tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413499164527229602024-03-28T02:52:30.503-07:00Grammar and Editing TipsJennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-74025053117183453382010-11-09T14:45:00.000-08:002010-11-09T14:45:26.141-08:00And, Both, As well as—When we join things, are they always plural?Which of the following is incorrect?<br />
<br />
<dd> 1. Both the status report on the bridge project, as well as the budget report, are in the folder.<br />
<br />
2. The page proof as well as the list of corrections has been sent.<br />
<br />
3. Smith, Michaels and Jones is our law firm.</dd> <br />
I often see errors of verb agreement in business writing, even though at its most basic level, verb agreement is considered quite elementary. After all, almost no-one who writes professionally would say “the reports is in the folder” or “the project are complete.” <br />
<br />
How, then, do we end up with verb agreement problems in professional writing? Often the problems occur when more than one subject precedes the verb in a sentence. <br />
<br />
The basic rule for multiple subjects is that when two or more subjects are connected by the word “and,” a plural verb is used. For example, “My dog and my cat [a total of two pets] are [plural verb] hiding behind the couch.”<br />
<br />
The second rule, however, is that if you use a connecting phrase other than the exact word “and,” the subjects do not add up. So when you connect two subjects with phrases such as “as well as,” “in addition to,” “along with,” the additional subjects do not count. For example, “My dog [the main pet I am discussing] as well as my cat [which does not count, because I used a phrase other than “and”] has [singular verb] fleas.”<br />
<br />
Another problem that comes up with “and” versus other connecting phrases is the use of the word “both” in front of any other connector but “and.” The words “both” and “and” form a team, known as a correlative conjunction, and “both” cannot be used with other phrases. “Both Jack as well as Jill” is completely wrong. Either eliminate “both” or use “and” instead of “as well as.”<br />
<br />
Finally, there is an exception to the “and makes plural” rule. I call it the macaroni and cheese rule. Some phrases containing the word “and” actually describe a singular thing, like macaroni and cheese. When you eat macaroni and cheese for dinner, you are eating one dish. The macaroni and the cheese are all mixed together to form one substance. So we correctly say “The macaroni and cheese [one substance] is [singular verb] good tonight.” <br />
<br />
Not only other foods, such as spaghetti and meatballs, but also many proper nouns and job titles contain the word “and” but name a singular thing: <br />
<br />
<dd> Steak and eggs is my favorite breakfast.<br />
<br />
The Stars and Stripes is waving atop the flagpole.<br />
<br />
Smith and Jones is the accounting firm.<br />
<br />
Our secretary and treasurer is Mike.</dd> <br />
With these rules and exceptions duly noted, by now you can be sure: No. 1 is incorrect, and Nos. 2 and 3 are correct.Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com188tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-83085290611021698132010-10-06T10:05:00.000-07:002010-10-06T10:05:59.951-07:00Do I have to use have?During my grammar classes, I have often been asked, “Can I delete the word <b>have</b> in this sentence? Isn’t it just wordy?”<br />
<br />
The funny thing is, use of the word <b>have</b> is not a form of wordiness. When <b>have</b> is used in front of another verb, it is actually an auxiliary verb. That means it counts as part of the verb. And it creates a specific verb tense called the present perfect tense. Here is what that means.<br />
<br />
The present perfect tense has two meanings. One meaning is that an activity that began in the past is still going on, as in<br />
<br />
<dd>I <b>have taught</b> grammar classes for more than 10 years.</dd><br />
The second meaning is that an activity that began in the past has just now stopped:<br />
<br />
<dd>I <b>have finished</b> writing the report. Now I am preparing to send it to the printer.</dd><br />
The first meaning is often used to describe a person’s experiences, as in<br />
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<dd>I <b>have visited</b> Canada five times.<br />
<br />
I <b>have tasted</b> tomatoes straight from the garden.<br />
<br />
I <b>have completed</b> one triathlon. (It was a sprint-distance one. But that is another story.)</dd><br />
The main thing to remember is that the word <b>have</b> is an important part of the verb, and not something to routinely delete. Deleting it changes the meaning. Look at the difference between these two sentences:<br />
<br />
<dd>I <b>have worked</b> there 6 years. (Clearly, I still work there.)<br />
<br />
I <b>worked</b> there 6 years. (I no longer work there.)</dd><br />
I hope I <b>have</b> given you enough information to prevent the gratuitous deletion of have!Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com118tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-74229966700941669782010-09-24T16:54:00.000-07:002010-09-24T16:54:51.984-07:00How to present a numbered list in a sentenceThere are several ways to give an enumerated (numbered) list in sentence form. One way is to put the number (not the number word) in parentheses, like this:<br />
<br />
<dd> <b>I came up with three reasons: (1) this is my first reason, (2) this is my second reason, and (3) this is my third reason.</b></dd> <br />
Notice that the numbers are inside a pair of parentheses. It is not considered correct to use just one parenthesis after the number. If the introduction of the reasons is not a complete sentence, do not use a colon to introduce the list. Instead, do this:<br />
<br />
<dd> <b>My reasons are (1) this is my first reason, (2) this is my second reason, and (3) this is my third reason.</b></dd> <br />
If the text of any of the reasons contains a comma, then you use semicolons between the items—but if that happens, you should consider making it a vertical list, like this:<br />
<br />
<dd> <b>I came up with three reasons:<br />
1. This is my first reason, which contains a comma.<br />
2. This is my second reason.<br />
3. This is my third reason.</b></dd> <br />
Another way to list reasons would be in separate sentences, using the ordinal forms of the number words, like this:<br />
<br />
<dd> <b>I came up with three reasons. First, this is my first reason. Second, this is my second reason. Third, this is my third reason.</b></dd> <br />
Combining these into one big sentence with semicolons is not recommended, because if you are putting an enumerated list into one sentence, you use the numbers in parentheses as in my first example.<br />
<br />
You can, of course, choose to use letters instead of numbers in all but the last situation.Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com91tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-70488020726361975042010-09-13T11:08:00.000-07:002010-09-13T11:08:20.264-07:00Interrupting Yourself: Contrary NegativesSeldom do we speak in a straight line. We pause, we go back, we interrupt ourselves, we repeat. The same is true in writing—even writing that is clear and concise. There are multiple ways to interrupt the flow of writing. Let’s take a look at the interruption called a contrary negative.<br />
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A contrary negative is a type of interruption that clarifies what we are talking about by stating what it is not. Here are some examples:<br />
<br />
<dd>• The Tooltip, not the Screentip, gives the name of an icon or button on the screen.<br />
<br />
<dd>• The left margin, but not the right margin, is indented for block quotes in our style.</dd><br />
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Contrary negative interruptions always have a comma before and after. Make sure not to confuse them with the correlative conjunction <b>not only, but also</b>. This structure does not require any commas:<br />
<br />
<dd>• Not only the background but also the entire text is selected by this method.<br />
<br />
<dd>• The software handles not only pie charts but also bar, column, line, and scatter charts. </dd><br />
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In a contrary negative, you are cutting out a possibility; with a correlative conjunction, you are adding a possibility. A possible memory aid is when you are cutting out a possibility, you also cut out that part of the sentence with commas.<br />
<br />
So go ahead and interrupt yourself for clarity, but be sure to use the commas correctly.Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com52tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-14458257507297246522010-06-11T17:04:00.000-07:002010-06-11T17:04:13.537-07:00Interrupting a sentence with no punctuation neededIn this series on interruptions in sentences, we have looked at interruptions in parentheses, interruptions with dashes, and interruptions with commas. But it is also possible to interrupt a sentence with no punctuation around the interruption. You do this when the interruption is actually a crucial part of the sentence. In grammar terms, this is called “essential.” These interruptions are “essential” because they help define or identify the exact thing you are talking about. They restrict the discussion to the exact item you mean. Here is an example:<br />
<br />
<dd>The small arrow <b>on the Styles group title bar</b> opens the Styles pane.</dd><br />
<br />
The phrase <b>on the Styles group title bar</b> interrupts between the subject <b>arrow </b>and the verb <b>opens</b>. There is no punctuation surrounding this interruption because it is essential to help the reader find the exact arrow you are talking about out of all the arrows that might exist on a typical computer screen.<br />
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<dd>The poet <b>Robert Frost</b> wrote “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”</dd><br />
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Here there are no commas around Frost’s name because his name is essential to the sentence. It identifies which poet you are talking about. Without his name, the reader would have to ask, “Which poet, out of all the poets in the world and throughout history, are you talking about?”<br />
<br />
Notice that if you put his name first, there would be no question of who you were talking about, because his name clearly identifies him. In that case any further description, such as the words <b>a 20th-century American poet</b>, would be a nonessential interruption and require commas:<br />
<br />
<dd>Robert Frost, <b>a 20th-century American poet</b>, wrote “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”</dd><br />
<br />
Here are some additional examples of interruptions:<br />
<br />
<dd>1. The book <b>that is in the center of the coffee table</b> is very important to me.</dd><br />
<br />
<dd>2. <i>World Art: The Essential Illustrated History</i>, <b>which is on the coffee table</b>, is my favorite art book.</dd><br />
<br />
In sentence 1, the interruption is essential to identifying the book out of all the books in the world. The essential information cannot be surrounded by commas.<br />
<br />
In sentence 2 the book has already been fully identified before the interruption. The interruption merely adds additional description that is not needed for identifying the item. Commas are needed.Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com105tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-40949101780917729092010-06-02T17:37:00.000-07:002010-06-02T17:37:56.594-07:00Interruptions: Dashes versus Parentheses versus CommasThree different punctuation marks battle for the opportunity to mark interruptions in your sentence. Which are you going to use? The answer should depend on the type of interruption and on its relevance to your sentence.<br />
<br />
Some interruptions are completely irrelevant to the meaning of the sentence, and you want your reader to actually skip right over them and continue reading your sentence. This kind of interruption is indicated by parentheses. The classic parenthetical interruption is an instruction to the reader to look at a table, figure, bibliographical entry, or appendix for more information. Here are some examples:<br />
<br />
<br />
<dd>Pie charts (see Figure 1) are designed to show the percentage breakdowns of the elements that make up a whole.<br />
<br />
</dd><dd>Whether the stone appears to travel in a straight line or a parabola is all relative (Einstein, 1950).</dd><br />
<br />
Other interruptions are actually part of your sentence, and you do want your reader to read them. The only reason they are considered interruptions is that they could have been left out of your sentence with no loss in clarity. These are signaled by commas. They are often commentary about the sentence or additional description.<br />
<br />
<br />
<dd>The first singer, they all agreed, could actually win the contest. (independent comment)<br />
<br />
</dd><dd>The first singer, a young man from Alabama, could actually win the contest. (additional description)</dd><br />
<br />
The third kind of interruption is a surprise. Not that I am going to surprise you with what the third kind of interruption is—but that the third kind of interruption is literally a surprise to the reader. It is a sudden, unexpected interruption that may be even more important than the content of the rest of the sentence. This kind of interruption is like when your boring sitcom rerun is interrupted by a tornado warning in your area. When you return to your sitcom, everything is different. You don’t care as much about the sitcom as about the information contained in the interruption. Here are some examples:<br />
<br />
<br />
<dd>Jane Smith—did I remember to tell you that she is the one who is making the final decision about whether we receive the $2 million contract?—is on the phone.<br />
<br />
</dd><dd>The supplies we ordered—the color laser printer, the high-resolution flat-panel monitors, and the upgrade to our Adobe Creative Suite software—will be here sometime this week.</dd><br />
<br />
Clearly, there are interruptions, and then there are INTERRUPTIONS. Punctuate them appropriately, and your reader will know exactly how to handle them.Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com74tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-91182082146568378862010-05-06T06:04:00.000-07:002010-06-02T17:31:32.488-07:00Can you start a sentence with And, Yet, or But?The coordinating conjunctions (and, yet, but, for, so, or, nor) are supposed to join things. But can they join sentences? That question has been contended for decades. Bryan Garner, however, in the <i>Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style</i>, says that the belief that a conjunction cannot start a sentence is a “rank superstition.” And <i>The Gregg Reference Manual</i> says nothing about any rule against using conjunctions to start sentences, but merely warns against overusing this technique.<br />
So starting a sentence with a conjunction is not a problem. In fact, you can even start a paragraph with one. <br />
The only remaining question is whether to use a comma after the conjunction. The answer is no. But sometimes the conjunction may be followed by a truly parenthetical element surrounded by commas, coincidentally making a comma necessary after the conjunction. If you are putting a comma after the conjunction, make sure the phrase or clause after the comma is truly parenthetical.<br />
Check the comma used in these sentences: <br />
<br />
<dd><b>The shoes are comfortable despite the hole in the heel and the scuffed toes. But when it rains, my socks get wet.</b> (“when it rains” cannot be surrounded by commas, because it is essential to the meaning of the sentence: the socks get wet only when it rains.)</dd><br />
<br />
<dd><b>The shoes are comfortable and you may still love them. But, as your mom says, they should be replaced.</b> (“As your mom says” is a nonessential independent comment. If you removed it from the sentence, the meaning would not change. The shoes should still be replaced whether your mom says so or not. The two commas indicate that it is nonessential.)</dd><br />
In sentence 2, the comma after the conjunction <b>but</b> is there because of the parenthetical clause. If that clause were not there or were not parenthetical, there would be no comma.<br />
<b>Summary</b>: You can start a sentence with a conjunction, and you should not put a comma after the conjunction. If there is a parenthetical phrase or clause after the conjunction, there might coincidentally be a comma there, but that comma is not due to the conjunction.Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com628tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-76842029613024747142010-05-20T12:59:00.000-07:002010-06-02T17:23:57.692-07:00Can you start a sentence with “hopefully”?Short answer: Yes. <br />
<br />
Long answer: Some people used to say you could not, but grammar books now say you can. The controversy used to be about whether <b>hopefully </b>is an “independent comment” like <b>finally</b>, <b>actually</b>, <b>regrettably</b>, <b>fortunately</b>, and many other words. These words act as asides to the reader to indicate the writer’s opinion or attitude about the entire sentence. If you need a more technical term, they are “sentential modifiers,” adverbs that modify the entire sentence.<br />
<br />
If you are curious about some of the players in the controversy, they are <i>The Careful Writer</i> by Theodore Bernstein, <i>The Chicago Manual of Style</i>, and <i>The Gregg Reference Manual</i>. My opinion, stated above, agrees solidly with <i>The Gregg Reference Manual</i>. <i>Chicago </i>says that the usage I cite above is “here to stay,” but snips, “But many <i>careful writers</i> deplore the new meaning” [emphasis added—could this be a nod to readers of Bernstein?] Bernstein has not been updated, fyi, since 1965. <br />
<br />
Yet another voice in the squabble is <i>The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style</i>, by Bryan Garner. The advice here? All the controversy has ruined this word. Never use it at all, because no matter what you do, <i>someone </i>will think it is wrong.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Merriam-Webster.com utterly dismisses Bernstein and all critics and solidly supports the use of <b>hopefully </b>as an independent comment.<br />
<br />
So there you have it. My vote is to use it until people get over its history. After all, most people have long forgotten the “impact” wars of the late 1980s. But on the other hand, I recently encountered “impact is a noun only” still alive and well in the style guide of a large organization. Ultimately, I guess, each writer must make up their* own mind. <br />
<br />
*Watch for a future article on the use of <b>their</b>.Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com87tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-63159249171438083832010-03-28T13:03:00.000-07:002010-03-28T13:03:35.773-07:00Can you start a sentence with however?Our question this week continues the theme of rules that teachers make up to help young students write correctly. The answer is yes, you can start a sentence with <b>however</b>. <br />
<br />
Once you start your sentence with <b>however</b>, however, you must make a decision about comma use. If the word <b>however</b> is used as a transition word, you use a comma after it. <br />
<br />
The chef prepared the fish exquisitely. <b>However</b>, the service at the restaurant was terrible.<br />
If it is used to mean “in whatever way,” you do not put a comma after it.<br />
<br />
<b>However</b> you look at it, you win.<br />
<br />
The reason teachers advise students not to start a sentence with however is that by doing so you often lose an opportunity to emphasize part of the sentence. In the first example above, I could have emphasized the contrast between the cooking and the service by placing however later in the sentence between two commas like this:<br />
<br />
The chef prepared the fish exquisitely. The restaurant’s service<b>, however,</b> was terrible.<br />
<br />
So go ahead. Start sentences with <b>however</b>. But consider whether you could get more mileage out of it by placing it after the specific idea you are contrasting.Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-31983428714536406042010-03-08T18:17:00.000-08:002010-03-08T18:17:42.225-08:00Can you start a sentence with because?A frequently asked question from my grammar classes is this one: Can you start a sentence with <b>because</b>? The short answer is, yes, if you make sure it is in fact a complete sentence. The longer <b></b>answer is not an answer, but a question: where did you get the idea that you could not?<br />
<br />
First, the short answer. You can start a sentence with <b>because</b>, as long as you make sure to fully complete the sentence. One clause beginning with the word <b>because </b>does not constitute a sentence. These are fragments:<br />
<br />
*Because the newspapers reported it.*<br />
*Because the river ran dry.*<br />
<br />
If you follow the clause beginning with <b>because </b>with a complete independent clause, however, you are in business. These are complete sentences:<br />
<br />
Because the newspapers reported it, the neighbors believed it.<br />
Because the river ran dry, the dam would no longer provide electricity.<br />
<br />
Now, the long answer. My theory as to why so many people think you cannot start a sentence with <b>because</b> is that school teachers use this “rule” to help students avoid writing fragments like the ones in asterisks above. You may find this rule useful yourself if you are prone to this error. Thus, if you do not allow yourself to start a sentence with <b>because</b>, you will automatically correct fragments beginning with because.<br />
<br />
You might correct this fragment:<br />
<br />
*Because I said so.*<br />
<br />
By creating this complete sentence:<br />
<br />
The children stayed inside this afternoon because I said so.<br />
<br />
You may also correct fragments like the ones in asterisks above by rewriting so that <b>because </b>is not at the beginning:<br />
<br />
The neighbors believed the story because the newspaper reported it.<br />
The dam would no longer provide electricity because the river ran dry.<br />
<br />
*Asterisks indicate a grammatically incorrect sentence.Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com92tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-29120180287559831272010-02-05T12:14:00.000-08:002010-02-05T12:14:51.138-08:00How Not to Start a Sentence Part IIDo not start a sentence with <b>due to</b> or <b>based on</b>. Use <b>because </b><b>of </b>or <b>on the basis of </b>instead. <b>Due to</b> and <b>based on</b> create adjectival phrases. Adjectival phrases modify nouns. When these phrases introduce a sentence, they are followed by a comma and are understood to be describing the noun right after the comma. Here are some problem sentences with fixes:<br />
<br />
<i>Incorrect:</i> <b>Due to an early deadline, we</b> do not have an update on this story. [The adjective phrase <b>Due to an early deadline </b>appears to modify <b>we</b>, but in reality, <b>we </b>are not what is due to the early deadline.]<br />
<br />
<i>Correct:</i> <b>Because </b><b>of </b>an early deadline, we not have an update on this story. [<b>Because of</b> creates an adverbial phrase, which correctly modifies the verb after the comma, correctly explaining <b>why </b>we do not <b>have </b>something.]<br />
<i><br />
Incorrect:</i> <b>Based on their analysis</b>, the consultants recommended that we upgrade the software. [The adjective phrase <b>Based on their analysis</b> appears to modify <b>the consultants</b>, but as in the previous example, the consultants are not based on their own analysis.]<br />
<br />
<i>Correct: </i><b>On the basis of </b>their analysis, the consultants recommended that we upgrade the software. [<b>On the basis of</b> creates an adverbial phrase, which correctly modifies the verb <b>recommended</b>. However, this sentence sounds wordy.]<br />
<br />
<i>Better:</i><b> After analyzing our needs</b>, the consultants recommended that we upgrade the software.<br />
<br />
Here is an example of <b>based on</b> used correctly:<br />
<br />
<i>Correct:</i> <b>Based on </b>our careful research, <b>this report</b> is absolutely correct. [The adjective phrase <b>based on</b> <b>our careful research</b> correctly modifies <b>this report</b>: the report is in fact based on the careful research.]<br />
<br />
Although it is possible to create a grammatically correct sentence starting with <b>due to</b> or <b>based on</b>, the great likelihood that you need an adverbial phrase, not an adjectival phrase, at the start of your sentence leads me to the advice you read above: Do not start a sentence with <b>due to</b> or <b>based on</b>.Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-90344695080368661362010-01-27T10:50:00.000-08:002010-01-27T10:50:03.394-08:00How Not to Start a Sentence<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Ckmantill%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Ckmantill%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Ckmantill%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">Do not start a sentence with an expletive. I am not talking about bad-words here, I am talking about the word <b>there</b> or <b>it</b> followed by <b>is</b> or <b>are</b>. These are technically called <b>expletives</b>, or <b>false subjects</b>. Expletives are not grammatically incorrect. They are just boring and wasteful. Two of the most important words in any sentence are the subject and the verb. By starting with an expletive, you waste these two prime locations on content-free words. Sometimes even passive voice is preferable to starting your sentence with an expletive, if only to get the important nouns and verbs into the subject and verb positions. Sometimes the presence of an expletive at the front of the sentence can indicate that you have not included enough content in the sentence and have merely stated that something exists. Check out these upgrades to a sentence in which the expletive (ahem) has been deleted.<br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Instead of: <b>There are three buttons at the bottom of the dialog box.</b> [things existing]<br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Try: <b>Three buttons are at the bottom of the dialog box.</b> [important noun as subject]<br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Or: <b>The dialog box has three buttons.</b> [a different important noun as subject]<br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Or better: <b>The dialog box offers three choices.</b> [upgrade verb to an action, upgrade “buttons” to state what they mean to the reader]<br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Or even better: <b>Click one of the three buttons at the bottom of the dialog box.</b> [action verb using direct address to talk directly to the reader]<br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Or in the order a reader will need the information: <b>At the bottom of the dialog box, click one of the three buttons.</b><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b><o:p></o:p></b><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Or giving more detailed content:<b> At the bottom of the dialog box, click Delete, Rename, or Ignore.</b><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in;">It is not grammatically incorrect to start a sentence with an expletive (case in point, this sentence), but when you read over your own writing, consider whether the expletive could be upgraded to a more informative noun-verb combo, allowing you to pack more content into fewer words.<br />
</div><br />
Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-78498803409971218462010-01-16T07:14:00.000-08:002010-01-16T07:24:01.939-08:00A big word for leaving out a little word<div class="MsoNormal">Sometimes creative or academic writers use artistic license in their writing. An example I have recently seen quite a bit is the use of <b><span style="font-family: inherit;">asyndeton</span></b><span style="font-family: inherit;">. How’s that for a grammar vocabulary word! All it means is that the writer has left out the word </span><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">and</span></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> or a similar connecting word. A classic place to use an asyndeton, or an asyndetic writing style, is in a list. To create a sense of wistful incompleteness, suggestive of more to come, a writer might do this:</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
His eyes were blue, alert, piercing. <br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Their lives, voices, stories were being discounted, silenced.<br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whoa, that last one contains two asyndetons! All this creative license affects the tone of the writing. The same sentences with the word </span><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">and</span></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> reinstated sound much more boring and ordinary:</span><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">His eyes were alert, blue, and piercing.</span><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Their lives, voices, and stories were being discounted and silenced.<br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">They also sound much more down-to-earth and factual, rather than suggestive and ethereal. So in business, technical, and training text, do I recommend using asyndeton? Absolutely not. But if you are being creative, go for it!<br />
</div>Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-23563473132457994722009-09-10T08:22:00.000-07:002009-09-10T08:22:28.427-07:00Comma Inside or Comma Outside the Quotation Mark?Does the comma go inside or outside of a closing quotation mark? The difference is less than a milimeter, but there is an ocean of difference to an editor. The Atlantic Ocean, to be specific. This is one of those things, like whether to put a <em>u</em> in color or spell <em>gray</em> with an <em>e</em>, that distinguishes British from American English usage.<br />
<br />
First, let’s answer the question. In the United States, the comma goes inside the quotation mark. The period goes inside the quotation mark too. No logic or thinking is involved. You just put it on the inside, like this—she said, “Don’t even think about it,” then slammed the door. And this—He gave one good reason: “Because I said so.”<br />
<br />
If it sounds like a fight, that is because in business and editorial offices this often does become a fight, because it is an arbitrary-seeming style rule. However, it is important for consistency, which is the mark of a high-quality publication or a well-constructed business document. And the tradition in American publishing is to punctuate quotations this way. <br />
<br />
Here are the U.S. rules for other punctuation with quotation marks: <br />
<br />
Colons and semicolons always go outside a closing quotation mark. <br />
<br />
Question marks and exclamation points go either on the outside or the inside of the quotation mark, depending on whether the punctuation is part of the quote or not. Thus:<br />
<br />
He asked, “How do you punctuate a question?” (The quote is actually a question, so the question mark is part of the quote.) <br />
<br />
She shouted, “No way!”(The exclamation point is part of the quote.)<br />
<br />
Did he say, “I don’t know”? (The quote is not a question, so the question mark does not go inside the quotation mark. The overall sentence is a question, so the question mark goes at the very end, after the closing quotation mark.) <br />
<br />
Did she ask, “Where is the library?” (When both the quote and the overall sentence are questions, you arbitrarily opt for inside.)<br />
<br />
Now that we have looked at the rules, it is time to look at the exception. In text that is specifying exactly what to type in something like a computer programming language or a URL, you do not put the comma or period inside the quote: Now type “http://www.iconlogic.com”, which is the web address of our company.Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com67tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-62448007501946400432009-09-10T08:15:00.000-07:002009-09-10T08:15:36.304-07:00<span style="font-size: large;">"Every time you put pencil to paper or move your cursor, you are making a judgment. Every time you don’t put pencil to paper or move your cursor, you are also making a judgment."</span><br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large;">—Ellie Abrams</span></div>Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-12644102991551960052009-09-02T10:09:00.000-07:002009-09-02T10:09:19.006-07:00When we join things, are they always plural?Which of the following is incorrect?<br />
<br />
1. Both the status report on the bridge project, as well as the budget report, are in the folder.<br />
<br />
2. The page proof as well as the list of corrections has been sent.<br />
<br />
3. Smith, Michaels and Jones is our law firm.<br />
<br />
I often see errors of verb agreement in business writing, even though at its most basic level, verb agreement is considered quite elementary. After all, almost no one who writes professionally would say “the reports is in the folder” or “the project are complete.” <br />
<br />
How, then, do we end up with verb agreement problems in professional writing? Often the problems occur when more than one subject precedes the verb in a sentence. <br />
<br />
The basic rule for multiple subjects is that when two or more subjects are connected by the word “and,” a plural verb is used. For example, “My dog and my cat [a total of two pets] are [plural verb] hiding behind the couch.”<br />
<br />
The second rule, however, is that if you use a connecting phrase other than the exact word “and,” the subjects do not add up. So when you connect two subjects with phrases such as “as well as,” “in addition to,” “along with,” the additional subjects do not count. For example, “My dog [the main pet I am discussing] as well as my cat [which does not count, because I used a phrase other than “and”] has [singular verb] fleas.”<br />
<br />
Another problem that comes up with “and” versus other connecting phrases is the use of the word “both” in front of any other connecter but “and.” The words “both” and “and” form a team, known as a correlative conjunction, and “both” cannot be used with other phrases. “Both Jack as well as Jill” is completely wrong. Either eliminate “both” or use “and” instead of “as well as.”<br />
<br />
Finally, there is an exception to the “and makes plural” rule. I call it the macaroni and cheese rule. Some phrases containing the word “and” actually describe a singular thing, like macaroni and cheese. When you eat macaroni and cheese for dinner, you are eating one dish. The macaroni and the cheese are all mixed together to form one substance. So we correctly say “The macaroni and cheese [one substance] is [singular verb] good tonight.” <br />
<br />
Not only other foods, such as spaghetti and meatballs, but also many proper nouns and job titles contain the word “and” but name a singular thing: steak and eggs is my favorite breakfast; the Stars and Stripes is waving atop the flagpole; Smith and Jones is the accounting firm; our secretary and treasurer is Mike.<br />
<br />
With these rules and exceptions duly noted, by now you can be sure: No. 1 is incorrect, and Nos. 2 and 3 are correct.Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-83479550417599698422008-09-02T12:03:00.000-07:002008-09-02T12:07:23.549-07:00When To Hyphenate AdjectivesThe astute reader of the last column on commas with adjectives may have noticed that in the example Brian’s comfortable big old brown soft Italian leather driving jacket sleeve was lurking a hyphenation question. Shouldn’t Italian leather be hyphenated?<br /><br /> The answer is it depends. Was it an Italian jacket made of leather? Or was it a jacket made of Italian leather?<br /><br /> Wait. Wait. That is breaking my brain. At least that is what my neighbor’s son says when I try to discuss these matters with him when going over his school work.<br /><br /> Let’s start from the beginning. How do you tell if you need a hyphen with adjectives? You ask whether each adjective can be used by itself to describe your noun. If yes, no hyphens. If no, you probably need a hyphen. “Wait. What do you mean by probably?” I can hear my neighbor say. Let’s look at some examples.<br /><br /> Two small green lizards. Can you use the word two by itself to describe the lizards? Yes. There were two lizards. Can you say they were small lizards? Yes. Can you say they were green lizards. Yes. Each of these words can describe the lizards. You don’t need any hyphens.<br /><br /> Five-mile hike. Can you call it a five hike? No. The word five cannot, by itself, describe the hike. You have to combine it with the word mile before you can have a complete unit that can modify the hike. Editors call this a unit modifier. The hyphen combines the two words into one unit.<br /><br /> So far so good. But now comes the probably part. Two things might mean you still do not use a hyphen. One is if the two words are already perceived as a unit by your readers: high school dance. The compound word high school is already a well-known unit. It is even in the dictionary under h for high. Similarly, real estate license and home run hitter.<br /><br /> The other thing you don’t hyphenate is an adverb. If the first word modifies the second, often specifying the degree or intensity of the adjective, then that first word is an adverb. Don’t hyphenate after an adverb. The very small lizard. The completely green lizard. The extremely low discount. The previously described report. The highly motivated employee. The completely correct grammar.<br /><br /> So what about the Italian leather jacket? Without the hyphen, I am saying the word Italian is just one of a list of adjectives describing the jacket. If I had meant that it was a jacket made of Italian leather, I would have needed a hyphen.Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-20768502147471341132008-09-02T11:59:00.000-07:002008-09-02T12:03:18.828-07:00Why We Sometimes Need Commas Between Adjectives, And Sometimes NotWhy We Sometimes Need Commas Between Adjectives, And Sometimes Not<br /><br />Bradford’s extensive, thorough report<br />The large gray dialog box<br />The ugly, unnecessary graphic<br />The italic, underlined word<br />The heavy black bounding box<br /><br />A good friend of mine who has been a writer for years recently took a job in which she has to copyedit. One day she IM’ed me: “What is up with the commas between adjectives? My boss seems to always put them in—but I don’t think they are needed. Are there rules for this?”<br /><br /> Ahhh, the kind of question that warms a long-time copyeditor and grammar teacher’s heart. Yes, my dear, there are rules for this. But most native speakers of English have never heard of them. We simply rely on our “ear.”<br /><br /> The rules start with the official order of adjectives. The large blue dinosaur just sounds more familiar, more correct, than the blue large dinosaur. We always put size before color when describing something: the gigantic green frog, the large black briefcase.<br /><br />We can put together long strings of adjectives without any punctuation, as long as we follow the official order of adjectives: the valuable old green Mercedes sedan.<br /><br />The order is first a, the, or a possessive such as my or Tom’s. Then we put evaluation or opinion, followed by the physical description—size, shape, age, color, texture—followed by where it came from, the material it is made of, and finally its purpose or main use. Oh, and we might have one last item before the noun: another noun that helps identify it.<br /><br />Thus I can describe Brian’s comfortable big old brown soft Italian leather driving jacket sleeve without using any commas, although that is admittedly going a little over the top.<br /><br />When do we have to use commas? When we use the adjectives out of order, as in the old, uncomfortable sofa (age before evaluation) as opposed to the uncomfortable old sofa; and when we use two adjectives that are in the same category or that are not part of the official categories: her comfortable, affordable alternative (two evaluations).<br /><br />Besides order, there is another easy test for whether you need a comma. Can you read it with the word and between the adjectives? If so, you need a comma. Her comfortable and affordable alternative? Yes. My dear and old Aunt Sally? I don’t think so. No comma.Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-218067497286174632008-07-12T07:42:00.000-07:002008-07-12T07:51:05.718-07:00IrregardlessThe most frequent statement about the word “irregardless” is that it is not a word. But recently a friend’s daughter had the embarrassing experience of making this statement and being proved wrong, none too politely, by another youthful dictionary wielder.<br /> <br />Yes, the word irregardless is in the dictionary. But then, so is “ain’t.” And so is “leastways.” And so is “nother” as in “a whole nother story.”<br /><br />What gives? Are they just letting any old thing into the dictionary these days? The truth is, if people use an expression enough in both spoken and written form, it will eventually turn up in Webster’s—even if it is considered wrong.<br /><br />How, then, are we supposed to know whether it is ok to use these words in our business documents and publications? The answer is in the usage labels and usage notes that accompany problematic words in the dictionary.<br /><br />“Irregardless” bears the usage label “nonstand” in Webster’s. This italicized label means that this word is not considered a part of standard English. Both the dictionary and two “usage guides” I consulted simply stated that “regardless” should be used instead. Microsoft Word put in its two cents by marking the word with red underlining as I typed it and offering “regardless” as the correct spelling.<br /><br />The upshot? Read the label. Many words in the dictionary are labeled as slang, obs (obsolete), dial (dialect), chiefly Southwest, or Austral or Canad or Brit (meaning mostly used in those countries or regions), or even as usually vulgar or obscene. If a word has one of these labels, do not use it in your professional writing.<br /><br />“Ain’t”? Considered nonstandard except in popular expressions such as “Say it ain’t so.” “Leastways”? Labeled as dialect. “Nother”? Used chiefly in speech or informal prose. And “irregardless”? Yes, it is a word, but it is a word with a bad reputation. Don’t use it.<br /><br />Don’t have time to look it up or don’t always have a three-pound, hard-cover dictionary in your hip pocket? On the internet you can check Merriam-Webster Online at m-w.comJennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-67772130119367528622008-07-04T14:21:00.000-07:002008-07-04T14:28:27.953-07:00Which vs. that“Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.”<br />—Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) from the 1942 movie, Casablanca<br /><br />When Rick says this line in Casablanca, he is narrowing down, or restricting, his discussion from many possible gin joints down to the one he owns. In other words, of all the gin joints it could have been, she walked into that particular one. This concept of mentioning an item of which there are many, then adding more information <br />to narrow it down to the specific one you mean, is called “restricting the discussion.” From this concept comes the grammatical word for this: restrictive.<br />Why do we need to understand the concept of “restrictive”? Because it helps us know when to use “which” and when to use “that” when we are adding additional description to a sentence.<br /><br />The words "that" and "which" are both used to add further description after a noun in a sentence. The word "that" is used when the additional information is needed in order to restrict the discussion down to the exact noun that is meant. "Which" is used to add extra information that is not really needed in order to identify the exact noun. <br /><br />Let’s look at a specific example.<br /><br />A. “The river is very muddy today.”<br />B. “The river that flows from Minnesota to Louisiana is very muddy today.”<br /><br />As a reader of sentence A, you are probably wondering, “what river?” The noun “river” could mean any river in the world. You need more information to help you identify exactly what river I am talking about. When I add “that flows from Minnesota to Louisiana” in sentence B, you probably now realize exactly what river I mean: the Mississippi. The clause “that flows from Minnesota to Louisiana” narrows my discussion down, or restricts it, from all the possible rivers in all the world to the one I am talking about: the Mississippi. The word that is used to begin what is called a restrictive clause. <br /><br />Here are two different examples:<br /><br />C. The Atlantic Ocean separates England from the United States.<br />D. The Atlantic Ocean, which is sometimes called The Big Pond, separates England from the United States.<br /><br />The word "which" adds information that is not needed to restrict the discussion. When I start sentence C with “The Atlantic Ocean,” I have already specified the exact ocean. You do not need any more information to help you identify exactly which gin joint—I mean ocean—I am referring to. In other words, no further restriction is needed to make my meaning clear. But I just felt like adding further description or information, so I added “which is sometimes called The Big Pond” in sentence D. I put this additional information inside two commas to indicate that it is not really necessary.<br /><br />You can think of the two commas around a nonrestrictive clause as miniature parentheses, indicating that the clause is merely parenthetical. You could take out the part of the sentence between the commas, and the reader would still understand the sentence and not be left wondering what you were talking about.<br /><br />Use this little chart as a reminder:<br /><br />That is restrictive (and essential)and has no commas.<br />Which is nonrestrictive (and nonessential) and has commas.Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441349916452722960.post-56920893763164786362008-06-27T16:14:00.000-07:002008-06-27T16:17:50.987-07:00Can you start a sentence with because?<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US"></span><p class="MsoNormal">A frequently asked question from my grammar classes is this one: Can you start a sentence with <b style="">because</b>? The short answer is, yes, if you make sure it is in fact a complete sentence. The longer answer is not an answer, but a question: where did you get the idea that you could not?</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">First, the short answer. You can start a sentence with because, as long as you make sure to fully complete the sentence. One clause beginning with the word <b style="">because</b> does not constitute a sentence. These are fragments:</span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Because the newspapers reported it.*</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Because the river ran dry.*</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">If you follow the clause beginning with <b style="">because</b> with a complete independent clause, however, you are in business. These are complete sentences:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Because the newspapers reported it, the neighbors believed it.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Because the river ran dry, the dam would no longer provide electricity.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Now, the long answer. My theory as to why so many people think you cannot start a sentence with because is that school teachers use this “rule” to help students avoid writing fragments like the ones in asterisks above. You may find this rule useful yourself if you are prone to this error. Thus, if you do not allow yourself to start a sentence with because, you will automatically correct fragments beginning with because.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">You might correct this fragment:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Because I said so.*</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">By creating this complete sentence:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The children stayed inside this afternoon because I said so.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">You may also correct fragments like the ones in asterisks above by rewriting so that <b style="">because</b> is not at the beginning:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The neighbors believed the story because the newspaper reported it.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The dam would no longer provide electricity because the river ran dry.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Asterisks indicate a grammatically incorrect sentence.</span></p>Jennie Rubyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13784974891732471724noreply@blogger.com23