Архивохранилище на март 2007

дороги Уверенн-пожара вылечить блок сочинителя

Мы все испытывали ему. Сидящ на столе или компьютере поставьте на обсуждение пока пустой куск бумаги и пустой экран вытаращится назад на нас и смеется мы написать что-нибыдь, даже предложение-как раз что-то.

Это будет повреждая заболевание известное как блок сочинителя [бирки] [/tag].

Сделайте?

Полный рассказ»

Вывешено grammarblogger

Сердца их Cheatin'

В одном из моего университета классифицирует другую ночу, я сидел через некоторые представления студента на [бирка] академичной нечестности в образовании [/tag]. Одна группа сделала наилучшим образом-исследованную работу на взвинчивании ранга [бирки] [/tag], детализирующ свои причины и лечения потенциала. Другая группа представила на поверхности показалось, что было праймером на как обжулить и почему необходимо сделать так в школе, на любом уровне.

Ouch!

Полный рассказ»

Вывешено grammarblogger

Наклоняет на использовании и

Я верю я упоминало раньше что, в говорить по крайней мере и часто в сочинительстве, использующ исключительн и забывающ [[whom]] существует работать справедливый штраф.

Однако, другой день я слушал к radio объявлению о online датируя обслуживании в котором extols женщины качества ее нового boyfriend «я встретил online,» или слова к тому влиянию.

Это заскрежетанное на моих ушах. Почему?

Полный рассказ»

Вывешено grammarblogger

Концы для проводить исследование исследование качества Online

Если вы серьезны о [бирка] считать хорошую информацию online [/tag] - и, то как раз кто-то хочет принудить вниз с вашего горл-вы будут нужны некоторые стратегии для успеха.

Я общаюсь с этими стратегиями?? в моих новых английских ресурсах характеристика вызвала Исследование качества Online.?? Проверите его вне.

Вывешено grammarblogger

Состоят из V. Состоит из

Я всегда бежал в те дуть-трудные редакторы [бирки], copyeditors и корректировщиков [/tag] которые настояли то состоьте из используйте в активно чувстве, намереваясь «включить.»

Hence, one could write, "The program comprises dieting, exercise, and yoga." One could not write this in the passive voice, "The program is comprised of dieting, exercise, and yoga," which is the way I always used the verb.

Now,"blow-hard central" had a point in the sense that I never recognized comprise as a transitive verb that took objects, but I’m not sure they were right about not using "is comprised of."

Now to the rescue comes Common Errors in English, which has a solution–use "is composed of" instead, but that doesn’t quite, to me at least, convey the same meaning as "is comprised of."

Whatever, the blow-hards are always right. Blow-hards rule just about everywhere, don’t they? But they’re not always right!

Posted by grammarblogger

My Compliments on Your Complementary Work

My title is an example of two words that are often confused.?? Actually, what’s confused in many writers’ minds is how to use and spell complementary.??I’ve even seen professional Web sites where companies are trying to sell their “complementary services” and they use complimentary completely incorrectly.?? Sure, I’ll take their free services anytime.

Here’s an explanation of the difference.

Posted by grammarblogger

Grammar Horror Stories (Teaching-Wise)

I have my NotWords and MorphedWords categories, and now I’m toying with a Grammar Horror Stories category.

I bring this up because I can’t remember how many college students I’ve taught over the years who live in mortal fear of K-12 English admonitions from well-meaning (I hope) but un-grammar-educated (for sure) teachers.

Examples?

Full Story »

Posted by grammarblogger

I’m Through With the NotWord Thru

Like Milton in Office Space, who proclaimed “the last straw” when they turned the lights off on him, I am now beyond the last straw with the newer generations’ misuse of the NotWord thru, which is a misspelling of the real word through.

Thru belongs in only one usage, and that’s for fast food joints such as [tag]Drive-Thrus[/tag].

The final straw was reached when a student of mine, who has Mensa-caliber brain functions, turned in a paper with [tag]thru[/tag] used throughout it.

Enough. Let’s banish this NotWord forever. I’m through with thru.

Posted by grammarblogger

Use of Subjunctive Mood in Verbs

Now here’s a misusage that almost no ear, nor eye, will ever catch.

What’s wrong with this lyric:

“If I was a rich man…”?

If this clause reads and sounds okay to you, then you’re definitely among the majority of English users who don’t know, don’t understand or otherwise just ignore the subjunctive mood.

Briefly, the to be verb takes the subjective form were when used in if constructions expressing a wish or condition. For instance:

“If I were in New York today, I could visit my friend Daniel.”

You’re not in New York, so the if expresses a wish or condition and thus requires the subjunctive mood in the verb, which is plural rather than singular.

If I was just learning English, I’d be confused, but if I were born here, I might still be confused. (Find the error–or irony–in there yet?)

Posted by grammarblogger

Word Confusion: Gleam and Glean

I was dashing off an e-mail just now, and I used the word gleam in the sense of examining some documents and deriving meaning.

Something struck me as odd about the word. It turns out that I really meant glean. It’s a good thing I turned instantly to my cyber-buddy Dictionary.com to verify my spelling and usage, and sure enough: Gleam: a flash or beam of light. Glean: to gather slowly and laboriously, bit by bit. Of course, these are only the first definitions for each, but as you can see, I had chosen the wrong word entirely.

Lesson here, even for an old writer hack like me: When in doubt, look it up.

Posted by grammarblogger