The Grammar Logs -- Number One Hundred, Ten

The
Grammar
Logs
# 110

Question We often say "spend some time on something" and "spend some time in doing something" but can we say "spend some time on doing something"? I found such a sentence in one book.
Source & Date
of Question Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
23 April 1998
Grammar's
Response This seems to be one of those situations in which you can say that such a construction is possible, but we would surely be better off with something simpler. We could say "We spent some time on doing algebra," but I think it would be better if we said, "We spent some time on algebra."

Question The dictionary lists impacted as an adjective. Impact (without -ed) is a transitive verb. Also, your explanation of that and which is not complete. That is used with a plural antecedent and which with a singular.
Source & Date
of Question Springfield, Missouri
23 April 1998
Grammar's
Response Whether or not the dictionary lists impact as a verb or not depends on which dictionary you're looking at. (Incidentally, I myself dislike the use of the word as verb, but I'm afraid disliking it doesn't do much good.) The online Merriam-Webster defines it this way:
Pronunciation: im-'pakt
Function: verb
Etymology: Latin impactus, past participle of impingere to push against
Date: 1601
transitive senses
1 a : to fix firmly by or as if by packing or wedging b : to press together
2 a : to have an impact on : impinge on b : to strike forcefully; also : to cause to strike forcefully
intransitive senses
1 : to have an impact
2 : to impinge or make contact especially forcefully
Impacted may be listed as an adjective, but it's really a participle of the verb impact. Since participles are verb forms acting as adjectives, I guess we could say it's an adjective.
Your understanding of "which" and "that" is interesting to me, but I respectfully disagree. So far as I know, the choice of using "which" or "that" has nothing to do with number.

Question My question is about the word "consistent". Can something be "more" consistent? I thought that something is either consistent or inconsistent.
Thank you.
Source & Date
of Question Buffalo, New York
24 April 1998
Grammar's
Response I see nothing wrong with the idea of something being more consistent. If I alter my proposal to make it more consistent than it was yesterday, isn't that a logical thing to do? Don't be fooled by people who say things like "you can't be more pregnant." Any idiot who says that has never known a woman about to give birth to twins.

Question Are there any style guidelines for writing e-mail, and if so, what are they?
Source & Date
of Question Fairfield, Iowa
24 April 1998
Grammar's
Response Not that I know of. The only thing I see people carrying on about is ALL CAPS being bad form. For some reason, lots of people go nuts with a lack of punctuation and capitalization when they're writing e-mail, but I don't think that has anything to do with its being e-mail. I think it's too new as a form of communication for any guideliness to have been established -- except, perhaps, within the corporate world, where each corporation probably has its own ideas about how memoranda are supposed to look, etc.

Question I have a line in a poem that reads "Punk's mutation . . ." Is that correct or is it "Punks' mutation?"
Source & Date
of Question New York, New York
24 April 1998
Grammar's
Response This isn't about a cat, is it? Trouble is, I don't know whether this person or animal's name is Punk or Punks. Assuming it's Punk, your first choice is correct. If his/her/its name is Punks, then Punks's would be correct (although Punks' would not be incorrect).

Question When ending a sentence are there two spaces after the period or just one? This is extremely important to me as I was told I was wrong.
Source & Date
of Question Detroit, Michigan
24 April 1998
Grammar's
Response If you're using an old-fashioned typewriter, use two spaces; otherwise, use one. Modern word-processing devices can do weird things to spacing when you put in that extra space, especially if you were using justified margins. It's hard to train your fingers not to put in two spaces if that's what you're used to, but work on it.

Question I need help! I have heard and used a word in conversation that I thought to mean "transition" or "bridge" between two thoughts. Phonetically it sounds like "segway". My problem is that I find that word or word like it nowhere in any dict ionary. Can you help?
Source & Date
of Question Germantown, Wisconsin
24 April 1998
Grammar's
Response That's one of those words that's almost impossible to look up if you don't know how to spell it. It's segue -- coming from an Italian music term which means "it follows" -- and, yes, it is taken to mean a bridge or transition to something else.

Question I am not sure if a comma is needed when using the word also. For example, do I need a comma in this sentence?
I am nor sure whether ten-year-olds would enjoy this novel. Also, the vocabulary concerning the parts of the ship was difficult to follow.
AND
I would like you to come along also.
AND
Also, I was wondering what the point of the book was.
Thanks for your answers to this lengthy question! :)
Source & Date
of Question Milford, Massachusetts
24 April 1998
Grammar's
Response If you don't put the comma after the introductory "also," I think there's a tendency to rush into the next word as if it were meant to be read as "and," which is usually a mistake. I think the comma is almost always necessary when "also" is used as an introductory adverb. When it appears elsewhere in the sentence, I think you have to decide whether or not it's parenthetical to the essential meaning of the sentence. In your second sentence, it seems essential, and I would not use a comma in that sentence.

Question Do you capitalize the word "state" when referring to a specific state i.e. Minnesota? A sentence such as "We must follow State laws."
Also do you capitalize the word "federal" or the word "state" in a phrase such as "state and federal government" or "federal and state statutes."
The rule of thumb I have used is that if a noun is used as a substitute for a title (State meaning the State of Minnesota) then you capitalize the word. If the word is used generically but not specific to a certain title (state meaning any state) then you do not capitalize.
I sure appreciate your help.
Source & Date
of Question Winona, Minnesota
24 April 1998
Grammar's
Response In none of the examples you give us would it be necessary to capitalize "state" or "federal." In a state document, on the other hand, it would be appropriate to capitalize State when referring to the specific state in question to set it off from the generic. However, even in the state of Minnesota, you would write that we must obey state laws.

Question I finished my major paper. And the topic is

A study on the bit error rates of new CPFSK (Continuos Phase Frequency Shift Keying) demodulator
A study on bit error rates of new CPFSK (Continuos Phase Frequency Shift Keying) demodulator.
I'm not sure that which is right. Because some papers use 'the' and others are not. Please give me the correct answer and the reason.
Best regards.
Source & Date
of Question Somewhere, South Korea
24 April 1998
Grammar's
Response Although you are talking about something very specific here (demodulators, etc.), you are doing so in a generic way. You can refer to something generically with the article "the" and with no article. "A study on lions in Africa" is pretty much the same thing as "a study on the lions of Africa." Check out the section on articles and determiners.

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Question	My question is about the word "consistent". Can something be "more" consistent? I thought that something is either consistent or inconsistent. Thank you.
Source & Date of Question	Buffalo, New York 24 April 1998
Grammar's Response	I see nothing wrong with the idea of something being more consistent. If I alter my proposal to make it more consistent than it was yesterday, isn't that a logical thing to do? Don't be fooled by people who say things like "you can't be more pregnant." Any idiot who says that has never known a woman about to give birth to twins.

Question	I am not sure if a comma is needed when using the word also. For example, do I need a comma in this sentence? I am nor sure whether ten-year-olds would enjoy this novel. Also, the vocabulary concerning the parts of the ship was difficult to follow. AND I would like you to come along also. AND Also, I was wondering what the point of the book was. Thanks for your answers to this lengthy question! :)
Source & Date of Question	Milford, Massachusetts 24 April 1998
Grammar's Response	If you don't put the comma after the introductory "also," I think there's a tendency to rush into the next word as if it were meant to be read as "and," which is usually a mistake. I think the comma is almost always necessary when "also" is used as an introductory adverb. When it appears elsewhere in the sentence, I think you have to decide whether or not it's parenthetical to the essential meaning of the sentence. In your second sentence, it seems essential, and I would not use a comma in that sentence.

Question	Do you capitalize the word "state" when referring to a specific state i.e. Minnesota? A sentence such as "We must follow State laws." Also do you capitalize the word "federal" or the word "state" in a phrase such as "state and federal government" or "federal and state statutes." The rule of thumb I have used is that if a noun is used as a substitute for a title (State meaning the State of Minnesota) then you capitalize the word. If the word is used generically but not specific to a certain title (state meaning any state) then you do not capitalize. I sure appreciate your help.
Source & Date of Question	Winona, Minnesota 24 April 1998
Grammar's Response	In none of the examples you give us would it be necessary to capitalize "state" or "federal." In a state document, on the other hand, it would be appropriate to capitalize State when referring to the specific state in question to set it off from the generic. However, even in the state of Minnesota, you would write that we must obey state laws.

Question	I finished my major paper. And the topic is A study on the bit error rates of new CPFSK (Continuos Phase Frequency Shift Keying) demodulator A study on bit error rates of new CPFSK (Continuos Phase Frequency Shift Keying) demodulator. I'm not sure that which is right. Because some papers use 'the' and others are not. Please give me the correct answer and the reason. Best regards.
Source & Date of Question	Somewhere, South Korea 24 April 1998
Grammar's Response	Although you are talking about something very specific here (demodulators, etc.), you are doing so in a generic way. You can refer to something generically with the article "the" and with no article. "A study on lions in Africa" is pretty much the same thing as "a study on the lions of Africa." Check out the section on articles and determiners.

Question	We often say "spend some time on something" and "spend some time in doing something" but can we say "spend some time on doing something"? I found such a sentence in one book.
Source & Date of Question	Shenzhen, Guangdong, China 23 April 1998
Grammar's Response	This seems to be one of those situations in which you can say that such a construction is possible, but we would surely be better off with something simpler. We could say "We spent some time on doing algebra," but I think it would be better if we said, "We spent some time on algebra."

Question	Are there any style guidelines for writing e-mail, and if so, what are they?
Source & Date of Question	Fairfield, Iowa 24 April 1998
Grammar's Response	Not that I know of. The only thing I see people carrying on about is ALL CAPS being bad form. For some reason, lots of people go nuts with a lack of punctuation and capitalization when they're writing e-mail, but I don't think that has anything to do with its being e-mail. I think it's too new as a form of communication for any guideliness to have been established -- except, perhaps, within the corporate world, where each corporation probably has its own ideas about how memoranda are supposed to look, etc.

Question	I have a line in a poem that reads "Punk's mutation . . ." Is that correct or is it "Punks' mutation?"
Source & Date of Question	New York, New York 24 April 1998
Grammar's Response	This isn't about a cat, is it? Trouble is, I don't know whether this person or animal's name is Punk or Punks. Assuming it's Punk, your first choice is correct. If his/her/its name is Punks, then Punks's would be correct (although Punks' would not be incorrect).

Question	When ending a sentence are there two spaces after the period or just one? This is extremely important to me as I was told I was wrong.
Source & Date of Question	Detroit, Michigan 24 April 1998
Grammar's Response	If you're using an old-fashioned typewriter, use two spaces; otherwise, use one. Modern word-processing devices can do weird things to spacing when you put in that extra space, especially if you were using justified margins. It's hard to train your fingers not to put in two spaces if that's what you're used to, but work on it.

Question	I need help! I have heard and used a word in conversation that I thought to mean "transition" or "bridge" between two thoughts. Phonetically it sounds like "segway". My problem is that I find that word or word like it nowhere in any dict ionary. Can you help?
Source & Date of Question	Germantown, Wisconsin 24 April 1998
Grammar's Response	That's one of those words that's almost impossible to look up if you don't know how to spell it. It's segue -- coming from an Italian music term which means "it follows" -- and, yes, it is taken to mean a bridge or transition to something else.