The Grammar Logs -- Number One Hundred, Seventeen

The
Grammar
Logs
# 117

Question term used for opposite meanings in a sentence e.g. 'frightfully nice'
Source & Date
of Question Sydney, NSW, Australia
30 April 1998
Grammar's
Response I think the word you're looking for is Oxymoron.

Question Hello:
I Would like to know if I'm repeating the same meaning in this sentence?
I found the interview informative and I was also very impressed with the description you provided of your organization.
On this other sentece is corrected to use "are"? Somebody told me that I don't need to use "are", and that the sentence is wrong.
I believe that my qualifications are matched with the position we discussed.
If I have another mistake please correct it and I'll appreciate it. Thank very much.
Source & Date
of Question Toronto, ON Canada
30 April 1998
Grammar's
Response I find nothing wrong with the interview statement. I think your friend is right, get rid of the "are," but change the tense to present: "I believe that my qualifications match the requirements of the position we discussed."

Question Hello!
Is this sentence correct please?
I am sorry as I could not have met up with you earlier.
Thanks
Source & Date
of Question Kuala Lumpur
1 May 1998
Grammar's
Response That is a strange use of the subordinating conjunction "as." We could shorten the sentence by writing "I am sorry I did not meet you earlier." or "I am sorry I could not have met you earlier." (I don't think "meet up" is quite what you have in mind here, although it's possible.)

Question This is a question about the correlative conjunctions "not only ... but also" and about parallel construction. I noticed this in our local newspaper: "Cinco de Mayo not only is cause for celebrating an important day in Mexican history, but for enjoying wonderful food as well." I believe it should read: "Cinco de Mayo is cause for not only celebrating an important day in Mexican history but also enjoying wonderful food." -- or perhaps it should be "is cause not only for celebrating ... but also for enjoying...." What is correct?
Thank you.
Source & Date
of Question Omaha, Nebraska
1 May 1998
Grammar's
Response Your first revision is a definite improvement -- for reasons of parallel form, as you point out -- but your second revision is the best. The local newspaper should hire you as editor.

Question When a sentence begins with "there" and is not the subject of the sentence, what would you call it (in grammatical terms)?
e.g.: There is one strong theory on the cause of the accident.
Theory is the subject, so "there" is the...what?
Thanks for your help.
Source & Date
of Question New York, New York
1 May 1998
Grammar's
Response "There is" is an expletive construction; the word "there" itself is an adverb. And you're right: with an expletive construction, the subject follows the verb. Too many expletive constructions will weaken your prose. They can almost always be eliminated to the sentence's advantage.

Question Is it ever acceptable to use a period after quotation marks when the quote is at the end of the sentence? I believe I was taught that when quoting someone/thing else, the quotes enclose the period; however, when the sentence ends in a word or phrase that is in quotes the period comes afterwards. Am I wrong?
Thanks
Source & Date
of Question Chicago, Illinois
1 May 1998
Grammar's
Response That would be logical, and it would be how you were taught if you were educated anywhere outside the United States. Convention in the U.S.A. calls for periods and commas to go inside the quotation marks regardless of logic.

Question I'd like to know what's the difference between 'used to' and 'would', refering to past habits. I really need to know some rules.
Source & Date
of Question Salvador-Bahia-Brazil
1 May 1998
Grammar's
Response I'm sorry, but I don't know the rules for such matters. They're quite similar in meaning, in fact. "When I was a girl, we used to go to my grandmother's every summer." "When I was a girl, we would go to my grandmother's every summer." No difference. If anything, the "would" is a bit more formal and perhaps more appropriate for academic prose, but the "used to" is acceptable in informal speech and writing, certainly. Did that answer your question?
Rob De Decker adds this note:
When describing a habitual sequence of actions in the past, we can use "would" throughout, but we could not repeat "used to" quite so often. e.g. When we wanted to break into a house, one of us would ring the bell in order to make sure that there was nobody at home. Then we would go to the back door, etc . . . .
Used to can be used to talk about states and situations as well as actions, would cannot.
e.g. I used to have an old Olivetti typewriter (would could not be used here).

Question me or myself? I'm not too smug about him -- or about myself (or about me)
Source & Date
of Question New York, New York
1 May 1998
Grammar's
Response You can use the reflexive pronoun (ending in -self) when the subject and object of a sentence are the same person. In this case, "myself" would be appropriate.

Question When should the letter "e" in the word "English" be capitalized?
Source & Date
of Question Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2 May 1998
Grammar's
Response I think you need to reverse your question: When should the letter "e" in the word "English" not be capitalized? And my answer is that I don't know of any situations where you wouldn't capitalize English. My dictionaries even capitalize the "E" of English sparrow and English horn (although I can't imagine capitalizing french fries or vienna sausage). I'll post this response and maybe some other reader will offer an exception.

Question Which sentences are correct?

Fish and rice are delicious.
OR

Fish and rice is delicious.

Fish and eggs are delicious.
OR

Fish and eggs is delicious.
Thank you very much. :>
Source & Date
of Question Unknown
3 May 1998
Grammar's
Response That all depends. I take it that "fish and rice" is one dish, but "fish and eggs" are not? If so, we would say "fish and rice is delicious," but "fish and eggs" are delicious.

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Question	Hello: I Would like to know if I'm repeating the same meaning in this sentence? I found the interview informative and I was also very impressed with the description you provided of your organization. On this other sentece is corrected to use "are"? Somebody told me that I don't need to use "are", and that the sentence is wrong. I believe that my qualifications are matched with the position we discussed. If I have another mistake please correct it and I'll appreciate it. Thank very much.
Source & Date of Question	Toronto, ON Canada 30 April 1998
Grammar's Response	I find nothing wrong with the interview statement. I think your friend is right, get rid of the "are," but change the tense to present: "I believe that my qualifications match the requirements of the position we discussed."

Question	Hello! Is this sentence correct please? I am sorry as I could not have met up with you earlier. Thanks
Source & Date of Question	Kuala Lumpur 1 May 1998
Grammar's Response	That is a strange use of the subordinating conjunction "as." We could shorten the sentence by writing "I am sorry I did not meet you earlier." or "I am sorry I could not have met you earlier." (I don't think "meet up" is quite what you have in mind here, although it's possible.)

Question	This is a question about the correlative conjunctions "not only ... but also" and about parallel construction. I noticed this in our local newspaper: "Cinco de Mayo not only is cause for celebrating an important day in Mexican history, but for enjoying wonderful food as well." I believe it should read: "Cinco de Mayo is cause for not only celebrating an important day in Mexican history but also enjoying wonderful food." -- or perhaps it should be "is cause not only for celebrating ... but also for enjoying...." What is correct? Thank you.
Source & Date of Question	Omaha, Nebraska 1 May 1998
Grammar's Response	Your first revision is a definite improvement -- for reasons of parallel form, as you point out -- but your second revision is the best. The local newspaper should hire you as editor.

Question	When a sentence begins with "there" and is not the subject of the sentence, what would you call it (in grammatical terms)? e.g.: There is one strong theory on the cause of the accident. Theory is the subject, so "there" is the...what? Thanks for your help.
Source & Date of Question	New York, New York 1 May 1998
Grammar's Response	"There is" is an expletive construction; the word "there" itself is an adverb. And you're right: with an expletive construction, the subject follows the verb. Too many expletive constructions will weaken your prose. They can almost always be eliminated to the sentence's advantage.

Question	Is it ever acceptable to use a period after quotation marks when the quote is at the end of the sentence? I believe I was taught that when quoting someone/thing else, the quotes enclose the period; however, when the sentence ends in a word or phrase that is in quotes the period comes afterwards. Am I wrong? Thanks
Source & Date of Question	Chicago, Illinois 1 May 1998
Grammar's Response	That would be logical, and it would be how you were taught if you were educated anywhere outside the United States. Convention in the U.S.A. calls for periods and commas to go inside the quotation marks regardless of logic.

Question	term used for opposite meanings in a sentence e.g. 'frightfully nice'
Source & Date of Question	Sydney, NSW, Australia 30 April 1998
Grammar's Response	I think the word you're looking for is Oxymoron.

Question	I'd like to know what's the difference between 'used to' and 'would', refering to past habits. I really need to know some rules.
Source & Date of Question	Salvador-Bahia-Brazil 1 May 1998
Grammar's Response	I'm sorry, but I don't know the rules for such matters. They're quite similar in meaning, in fact. "When I was a girl, we used to go to my grandmother's every summer." "When I was a girl, we would go to my grandmother's every summer." No difference. If anything, the "would" is a bit more formal and perhaps more appropriate for academic prose, but the "used to" is acceptable in informal speech and writing, certainly. Did that answer your question? Rob De Decker adds this note: When describing a habitual sequence of actions in the past, we can use "would" throughout, but we could not repeat "used to" quite so often. e.g. When we wanted to break into a house, one of us would ring the bell in order to make sure that there was nobody at home. Then we would go to the back door, etc . . . . Used to can be used to talk about states and situations as well as actions, would cannot. e.g. I used to have an old Olivetti typewriter (would could not be used here).

Question	me or myself? I'm not too smug about him -- or about myself (or about me)
Source & Date of Question	New York, New York 1 May 1998
Grammar's Response	You can use the reflexive pronoun (ending in -self) when the subject and object of a sentence are the same person. In this case, "myself" would be appropriate.

Question	When should the letter "e" in the word "English" be capitalized?
Source & Date of Question	Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 2 May 1998
Grammar's Response	I think you need to reverse your question: When should the letter "e" in the word "English" not be capitalized? And my answer is that I don't know of any situations where you wouldn't capitalize English. My dictionaries even capitalize the "E" of English sparrow and English horn (although I can't imagine capitalizing french fries or vienna sausage). I'll post this response and maybe some other reader will offer an exception.

Question	Which sentences are correct? Fish and rice are delicious. OR Fish and rice is delicious. Fish and eggs are delicious. OR Fish and eggs is delicious. Thank you very much. :>
Source & Date of Question	Unknown 3 May 1998
Grammar's Response	That all depends. I take it that "fish and rice" is one dish, but "fish and eggs" are not? If so, we would say "fish and rice is delicious," but "fish and eggs" are delicious.