The Grammar Logs -- Number One Hundred, Eleven

The
Grammar
Logs
# 111

Question Can you tell me if the following sentence is correct?
This option is used to make the change of color, so that the document has a better presentation.
Thanks.
Source & Date
of Question Mexico City, Mexico
24 April 1998
Grammar's
Response If I may, I would suggest something like "Use this option to change colors [in order ?] to enhance the appearance of the document."

Question Please tell me which is the correct sentence, and explain why. Thank you so much for your help (the use of "your" vs "you").

Any such amendment may result in your not receiving the benefits described in this booklet.
Any such amendment may result in you not receiving the benefits described in the booklet.

Source & Date
of Question Lyman, South Carolina
24 April 1998
Grammar's
Response Sometimes it's really hard to make this choice. In this case, I think we're talking about the result of the amendment, which is a "not receiving," and that belongs to someone, in this case. I think you want to go with the possessive: "your not not receiving." (We're not saying that the amendment results in you being modified but in something happening, and that something belonging [in a sense] to you.)

Question When writing a corporate introduction, is it acceptable to alternate between the company name and the personal pronouns "we" and "our"? Using the company name throughout the document comes across too stuffy. However, alternating between the company name and "we" or "our" seems to be a shift from third to first person.
Source & Date
of Question Hartford, Connecticut
24 April 1998
Grammar's
Response Within a paragraph, at least, it would be terribly important to be consistent. Thus, you wouldn't want to refer to the corporation as an "it" in the same paragraph in which you use the corporate "we" to describe what the corporation is doing or thinking, etc. Down that path lies schizophrenia and other mental, corporate ills.

Question In which situation can I use "for" in place of "because"?
What mean, exactily the expression "figure out"?
Thank you
Source & Date
of Question Recife, PE, Brazil
26 April 1998
Grammar's
Response According to Quirk, we use the conjunction for in rather formal circumstances to indicate that "what is said is the reason for mentioning what has been said previously.
The vast majority of the competitors will be well content just to walk around at their own pacek stopping for a rest or refreshment as required. For it is a long day's walk, and there is much to be said for enjoying the scenery at the same time."
Authority: A University Grammar of English by Randolph Quirk and Sidney Greenbaum. Longman Group: Essex, England. 1993. Used with permission.
To figure out something is to understand it, often with the added sense that the understanding has been arrived at by means of arithmetic or arithmetic-type reasoning.

Question Every time, do i need to put on comma before "which"?
Source & Date
of Question Sunray, Texas
26 April 1998
Grammar's
Response If you are one of those who writers who reserve which as the word to introduce restrictive clauses, then you will always need a comma before it. Not all writers use which that strictly, however, and when the which introduces a nonrestrictive clause (rather rare in any case), a comma will not be necessary.

Question Am getting mixed readings about the following: The letter "W" as a vowel. Is it a vowel? (some books claim it is) Words such as awful, few, etc., use w as a sound different than the accepted pronunciation of the vowels which precede the w. "Y" is sometimes accepted as a vowel, and one of the books I consulted listed "W" as another sometime vowel.
Source & Date
of Question Matmoras, Pennsylvania
26 April 1998
Grammar's
Response You will sometimes see "w" listed as a vowel. I wish I could remember where I saw this, but I have seen words where it functioned as a vowel, but the words were Scottish or Welsh, as I recall -- not that that disqualifies from the realm of English, certainly, but in the normal course of events, "w" is not used as an English vowel.

Question Struck vs. Stricken
I am a lawyer. It seems that virtually all lawyers these days use "stricken" instead of "struck," usually for the past tense ("the document was stricken from the record") or for the subjunctive ("I ask that his testimony be stricken").
I believe that "struck" is the proper form, although I am willing to accept that "stricken" may be an acceptable variant in this particular context (in much the same manner as "hanged" vs. "hung").
Which do you think is proper? Thanks.
Source & Date
of Question Miami, Florida
26 April 1998
Grammar's
Response The analogy with "hanged versus hung" might not be a good one, as those words can have quite different meanings. Stricken is listed as a variant of struck. But stricken generally carries a connotation of being afflicted as struck does not. The testinomy was stricken? About all one can say is that it isn't wrong; you're probably battling the waves on this one.

Question 1) when can I write in and on?
2) is it correct to say " I replaced this valve with new one" or "I replaced this valve by new one"
Source & Date
of Question Doha-Qatar
26 April 1998
Grammar's
Response 1. Check out the new section on Prepositions, and let me know if you still have a question about in and on.
2. "With" would be the preposition of preference there. And we would also add the article "a": I replaced this valve with a new one.

Question Which sentence is correct?
1. I have sent out the sample yesterday.
or
2. I had sent out the sample yesterday.
THANK YOU!
Source & Date
of Question Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
26 April 1998
Grammar's
Response We could use sentence #2 or we could say "I sent out the sample yesterday." The present perfect would not be appropriate in a past situation (yesterday).

Question I need to know when not to use contractions in a short story. I understand they are in quoted text but should be avoided in non-quoted text.
Comment please.
Source & Date
of Question Lexington, Rockbridge, Virginia
26 April 1998
Grammar's
Response There are no restrictions against using contractions in fiction. Whether or not you use contractions will be decided entirely by the tone (formal, casual?) you wish to establish in your story.

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Question	Can you tell me if the following sentence is correct? This option is used to make the change of color, so that the document has a better presentation. Thanks.
Source & Date of Question	Mexico City, Mexico 24 April 1998
Grammar's Response	If I may, I would suggest something like "Use this option to change colors [in order ?] to enhance the appearance of the document."

Question	Please tell me which is the correct sentence, and explain why. Thank you so much for your help (the use of "your" vs "you"). Any such amendment may result in your not receiving the benefits described in this booklet. Any such amendment may result in you not receiving the benefits described in the booklet.
Source & Date of Question	Lyman, South Carolina 24 April 1998
Grammar's Response	Sometimes it's really hard to make this choice. In this case, I think we're talking about the result of the amendment, which is a "not receiving," and that belongs to someone, in this case. I think you want to go with the possessive: "your not not receiving." (We're not saying that the amendment results in you being modified but in something happening, and that something belonging [in a sense] to you.)

Question	Struck vs. Stricken I am a lawyer. It seems that virtually all lawyers these days use "stricken" instead of "struck," usually for the past tense ("the document was stricken from the record") or for the subjunctive ("I ask that his testimony be stricken"). I believe that "struck" is the proper form, although I am willing to accept that "stricken" may be an acceptable variant in this particular context (in much the same manner as "hanged" vs. "hung"). Which do you think is proper? Thanks.
Source & Date of Question	Miami, Florida 26 April 1998
Grammar's Response	The analogy with "hanged versus hung" might not be a good one, as those words can have quite different meanings. Stricken is listed as a variant of struck. But stricken generally carries a connotation of being afflicted as struck does not. The testinomy was stricken? About all one can say is that it isn't wrong; you're probably battling the waves on this one.

Question	1) when can I write in and on? 2) is it correct to say " I replaced this valve with new one" or "I replaced this valve by new one"
Source & Date of Question	Doha-Qatar 26 April 1998
Grammar's Response	1. Check out the new section on Prepositions, and let me know if you still have a question about in and on. 2. "With" would be the preposition of preference there. And we would also add the article "a": I replaced this valve with a new one.

Question	Which sentence is correct? 1. I have sent out the sample yesterday. or 2. I had sent out the sample yesterday. THANK YOU!
Source & Date of Question	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 26 April 1998
Grammar's Response	We could use sentence #2 or we could say "I sent out the sample yesterday." The present perfect would not be appropriate in a past situation (yesterday).

Question	When writing a corporate introduction, is it acceptable to alternate between the company name and the personal pronouns "we" and "our"? Using the company name throughout the document comes across too stuffy. However, alternating between the company name and "we" or "our" seems to be a shift from third to first person.
Source & Date of Question	Hartford, Connecticut 24 April 1998
Grammar's Response	Within a paragraph, at least, it would be terribly important to be consistent. Thus, you wouldn't want to refer to the corporation as an "it" in the same paragraph in which you use the corporate "we" to describe what the corporation is doing or thinking, etc. Down that path lies schizophrenia and other mental, corporate ills.

Question	Every time, do i need to put on comma before "which"?
Source & Date of Question	Sunray, Texas 26 April 1998
Grammar's Response	If you are one of those who writers who reserve which as the word to introduce restrictive clauses, then you will always need a comma before it. Not all writers use which that strictly, however, and when the which introduces a nonrestrictive clause (rather rare in any case), a comma will not be necessary.

Question	Am getting mixed readings about the following: The letter "W" as a vowel. Is it a vowel? (some books claim it is) Words such as awful, few, etc., use w as a sound different than the accepted pronunciation of the vowels which precede the w. "Y" is sometimes accepted as a vowel, and one of the books I consulted listed "W" as another sometime vowel.
Source & Date of Question	Matmoras, Pennsylvania 26 April 1998
Grammar's Response	You will sometimes see "w" listed as a vowel. I wish I could remember where I saw this, but I have seen words where it functioned as a vowel, but the words were Scottish or Welsh, as I recall -- not that that disqualifies from the realm of English, certainly, but in the normal course of events, "w" is not used as an English vowel.

Question	I need to know when not to use contractions in a short story. I understand they are in quoted text but should be avoided in non-quoted text. Comment please.
Source & Date of Question	Lexington, Rockbridge, Virginia 26 April 1998
Grammar's Response	There are no restrictions against using contractions in fiction. Whether or not you use contractions will be decided entirely by the tone (formal, casual?) you wish to establish in your story.