– at the Healdsburg Center for the Arts Holiday Gift Gallery, 130 Plaza Street in Healdsburg.
I will be on the panel discussing all kinds of editing and its important at the December meeting of the Bay Area Independent Publishing Association.
Fifty Shades of Grammar: Scintillating and Saucy Sentences, Syntax, and Semantics from The Grammar Diva is now available! Makes a great gift!
