Arlene Miller's Blog, page 61

Four Grammar Rules You Can Break!

I tried to think of five grammar rules you could break; it is a much rounder number for an article such as this. However, being a grammar stickler would allow me to come up with only four I was comfortable with! (And there’s one of them right there!)

1. Ending a sentence with a preposition:

Yes, pretty much everyone says this is a fine thing to do. Sometimes it is definitely the best thing to do, so your sentence doesn’t sound awkward.  However, there are degrees to which writers (or speakers) will go when trying to avoid the preposition at the end of the sentence.

This is something I won’t put up with!
This is something with which I won’t put up!

I would choose the first one!

Whom are you going with?
With whom are you going?

Most people would choose the first one here, but I would actually (every since I became the Grammar Diva) say the second one. Totally up to you! I probably sound stuffy saying it my way, but so be it! Oh, yes, most people would also say “who” instead of “whom,” but that is not a grammar rule I recommend breaking. That broken rule comes from simply not knowing which is which. I have written posts on the difference between who and whom, so you can refer to those.

Oh, then there is this one:

Where are you?
Where are you at?

Please don’t end your sentence with at when you don’t need a preposition at all!

2. Starting a sentence with a conjunction (And, But, So)

Okay, I will relent on this one, but for creative writing only, not in a business letter. Others, I know, disagree. I still think that conjunctions go after the comma in a compound sentence:

I have to finish my report, and then I can help you.

Sometimes it does make sense to use the conjunction more as a transition word to begin a sentence, but I prefer that it be for effect in something that is not formal.

She was alone on a dark street. And then she heard footsteps quietly approaching from the distance. She kept going, quickening her pace. But the footsteps matched her faster pace.

Okay, fine. I agree it does have a positive effect in the above example! But (uh-oh) I don’t like this one:

I believe I am qualified for this position. And I have the appropriate education.

3. Using their as a singular pronoun.

Webster now says it’s OK, so I guess it is OK. And it avoids the awkward phrase “his or her,” since the English language has no singular form for this phrase.

Everyone needs to bring his or her book to his or her math class.

Pretty unwieldy, huh? Most people have been using their instead of his or her for ages. But it isn’t really correct. Although everyone sounds plural, it isn’t. You say “everyone is,” right? And is is a singular verb. So the pronoun (his or her/their) should also be singular, since it refers back to everyone.

So, now you can use their in the singular. I still don’t like it. I wouldn’t use it in a cover letter. I wouldn’t recommend using it on a college essay. The best thing to do, in  my opinion, is just to rewrite the sentence to avoid the entire problem:

Everyone needs to bring the math book to class.

4. Using sentence fragments. Here is my rule for using a sentence fragment (a group of words that is not a complete sentence):

If you know you are using a fragment and you have a good reason, go ahead and use it.

Sentence fragments are popular in promotional writing, novels, and other creative writing. They are not great in business letters or when the person reading what you have written could mistake you for someone who doesn’t know what a complete sentence is!

I looked at her. All legs and blonde hair.

Of course the second “sentence” in the example is a fragment. But it works.

So, hard as I try, I can’t think of another rule that can be broken! Can you? But I bet you can find me breaking these rules all over this blog post!

 

Here is a book that should be on everyone’s shelf!
Here is a book that is coming soon!

 

Grammar Q & A

Grammar Q & A

Welcome to the first Grammar Diva Question and Answer blog post! Thank you if you sent in questions, and continue to send in questions for our next question and answer post! Here we go…

Question: When is it correct to use a comma or an em dash before “such as” or “including”?

Answer: Well, as with most other things grammarish, there is a bit of disagreement. However, here is what I think. The em dash is probably not the appropriate punctuation to use with such as or including. The em dash is usually used to indicate a change in thought. The comma is more appropriate here. It boils down to restrictive versus nonrestrictive information. If what comes after such as or including is additional information or examples that are not necessary to the meaning of the sentence, use a comma. If the information following such as or including is necessary to the meaning of the sentence and explains or limits what is already written, do not use a comma. Here are some examples:

I love all citrus fruits, such as oranges and grapefruit.
Fruits such as mangoes and melons can cause allergies in some people.
Please pack toiletries including shampoo, soap, and toothpaste for the trip, since they will not be provided to you.
The romance languages, including French and Italian, have a beautiful sound.

 

Question: Are these commas necessary? 

The company cited sales and marketing efforts, and human resource management as areas that need attention.
See what works best, based on your business needs.
Taking steps to secure your data can strengthen not only your business, but also your relationships with customers.

Answer: I don’t think any of the commas in the above sentences are necessary. In the first sentence, there is no comma rule except “to avoid confusion.” I don’t think the sentence would be confusing without the comma. In the second sentence, based on your business needs appears to really be a necessary part of the information. I would not use a comma. In the third sentence I might use a comma, employing the rule that there is often a comma between contrasting information.

Broadband, or high-speed, Internet access can make your business more competitive.

Answer: I would use a comma here for sure. If high-speed is another term for broadband, the comma is necessary. Without the comma, the sentence would imply that it was one or the other.

 

Question: If an acronym stands for a plural term, do you need to add an “s” to make the acronym plural?

Location-Based Services (LBS) help small businesses attract new customers. Using LBSs can jumpstart your sales.

Answer: I would say NO. The plural is already there (services). Putting the s at the end doubles the plural.

 

Question: What are the rules for use of a colon to introduce a list? When are periods used at the ends of list items?

This guide will help you learn ways to use technology to build your business. It includes:

Tips for increasing productivity.
Strategies for attracting customers.
Advice for improving customer service.

Answer: In the above example, there should be no colon, since the items in the list complete the sentence It includes. The periods in this case are fine because each item completes the sentence. Use a colon to introduce a list when the introduction is a complete sentence, whether the list is horizontal or vertical. Here are some examples:

Please bring a jacket, a blanket, and a flashlight.

Please bring the following items: a jacket, a blanket, and a flashlight.

Please bring

 a jacket.
 a blanket.
 a flashlight

Please bring the following items:

jacket
blanket
flashlight

Please bring

a jacket,
a blanket, and
a flashlight

All of the above examples are correct.

 

Question:  Is is more important or more importantly and why?

Answer: More important means “what is more important.”  More importantly means “in a more important way.”

More important, we should vote for candidates who agree with our views on growth.
She treated her pets more importantly than she treated her children.

 

Question: We hear someone say, “That is so like her” or “That sounds like her.” But why isn’t it “That is so like she”? Or “sounds like she”?

Answer: Like is a preposition. Therefore, the noun or pronoun that comes after it is its object and is in objective case (me, him, her).  So, “that is so like her” is correct.  “It sounds like her” is also correct. If you are using a subordinating conjunction (as, as if, as though), rather than a preposition (like), it would be followed by a clause (subject and verb), even if the verb were understood. Here are some examples:

She sings like me.
She sings as I sing.
She acts like a princess.
She acts as a princess acts.
She acts as if she were a princess.

Do you have grammar, punctuation, or word usage questions? Send them to me for a future question and answer post…or find the answers in my books, available on Amazon and other online retailers…or available on this very website as  downloads.
                                                                                                                                                                       Coming Soon!

New Common Core Standards: What About Grammar?

Where do I even begin? I have been doing a lot of thinking about the standards and the amount of grammar that is being “taught/required to be taught” because it seems that grammar has gone by the wayside in favor of other things.  The old standards said things like “uses correct conventions of grammar, capitalization, and punctuation.” Well, those things need to be taught before they can be used. And to teach the conventions and correct common mistakes, you need to have the grammar background: the vocabulary, you might say.  So just like in math, before you can do complex equations, you need to know how to add, subtract, divide, and multiply. In grammar, you cannot learn about using clauses if you don’t know what a pronoun is, or if you don’t know the difference between a subject and an object… or if you don’t even know what a run-on sentence is.

So, there is grammar for the sake of writing and speaking correctly, and there is grammar for the sake of itself: knowing your language. Being a grammarian, I think both are important, and knowing the language to a certain extent is important background for speaking and writing correctly.

Well, a few years ago new standards came into play: Common Core. I have a seventh grade grammar book I have used since I started teaching that is apparently aligned with the old standards. It pretty much covered everything, starting with the basics, at a seventh grade level. However, now the standards have changed.  And every year, my students seem to come to me with less knowledge of grammar. Some claim they never learned it. I don’t know what they learned during the previous seven years, but knowledge and the grasping of ideas comes with repetition, so if you learn about nouns in first grade, that isn’t enough. These concepts must be reviewed every year and added onto as appropriate with each new grade level.

Common Core. We haven’t had a whole lot of training it it…and we don’t have new materials to teach with. What we hear most often about the new standards for language arts is the trio of  (1) writing from evidence, (2) academic discourse, (3) close reading. Sounds fancy…grammar sounds so plain. And nowhere is it included. However, to carry on intelligent academic discourse, or to write anything well at all, with or without evidence, one needs a knowledge of grammar, including capitalization and punctuation.  The only standards I could really find when I looked (probably not closely enough) at the 7th grade standards were something like “writes using dependent clauses,” and “uses a comma between two adjectives, where appropriate.” Seemed a little random to me. So I looked closer…and closer.

Grammar standards are listed under Language. There are also English Language Arts standards for Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing…just like in the old days. Grammar standards are there after all the other ones, but they are sure there…all the way from K through 12. They still seem a bit random to me in the way they are organized. And they are surprisingly sophisticated for the grade levels. Also surprising is the lack of any grammar on the new standardized tests or any type of materials for Core curriculum…but then, I haven’t seen too many materials.

It seems to me that grammar has always been taken for granted…the student should demonstrate knowledge of all these things, but they do need to be taught — over and over again!

Here are some of the new standards with their grade levels. Some of the standards are repeated year after year:

Subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement – Grades 3-12- In some cases a very difficult concept. And I have yet to see a 7th grader who even knows what an antecedent is!
Identifying fragments and run ons – Grades 4-12
Choosing words and phrases to convey ideas precisely – Grades 4,5,6 (Seems a bit sophisticated to not  be covered in later grades)
Choosing punctuation for effect – Grades 4-12 (Pretty sophisticated. First you need to learn how to use it correctly!)
Correcting inappropriate shifts in verb tenses – Grades 5-12 (Whoa!)
Correcting vague pronouns – Grades 6-12
Punctuation for nonrestrictive and parenthetical elements – Grades 6-12 (Yikes!)
Using a variety of sentence patterns – Grades 6-10 (Somewhat sophisticated and takes practice)
Maintaining consistency in style and tone – Grades 6-12 (Whoa!)
Correctly placing phrases and clauses; correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers – Grades 7-12
Eliminating redundancy and wordiness – Grades 7-12
Using correct verb voice and mood – Grades 8-12
Using parallel structure – Grades 9-12

Easy stuff? No. But I am glad to see that it is all there, right in the standards. (The more basic elements of grammar are obviously in the K through 3 standards.) Despite the fact that many of my students don’t know the difference between a subject and an object, they should know by now. Whatever they learned or didn’t learn before, they will learn it this year. I used to feel as if I shouldn’t be teaching much grammar because the standards didn’t stress it. Well, what I have heard about the main features of common core haven’t stressed it. But when I look in the standards, there it is.

Of course, it is nearly impossible to cover everything that is in the standards in a school year! And teachers tend to concentrate on what they enjoy teaching the most. For me, it is grammar.

Often grammar, I think, is treated like broccoli or spinach: It is hidden in other things so those who have to eat it don’t notice! I believe grammar should be taught separately, not in conjunction with whatever literature is being read. Some schools separate literature and language into different classes; a colleague and I have talked about doing that for years, but we don’t think it will ever fly. I think language is not only necessary to teach for the purposes of writing and speaking, but is also interesting and fun…it is like music theory or math…a puzzle.

I no longer feel guilty loading my students up with grammar. And former students and their parents have been happy. So, let’s get out some paper and start diagramming sentences!

Next Week: Question and Answer Time! Send your grammar and punctuation questions to info@bigwords101.com for next week’s post! 

 

 

It’s (Well, It Was) National Punctuation Day!

Dunkin Donut’s What?

September 24 is National Punctuation Day. National Punctuation Day was founded in 2004 by Jeff Rubin, “The Newsletter Guy.”

We all like to look at funny spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes — as long as they belong to someone else! Here are some links I thought you would find interesting, informative, and/or funny!

Here are some great punctuation mistakes!

Here are some common punctuation mistakes that bloggers (and everyone else) make!

Here are the three most hideous grammar mistakes in advertising!

Here are the most common punctuation mistakes (according to someone else, I guess)!

Here are some pretty funny misuses and omissions of punctuation!

And as if we weren’t all confused enough, here are some punctuation marks you may not have known existed!

 

 

Happy National Punctuation Day! Don’t forget to use your semicolons! (I use way too many exclamation points.)

Remember I am looking for ideas for blog posts: What would you like to read about?

Explaining the Answers to the Word Usage Quiz

If you missed the three quizzes on this blog, here they are: The Grammar Quiz, The Punctuation Quiz, and last week’s Word Usage Quiz. Here are the explanations for the Word Usage quiz answers.

1. (Any one, Anyone) of these dresses would be appropriate for the wedding.

Answer: Any one

Why: Generally use any one when it is followed by of. Notice that you would pause between any and one in this particular sentence. Here is the correct use of anyone:  Anyone can go to the party

2 They (emigrated, immigrated) to the United States from Italy.

Answer: immigrated

Why: To emigrate is to go away from; to immigrate is to come to. The sentence says that they came to the United States. Therefore, they immigrated to the United States, but they emigrated from Italy.

3. Boston is the (capital,capitol) of Massachusetts.

Answer: capital

Why: The only time you use capitol with the -ol is when you are referring to the actual capitol building. Letters are capital and so are cities.

4. The weather really (affects, effects) my mood.

Answer: affects

Why: The difference between effect and affect is each’s part of speech. Affect is a verb, an action. Effect is a noun, or a thing.  For example: The weather affects my mood, but the weather has an effect on me.

5. I live (farther, further) away from the office than you do.

Answer: farther

Why: Farther has to do with distance. Further means “any more” or “any longer.”  For example: I cannot discuss this any further today.

6. My husband is (disinterested, uninterested) in all sports except baseball.

Answer: uninterested

Why: These two words are often confused. Uninterested means “not interested.” Disinterested, on the other hand, means “impartial.” For example, you would want a disinterested judge in a competition. You certainly wouldn’t want the judge to be uninterested, but you would certainly want him or her to be disinterested, or taking no sides in who wins.

7. Turn your car (in to, into) the third driveway on the left.

Anwser: in to

Why: Because it isn’t magic? Turning your car into the driveway means that your car has suddenly been made into a driveway! Use the two separate words in this case. What you really mean is that you are turning in, to the driveway.

8. Is it (alright, all right) if I borrow your dress for the evening?

Answer: all right

Why: Alright is likely in the dictionary, but it is slang and not really a word at all. So, especially for formal writing, always use the two words.

9. There are (fewer, less) girls in the class than boys.

Answer: fewer

Why: Fewer is used for things that can be counted (girls, for example); less is used for things that cannot be counted, and usually for words that appear to be singular: less salt, less time,  less paper, but fewer pieces of paper.

10. The tailgate party (precedes, proceeds) the game.

Answer: precedes

Why: These two words are often both confused and misspelled, since one has a double e and the other doesn’t. Precede has the prefix pre, which means “before.” To precede means to come before something.  Proceed has the prefix pro, which means forward. To proceed means to go forward: The parade proceeded down Main Street.

11. (Almost, Most) everyone is ready to go.

Answer: Almost

Why: If almost makes sense in the sentence, use it.  For example, almost doesn’t make sense in these sentences, so use most: Most of us are going. Most people like chocolate.

12. Please (bring, take) these books back to the library.

Answer: take

Why: You take things away and you bring them back.  So you might bring some books home from the library.

13. This blue dress really (complements, compliments) your green eyes.

Answer: complements

Why: To compliment with the pli means to say something nice: She complimented my new dress. Complement with the ple means to go together well.

14. From the look on her face, I (implied, inferred) that she was upset about something.

Answer: inferred

Why: to imply is to hint at something without coming out and saying it. To infer is to make an educated guess, possibly from someone’s implication. Imply goes outward, imply comes inward.

15. On our way to the movies, we (passed, past) my old coach’s house.

Answer: passsed

Why: Passed is a verb, the past tense of pass.  Past is a preposition that belongs in a prepositional phrase: We walked past the house, but we passed the mall.

16. He (lead, led) the parade when he was the drum major.

Answer: led

Why: The only lead that is pronounced led is the kind in your pencil, which is graphite anyway! The past tense of the verb lead is led.

17. Please be (discrete, discreet) when you talk to him tomorrow.

Answer: discreet

Why: Most of us don’t even realixe there are two spellings of this word.  They are both adjectives. To be discreet means to keep a secret. The other discrete means “separate”: Please sort these papers into three discrete piles  by color.

18. Kale is a very (healthful, healthy) food, but I don’t like it.

Answer: Healthful

Why: Kale is full of health benefits, so it is healthful. Healthy describes people. He is healthy, but his breakfast is healthful.

19. The food at that restaurant tasted (bad, badly).

Answer: Bad

Why: Bad is an adjective; badly is an adverb. Adverbs describe action verbs. Adjectives describe nouns and other adjectives, but they also appear after verbs of emotion or sense.  The food has no tongue; it is not tasting anything, so it is not an action. It is a sense verb. The food tasted bad and it also looked and smelled bad, not badly.

20 (Lay, Lie) that blanket in the sun.

Answer: Lay

Why:  Lay always takes an object; you must lay something. I lie, and so does my dog, my horse, and the rocks on the beach.  Howelver, I lay my blanket down, and my dog lays his treat in the yard. The problem really comes to light in the past tense, since the past tense of lie is lay. I lie down today, but I lay down yesterday. (And I have lain down every day.) I lay my blanket on the  grass today, but yesterday I laid it down.

21. My (principal, principle) plan is to leave work early and set up for the surprise party, but I have other plans in case that fails.

Answer: principal

Why: There are four uses of this word. Three of them are spelled principal. The only one spelled principle is the one that means “rule” or “ethic.” It is against my principles to eat meat. The other three are spelled principal: 1. the person who runs the school, 2. the money one, for example principal and interest, and 3. the adjective that means the main one,” for example, the principal role in the play.

22. Can you (lend, loan) me some money until I get paid?

Answer: Lend

Why: Lend  is a verb. Loan should be used only as a noun: I gave him a loan. I lent him money.

23. He is the (sole, soul) person in the group who isn’t coming with us.

Answer: Sole

Why: Sole means “alone, the only one.” It is also a fish, of course. Soul is the part of you we can’t see.

24. I (only) have (only) five dollars to spend at the candy store. Which place is best for “only”?

Answer: I have only five dollars.

Why: You can throw only anywhere in a sentence and watch the meaning of the sentence change. Only should be placed near the word it describes. Here we are talking about only five dollars. Not only have.

25. You should come and visit me (some time, sometime).

Answer: Some time

Why: Sometimes we have some time to visit someone who asked us to visit sometime!

 

Announcements:

Having taken off a little time for my beautiful daughter’s wedding, I will now be back at work on The Best Grammar Workbook Ever, as well as some other books I have waiting! The workbook should be out within a few months.

I would love to hear from you! Do you have any ideas of things I can write about in this blog? Is there something you would like to know about grammar, writing, self-publishing, words?? Do YOU have something to say, and would you like to write a  guest blog? Do YOU have a blog with some information my readers might like (I will give you full credit and a link if I steal!). Do you know of someone who would be interested in writing a guest blog? Let me know!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Testing, Testing: Try This Word Usage Quiz

This is the last quiz in the series of three quizzes. Previous posts contained a grammar quiz and a punctuation quiz. Today, try your hand at the  Word Usage Quiz. The words in this quiz are commonly confused. Scroll down to see the answers. Next week’s posit will talk about when to use each of the words and their partners.

 

1. (Any one, Anyone) of these dresses would be appropriate for the wedding.

2  They (emigrated, immigrated) to the United States from Italy.

3. Boston is the (capital,capitol) of Massachusetts.

4. The weather really (affects, effects) my mood.

5. I live (farther, further) away from the office than you do.

6. My husband is (disinterested, uninterested) in all sports except baseball.

7. Turn your car (in to, into) the third driveway on the left.

8. Is it (alright, all right) if I borrow your dress for the evening?

9. There are (fewer, less) girls in the class than boys.

10. The tailgate party (precedes, proceeds) the game.

11. (Almost, Most) everyone is ready to go.

12. Please (bring, take) these books back to the library.

13. This blue dress really  (complements, compliments) your green eyes.

14. From the look on her face, I (implied, inferred) that she was upset about something.

15. On our way to the movies, we (passed, past) my old coach’s house.

16. He (lead, led) the parade when he was the drum major.

17.  Please be (discrete, discreet) when you  talk to him tomorrow.

18. Kale is a very (healthful, healthy) food, but I don’t like it.

19. The food at that restaurant tasted (bad, badly).

20 (Lay, lie) that blanket in the sun.

21.  My (principal, principle) plan is to leave work early and set up for the surprise party, but I have other plans in case that fails.

22. Can you (lend, loan) me some money until I get paid?

23. He is the (sole, soul) person in the group who isn’t coming with us.

24. I (only) have (only) five dollars to spend at the candy store. Which place is best for “only”?

25. You should come and visit me (some time, sometime).

 

Here are the answers. Explanations next week.

 

Scroll down.

 

 

 

More

 

 

 

 

More

 

 

 

More…

 

Yes, more!

 

Here are the answers:

1. Any one

2  immigrated

3. capital

4. affects

5. farther

6. uninterested

7. in to

8. all right

9. fewer

10. precedes

11. Almost

12. take

13. complements

14. inferred

15. passed

16. led

17. discreet

18. healthful

19. bad

20 Lay

21. principal

22. lend

23. sole

24. The  second choice – only five dollars

25. sometime

 

 

 

 

Explaining the Answers to the Punctuation Quiz

Last week’s post featured a punctuation quiz and the answers. This week’s post explains why the answers are the correct answers.  Here we go:

1. I just baked some brownies, would you like some?

Corrected: I just baked some brownies; would you like some? OR I just baked some brownies. Would you like some?

Why? You cannot separate two complete sentences with a comma! You can use a semicolon if the sentences are closely related. You can also use a period and a capital letter, making two separate sentences. Or,  you can keep the comma, but also add a conjunction such as and or but.

2. (letter) Dear Sirs; I am interested in the position of advertising director for your company. (rest of letter)

Corrected: (letter) Dear Sirs: I am interested in the position of advertising director for your company. (rest of letter)

Why? First of all, let me say that I have been corrected. Dear Sirs is no longer very common, especially on a cover letter. Dear Hiring Committee is a better choice. Aside from that, there should be a colon after the greeting of a business letter, not a semicolon.

3. I just went to the store and bought apples, bananas, cherries, strawberries and pineapple for the fruit salad.

Corrected: Correct as is.

Why?  You could add the Oxford comma after strawberries, but you don’t have to. The Oxford comma, or the comma before the last item in a series, is optional. However, in a piece of writing, be consistent. Either use it or don’t. The only exception to being consistent is when using it or not using it causes confusion in a particular sentence.

4. Mike Jones, chief of police; Andy Crimson, homicide detective; Mayor Crawford, and Supervisor Kelley attended the meeting.

Corrected: Mike Jones, chief of police; Andy Crimson, homicide detective; Mayor Crawford; and Supervisor Kelley attended the meeting.

Why? This sentence contains a series in which some of the items have commas within them. In this case, to clear up any confusion about what goes with what, use semicolons to separate the items, even the ones without commas in them. The best solution is probably to rewrite the series to avoid the issue, but the semicolon is perfectly fine to use in this case.

5. He tried to ski down the advanced slope, and fell when he was almost at the bottom.

Corrected: He tried to ski down the advanced slope and fell when he was almost at the bottom.

Why? Commas are used in compound sentences. This sentence is not compound because the words on both sides of the conjunction are not complete sentences. Fell when he was almost at the bottom does not have a subject. If the sentence read he fell when he was almost at the bottom, you would use a comma.

6. Why did you wear that old, torn sweater to the party.

Corrected:  Why did you wear that old, torn sweater to the party?

Why? The sentence is a question, so we need the question mark at the end. The comma between old and torn is needed. If you have two adjectives in a row, try putting an and between them.  It is makes sense with and, you need a comma.

7. Out of all my brothers, my brother, Tom, is the most successful.

Corrected: Out of all my brothers, my brother Tom is the most successful.

Why? Putting the commas around Tom indicates that it is added information and could be taken out without losing meaning. However, we cannot take out Tom, because the sentence says “all my brothers,” indicating there is more than one, so we need to identify which brother we mean.

8. My cousin Tom, he is a doctor, is retiring next year and moving to France.

Corrected: My cousin Tom (he is a doctor) is retiring next year and moving to France.

Why: You can use dashes instead of the parentheses or you can rewrite the sentence, but you cannot leave it this way. The information within the commas is a complete sentence. You cannot enclose a complete sentence within commas.

9. My dog — I have no idea how — she got there was found wandering three streets away.

Corrected: My dog – I have no idea how she got there – was found wandering three streets away.

Why? The dashes are in the wrong place.To check the placement of your dashes, take the information within the dashes out of the sentence. If the rest of the sentence reads correctly without the information within the dashes, the dashes are in the correct place.

10. The book that I read last week is titled “How I Traveled Across Spain in One Week.”

Corrected: The book that I read last week is titled How I Traveled Across Spain in One Week.

Why? Book titles are in italics, not quotes.

11. I haven’t replied to you yet, because I don’t know if I can make it.

Corrected: I haven’t replied to you yet because I don’t know if I can make it.

Why? Although there is a comma after introductory clauses, there is usually no comma if the clause is at the end of the sentence: Because I don’t know if I can make it, I haven’t replied to you yet.

12. The June 12, 1965 issue of that magazine is a collector’s item.

Corrected: The June 12, 1965, issue of that magazine is a collector’s item.

Why? If you use the day (12) in the date, you need a comma after the day. You also need a comma after the year if the date is used in a sentence — even if, as in this sentence, the date actually describes the next word in the sentence.

13. September, 1959 is a month I will always remember.

Corrected: September 1959 is a month I will always remember.

Why: If you use the date without the day, no comma is necessary between the month and year, or after the year.

14. My uncle has worked for the F.B.I. for thirty years.

Corrected:  My uncle has worked for the FBI for thirty years.

Why: Abbreviations made of capital letters do not have periods between the letters.

15. I would love to move to California; my husband would prefer to live in Arizona.

Corrected: The sentence is correct as is.

Why? These two sentences are closely related and can be separated with a semicolon. Of course, you can also make it two sentences and use a period between them, or use a comma and a conjunction.

16. Did he ask, “Are we going to Disneyland”?

Corrected:  Did he ask, “Are we going to Disneyland?”

Why? In this sentence, both the entire sentence and the quoted portion are questions. However, we don’t use two question marks; we use only one. And the question mark goes inside the quotes.

17. In his speech Mayor Smith said, ” It (the new shopping center complex) will help the economy of the city.”

Corrected: In his speech Mayor Smith said, ” It [the new shopping center complex] will help the economy of the city.”

Why? Parentheses are used for additional information in a sentence. Brackets [] are used in quoted materials to explain something that may not be clear from the quote. Perhaps, in this case, the reader didn’t hear the speech, but just read about it in the newspaper. The reporter will add the information in brackets to make clear what the mayor was talking about. The information in brackets is not part of the quote.

18. Although he is a famous author, (of seven bestsellers) he has lost all his money.

Corrected:  Although he is a famous author (of seven bestsellers), he has lost all his money.

Why? Yes, it is true that you probably don’t need parentheses at all in this sentence. However, the sentence shows that the comma would go after the parentheses, not before it. The comma is not related to the parentheses. If you took the information in parentheses out of the sentence, there would still be a comma in the same place, following the dependent clause.

19. He said, “My favorite song of all time is “Yesterday.”

Corrected: He said, “My favorite song of all time is ‘Yesterday.’”

Why? Songs should be in quotation marks. The song title should be in single quotes because it is inside a quote. Quotes inside of quotes are single quotes. And there should be three quotes at the end: A single quote belongs at the end of the song title. Double quotes belong as the ending quotes of the spoken words. That makes three quotes total at the end of the sentence, and the period goes inside the quotes.

20. He said “I am going to the movies with Jean and Theo”.

Corrected: He said, “I am going to the movies with Jean and Theo.”

Why? A comma is used between the rest of the sentence and the quote. And,  in American English, the period always goes inside the quotes (as do commas as well). However, in British English, it is the opposite.

21. I am bringing: salad, bread, cheese, and wine.

Corrected:  I am bringing salad, bread, cheese, and wine.

Why? Using a colon breaks up the sentence. Do not use a colon after a verb in a sentence with a series. Here is a sentence where the colon would be correct: I am bringing these items: salad, bread, cheese, and wine. Of course, the Oxford comma after cheese is optional.

 

Next Week: A Word Usage Quiz 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Testing, Testing: Try This Punctuation Quiz!

Punctuation!

As promised, here is the punctuation quiz. Some of the sentences may be correct, but the rest have punctuation errors. Correct them, and then scroll down to see the answers. (Remember that I am traditional!) Stay tuned for explanations for the answers and the rules in next week’s blog post!

1. I just baked some brownies, would you like some?

2. (letter) Dear Sirs;  I am interested in the position of advertising director for your company. (rest of letter)

3. I just went to the store and bought apples, bananas, cherries, strawberries and pineapple for the fruit salad.

4. Mike Jones, chief of police; Andy Crimson, homicide detective; Mayor Crawford, and Supervisor Kelley attended the meeting.

5. He tried to ski down the advanced slope, and fell when he was almost at the bottom.

6. Why did you wear that old, torn sweater to the party.

7. Out of all my brothers, my brother, Tom, is the most successful.

8. My cousin Tom, he is a doctor, is retiring next year and moving to France.

9. My dog — I have no idea how – she got there was found wandering  three streets away.

10. The book that I read last week is titled “How I Traveled Across Spain in One Week.”

11. I haven’t replied to you yet, because I don’t know if I can make it.

12. The June 12, 1965 issue of that magazine is a collector’s item.

13. September, 1959 is a month I will always remember.

14. My uncle has worked for the F.B.I. for thirty years.

15. I would love to move to California; my husband would prefer to live in Arizona.

16. Did he ask, “Are we going to Disneyland”?

17. In his speech the Mayor Smith said, ” It (the new shopping center complex) will help the economy of the city.”

18. Although he is a famous author, (of seven bestsellers) he has lost all his money.

19. He said, “My favorite  song of all time is “Yesterday.”

20. He said  “I am going to the movies with Jean and Theo”.

21. I am bringing: salad, bread, cheese, and wine.

 

Scroll down for the answers….

More….

More….

Keep scrolling……

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Almost there….

Oh, OK!

The sentences punctuated correctly:

1. I just baked some brownies; would you like some? OR I just baked some brownies. Would you like some?

2. (letter) Dear Sirs: I am interested in the position of advertising director for your company. (rest of letter)

3. I just went to the store and bought apples, bananas, cherries, strawberries and pineapple for the fruit salad. Correct as is. You could add the Oxford comma after strawberries, but you don’t have to.

4. Mike Jones, chief of police; Andy Crimson, homicide detective; Mayor Crawford; and Supervisor Kelley attended the meeting.

5. He tried to ski down the advanced slope and fell when he was almost at the bottom.

6. Why did you wear that old, torn sweater to the party?

7. Out of all my brothers, my brother Tom is the most successful.

8. My cousin Tom (he is a doctor) is retiring next year and moving to France. You can also use dashes instead of the parentheses.

9. My dog – I have no idea how she got there – was found wandering three streets away.

10. The book that I read last week is titled How I Traveled Across Spain in One Week.

11. I haven’t replied to you yet because I don’t know if I can make it.

12. The June 12, 1965, issue of that magazine is a collector’s item.

13. September 1959 is a month I will always remember.

14. My uncle has worked for the FBI for thirty years.

15. I would love to move to California; my husband would prefer to live in Arizona. Correct as is.

16. Did he ask, ” Are we going to Disneyland?”

17. In his speech the Mayor Smith said, ” It [the new shopping center complex] will help the economy of the city.”

18. Although he is a famous author (of seven bestsellers), he has lost all his money.

19. He said, “My favorite song of all time is ‘Yesterday.‘”

20. He said “I am going to the movies with Jean and Theo.”

21. I am bringing salad, bread, cheese, and wine.

 

Next Week: Why the answers are the answers….

 

 

 

 

 

Explaining the Answers to the Grammar Quiz

Last week, I posted a grammar quiz….and the answers. In today’s post, I will explain the correct answers further. Here we go. . .

1. Maddie is the taller of the triplets, and Andy is the taller of the twins.

Answer: Maddie is the tallest of the triplets, and Andy is the taller of the twins.
Explanation: Use the -est(superlative) form of the adjective when comparing more than two!
 

2. Jeannie wished she were a princess, and she often acted as if she was!

Answer: Jeanie wished she were a princess, and she often acted as if she were!

Explanation: Use the  subjunctive form of the verb for wishes and things that aren’t true. Click for more info.

 

3. Every boy on the team brought their track uniform.

Answer: Every boy on the team brought his track uniform.
Explanation: Every is singular, so the pronoun representing it later in the sentence should also be singular. In this case we know we are talking about only boys, so we can easily use his. Click for more info.
 

4. Who are you talking about?

Answer: Whom are you talking about?
Explanation: Who is used for the subject of a sentence. Whom is used for an object. In this sentence,  it is the object of the preposition about. You could also say, “About whom are you talking.” Click here for more info.
 

5. There are 103 boys in the club, but there are only six girls!

Answer: There are 103 boys in the club, but there are only 6 girls!
Explanation: I received a lot of flack about this one! Yes, it is standard to spell out numbers under 10, and in humanities writing, all numbers under 100. However, if you have two numbers in a sentence, and they both refer to similar or the same things, you should write them in the same way.
 

6. When Steve drove by Doug, he waved at him.

Answer: When Steve drove by Doug, Doug waved at him.  There are other answers as well.
Explanation: We don’t know who waved. Did Steve wave? Or did Doug wave? Somehow you need to rewrite the sentence to make it clear who waved.

7. Either Jane or Susan will perform her original composition.

Answer: Correct as is.
Explanation: Either…or takes a singular verb and singular pronoun. We know they are both female, so we say her.
 

8. He gave cookies to her and I.

Answer: He gave cookies to her and me.
Explanation: Take out her. He gave cookies to me. You wouldn’t say he gave cookies to I, would you? Click for more info.

9. It is they who donated all the money anonymously.

Answer: Correct as is.
Explanation: After the verb is, we use the pronoun that would be used as a subject, for example, it is they, it is she, etc. 

10. I swam in the school pool every evening this week.

Answer: I have swum in the school pool every evening this week.
Explanation: The correct answer has put the verb in the present perfect tense (have swum) rather than the simple past tense. Why? The present perfect is used for something that happened in the past and is likely continuing. The simple past is used for something that is finished.
 

11. I feel really bad about the accident.

Answer: Correct as is.
Explanation: Bad is an adjective; badly is an adverb. After a verb of emotion (rather than an action verb), we use an adjective.
 

12. While I was at the library, I read about the Aztecs in the garden.

Answer: While I was in the garden at the library, I read about the Aztecs.
Explanation: The prepositional phrase about the Aztecs is misplaced. It should go near the word or words it describes. It is probably not the Aztecs who were in the garden;  you were in the garden at the library.
 

13. He is taller than me, but shorter than her.

Answer: He is taller than I, but shorter than she.
Explanation: Put in the missing words to find the correct answer. He is taller than I (am), but shorter than she (is).
 

14. I have drunk all the milk, so we need more.

Answer: Correct as is. 
Explanation: It is have drunk and not have drank.
 

15. I saw the boy whom they said got the touchdown.

Answer: I saw the boy who they said got the touchdown.
Explanation: Use who because it is the subject of got. Whom is used for objects, not subjects. You can see the answer by switching the sentence around: They said he got the touchdown.  If you would use he in the sentence, you would use who.  Click  for more info.
 

16. Written by one of my favorite authors, I enjoyed every page of that book.

Answer: Written by one of my favorite authors, every page of that book was enjoyable. Or
I enjoyed every page of that book, which was written by one of my favorite authors.
Explanation: The participial phrase at the beginning of the sentence needs to describe the word that comes right after it.  Written by one of my favorite authors does not describe I. Click for more info.
 

17. She looks like she saw a ghost.

Answer: She looks as if she saw a ghost.
Explanation: Use like for a simple comparison where like is followed by a noun. Use as if or as though when both a subject and verb follow.  Click for more info.
 

18. He chose my brother and myself to be on the hiring committee.

Answer: He chose my brother and me to be on the hiring committee.
Explanation: You cannot use myself unless the subject of the sentence is I.  Click for more info.
 

19. These are my favorite type of apples.

Answer: These are my favorite types of apples OR This is my favorite type of apple.
Explanation: These is plural and type is singular. They must both be either singular or both plural.
 

20. Either my cousins or my uncle are coming with us.

Answer: Either my cousins or my uncle is coming with us.

Explanation: When you have or and on one side there is a plural noun (cousins) and on the other side is a singular noun (uncle), the verb agrees with the closer noun, in this case uncle, singular. So the verb is singular (is coming).

 

Next Week: The Punctuation Quiz!

 

Testing, Testing: Try This Grammar Quiz!

Take the Grammar Quiz!

How much do you know about the most common issues in grammar? Probably a lot if you have been following this blog! So try this grammar quiz. Keep in mind that this quiz is for grammar only. There are no punctuation or word confusion (homonyms, for example) errors on this quiz….those quizzes are coming! Sorry, the quiz isn’t interactive, but you can check the answers if you scroll down (no cheating!).  Check the blog next week for explanations of the answers.

Instructions: Here are 20 sentences. Some of them may be correct (but I’m not telling!), and others have grammar mistakes. Correct the sentences with the grammar mistakes.

1.  Maddie is the taller of the triplets, and Andy is the taller of the twins.

2.  Jeannie wished she were a princess, and she often acted as if she was!

3. Every boy on the team brought their track uniform.

4. Who are you talking about?

5. There are 103 boys in the club, but there are only six girls!

6. When Steve drove by Doug, he waved at him.

7. Either Jane or Susan will perform her original composition.

8. He gave cookies to  her and I.

9.  It is they who donated all the money anonymously.

10. I swam in the school pool every evening this week.

11. I feel really bad about the accident.

12. While I was at the library, I read about the Aztecs in the garden.

13. He is taller than me, but shorter than her.

14. I have drunk all the milk, so we need more.

15. I saw the boy whom they said got the touchdown.

16. Written by one of my favorite authors, I enjoyed

every page of that book.

17. She looks like she saw a ghost.

18. He chose my brother and myself to be on the hiring committee.

19. These are my favorite type of apples.

20. Either my cousins or my uncle are coming with us.

Scroll down for answers……

Keep scrolling…..

Keep scrolling…..

And scrolling……

And scrolling…..

Almost there…..

Almost……

A little further

Getting really close…

OK!!!

Here are the answers:

1.Maddie is the tallest of the triplets, and Andy is the taller of the twins.

2. Jeannie wished she were a princess, and she often acted as if she were!

3. Every boy on the team brought his track uniform. (Their is acceptable, but why not be correct????)

4. Whom are you talking about?

5. There are 103 boys in the club, but there are only 6 girls!

6. When Steve drove by Doug, Doug waved at him. (or Steve waved at him. Whichever , but it needs to be made clear.)

7. Either Jane or Susan will perform her original composition.This one is correct.

8. He gave cookies to her and me.

9. It is they who donated all the money anonymously. This one is correct.

10. I have swum in the school pool every evening this week.

11. I feel really bad about the accident. This one is correct.

12. While I was in the garden at the library, I read about the Aztecs.

13. He is taller than I, but shorter than she.

14. I have drunk all the milk, so we need more. This one is correct.

15. I saw the boy who they said got the touchdown.

16. I enjoyed every page of that book, which was written by one of my favorite authors,

17. She looks as if she saw a ghost.

18. He chose my brother and me to be on the hiring committee.

19.This is my favorite type of apple.

20. Either my cousins or my uncle is coming with us.

 

How did you do? Check the blog next week for an explanation of the answers.