grammarperfection's posterous http://grammarperfection.posterous.com Most recent posts at grammarperfection's posterous posterous.com Thu, 14 Oct 2010 08:56:06 -0700 Difference between a an http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/difference-between-a-an http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/difference-between-a-an

There is a simple way to know the difference between a an.

The letter a is used before words that begin with consonants.  A consonant is every letter that is not a vowel.  In other words, any word that begins with a letter that is not a, e, i, o, or u should have “an” before it. 

There are two exceptions to this rule. 

·         When u makes the same sound as the y in you or o

·         It makes the same sound as w in won

In both of the previous cases, an should be used rather than a. 

Here are some examples:

  • a union
  • a wonderful day
  • a used rag
  • a U.S. flag
  • a one-eyed dog

An is used before words that begin with, or sound like a vowel.  For instance, the letter “a” should go before an unsounded h. 

Here are a couple of examples of unsounded h’s. 

·         He is an honorable man.

·         It was an honest mistake.

To recap:

Use “a” before words that begin with a consonant.

Consonants are and letter other than vowels. 

Use “an” before words that begin or sound like a vowel. 

If you can remember these rules, you should be able to master whether to use a or an. 

If you have any questions recognizing with the difference between a an or any other grammar question, go to Grammar Perfection or email help@grammarperfection.com.  


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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:27:20 -0700 Comma Splice Example http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/comma-splice-example http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/comma-splice-example

Comma Splice Example

An example of a comma splice is where you have a comma between two independent clauses without using a coordinating conjunction (and, but, nor, or, etc.). 

Comma Splice Example: The monkey ate the bananas, he didn’t stop until he ate the entire bunch. 

Both halves of the sentence are independent clauses.  In other words, they can both be sentences.

Ways to correct a comma splice.

Add a coordinating conjunction. 

The monkey ate the bananas, but he didn’t stop until he ate the entire bunch.

Replace the comma with a period and start a new sentence.

The monkey ate the bananas.  He didn’t stop until he ate the entire bunch.

Replace the comma with a semicolon.

The monkey ate the bananas; he didn’t stop until he ate the entire bunch. 

As you can see, comma splices are easy to avoid if you find ways to change the sentence to make it correct. 

If you have any questions recognizing examples of comma splices or any other grammar question, go to Grammar Perfection or email help@grammarperfection.com.  

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Fri, 08 Oct 2010 12:35:17 -0700 A lot or alot alot a lot http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/a-lot-or-alot-alot-a-lot http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/a-lot-or-alot-alot-a-lot

Some people become confused about whether to use a lot or alot. 

Part of the confusion may happen because allot is a word and is similar to a lot.  Allot means to distribute.

The correct spelling is a lot.  Alot is not a word.    

Note that a lot is a casual word and should be used with caution on essays and formal papers.  “Many” or “much” (depending on how you are using it) is a more appropriate word for formal use. 

For instance, “I feel a lot better” can be written, “I feel much better.”

Also, “There are a lot of people on the bus,” can be, “There are many people on the bus.” 

Just remember that a lot is a word, alot is not. 

If you have any questions about alot a lot or any other grammar question, go to Grammar Perfection or email help@grammarperfection.com.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Thu, 07 Oct 2010 14:21:15 -0700 Its vs It's http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/its-vs-its http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/its-vs-its

Its vs It’s


Knowing how to use its vs it’s isn’t very hard if you remember the following. 


It’s

It's is a contraction for "it is" or "it has."  In other words, when someone writes it’s, they are abbreviating either “it is” or “it has.”


It’s wonderful weather today.


Something important to note is that if you are writing a formal paper or essay, you should avoid contractions.  Spell out either it is, or it has. 


Its

Its is the possessive form of "it."  This can be a little confusing, because in most cases, an apostrophe s (’s) stands for a possessive.  This is not the case with its.


That was a great movie; what did you think of its ending?


I was able to watch the boat on its launch.


The Bottom Line

The confusing part of it’s and its is that English has taught us that if something is possessive, you add an apostrophe s.  For example, “This is Joan’s car.” 

If you can replace the word with "it is" or "it has," use it's. If those doesn’t work, use its. 


If you have any questions about its vs it’s or any other grammar question, go to Grammar Perfection or email help@grammarperfection.com.  

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:32:14 -0700 How to spell “in lieu of” http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/how-to-spell-in-lieu-of http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/how-to-spell-in-lieu-of
I am posting a helpful article below on spelling "in lieu of."

If you have any questions about spelling or any other grammar question, go to Grammar Perfection or email help@grammarperfection.com.  

How to spell “in lieu of”

by Maeve Maddox

Whenever I come across an unusual misspelling, I do a search to see how common it is. This misspelling of in lieu of caught my attention:

…so i can run keynote in leu of having to use powerpoint.

A Google search for “in leu of” brought up about 23,600,000 hits.

The bank is asking if we would like to do a deed in leu of foreclosure.

I was told I could take jail time in leu of the fine.

Hair flower in leu of a veil

Anyone ever use duct tape in leu of rim tape?

How long can I leave potatoes in the ground? (in leu of storage)

To be fair, most of these examples are from forums and comments. Google does ask “Did you mean in lieu of?”

The expression came into English from French en lieu de, “in place of,” from the Latin phrase in loco, “in place of.” Our English word instead is a calque of these foreign expressions. It was written as two words, in stead, until the 17th century.

Stead means “place,” as in homestead.

Bottom line: If you’re not sure how to spell in lieu of, you can use instead ofinstead.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:32:00 -0700 Your You're and Your vs You're http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/your-youre-and-your-vs-youre http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/your-youre-and-your-vs-youre

Your You’re

Knowing the difference between your and you’re isn’t very difficult if you can remember that you’re is short for “you are.” 

Your is used as a possessive adjective.  “Is this your bicycle?”  “You are free to leave when your test is complete.” 

With you’re, the apostrophe is a replacement for the letter a.  “You’re going to have a great time at the circus!”  “You’re my best friend.” 

If you can remember that you’re stands for you are, you will have no trouble remembering when to use your or you’re.

If you have any questions about writing your you’re or any other grammar question, go to Grammar Perfection or email help@grammarperfection.com. 

 

Now a little humor J 

 

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Tue, 05 Oct 2010 14:55:08 -0700 Two To Too http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/two-to-too http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/two-to-too

Two To Too

Knowing how to use two, to, or too isn’t very difficult.  Let me explain when to use each.

Two

The spelling two is used when referring to a number. 

For instance, “I ate two bananas.”  “Two plus four is six.” 

It is important to note that spelling out two is preferred over writing the number symbol (2).  You generally should spell out any number less than 10. 

To

This is the most common use of the word. 

“I went to the store.”  "The letter is addressed to Michael."

Too

You use too when describing either an excess or when you mean also.

Example for writing about an excess:  “Molly ate too much ice cream.” 

When you mean also:  “Along with being fuel efficient, my new car is safe too.”  If you can replace too with also, the word is being used correctly. 

If you have any questions about writing two, to, too, or any other grammar question, go to Grammar Perfection or email help@grammarperfection.com.  

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Mon, 04 Oct 2010 17:01:42 -0700 Whom vs Who http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/whom-vs-who http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/whom-vs-who

Whom vs Who

First, let’s get through the technical way to learning whom vs who.  You use who when referring to the subject of the sentence and who when referring to the object of the sentence.

That’s great, but what is the difference between a subject and an object? 

What is a subject pronoun?

A subject is the person or thing doing the action.

Example: Who ate the cake?  This is correct because who is doing the action (eating the cake). 

What is an object pronoun?

An object is the person or thing having the action done to them. 

Example: Whom are you going to vote for?  The action (voting) is being done to the nominee. 

Here’s a trick to help determine which to use, who or whom. 

Try answering the question with the words he/she or him/her.  If you can answer the question with he or she, then use who.  If you can answer it with him or her, use whom. 

he/she = who

him/her = whom

Who ate the cake?  He ate the cake, use who.

Whom are you voting for?  I am voting for him, use whom. 

Here is a mnemonic memory trick: Both him and whom end in M.  That will help to link he/she with who and him/her with whom.

If you have any questions about whom vs who or any other grammar question, go to Grammar Perfection or email help@grammarperfection.com.

 

 


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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Mon, 04 Oct 2010 11:03:57 -0700 What's the Right Way to Write Large Numbers? http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/whats-the-right-way-to-write-large-numbers http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/whats-the-right-way-to-write-large-numbers

Below is Grammar Girl's advice about how to write large numbers. 

If you have any questions about writing large numbers or any other grammar question, go to Grammar Perfection or email help@grammarperfection.com.

Millions, Billions, and Trillions


Different style guides will suggest different ways to write certain kinds of numbers.

A common way to write big numbers such as millions, billions, or trillions is to use a mix of numerals and words:
  • Approximately 82.5 million women are mothers in the United States. 
  • Police said thieves escaped with 1.2 million blank checks. 
When the number before the word "million" or "billion" is a big round number or less than 100, it depends on which style guide you follow:

Chicago Manual of Style Recommendation
  • Disney has sold more than four million movies through iTunes. 
  • Ukraine harvested thirty-four million tons of grain. 
  • More than three hundred million people live in the United States. 
Associated Press Recommendation
  • Disney has sold more than 4 million movies through iTunes. 
  • Ukraine harvested 34 million tons of grain. 
  • More than 300 million people live in the United States. 
Always check your style guide when you're unsure how to write numbers.

 

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Fri, 01 Oct 2010 18:53:33 -0700 “Despite” or “In Spite of”? http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/despite-or-in-spite-of http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/despite-or-in-spite-of

Very helpful article on "Despite" of In "Spite of."

Go to Grammar Perfection today. 

“Despite” or “In Spite of?"

by Maeve Maddox

More than one reader has asked for a post on despite vs in spite of.

Joanna Gryglicki wants to know if there’s any difference.

or is it a matter of personal preference?”

T.J. Burkett says

I try not to use “in spite” because it sounds too harsh in most cases, but I’m unsure of the proper usage. Here’s an example: Despite the lack of clues, Connor said that the horse had probably spooked when he saw the rabbit. Should it be “despite” or “in spite of?” I always use “despite” because it simply uses fewer words.

The OED defines the preposition “despite” this way:

despite: prep. in spite of

The AP Style Guide prefers “despite” to “in spite of”:

in spite of Despite means the same thing and is shorter.

The Chicago Manual of Style likewise prefers one-word prepositions to phrasal prepositions like “in spite of.”

Many [...] phrasal prepositions are symptoms of officialese, bureaucratese, or other types of verbose style. If a one-word preposition will do in context, use it. For example, if about will serve as well as with regard to or in connection with, a judicious editor will inevitably prefer to use the simpler expression.

So, the short answer is: for prepositional use, despite and in spite of are interchangeable. Here are examples of acceptable usage:

Obama Is Pro-Business, In Spite Of What Conservatives Say

The Tea Party: Winning in spite of itself

Phil Sheridan: Despite what Reid says, Kolb doesn’t look like The Guy

Despite What You May Have Heard, Statins Don’t Cause Diabetes

Despite the fact that they’ve written some of the most famous songs of all time, Paul McCartney and John Lennon of The Beatles NEVER learned how to read music.

Despite celebration, Iraq war continues

That being said, it’s still possible to commit errors with despite and in spite of.

Misspelling:

Reason for Two People Having Different Weights Inspite of Eating Same Diet

Mercedes -Benz Sales Move Forward Inspite Of The Economy Up 10% In August

Despite is spelled as one word, but in spite is spelled as two words.

Unnecessary “of”

Wall-Mart [sic] has seen profits despite of fall in sales in the US market

Qantas airlines optimistic despite of fall in profits

The phrasal preposition in spite of includes the word “of,” but the prepositiondespite does its job without “of.”

NOTE: There is the phrase in despite of. It means “in defiance of.” It’s a bit old-fashioned, but one comes across it:

a play that stubbornly refused to evolve as a tragedy and which became in fact one of O’Neill’s two comedies, almost in despite of its author’s wishes.

The Dutch [made peace with Spain] in despite of the 1644 treaty of alliance between themselves and the French, under which they had pledged to make no separate peace with Spain.

I suppose that the feeling that “in spite…sounds too harsh” may arise from associating the unemotional prepositional use of “in spite of” with the noun spite: “action arising from, or displaying, hostile or malignant feeling.” For example: He said he loved long hair, so she cut hers short in spite.

Related Articles

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:37:00 -0700 Grammar Corrector http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/grammar-corrector http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/grammar-corrector

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Grammar Corrector

Do you wish that there was some sort of magical, instant, grammar corrector?

Your wish has been granted!  Well, almost…it isn’t magical and not instantaneous. 

Yes, this is a shameless plug, but we love to toot our own horn. 

Grammar Perfection is your personal grammar corrector.  Not only do we proofread and edit, we ensure that the best words are being used to get your point across and make your writing look as professional as possible. 

First, the bad:

1:            It isn’t magical, but it’s close.
2:            It isn’t instantaneous (can take 24 hours).
3:            You still have to do the initial writing.

On the plus side:

1:            You don’t have to learn the rules of grammar.
2:            Saves you time because you don’t have to worry about all the proofreading and editing.
3:            Makes your writing look great, which can earn you more income!

Try us out; you’ll be glad you did. 

Go to Grammar Perfection today.  Let us be your grammar corrector. 

 

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Fri, 01 Oct 2010 06:46:40 -0700 Ten Ways To (Seriously) Improve Your Writing http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/ten-ways-to-seriously-improve-your-writing http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/ten-ways-to-seriously-improve-your-writing

I found this very informative article about improving your writing.  There are lots of good ideas!
In Media, Money, behavior, business, culture, entertainment, work on September 28, 2010 at 2:18 pm
 

Margaret Atwood: "Put your bum in the chair!" Image via Wikipedia

Author Margaret Atwood attends a reading at Ed...

It’s commonly said, (among writers who do it for their living), that blood to a surgeon is like rejection to a writer — a necessary part of every day’s work.

Whether a surgeon likes blood is irrelevant. Do professional writers — and ambitious amateurs — enjoy rejection? Irrelevant.

It’s not a game for delicate souls, whether you are paid for your work or hope to, or do not.

I’ve earned my living selling my writing since my sophomore year of college; here are ten issues professionals/ambitious writers take seriously:

1) Study writing. No, you don’t have to sign up to be an English major or get an MFA or try to get into the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. But if you truly want to improve your work, you’ll put your bum in the chair (as Margaret Atwood told me when I asked her how to write) and put your work before the skilled, experienced eyes of a teacher. That might be a workshop, a writers’ group led by a professional, an on-line class. Great writing, like everything that’s excellent, demands discipline and some training.

2) Study with more than one teacher. Every writing teacher has his or her quirks and habits, and the worst students learn to mimic them in order to curry favor. Bad idea.

3) Know what you want to say. Simply emoting about your mean Dad or drunk Mom may feel terrific and be cathartic for you, but without adding clarity, insight and polish, it’s rarely sufficiently satisfying to your readers. What larger, ongoing, universal truth(s) do you also plan to elucidate?

4) It’s all about the reader. Not you. Not impressing your BFF or writing pals whose enthusiasm and support are lovely, but ultimately totally distracting. They are to a writer’s growth as a Mom’s cheering your soccer game are to a coach’s whistle, drills and experienced observations.

5) Who is your reader? Who do you want to read your material? Everyone. Bah! Think again. Car manuals and cellphone instructions and IKEA literature are written to appeal to “everyone.” Who’s your best reader? Do you crave the undivided attention of suburban moms? Ex-addicts? Current addicts? Fellow lovers of hummingbirds/hiking/sushi/petanque? Decide who you most want to grab by the lapels and write for them. Because not everyone is going to love your work. If they do, be very nervous. It’s not necessarily a good sign.

6) Read your work out loud. Yup. Your dog/cat/budgie won’t mind a bit.  Artists look at their paintings in a mirror to catch it from a different angle. Reading your words out loud immediately alerts you to their cadence, rhythm, alliteration. Do they sound good? Do you want to hear more?

7) Let it cool down. Baked goods removed from the oven and consumed too soon — before cooling into the finished product — shred, crumble and waste the energy you spent creating them. Good writing should wait a while before it’s consumed by anyone other than yourself. Great writing can wait even longer. Write something and put it aside for 20 minutes, two days, two months. It will always read better after distance and reflection because you’ll see its flaws and have the dispassion with which to fix them.

8) Criticism is key to success. You’ve got to put your work out there — for review, criticism, thoughtful replies. Your work must be read by serious and ambitious writers/teachers/agents/editors. Some of them will have the skill to offer helpful insights, (some of which may surprise you or make you uncomfortable), and the generosity to do so.

9) You are not your writing. Until or unless you can separate yourself from the most intimate and private thoughts you share publicly, you’re toast — because you’ll overly personalize even thoughtful-but-challenging comments on your work as an attack on you. Wrong! As one pro writer friend told me, when I had to revise 10 chapters (there are only 12!) of my new memoir: “You’re a mechanic. Fix the engine.”

10) Rejection is essential. For many reasons. It means you’re actually putting your work and ideas out into the intellectual marketplace. Picture a bustling farmers’ market. Is everyone selling the same amount as quickly? Probably not. They know, and hope for, the best — a percentage of their goods to sell. If they go home with an empty truck, score! But they are wise not to expect it because they, like many others, took the risk of working hard to grow it, truck it and put it out for sale. No farmer expects buyers to coo over the beauty of their rutabagas. They have nutured their products with much hard work — but are able to remember that they are selling a product.

I have sold two non-fiction books to two commercial publishers. (And written another four or five  full-length book proposals, circulated to many editors, that did not sell.) I’ve been through six agents, three of whom were very good, one of which — the final one — is truly excellent.

She’s very tough! We’ve even had shouting matches on the phone, as two hard-headed perfectionists hammer it out. Better to have so demanding an expert than some chatty, happy milquetoast who can’t sell my stuff.

Every day, these editors and the agents who put our work before them, are inundated with competitors. Both of my books were rejected by 25 others before they were bought. My agents kept on plugging because, as good agents do, they believed in the projects and in me.

What if  I’d just given up, in floods of weeping and teeth-gnashing despair, after the 11th or 14th — or second — rejection?

Here’s a great post on this subject. And another.

If you have any questions about quotation punctuation marks or any other grammar-related subject, feel free to visit http://www.grammarperfection.com or contact help@grammarperfection.com.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Thu, 30 Sep 2010 17:42:00 -0700 “Quit” as Predicate Adjective http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/quit-as-predicate-adjective http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/quit-as-predicate-adjective

Here is a very helpful article I just found on using quit as a predicate adjective.  Enjoy!
via Daily Writing Tips by Maeve Maddox on 9/29/10

Does anyone else cringe at the use of quit in the commercial that says:

44% of … users were quit during weeks 9 to 12 of treatment.

The context screams for quit as a verb, not as a predicate adjective:

44% of users … had quit after nine weeks.

The OED’s entry for quit “in predicative sense” offers these illustrations:

When the book was restored the borrower [was] declared quit. (1866)

This charter confers the right of having one man quit from tallage in every royal borough. 1928

Ralph is not quit of his wartime melancholy. (1945)

He is tired of Sophina. He wishes to be quit of her, but she cannot afford to leave him. (1997)

The example from 1866 sounds a bit like legal jargon. The one from 1928 uses “from” where we might say “of.” Those from 1945 and 1997, which include the particle “of,” sound perfectly idiomatic.

When starting to write this post, I’d expected to argue that nobody uses quit with a being verb without the “of,” but I’ve found many examples of the infinitive phrase to be quit, mostly in informal writing in comments and forums, and mostly in connection with beating the cigarette habit:

I am grateful to be quit. It is 5 months and 3 weeks.

But one thing I have not lost sight of:  How truly truly grateful I am to be desperate to be quit.

Smoking was a [habit] that had to be quit.

David Gelkin has it right – the idea quitting is always bad – is an idea that ought to be quit.

But after hearing Ms. Rice’s description of Christianity, I’m thinking it deserves to be quit.

Idiom is tricky. The statements with “to be quit” don’t offend my ear the way that drug commercial does.

Is it just me?

 

If you have any questions about predicate adjectives or any other grammar-related subject, feel free to visit http://www.grammarperfection.com or contact help@grammarperfection.com.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Thu, 30 Sep 2010 17:09:54 -0700 Quotation Punctuation http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/quotation-punctuation http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/quotation-punctuation

Quotation Punctuation      

The main use of the quotation punctuation mark is to signify a direct quote.  A direct quote is an exact representation of words that someone has spoken. 


For instance, Abraham Lincoln once said, “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”


Another use of quotation punctuation marks is to indicate sarcasm. 

I just “love” going to the dentist. 

The quotation marks around love indicate that the person is being sarcastic.  Who loves going to the dentist?


Single and double quotation punctuation:

It may become necessary to have a quote within a quote.  For the inside quote, it would only get a single quotation mark. 

The bull rider said, “I’ll always remember what my mom told me, ‘hang on’!”


That’s all there is to quotation punctuation.

If you have any questions about quotation punctuation marks or any other grammar-related subject, feel free to visit http://www.grammarperfection.com or contact help@grammarperfection.com.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Wed, 29 Sep 2010 17:38:13 -0700 Past Simple Verbs http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/past-simple-verbs http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/past-simple-verbs

EnglishPage.com does an excellent job of explaining Past Simple Verbs.  

According to their website:

Past Simple Verbs

[VERB+ed] or irregular verbs

Examples:

  • You called Debbie.
  • Did you call Debbie?
  • You did not call Debbie.
Complete List of Simple Past Forms

USE 1 Completed Action in the Past

Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.

Examples:

  • I saw a movie yesterday.
  • I didn't see a play yesterday.
  • Last year, I traveled to Japan.
  • Last year, I didn't travel to Korea.
  • Did you have dinner last night?
  • She washed her car.
  • He didn't wash his car.

USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions

We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.

Examples:

  • I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.
  • He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00.
  • Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?

USE 3 Duration in Past

The Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc.

Examples:

  • I lived in Brazil for two years.
  • Shauna studied Japanese for five years.
  • They sat at the beach all day.
  • They did not stay at the party the entire time.
  • We talked on the phone for thirty minutes.
  • A: How long did you wait for them?
    B: We waited for one hour.

USE 4 Habits in the Past

The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as "used to." To make it clear that we are talking about a habit, we often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never, when I was a child, when I was younger, etc.

Examples:

  • I studied French when I was a child.
  • He played the violin.
  • He didn't play the piano.
  • Did you play a musical instrument when you were a kid?
  • She worked at the movie theater after school.
  • They never went to school, they always skipped class.

USE 5 Past Facts or Generalizations

The Simple Past can also be used to describe past facts or generalizations which are no longer true. As in USE 4 above, this use of the Simple Past is quite similar to the expression "used to."

Examples:

  • She was shy as a child, but now she is very outgoing.
  • He didn't like tomatoes before.
  • Did you live in Texas when you were a kid?
  • People paid much more to make cell phone calls in the past.

IMPORTANT When-Clauses Happen First

Clauses are groups of words which have meaning but are often not complete sentences. Some clauses begin with the word "when" such as "when I dropped my pen..." or "when class began..." These clauses are called when-clauses, and they are very important. The examples below contain when-clauses.

Examples:

  • When I paid her one dollar, she answered my question.
  • She answered my question when I paid her one dollar.

When-clauses are important because they always happen first when both clauses are in the Simple Past. Both of the examples above mean the same thing: first, I paid her one dollar, and then, she answered my question. It is not important whether "when I paid her one dollar" is at the beginning of the sentence or at the end of the sentence. However, the example below has a different meaning. First, she answered my question, and then, I paid her one dollar.

Example:

  • I paid her one dollar when she answered my question.

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

  • You just called Debbie.
  • Did you just call Debbie?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE

Examples:

  • Tom repaired the car. Active
  • The car was repaired by Tom. Passive
 

If you have any questions past simple verbs or any other grammar-related subject, feel free to visit http://www.grammarperfection.com or contact help@grammarperfection.com.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:47:12 -0700 Different Forms of a Predicate http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/different-forms-of-a-predicate http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/different-forms-of-a-predicate

Englishgrammar.org does a great job of explaining the different forms of a predicate.

If you have any questions on this or any other grammar-related subject feel free to visit http://www.grammarperfection.com or contact help@grammarperfection.com.

According to their website:

Different forms of the predicate

The predicate may consist of one word or several words. When the verb in the predicate is an intransitive verb, it alone can form the predicate.

  • Dogs bark.
  • Birds sing.
  • The clouds are gathering.
  • They have been playing.

The verb in the predicate may consist of one word or several  words. When the sentence is in the simple present or simple past, the verb consists of just one word.

When the verb is an intransitive verb of incomplete predication, the predicate may consist of the verb and its complement.

  • She seems happy.
  • The sky grew dark.
  • The house is to let.

When the verb is a transitive verb, the predicate may consist of the verb and its object.

  • Birds build nests.
  • I know him.
  • The cat killed the rat.
  • He shot the panther.

When the verb is a transitive verb having two objects, the predicate may consist of the verb and its two objects – indirect and direct.

  • I promised him a present.
  • He teaches us English.
  • Father bought me a doll.

When the verb is a transitive verb of incomplete predication, the predicate may consist of the verb, its object and a complement.

  • The jury found him guilty.
  • The parents named him Christopher.
  • He kept us waiting.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:35:41 -0700 When to Use Between vs Among http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/when-to-use-between-vs-among http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/when-to-use-between-vs-among

I thought this was a good article on between vs among. 

If you have any questions on this or any other grammar-related subject feel free to visit http://www.grammarperfection.com or contact help@grammarperfection.com.

via Good Grammar Rules! by GGR on 9/12/09

Between and among are another pair of words that are commonly confused. For most cases you can go by one simple rule: Use “between” when talking about two people or things, and use “among” when talking about more than two.

I think this should be just between you and me.

Let’s divide the money among you, Bob and Kathy.

GGR Helpful Hint - “Between” and “two” both have tw in their spellings. Keep that in mind to remember to use “between” when you’re talking about two things!

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Wed, 29 Sep 2010 09:00:04 -0700 Which vs That http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/which-vs-that http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/which-vs-that

Which vs That

By Sean Woods

Many people are confused about which vs that.  The problem is that they both “sound right” in a sentence.  It takes a bit of thinking, but the easiest way to remember whether to use which vs that is that the word that should always precede a restrictive clause and which should precede a non-restrictive clause. 

But what are restrictive and non-restrictive clauses?

Restrictive Clause: Any part of the sentence, that when removed, changes the meaning of the sentence.

Non-restrictive Clause: Any part of the sentence, that when removed, does not change the meaning of the sentence. 

Example of when to use that: Cars, that are red, attract more attention from the police. 

If you remove, “that are red” from the sentence, it changes the meaning of it.  It is an integral part of the sentence.

Example of when to use which: Giraffes, which happen to have long necks, are at the zoo. 

If you remove, “which happen to have long necks” from the sentence, the overall meaning does not change.  “Which happen to have long necks” is just added information.

A simple way to remember the rule is to use this mnemonic device.  “Early residents of Salem thought it was okay to remove Witches from their town.”  They key words are witches (sounds like which) and okay to remove.   This goes along with the fact that it is okay to remove a non-restrictive clause and which always precedes a non-restrictive clause.

If you can picture a witch being thrown out of Salem, you will have no trouble remembering which vs that. 

If you have more questions, feel free to visit http://www.grammarperfection.com or contact help@grammarperfection.com.


 

 

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Tue, 28 Sep 2010 10:09:23 -0700 Cannot Versus Can Not http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/cannot-versus-can-not http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/cannot-versus-can-not

Cannot Versus Can Not

Grammar Girl has a great suggestion for remembering cannot versus can not.

According to Grammar Girl, "Both cannot and can not are acceptable spellings, but it's more common to see the one-word form: cannot. A Quick and Dirty Tip is to think of a magician using a carrot to taunt a rabbit while he says, "You cannot have the carrot." Extend the r's in carrot to the bottom of the line and, voila, carrot turns into cannot."
 

If you have more questions, feel free to visit http://www.grammarperfection.com or contact help@grammarperfection.com.


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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods Wed, 22 Sep 2010 14:24:00 -0700 Semicolon Usage http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/semicolon-usage http://grammarperfection.posterous.com/semicolon-usage

Semicolon Usage

by Sean Woods

Correct semicolon usage is easy if you remember the following rules.

Rule 1 - A semicolon can link two independent clauses without using connecting words.  What is an independent clause?  It is words that can be a sentence all by themselves.

Example of proper semicolon usage – My birthday is tomorrow; I hope my friends will throw me a party.

The words, “My birthday is tomorrow,” and “I hope my friends throw me a party” could both be a sentence, so putting a semicolon between them is correct. 

Example of when not to use a semicolon – Although clowns are funny; they are also pretty scary.

The words, “Although clowns are funny,” do not form a complete sentence, so there should not be a semicolon here.
Rule 2 – Do not use a semicolon when the two independent clauses are joined by a conjunction.  A conjunction is a word like but, and, or, nor, for, so, and yet. If there is a conjunction, use a comma instead.

Incorrect – Monkeys are cute and cuddly; but they do not make the best pets. 

Even though the words, “Monkeys are cute and cuddly,” and “they do not make the best pets” could be sentences, there should not be a semicolon since they are joined by a conjunction.

Correct - Monkeys are cute and cuddly, but they do not make the best pets. 

Rule 3 – Use a semicolon like a super comma to separate lists of items that are each separated with a comma.  This can be confusing, so let’s use an example. 

Example - The train made several stops along its route, Chicago, Illinois; Nashville, Tennessee; and Orlando, Florida. 

If the sentence had all commas, it would be difficult to read. 

That’s all there is!  If you remember these few simple rules, you should have no trouble with correct semicolon usage. 

If you have more questions, feel free to go to http://www.grammarperfection.com or contact help@grammarperfection.com.

 

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/776985/Grammar_Perfection.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SIQRo3EqMmZ Sean Woods Grammar Perfection Sean Woods